Shape Island
Shape Island is an American animated children's television series based on the children's books Triangle, Circle, and Square written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen. It features Harvey Guillén as the voice of Square, Gideon Adlon as the voice of Circle, and Scott Adsit as the voice of Triangle. Shape Island is a co-production between Bix Pix Entertainment and Apple Studios. Each episode has two animated segments per half-hour episode. The show premiered on Apple TV+ on January 20, 2023, where it is available to stream. A Halloween special was released on October 20, 2023 and a Winter special was released on December 1, 2023.
A second season was released on August 29, 2025.
Premise
Set on a fictional island, the series follows the story of three anthropomorphic shapes: Square, Circle, and Triangle. Each shape has a unique personality that often tests each other's patience, but their friendship is maintained throughout the series.Characters
- Square is a cube. He is the most fastidious of the shapes, but always rises to the occasion when called upon for action. He pushes blocks around for a living and likes order and routine.
- Circle is a sphere. She is the oldest, most powerful, and wisest shape on the island. Unlike the other two shapes, Circle has magic powers. For example, she can fly, grow very large, and has telekinesis.
- Triangle is a pyramid. He is the messiest, silliest, and most disorganized of the shapes. These personality traits often put him in conflict with Square.
Production
Executive producers Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen always envisioned their children's book trilogy as a children's television series. The characters in the series, like in the books, are complex and driven by their personalities instead of plot or themes. In that regard, the writers were influenced by the structure of the sitcom Seinfeld. Sesame Street was another major influence.Stop-motion animation was chosen to give the show a three-dimensional feel that is simple, not out of reach, and recognizable to children. Emmy and Annie Award-winning animation studio Bix Pix Entertainment joined the series. The writers faced challenges in adapting the books to screen, but they were able to overcome these difficulties by working closely with the production team at Bix Pix Entertainment. Director and executive producer Drew Hodges explained, "In the books, there is a lot of negative space on the page that the reader gets to fill in with their imagination. The books convey so much with very few images. But we had to fill that space with physical sets and props." It took two and a half years to produce the first season of the show, plus an additional four-to-five years of developing and pitching the show. Due to the laborious process of stop motion animation, the production schedule was about 20 months.
Barnett described the voice actors as "gifted comedians" and the experience of working with them was enjoyable to him. Harvey Guillén explained how he developed the voice of Square: "We knew that we wanted Square to be very empathetic, very endearing and sweet, and not causing too much trouble, always playing by the rules, but also to show that we could relate to him. We could be on his side. So, even though he goes through challenges, we relate to him as well." Reflecting on her role as the Narrator, Yvette Nicole Brown said:
“his is my favorite show that I’ve done voiceover for. Every time I would get a call where they need you to do more Shape, I’m like, let’s go win-win, because it’s just relaxing and I get to be silly... and they just let me. It’s like a warm hug. You just kind of lay in there and you tell the story. So this is my favorite voiceover to do and it’s one of my favorite shows to watch because it’s just so beautiful and just soulful. It’s just a soulful, sweet show."Due to their busy schedules, the actors often recorded their parts separately from each other.
In discussing the show's second season, Barnett and Klassen explained that they wanted the new episodes to feel like spending time with old friends while also exploring fresh directions. Klassen described Season 1 as a learning process and Season 2 as a chance to experiment with more ambitious storytelling. Production on the first two seasons overlapped.
Release
The show premiered on Apple TV+ internationally in 2023.Reception
The show was praised by both television critics and parent guides. Common Sense Media wrote, "Aesthetically, the show has gorgeous visuals, stop-motion animation, and music. Grown-ups may also appreciate the slower pace and lower-key dialogue compared to many preschool series." Parents praised its themes "which touch on curiosity, experimentation, and creativity; outdoor, independent play; and peaceful conflict resolution, among other important social skills."The show was recommended by the New York Times: "The show’s sense of warmth extends beyond its attitude to its enchanting design; its sun-dappled beaches and glowing forest groves could bring Instagram to its knees, and Square could give an Architectural Digest tour of his Scandi-Bohemian minimalist kitchen." The Times also recommended the show's holiday special "The Winter Blues." Cult of Mac praised the show, specifically the writing, animation, and the voice cast: "Shape Island is marvelously animated, hysterically performed, carefully written and beautifully directed. It’s a stop-motion home run for Apple TV+."
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Recipients | Result |
| 2023 | Annecy International Animated Film Festival | Jury Award for a TV Series | Drew Hodges | Won |
| 2023 | 2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Visual Effects for a Live Action Program | Andrew Babick | |
| 2023 | 2nd Children's and Family Emmy Awards | Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation | Ellen Coons | Won |
| 2024 | 51st Annie Awards | Best Special Production | "The Winter Blues" | Nomitated |
| 2024 | 51st Annie Awards | Best TV/Media - Children | "Square's Special Place" | Nomitated |