Who is that wonderful girl? The story behind Nanalan’ and its Toronto creators

'Nanalan',' a Canadian children's show that aired on YTV and CBC until 2004, is popular once again on TikTok and YouTube. (TikTok/@nanalanofficial)

Could she be any cuter? A three-year-old puppet and her nana, popular among Canadian youth two decades ago, are taking over TikTok, and perhaps proving once again that Mona is a wonderful girl.

With over 200 million views on the hashtag Nanalan on TikTok, odds are those scrolling through the app have either heard “Who’s that wonderful girl?,” or seen Mona and her nana together in a video.

Toronto’s Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon co-created “Nanalan’” when they were working at YTV originally to fill commercial spots as three-minute shorts. Shannon voiced Mona while Hopley lent his vocal talents to Nana and Russell.

“We made 71 of them, and it played for about four years in between almost every show, I think,” Shannon told CTV News Toronto in an interview.

“It was all done, in a way, not quickly, but it was done very cheaply, but really was a lot of heart and intent right at that time,” Hopley added. “It was like artists doing what they do, and it was a really wonderful and remarkable time to do that.”

The show first aired in 1999 and went on until 2004, but this past spring, the creators started posting shorts as well as full episodes of “Nanalan’” to YouTube.

THE NANAS BEHIND 'NANALAN''

The creators said they each have quirky grandmothers, but the name of the show is inspired by Shannon’s family.

“The actual name ‘Nanalan’’ comes from Jamie’s family. That’s what he used to call [his] nana’s…backyard because it was filled with whirligigs, and doodads, and knickknacks,” Hopley said.

Hopley said his grandma also had her fair share of doodads, like a nautical bar with rubber sharks and coconuts carved as pirates – and it was what connected them both on the idea of the show.

“The joy and love of that magical, fun place with a really loving person who’s there for you, you know, that’s sort of where it sort of happened,” Hopley said. “You’re always free at your Nana’s place to do things, and because nanas are way more relaxed than your parents are, right … nanas are just awesome.”

WHO'S THAT WONDERFUL GIRL, ANYWAY?

Shannon said they wanted to introduce something fresh and new to television.

“At the time, it was 1999, there wasn’t too many things starring a grandmother or a little girl,” Shannon said.

“So, we wanted to make her a little girl, although she’s kind of genderless, raceless, we’re trying to kind of come up with an icon of the idea that we wanted to express which was curiosity, awe, and wonder.”

As artists, Hopley added, they were both looking to explore something in its “purest form.”

“That’s why the stories were really simple, that’s why Mona is very simple, the designs are very simple. It’s just as much information as you can get on the screen to really get something out of it the minute you look at it,” Hopley said.

“We were very much about the essence, not on just the look and the design, but just as Jamie sort of said, the character of pure joy or pure support or pure empathy.”

TIKTOK TAKEOVER

Shannon said he proposed the idea of bringing “Nanalan’” to YouTube and TikTok.

“I just see that the writing’s on the wall and the beast of TV – the dinosaur of TV’s going extinct, and so I was just like, ‘It’s so perfect that I know this show is just filled with a billion, hilarious, little relatable 30-second moments,’” Shannon said. “It’s just made for the medium.”

And Shannon’s hunch was right – not only does their official TikTok page have over 210,000 followers and more than 6 million likes across their videos, there are 201.2 million views on the titular hashtag (and counting).

“I think we feel so good. I mean, we haven’t seen each other for many years, so this has brought us together as a creative team as well,” Shannon said.

“It feels amazing … the comments are so heartwarming, tons everyday, just, ‘You’re hearing my inner child, you’re making so many people so happy.’ […] The biggest problem right now is mental health because the world is just like a big, wet blanket on your soul. So, this is giving people some green, fresh, gardeny escapism.”

“It’s actually about support, and, you know, being free to be who you are and having somebody be there for that – somebody who sees you,” Hopley chimed in. “It’s all very validating as well because we poured ourselves into that, that feeling and that idea of what it’s like to be that young and free and fresh in a … supportive, positive environment.

“What’s so lovely after 20 some odd years later, it’s so validating that that message back then is still so loved and needed at this point, and maybe even more, you know, people really connect with it because it gives that sense of comfort and joy because it is a pure place, and I think people really connect with that.”