Block 13

*Block 13*
Block 13
Genre	Comedy; Educational entertainment; Slapstick; Musical
Created by	Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari; Trey Parker; Matt Stone (Original concept)
Written by	Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari; Mohammed Maseeb Najm
Directed by	Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari
Voices of	(See characters)
Composer	Ammar Al-Binni
Country of origin	Kuwait
Original language	Kuwaiti Arabic
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	46
Production
Running time	6–20 minutes
Production companies	Farooha Media Productions (season 3); Al Nazaer (seasons 1–3)
Original release
Network	Kuwait TV
Release	December 12, 2000 –; December 5, 2002

Block 13 (Arabic: قطعة 13, romanized: qiteat ṯālatha 'ash) is a Kuwaiti animated television series that serves as the Arabic adaptation of the popular American animated sitcom South Park. It was created and directed by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari and aired on Kuwaiti TV on the second half of Ramadan, which is aired on December 12, 2000,^[1] running until December 5th, 2002. It was the first animated TV series to be produced in the Arab Gulf states. It re-aired on Kuwait TV for 2020's Ramadan, and continues to be re-run in the following Ramadans.

The series follows Hammoud, Azzouz, Saloom, Honey, Abboud, and his little sister Farooha, who all often go on wacky and unordinary misadventures. Similar to South Park in the United States, the series dealt with many issues that concerned the Middle East population but in a way that could be less offensive and more family-friendly.^[2] Unlike South Park, which is adult-oriented, Block 13 was meant for families and children of all ages.

Characters

Main characters

Abboud

Abdullah "Abboud" Bu Abboud Al-Abboud (voiced by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari) – The ringleader of the group who always likes to be the center of attention, and is constantly ridiculed for his obesity. He is bald and wears a white taqiyah – also known as "gahfiya" in Kuwaiti Arabic. Abboud is the show's version of Eric Cartman.

Hammoud

Ahmad "Hammoud" Kashkh Al-Zain (voiced by Mohammed Maseeb Najm) – The "coolest" and the most well-mannered boy out of his group. Coming from an upper-class family, he is often shown to be a teacher's pet by his classmates, and constantly relays advice from his father. He is the show's version of Stan Marsh.

Azzouz

Abdulaziz "Azzouz" Mutlaq Bu Taqqah (also voiced by Mohammed Maseeb Najm) – The third member of the group. A Syrian-Kuwaiti boy who has a "yes man" personality, constantly in agreement with anything the boys say or do. In the first season, he wore a black and brown ushanka, but in Seasons 2 and 3, he wore a baseball cap with an A on it with the same colors. He has short, curly hair in the first season, and straight hair in the second season and beyond. He is the show's version of Kyle Broflovski.

Saloom

(also voiced by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari) – The fourth member of the group. A timid, reserved, and innocent boy who is shown to be very emotionally sensitive, usually when anyone makes comments about his personal life as a poverty-stricken child. He wears his father's red keffiyeh that covers his face & muffles his speech. A running gag is his constant fatal and comically-absurd accidents. He is the show's version of Kenny McCormick.

Honey

Honey Hatif Atlan (voiced by Hani Sulaiman) – The fifth and newest member of the group. An American-Kuwaiti kid who moved to Block 13 to live with his grandmother, first appearing in the second season. He is aloof and constantly code-switches between English and Arabic, his main catchphrase being "Whatever." He is considered by many to be the show's version of Craig Tucker and Butters Stotch.

Secondary characters

Farooha

(voiced by Farah Nawaf Al-Shammari (credited as herself)) – Abboud's baby sister who often accompanies the main four on their adventures. Her catchphrase is "Dig-iday!" (alternatively "Diged-dee"). She is considered by many to be the show's version of Ike Broflovski.

Halool

(voiced by Bu Hilal) – The frenemy (now friend) of the main four in earlier seasons. He is the Bedouin bully classmate, shown to be condescending, arrogant, and constantly butting heads with the main group.

Jamool

(voiced by Jamal Al-Shatti) – Halool's former sidekick in the first season. Another obese boy shown to be wisecracking at the main four's expense alongside Halool. After the first season, he is transformed into a penguin.

Jameah

(voiced by Ali Al-Alawi) – Halool's newest sidekick and the replacement of Halool's former friend, Jamool. His name is mistaken with Friday, which commonly makes him mad. He has squiggly hair with an overbite. He is Omani, and constantly questions Halool's Bedouin Arabic slang.

Teachers

Miss Attiyat

(voiced by Nizar Al-Qandi) – The portly Egyptian Kuwaiti female principal-turned-teacher of the Block 13 public school. She has a tendency to mispronounce Kuwaiti words and wears a bright orange and yellow abaya. A running gag are cow jokes made at her expense due to her abaya. She is the show's version of Principal Victoria.

Mr. Saleh

(voiced by Saleh Al-Bawi) - A former teacher at the Block 13 school with severe anger issues, and was the main four's teacher before getting sent to a mental hospital over his relationship with Miss Attiyat at the end of the first season. He occasionally returns throughout the series as an antagonist. He is the show's version of Herbert Garrison.

Mr. Atiya

(voiced by Daoud Hussein) - A teacher who first appears in season 2 and replaces Mr. Saleh. He is shown to have a strong personality, and not as angry as Mr. Saleh, yet constantly roasts Abboud with fat jokes. He was also the love interest of Miss Attiyat.

Credits

Directors & Creators

Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari (director, creator, writer)

Mohammed Maseeb Najm (writer, assistant director)

Designers

Animators

Sami Al-Khars

Khalid Al-Lahw

Graphic Design

Nayef Al-Feili (S1-3)

Atef Al-Azmi and Ali Bin Awadh (S2)

Meshari Al-Arouj

Fahad Hayat (S3)

Sound

Composers, Writers and Sound Effects

Ahmed Al-Shargawi (opening theme writer)

Sahir (ending theme writer)

Ammar Al-Binni & Komar (block 13 theme composer, and sound effects)

Sound Editing & Mixing

Salman Al-Zeidi (S2)

Khalid Al-Ajlan (S2-3)

Sound Recording

Abdullah Al-Ali and Fahad Zakour (S2)

Hani Al-Nasser (S3)

Other

Financial Supervisor

Ali Nasir

Computer Engineering

Dhari Shamali

Saleh Al-Harbi

Khalid Al-Eid (S1)

Moustafa Al-Ameer (S2)

Mohammed Al-Middhin (S3)

Editor

Ahmed Al-Khaldi (S1-2)

Handlettering

Abdul-Ameer Al-Bannai (S2)

Coordination

Hassan Al-Shatti (S1)

Mohammed Al-Bakshi (S2)

History

South Park Ban

After South Park was banned in Kuwait due to its poking fun at Islam,^[3] Block 13 was created to serve as a replacement for South Park in the region. Before making the show, the creators asked Paramount for permission to make the show. The show aired during every year's Ramadan.

Spin-offs

Qatouta and Kaloob

Due to the show's success, after the show ended, a spin-off titled Qatouta and Kaloob (Arabic: قطوطة وكلوب, romanized: qatutat wakulub) was released during the Ramadan of 2003 and aired on Kuwait TV, made by the same people who worked on Block 13, and directed by Nawaf Salem Al-Shammari. The show stars Qatouta, a female purple cat along with Kaloob, Honey's pet dog. Qatouta is voiced by the same voice actor as Faroouha from Block 13. Some Block 13 characters made some appearances in this spin-off such as Abboud, Saloom, and Miss Attiyat. They decided to make a second season of the series to air on Alrai TV, and due to finance problems, the show got cancelled.

13th Street

A reboot known as 13th Street was released in 2022; it currently airs on VO, Dubai TV and Awaan.^[4] There is limited information available on this particular reboot. The basis for identifying it as a reboot is primarily attributed to the involvement of a significant number of individuals who previously contributed to Block 13, in addition to the shared nomenclature and milieu between the two productions.

References

^ https://elcinema.com/work/1442619/ ^{[bare URL]}
^ Peer, Stefanie van de (27 February 2017). Animation in the Middle East: Practice and Aesthetics from Baghdad to Casablanca. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781786731715.
^ "15 TV Shows You Didn't Know Were Banned in Other Countries". Screen Rant. 23 June 2017.
^ "Awaan - شارع 13 - Season 01". www.awaan.ae.

External links

[1] ttps://elcinema.com/work/1442619/ ^{[bare URL]}

[2] Peer, Stefanie van de (27 February 2017). Animation in the Middle East: Practice and Aesthetics from Baghdad to Casablanca. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781786731715.

[3] "15 TV Shows You Didn't Know Were Banned in Other Countries". Screen Rant. 23 June 2017.

[4] "Awaan - شارع 13 - Season 01". www.awaan.ae.

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