With such a dearth of new kids shows, you’d think that greenlighting three series couldn’t possibly get you bad press. And you’d be wrong. Three new shows were announced for Prime Video, to be made using Amazon’s gen-AI software—and the online reaction was brutal. Though some argued that any new content is good news, the pile-on was so intense that one of the shows has already been scrapped. What could’ve been a win is now anything but.

In the meantime, here are some folks who did win big this week—and let us know in the poll below who should get the Gold Star! 

Disney: After five years, the results of Disney’s first collab on a clinical research project are coming to light, and they’re as touching as they are heartbreaking to think about. The House of Mouse teamed up with health tech company Philips back in 2021 to bring animated stories featuring its characters into MRI machines, and just yesterday, Disney announced that its characters would be added to Philips machines in 87 countries worldwide. It’s meant to create a more comforting experience for kids during MRI scans—when they typically have to lie perfectly still for 40 minutes, which can induce a lot of anxiety. Disney and Philips found that the animations reduced six- to 10-year-olds’ stress levels by 43%. This partnership is a major deal for Disney to get in front of kids in a way few brands are, and points to the broader opportunity for brands to get into healthcare spheres. But it also just comforts kids when they need it the most.

Hasbro & Animaj: Speaking of Disney, there’s no seal of approval quite like the biggest kids company around saying yes to your fix for the long-running monetization problem on YouTube. Just three months after Hasbro and Animaj launched their ad-sales joint-venture, Lumee has cracked open the door to welcome a new, mouse-eared member to the club. The venture promises to match brands with the exact YouTube library titles that match their objectives, which they hope will mean higher CPMs—and that library just got a lot bigger. Ever since COPPA gutted kids’ brands’ ability to make real money on the platform, the question of how to survive in the one place where all the kids are has become the industry’s great mystery. Has Lumee solved it? Only time will tell, but the house that Walt built seems to think so. 

Lion Television Scotland & the BBC: What’s the story in Balamory? Well, for starters, the new revival of the beloved ’00s live-action series has charmed audiences all over again. The first episode scored 1.5 million viewers in 28 days, easily taking the crown for the biggest new CBeebies episode of 2026. It’s a good pay-off for the Beeb’s early confidence in the reboot (the show launched with a two-season commission), so naturally the pubcaster has given the greenlight to Lion Television Scotland for a third and fourth season, too. Now, can the revival spark another tourism phenomenon for Scotland like the original did?

Windy Isle Entertainment & the CBC: They worked with a gold medalist—should they get a Gold Star? Windy Isle was brought in by the CBC to produce Write U R’s live-actioner On Track with Andre De Grasse, which is unique in that it was developed to be seen on socials. Its 10 x five-minute format makes it perfect for short clips and posting to YouTube, which shows how the Canadian pubcaster is embracing the future. And in another sign Windy Isle is on the right track, it just took home the Canada Media Fund Kids’ Choice Award—the one the public votes on—at the Canadian Screen Awards for its delightful live-action series starring real animals, Mittens & Pants.  

So who had the best week in the bunch? Vote before 8 a.m. ET on Monday to let us know what you think:

Want to pitch us a Gold Star nomination? Send an email to submissions@kidscreen.com by noon on Thursdays. And check back every Friday for our next batch of nominees. Hope to see you on the list!