ZingZillas Season 1, Episode 6: Operatic Todd

Digeridoo Hullaballoo

25 min

Tang's Happy Day

25 min

Rock Guitar

The ZingZillas are very excited because all their instruments have been cleaned and polished. Being lead singer Zak doesn't have a newly polished instrument and so DJ Loose has sent him a new broom instead. Tang, Panzee and Drum can't wait to play their instruments and so they all head over to the glade to get some ideas for the Big Zing. In the glade DJ Loose introduces them to The BMQ - a very loud rock band. The ZingZillas love the sound and Zak particularly likes the way they play their rock guitars, so they decide to do a rock music Big Zing and head back to the Clubhouse to rehearse. Zak isn't happy though - he really wants to play rock guitar too and announces that he doesn't want to be in the Big Zing unless he can play guitar. The others try to help him but he'll never be able to learn in time for the Big Zing so heads over to DJ Loose for some advice. DJ suggests that Zak rocks along to the rocking music instead. Although rocking to the music is great fun Zak still wants to play rock guitar. He heads down to find Todd to see if he has any suggestions. Zak finds Todd over near the glade. He is listening to the rock music and playing rock 'broom' guitar. Todd explains that even if you can't play guitar it's fun to pretend you can - all you need is a broom! Zak has a go with his broom and really enjoys it. Todd has saved the day and both he and Zak play rock 'broom' guitar in the Big Zing. Featuring The BMQ.

25 min

Auntie Dot's Dash

25 min

ScatZilla!

25 min

Sticker Trouble

25 min

Bhangra Beats

Zak decides that the ZingZillas should start the day with some exercise. Drum wants to stay and help Todd with his new clothes dryer so just Panzee, Tang and Zak jog off into the jungle. While doing their exercises Zak makes up a tune and some words for them to exercise to. It's the perfect jogging and moving, dancing and grooving song for the Big Zing so they decide to head back to the Clubhouse to practise it with Drum. Zak knows a short cut so they jog off. Unfortunately Zak's shortcut takes them in completely the wrong direction and they end up on the far side of the island. All the time coconuts are falling in the coconut clock and the ZingZillas don't have their song ready for the Big Zing. In the meantime Drum has enjoyed watching a Bhangra group performing in the glade. The group consists of a few musicians plus a lot of dancers. One of the musicians is playing the dhol drum and the beat of the drum tells the dancers to do a different step. Drum loves the dancing and is soon joining in. DJ is getting very worried about the other ZingZillas, especially when he finds out they are on the far side of the island. He tells them the quickest way back but even so he's not sure they'll make it in time for the Big Zing. He thinks Drum should prepare to do the Big Zing by herself so she suggests doing a Bhangra Big Zing. She uses one of Todd's clean sheets as a costume and, with the help of the Beach Byrds, starts to practise. They combine Drum's Bhangra dancing with Zak's bouncing exercise song to create a magnificent Bhangra Big Zing. Todd even has enough sheets for them to have a costume each.

25 min

Squeaky Boots

25 min

Sweet Dreams

25 min

A Great Place To Live

Zak discovers Todd stuck behind a load of boxes in his cave. It transpires that Todd has run out of room so Zak suggests he moves into the Clubhouse with the ZingZillas. The others think this is a great idea until Todd starts to join in with their Big Zing rehearsal. They need to rehearse without being disturbed so the ZingZillas decide to move to the Coconut Hut. When the Beach Byrds hear the ZingZillas rehearsing loudly they decide to move out of the Coconut Hut. Soon the whole island is on the move. Without the Beach Byrds, though, the ZingZillas think the Coconut Hut is too quiet so they move to the glade where they watch James Knight playing saxophone. Todd feels a little lonely on his own in the Clubhouse so he decides to go to the Coconut Hut. The ZingZillas feel sorry that they left Todd on his own so they move back to the Clubhouse and the Beach Byrds think Todd's cave is too small and too dark so they decide to move back to the Coconut Hut - everyone is on the move again. Even the Moaning Stones think it would be nice to move away from their beach but it is nice and quiet and they need to be near the coconut clock so they can count coconuts. They change their mind when everyone else decides to head for their beach and find the perfect spot out in Todd's garden. Meanwhile the ZingZillas, the Beach Byrds and Todd have arrived at the beach and quickly realise that without the Moaning Stones the last coconut won't be counted and if the last coconut isn't counted there will be no Big Zing. Todd grabs hold of the coconut clock and manages to stop the coconut from falling until the ZingZillas get the Moaning Stones back to the Beach.

25 min

Bubble Trouble

It is extremely hot on ZingZilla Island. In fact, Zak is hotter than hot with extra hot on top. It is too hot to even think of a Big Zing so he takes a big swig of his lemonade instead. He should really be drinking water instead on such a hot day but he likes the way the bubbles tickle the back of his nose. DJ Loose calls up and suggests the ZingZillas go to the glade to meet his piano playing guest - it might give them some ideas for the Big Zing. The ZingZillas all meet up at the glade and watch a performance by boogie woogie player, Elio Pace. Boogie woogie is a style of music you can play on the piano and is music for dancing. The ZingZillas decide that the Big Zing should be a boogie woogie song but every time Zak opens his mouth he hiccups and produces a steam of bubbles. They enlist the help of Todd who is sure to have a cure for hiccups. He tries to shock Zak, but that doesn't work and when he makes a scary face that just makes Zak laugh and produce even more bubbles. With no Zak there can be no Big Zing so Tang suggests he plays the keyboards instead, but Zak can't play the keyboards and doesn't have time to learn how to play - he might have to miss the Big Zing! The Zingzillas go back to the glade to watch the boogie woogie, where Elio tries to help Zak play a simple tune on the keyboard which is just right for the Big Zing.

25 min

Tang's Clubhouse

25 min

Welcome Beach Byrds

It's bed time and Tang tells the story of when the Beach Byrds first arrived on ZingZilla Island. Todd was supposed to be showing the Beach Byrds around the island but they'd already headed off before he arrived at the Coconut Hut. Todd couldn't find them anywhere but the Beach Byrds managed to find the Moaning Stones and their way to the glade, where they watched a Gamelan performance. They even managed to find their way to the Clubhouse where they joined in with the ZingZillas' rehearsal. They were having a lovely holiday and couldn't wait to see the whole island. The Beach Byrds were such lovely singers the ZingZillas decided to ask them to join in with the Big Zing, but they didn't know where they'd gone and the Beach Byrds had left their map of the island behind. The ZingZillas had to find Todd so he could help them find the Beach Byrds. It was a disaster - the Beach Byrds were wondering round the island without a map, Todd was chasing round the jungle looking for the Beach Byrds and the ZingZillas were chasing after Todd. Eventually the ZingZillas found Todd and together they found a trail of Beach Byrd feathers leading all the way back to the Coconut Hut. Here the Beach Byrds had settled in and decided they were going to stay and live on the island. DJ Loose was thrilled because he now had some help keeping the Coconut Hut tidy and the ZingZillas were thrilled because the Beach Byrds could join in with every Big Zing.

25 min

Zak's Rubbish Day

It's Tidy Island Day and Tang asks Zak to write the words for a tidy song. Zak is really struggling and each time he writes a word on a piece of paper he just scrunches it up and throws it over his shoulder. Tang is very unimpressed by the mess in the Clubhouse and, when he follows Tang down to Todd's garden, Zak discovers that Tang is the judge and whoever can keep the island the tidiest for the whole day wins a Squeaky Clean badge. Both Zak and Todd would like to win the badge and Zak rushes off to have a good tidy up. Having picked all the rubbish up Zak throws it over the balcony where it lands all over Todd's garden. Tang is now very unimpressed with the tidiness of Todd's garden. Zak thinks a new sound for the Big Zing will help him come up with some words so DJ takes them to listen to Julian Bliss playing clarinet in the glade. Meanwhile Todd has realized that the rubbish in his garden belongs to Zak and returns it to the Clubhouse. Unfortunately Drum accidentally throws her banana in the bin and in trying to find it spills all the litter back over the Clubhouse floor. When Zak and Tang arrive back Judge Tang is very unimpressed. Zak and Drum quickly tidy all the rubbish up and Drum throws it back over the balcony and back into Todd's garden - just in time for Todd and Tang to arrive back. Tang is again very unimpressed with Todd's untidy garden. The Clubhouse is tidy but Zak still hasn't come up with any words for the Big Zing. As he explains that he wrote one word on each piece of paper he realizes that he may have just stumbled on the answer. He rushes back down to Todd's garden to look for his words, in time for the Big Zing.

25 min

Disappearing Drum

Drum is listening to a pair of Japanese Taiko drummers called Hiten Ryu Daiko playing in the Glade. Drum loves it! She then decides to go and fetch her stuffed toy pineapple, Yapple. In the Clubhouse Zak is trying to write a song called 'The Big Noise Song'. Drum enters, picks Yapple up and goes. Drum gets back to the Glade and then decides she wants her cushion too. Back in the Clubhouse the ZingZillas are about to start rehearsing the Big Noise song. However, Drum is missing so Panzee volunteers to look for her. Panzee searches the Coconut Hut and the Moaning Stones Beach before spotting Drum crossing the jungle. Drum makes her way into the Clubhouse where she grabs her cushion and slips past Panzee on her way out. The band decide to practice the 'Making A Big Noise' song without Drum but it doesn't sound right. Panzee decides to hide and follow Drum to wherever she is going. Drum comes back to the Clubhouse in search of drumsticks. Panzee follows her to the Glade and discovers the Taiko drummers for herself. Panzee tries to persuade Drum to come back and practice the Big Zing song but Drum refuses. She wants to listen to the Taiko drums. Panzee then has an idea - why don't the Taiko drummers play in the 'Making A Big Noise' Big Zing? Then Drum could listen to them and play music. Drum thinks this is a wonderful idea. In the Big Zing they all play the 'Making A Big Noise' song and Hiten Ryu Daiko make a really big noise on their Taiko Drums. Featuring Hiten Ryu Daiko.

25 min

Keep Your Castanets

Drum has lost Yapple again, but she finally finds her wrapped around the banana phone when it rings. Tang answers the phone - its DJ asking them to meet him in the Glade. The ZingZillas all enjoy watching a Flamenco performance with Spanish guitar and Flamenco dancer. Drum is particularly enamoured with the clickety clackety castanet playing and the Flamenco dancer, Verena, throws some castanets up to her. The ZingZillas decide to do a Flamenco Big Zing with Tang playing Flamenco guitar, Drum playing castanets and Panzee dancing the Flamenco. They head to the Clubhouse to rehearse. The song sounds great and they can't wait to tell DJ all about it so they head off to find him. Before they go Drum finds a safe place to leave her new castanets. She puts them on the window sill and asks Yapple to look after them, but they fall from the sill and land on Todd's head. When the ZingZillas return to the Clubhouse Drum can't understand where the castanets have gone and the others can't believe she's lost them. Drum realises they may have fallen into Todd's garden and when she goes to ask Todd, they fall off his head as he bends to listen to her. Drum has her castanets back and so the ZingZillas rehearse again. This time though Panzee twirls Drum around and as she does so the castanets accidentally fly off out of the Clubhouse and land in Todd's post box. The ZingZillas can't believe Drum has lost the castanets again. Without the castanets there can be no Big Zing, so Todd sets out to find them one more time.

25 min

The Fan Letter

The ZingZillas rush to the Glade to hear Jay Phelps play a trumpet fanfare. They decide to write a trumpety Big Zing that will announce they are the best band in the world! Zak reads a fan letter saying that he is the best singer in the whole world. Zak is thrilled and hangs the fan letter up for all to see. The ZingZillas then play the new song. The lyrics to the chorus are about how the ZingZillas are the best band in the land. At the end of the practice, Zak makes some changes to the lyrics. This time the chorus is all about how Zak is the best singer in the land. Before the others can object, Zak finds a pair of sunglasses to suit his new cool image and heads off. Panzee is not sure she likes the 'new Zak'. In Todd's garden Zak bumps into the post box as he can't see properly through his new shades. He decides that to help people know he is important he is going to have a fanfare played every time somebody new sees him. Todd is worried. On the beach Granite and Gravel listen while Zak enters to a fanfare and announces that he has changed the name of the band to 'Zak and the ZingZillas'. The Moaning Stones are worried. DJ Loose is worried too. Back in Todd's garden Zak tells the others he wants to be the only one singing today's Big Zing. Fed up with Zak's behaviour, Tang, Drum and Panzee leave to set up a new band! Zak realises his mistake and decides to write them a fan letter to persuade them to get together again.

25 min

Hide And Seek

As soon as they wake up Zak wants to play hide and seek. The others remind him that they need to get today's Big Zing ready. DJ Loose calls them on the banana phone and they head straight to the glade where they watch and listen to Dame Evelyn Glennie playing Tubular bells. The sound of the bells inspires them to sing a song about all the bells they hear every day. The song comes to them very quickly and so they decide to spend the rest of the day playing hide and seek. Panzee is the seeker and, just in case it takes her a long time to find the others, Tang suggests she plays some notes on Drum's tubular bells to call them back if it's time to play the Big Zing. Panzee counts and the others rush off to hide. Panzee doesn't really like playing hide and seek and very quickly decides to use the bells to call them back. The others are not impressed and Panzee promises to play properly and so they rush off and hide again. Panzee can't find any of the other ZingZillas and returns, frustrated, to the Club House where she is joined by DJ Loose. DJ needs them all to get ready for the Big Zing and so Panzee rings the bells to call the others back. Zak, Drum and Tang think she is trying to trick them again and stay hidden. This is a big problem and so Panzee and DJ rush to the glade to see if Evelyn Glennie playing her bells really loudly will get the others to come out of hiding and head to the glade.

25 min

Birthday Todd

It's Todd's birthday and he thinks nobody has remembered, but Panzee is planning to give Todd a surprise birthday party. The ZingZillas need a cake, streamers and a special song. They compose the words to a birthday song. Panzee tells everyone the plan: she will make the cake, Zak will make the streamers, Tang can find the right music for the song and Drum has to keep Todd away from the Clubhouse until they are ready for the party. When Todd walks in, Panzee persuades him there is a problem over at the Coconut Hut and he heads off. Drum follows. However Todd soon finds out there is no problem at the Hut and moves on. Tang finds DJ Loose and DJ suggests visiting the Glade for inspiration. In the Glade Tang and DJ watch The Silk Street Hot 7, a traditional Jazz band, perform. It is the perfect music for Tang. He returns to the Clubhouse where Panzee has almost made the cake and the streamers are almost up. Then they hear Todd outside. The ZingZillas tear everything down, so that Todd doesn't see them and in the chaos the cake mixture falls from the balcony and lands on Todd's head. While Todd goes into his cave to clean up the ZingZillas rehearse their song with Tang's music. Todd heads off to see if there are any jobs to do at the Moaning Stones Beach, but he spots the Stones in party hats and he begins to guess what is going on. In the Coconut Hut Drum admits there will be a party for Todd and he rushes back to the Clubhouse, where Panzee, Tang and Zak hear him.They tear down the decorations again, before he sees them, but this time, the finished cake ends up on Todd's head! Featuring The Silk Street Hot 7.

25 min

Gravel and Granite's Quiet Night In

It is night-time in the ZingZillas Clubhouse. Tang decides to tell Drum the story of Gravel and Granite's Quiet Night In. It was a day when there was no Big Zing. This was a problem for Gravel and Granite, as that meant no coconut clock and so no coconuts to count. So Gravel and Granite had nothing to do. Gravel suggests they have a quiet night in. Just then Todd joins them and suggests Gravel and Granite watch their favourite shows, eat snacks and invite some of their friends over. Gravel and Granite think this is a marvellous idea. However, they have no TV. Todd goes to DJ Loose and borrows one. They watch a Big Zing, 'Our Island Home' performed with Gamelan Orchestra, Lila Cita, and Silat dancer, Cecily Fay. Gravel and Granite then persuade Todd to lend them his sofa and watch another Big Zing - Julian Lloyd Webber playing the cello with the ZingZillas. Gravel and Granite then send Todd to get popcorn, so goes off, and comes back utterly exhausted. Then they all watch Hiten Ryu Daiko, the Japanese Taiko drummers; play 'Making A Big Noise'. Afterwards DJ and the Beach Byrds arrive to party! But Todd has fallen asleep on the sofa, so they watch a quiet Big Zing on the television: 'Drift Away' which features Catrin Finch, the harpist. The gentle music sends everybody to sleep. Gravel and Granite are the last to fall asleep, happy that their quiet night in has been such a success. Tang explains to Drum that when then Stones close their eyes the whole Island goes to sleep. He looks down and sees that Drum has fallen asleep, as have Zak and Panzee. So Tang goes to the balcony and says a last goodnight to Todd before heading off to bed.

25 min

The Z Factor

Zak has decided to play harmonica in today's Big Zing but he can't play harmonica and sing at the same time. Both Panzee and Tang want to be the lead singer and so to help him decide who it should be DJ Loose suggests they hold an audition. Zak thinks a competition to find the best singer is a great idea. Drum, Zak and DJ are the judges while Todd hosts the auditions. Panzee sings brilliantly but her audition is interrupted by Tang making a loud honking sound with his hooter. When it's Tang's turn to audition Panzee gets her own back by blowing really hard on a tuba halfway through Tang's song. Zak thinks they were both great and still can't decide. DJ suggests he has some quiet time to help think it over. Zak's time is all but quiet though with the Beach Byrds demanding to be picked, the Moaning Stones singing their audition song and Todd squawking his audition piece. As Zak tries to find somewhere quiet to hide he bumps into Tang who begs Zak to pick him. Zak accidentally says yes to Tang and then does the same thing to Panzee when she begs him. As they try and rehearse the Big Zing they realise Zak has made promises to them both. Panzee and Tang are not happy and both declare that unless they can sing the Big Zing there will be no Big Zing...

25 min

Panzee's Photograph

25 min

Tang's Hooter

Tang has been working on a quiet and gentle song for the Big Zing and can't wait to play it to Zak. Zak though gives Tang a loud and parping hooter as a present and really wants him to play it in the Big Zing. Tang doesn't think the hooter will sound right with his quiet and gentle piece but doesn't have the heart to tell Zak and so he decides to hide the hooter instead. Over in the glade all the ZingZillas and DJ Loose like listening to Sir James Galway playing the flute. He plays a gentle piece of music followed by a more upbeat, funky and jazzy piece. Tang thinks the gentle style of flute playing would go beautifully with his gentle Big Zing song. However Zak thinks they don't need the flute because they have the hooter. He can't believe his ears when Tang admits to 'losing' the hooter. Zak thinks they must have it for the Big Zing so they all head off searching for it. Todd finds the hooter and returns it to Tang. Tang reluctantly takes it and decides to try and hide it somewhere in the Coconut Hut instead. DJ catches him in the act and advices that he should tell Zak the truth. Before Tang gets a chance to though, Todd finds the hooter again and Zak rushes off with it back to the Clubhouse for the rehearsal. Tang is very unhappy with how the song sounds with the hooter and finally tells Zak the truth. Zak is really upset about Tang hiding the hooter and declares that if there is no hooter in the Big Zing then there will be no Zak. Tang seeks the advice of DJ Loose again who suggests that he changes the song to go with the hooter sound - loud and fast instead of quiet and gentle.

25 min

Where's Yapple

Whilst doing some repairs in the Club House Todd accidentally knocks Drum's cuddly toy, Yapple, into his tool box and carries her off. Drum is distraught when she can't find Yapple and refuses to practise for the Big Zing. No matter how many silly things Zak does, Drum still doesn't cheer up. Tang rushes to DJ Loose for help. DJ takes Tang to the glade where they see an orchestra. The orchestra plays the same bit of music in a slow sad way and then in a bouncy happy way. Tang realises the way the music is played makes him feel different and so rushes back to the Club House to play their Big Zing song in a different way in order to cheer Drum up. It works until Zak mentions Yapple, sending Drum into a very bad mood. Once again Tang heads to DJ Loose for some advice. The Beach Byrds were also in a bad mood because of Todd's hammering and DJ has calmed them down by getting the orchestra to play some calm music. Tang rushes back to the Club House to play their music in a calm way. It works, again until Zak mentions Yapple again! Luckily Todd finds Yapple in his tool box and returns her to Drum. Drum is happy again just in time for the Big Zing.

25 min

Tuba Swaps

Tang is intrigued by a twisty object which is covered in creepers and goes to show the others. Panzee thinks it looks like a twisty vase and would look lovely with flowers in it. When she asks if she can have it Tang isn't so sure but when Panzee offers to swap a banana for it Tang says yes. Panzee is thrilled and heads straight off to look for some flowers over at the Coconut Hut. The Beach Byrds are also rather taken by the twisty vase - only they think it would make an excellent fruit bowl. They offer to swap some feathers for it and Panzee agrees. With feathers in hand Panzee joins the others and DJ Loose over at the Glade. They watch a wonderful performance by oompah band, the Bavarian Stompers. The ZingZillas decide to do an oompah Big Zing. When DJ explains that this style of music is called oompah because of the sound the tuba makes Tang suddenly realises that the twisty thing Todd gave him is in fact a tuba - not a vase or a fruit bowl. Tang really wants to play the tuba in the Big Zing, so he offers to swap the banana for the tuba but the Beach Byrds aren't interested. Tang decides to look for something else that will make an oompah sound instead - Todd offers him the use of some bellows. In the Clubhouse Panzee has been busy making oompah hats with the feathers the Beach Byrds gave her. Tang explains that he's going to try and use the bellows to make the oompah sound he wants for the Big Zing but when they rehearse the bellows just don't sound right. They really need the tuba back to make the Big Zing work, but the Beach Byrds won't swap. Panzee thinks they may swap the tuba for the hats she's made though... Featuring the Bavarian Stompers.

25 min