Central Park is an American musical adult animated sitcom created by Loren Bouchard, Nora Smith and Josh Gad for Apple TV+, using the same art style as Bouchard's previous series Bob's Burgers. The series premiered on May 29, 2020, and revolves around a family living in Central Park in New York City who must save it from a greedy land developer.
In March 2021, the series was given an early third season renewal and the second season premiered on June 25, 2021. The third season premiered on September 9, 2022.
Premise
Told through the eyes of a fourth wall-aware busker narrator, named Birdie, the musical series tells the story of the Tillerman–Hunter family who live in Edendale Castle in Central Park. Patriarch Owen (the dorky manager of the park), his wife Paige (a journalist always stuck with writing fluff pieces who hopes to write a real story), their daughter Molly (loves drawing comics about herself and a boy she has a crush on) and their son Cole (an emotional young boy who loves animals). Their lives change when an elderly heiress and entrepreneur named Bitsy Brandenham and her frequently abused assistant Helen plot to buy up all the land in Central Park and turn it into more condominiums, shopping stores and restaurants as a way of getting back at the world. The Tillermans must also deal with their issues and save the park.
Cast
Main
Kristen Bell (season 1) and Emmy Raver-Lampman (season 2–present) as Molly Tillerman, Owen and Paige's daughter; Cole's sister; she likes drawing her comic books about herself as a hair-powered superhero named Fista-Puffs who fights crime. Tituss Burgess as Cole Tillerman, Owen and Paige's son; Molly's brother; an emotional boy who wants Bitsy's dog, Shampagne, as he shows more affection and care for him than his owner does. Burgess also voices Kelleth Vanbeaceler, the author of The Squirrel Quarrels, Cole's favorite fantasy series, in "Squirrel, Interrupted". Daveed Diggs as Helen, Bitsy's assistant; she is frequently abused by her employer and hopes to inherit the Brandenham fortune for herself one day. Josh Gad as Birdie, a busker at the park and the show's narrator who gleefully talks about the events while also offering friendly, albeit occasionally annoying, support for Owen. Birdie has trouble staying professional in his work. He believes a narrator's job is to act as a guardian angel to the protagonists in the story they are following. Kathryn Hahn as Paige Hunter, Molly and Cole's mother; Owen's wife; a reporter for a not very notable New York newspaper who wants to report on real stories and not fluff pieces so that she can prove her worth. Leslie Odom Jr. as Owen Tillerman, Molly and Cole's father; Paige's husband; the park manager who wishes that the park, which he worships, was treated as carefully as he treats it. Stanley Tucci as Bitsy Brandenham, a business entrepreneur who wants to replace Central Park with a bunch of condos and retail space for personal reasons. She is the owner of Shampagne, a Shi-Poo that she unknowingly abuses and Cole is unhealthily obsessed with. She is the owner of Brandenham Hotel in Manhattan. Keala Settle as Young Bitsy. Kristen Bell as Abby Hunter (season 3), Paige's sister who moves to New York to follow her dream of being a successful actress. Following her replacement for the voice of Molly, it was announced that Bell would voice a new character in the third season of the series in a main capacity.