ABC’s latest children’s hit is built on one simple instruction: don’t watch.
Naturally, kids have done the exact opposite. Do Not Watch This Show, adapted from Andy Lee’s best-selling Do Not Open This Book, has become the biggest Children & Family launch in ABC iview’s history.
Since premiering in July, the series has racked up 115 million minutes viewed in just three months and averaged one million viewers across ABC Family and iview in its first fortnight.
ABC has already confirmed a second season for 2026, proof that telling kids what not to do might just be the smartest content strategy around.
‘No one is more disappointed than Wizz’
Lee told Mediaweek the runaway success caught him off guard.
“No, I did not and no one is more disappointed than Wizz who was really hoping no one would watch it,” he laughed.
“We knew the books resonated so well with kids but you can never assume that is going to translate to the screen. I’m thrilled it has been well received as it means we get to continue the fun. It’s been a joy to make and I’m super grateful to the ABC, Screen Australia and VicScreen for believing in the project.”
The show follows Wizz, a blue monster determined to stop children from watching. That hasn’t gone to plan. “Some children think they are really brave for watching it and want to gloat to me about how they have defied instructions and tuned in. I love that. I just hope we aren’t creating a whole generation of anarchists,” Lee joked.
Audience favourites and hidden lessons
While the premise may be tongue-in-cheek, young viewers have embraced the characters with surprising loyalty. “They each have a different favourite character but Douglas and Lime seem to be the top two,” Lee said.
He hopes the playful defiance also carries a message: “It’s okay to break the rules sometimes and it’s perfectly acceptable to question what people are telling you to find out for yourself if something is true. Mostly though, I want them to hear this message loud and clear: Do not watch this show.”
Yeah, nice try.
Season two: a bigger world, more cameos
Details of season two remain under wraps, but Lee hints that the world will expand. “I’ve been specifically told by the ABC not to give anything away about Season 2, I’m happy to say that we are expanding the world and you’ll even see Wizz leave the safety of his home. There are also plenty more cameos in the works.”
Behind the scenes, the creative team is also levelling up.
Season one’s “white void” caused headaches for animators, with inconsistent character and prop sizing. “We have since created a grid system that will be turned off at the very last moment so all characters and furniture will remain constant… we hope,” Lee said.