A Nick Jr. TV show (adapted from a series of children's books) starring a pig named Olivia and featuring her mother, her father, her brothers Ian and William (the baby brother), her dog Perry, her cat Edwin, and her friends Julian and Francine.
The show premiered on Nick Jr. in 2009, but has not aired any new material since 2013. Despite this, Simon & Schuster has been releasing a few new book releases based directly around material from the television show since around 2016.
In November of 2017, Universal Kids picked it up.
This show provides examples of:
- Alliterative Name: Harold Hockenberry.
- Alpha Bitch: Francine. She's snooty, and is always trying to one-up Olivia. However, she grows out of this trait in the second season and Daisy replaces her for this role.
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Ian, to Olivia. She even calls him her "little bother".
- Barefoot Cartoon Animal: The entire cast.
- A Boy, a Girl, and a Baby Family: Ian (boy), Olivia (girl), and William (baby).
- Butt-Monkey: Harold, being the very definition of a dork.
- Bumbling Dad: Olivia's dad can be absent-minded at times, but this is mostly downplayed.
- Catchphrase: Olivia in the second season: "It needs just one more thing."
- Character Title: The main character is Olivia, who is an anthropomorphic pig who lives with her family of pigs.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: There are some characters that show up in one episode and aren't seen for the rest of the series. Examples include Uncle Garrett and Olivia 2.
- Cool Old Lady: Olivia's grandma. She's stylish, adventurous, and fun, as well as caring to her grandchildren.
- Demoted to Extra: In season 2, Julian was kicked to the curb and Francine replaced him as Olivia's best friend.
- Denser and Wackier: While Season 1 has a fairly realistic tone, Season 2 has much more sillier tone.
- Expressive Ears: Certainly Olivia, whose ears noticeably droop when she's upset about something. All of the other characters are anthropomorphic pigs too, but it doesn't really seem to be very noticeable with them, possibly because of Olivia being the lead.
- Funny Animal: All of the show's main cast members, who are pigs. There is no other type of anthropomorphic animal on the show. They're of the type where their being pigs is almost entirely incidental - their behaviors, concerns and mannerisms are human.
- Girly Girl with a Tomboy Streak: Olivia is girly and loves dressing up and princesses, but is also very sporty and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty.
- Good Parents: Olivia, Ian, and William's mom and dad are patient and caring towards them, although the Mom can get a bit stern from time to time. If you had Olivia as a child, you'd probably be like that, too.
- Humanlike Foot Anatomy: Averted; the pigs walk on their hooves, like normal pigs do. Their "knees" (really their ankles) bend backward.
- Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All episodes begin with Olivia’s name. An exception would be "The Two Olivias".
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Francine in Season 1, and Daisy in Season 2.
- Ms. Imagination: Olivia, who has detailed Imagine Spots in every episode
- Nonstandard Character Design: Edwin and the other cats have eyes like real cats, but the pigs and other animals have vertical lines for eyes.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted. The episode "The Two Olivias" is about Olivia meeting another student named Olivia. The first Olivia decides she wants to be called "Pam" to get around this, but it doesn't work out and she eventually accepts that the same name can be given to more than one person.
- Only One Name: With the exception of Harold, neither Olivia nor her friends ever have their last names mentioned.
- Performance Anxiety: Julian gets this in "Olivia and the School Concert". He plays the celery in the titular concert, but is too nervous to come on stage. So, Olivia puts a stalk of celery on the stage and has Julian sing his lines from behind the curtains.
- Pink Means Feminine: Francine wears a pink dress and is a Girly Girl.
- Platonic Life-Partners: Olivia and Julian, in the first season.
- Prince and Pauper: The Season 2 double-length Musical Episode "Princess for a Day" is about Olivia and a young princess named Stephaine meeting and switching roles for the day and then trying to switch back before Stephaine has to leave to go home.
- The Quiet Game: In "Olivia and Her Alien Brother", when Olivia and Ian argue in the car on their way to the planetarium, Olivia's dad says they should try to see who can be quiet the longest. The game gets ruined because although they're quiet, they make faces at each other, which causes little brother William to cry, which causes Ian to speak to blame Olivia for doing it.
- Shrinking Violet: Julian is very shy and sometimes reluctant to go along with Olivia's ideas.
- Significant Name Overlap: The episode "The Two Olivias", as implied by the title, has the main character Olivia meet a new student who happens to share her name. The first Olivia decides to change her name to "Pam" to avoid confusion, but it doesn't work out as well as she hoped. The episode's lesson is that one doesn't have to worry about someone happening to have the same name as them.
- Single-Minded Twins: Oscar and Otto.
- Sliding Scale of Animal Communication: Level 1 - only the Funny Animal pigs can talk.
- "Take Your Child to Work Day" Plot: In "Olivia's Day at the Office", Olivia and Ian accompany their dad to work. Havoc ensues when Ian brings his frog along.
- Talking in Your Sleep: In "Olivia and Grandma's Visit", Olivia's Grandma claims that Olivia talks in her sleep, though Olivia had actually abandoned her attempt to sleep by Grandma the night before because, as shown, Grandma snores.
- The Teaser: A funny one is done before each episode.
- Tinfoil Hat: In "Olivia and Her Alien Brother", Olivia wears one and has her friend Julian do the same, under the mistaken impression that her "little bother" Ian is an alien studying intelligent life forms on Earth and plotting to get rid of all older sisters.
- Title Theme Tune: The theme tune is instrumental, with Olivia's name being sung/shouted out throughout the theme, in various inflections.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Olivia and Francine. Olivia is girly, but isn't afraid to get her hands (?) dirty and has some interests that would typically be considered masculine. Francine, on the other hand, is strictly feminine and hates gross things.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Daisy in season 2. She was friendly in the first season, but in season 2, she takes on Francine's former role of the Alpha Bitch.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Francine becomes a lot nicer to Olivia in season 2, even becoming her best friend. Ian is notably more respectful towards Olivia in this season as well.
- What Are Records?: In "Olivia Makes Memories", Olivia and her brother Ian find their Grandma's time capsule. Grandma discovers that the camera in it still has film in it and tells Olivia as much, and Olivia asks her "What's film?" She is then shocked when Grandma tells her that she has to wait two minutes for it to develop.
- World of Funny Animals: No humans show up here, only anthropomorphic pigs.
- Wrap-Up Song: "Good Night Olivia" in Season 2
- Vocal Evolution: In the US dub, Olivia's more sounds more mature in Season 2 and Ian's voice is deeper due to the voice actors going through puberty.
- Yes-Man: Alexandra, who often agrees and goes along with whatever Francine says.
