The Hive is an all-CGI animated series that airs on Disney Junior, proving that perhaps everything isn't worse with bees. It was first seen on Playhouse Disney in non-U.S. markets in late 2010 and continued to air with the advent of the Disney Junior network, premiering in the United States in October, 2012 exclusively on the full 24-7 Disney Junior channel which replaced Soap Net.
The series features an almost entirely insect society, similar to Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends, but with bees instead of spiders as the main characters of note. The adventures are presented through the eyes of Buzzbee, an excitable young boy bee who lives with his parents and two sisters and attends school in a meadow. He shares his adventures with many friends in a format that is generally Slice of Life, but which also presents lessons.
The U.S. airings of the program, rather than regionalizing the series, instead retain British voices and terminology, such as characters having "biscuits" instead of "cookies." The series is also very much a product of the 2010s, with one installment (“Computer Bee”) focusing on Buzzbee learning how to use e-mail after a local store implements a new e-mail order system where shoppers can e-mail a list and have items delivered.
The Hive features examples of:
- All Animals Are Dogs: Buzzbee's grandparents have a pet flea named Jump who beehaves just like a dog, yipping, fetching and tracking.
- All-CGI Cartoon: The show is completely animated in CGI, like a lot of Disney Junior shows these days.
- Big Eater: Buzzbee can bee one at times and it gets him in trouble in "Don't Bee Greedy.", where he gets a tummy ache after eating both his and Rubee’s lunch on a school trip.
- A Boy, a Girl, and a Baby Family: Buzzbee's family, consisting of Mamma Bee, Pappa Bee, Buzzbee himself, his older sister Rubee and Babee, introduced in “Babee’s Room”.
- Couch Gag: The lovebirds at each episode's opening and closing
- Christmas Episode: Three in fact;
- "Babee's First Christmas”, where Buzzbee is jealous of everyone making a fuss over it being, well, Babee’s first Christmas.
- “The Night Before Christmas”, where Buzzbee and Rubee try to find Pappa Christmas on Christmas night.
- “Buzzbee and the Snowbee", where Buzzbee and friends make a snowbee and Buzzbee gets sad when it inevitably melts.
- Diegetic Soundtrack Usage: The characters can sometimes bee heard humming the show's theme.
- Disembodied Eyebrows: Seen on worms on the show.
- Does Not Like Spam: As revealed in “Healthy Bee”, Buzzbee doesn’t like bananas. Miss Ladybird does later convince him to try a banana sandwich though.
- Family Theme Naming and Punny Name: Buzzbee, big sister Rubee, and Babee.
- Fear of Thunder: Jasper the wasp has one, as revealed in “Lord Bartlebee and the Thunderstorm.”.
- Funny Animal: The characters are almost entirely funny animals, but with an occasional Furry Reminder, mostly related to things such as the bees beeing able to fly and beeing generally buzzy. They look Civilized Animal in appearance, but their beehaviour and mentality is almost entirely human nature and values. Despite the series name, however, they do not all live together in a hive with a bunch of other bees, nor do they take orders from a queen or have drones. There is a queen, but she isn't just some bee who sits around fat and popping out eggs, and there are worker bees, but again, they're not mindless workers.
- Got Volunteered: When Dr. Beetle comes to school for a medical checkup, he asks who wants to go first. Everyone is scared stiff and Buzzbee is called on when he falls over backward out of fright, his movement being mistaken for enthusiasm.
- Imaginary Friend: Buzzbee creates one in "Imaginary Bee" when he gets bored of having nobody to play with.
- Kid-Appeal Character: Buzzbee. This trope did used to be called "The Bumblebee."
- Meaningful Name: There's Buzzbee, of course. He's a bee, and he buzzes about a lot. Most of the other characters have meaningful names as well.
- Mouse World: It could bee, though it's never said for sure.
- Santa Claus: Buzzbee is extremely disappointed when the guy at school presented as Papa Christmas is just his grandpa in a costume, but Rubee reassures him that Papa Christmas has lots of helpers.
- Slice of Life: When not teaching aesops, the show is generally just anthropomorphic bugs living their lives, going to school and just hanging out.
- Surprise Party: In "Have You Heard?", Buzzbee and his friends decide to hold one for their teacher when Buzzbee partially overhears a conversation about somebody leaving the school. When they actually throw the party, the teacher reveals that it's actually the school cleaner who's moving away. They decide to continue the party anyway, as a celebration for the teacher staying. As for the cleaner... it seems nobody cares.
- That Cloud Looks Like...: Buzzbee and his friends have a conversation like this in the opening of "Have You Heard?" while at the park.
- Title Theme Tune: Though the title is only used at the very end.
- Virtuous Bees: The series features bees as its main cast and is set in a bee society.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Buzzbee yells at Rubee when she spoils his magic trick to his friends.
