Summary

• The original Fairly OddParents character Poof was renamed Perry in the reboot series Fairly OddParents: A New Wish.
• This change is due to the original name being a slur in some countries.
• Fairly OddParents: A New Wish brings back the character Perry as an adult, maintaining key elements from the original series.

Fairly OddParents: A New Wish's co-creator explains why the character Poof had his name changed for the reboot series. The Fairly OddParents was a beloved Nickelodeon series that originally ran on the channel for 10 seasons from 2001 to 2017. It has since received two reboot shows, including 2022's The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder and this year's Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. The new series focuses on a girl named Hazel who is a recent transplant to Dimmadelphia, and finds that her new next-door neighbors are fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda.

The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish made its premiere on May 20.

On her social media, Fairly OddParents: A New Wish co-creator Ashleigh Crystal Hairston explains why Poof's name was changed from the original series. The end of an episode of A New Wish revealed that he changed his name to Perry.

Viewer @SmartSmears noted, "I kinda wish they stuck with Poof as a name." Hairston responded directly to this comment and explained the decision, saying, "The former name is a slur in many countries and cannot be used."

How The Fairly OddParents Reboots Compare To The Original

The Reboots Had A Lot To Live Up To

Regardless of what his name is, it is exciting to see Perry return for The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish. The character was introduced in The Fairly OddParents season 6, episode 1, as the baby son of Cosmo and Wanda. In the sequel series A New Wish, Perry is seen as an adult, showing how much time has ed between the original series and the events of the new show. Several elements of Perry's visage are maintained despite the name change, including his striking purple eyes and rattle-shaped wand.

The Fairly OddParents is an especially beloved show from its era on Nickelodeon, making it hard to top in follow-ups. The original series has an 80% approval rating among audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, showing its lasting impact. By contrast, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder dipped down to a 65% approval rating, and was only awarded a single season before cancelation. The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish has partially resuscitated the series, garnering a 93% approval rating among fans.

This rating makes A New WIsh top the original The Fairly OddParents in of Rotten Tomatoes score. Still, with its transition to computed-generated animation, A New Wish lacks some of the charm that the largely 2D-animated original had. Even so, seeing characters like Perry re-emerge, albeit in new forms, in A New Wish is a great way for the series to keep things fresh while still remaining faithful to the original project.

Source: Ashleigh Crystal Hairston/X/Twitter