Masha and the Bear is a Russian computer-animated series that first aired in 2009 and became popular with families around the world through television and online video. The show follows Masha, a lively young girl, and Bear, a retired circus bear who tries to keep his quiet life intact despite her adventures. Short clips from the series are widely shared online because the characters need little explanation, and their slapstick humour translates easily across languages, keeping the show familiar to both children and adults who grew up watching it.