The main characters were played by Tim Lagasse, Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Noel MacNeal, and Tyler Bunch; all of the puppeteers were veteran Muppet performers.

It received positive reviews from critics, with praise for the puppeteers' performances, the visual style, and the show's appeal toward multiple age groups.

[8] A foreign adaptation titled Oobi: Dasdasi premiered in 2012 and ran for 78 episodes, airing in the Middle East and countries across Asia.

According to Noggin, the show was meant to mirror the stage of early childhood "when everything in [the] world is new and incredible" and "when each revelation helps build a sense of mastery and self-confidence.

Tim Lagasse was chosen to play Oobi because of his previous bare-handed puppetry in A Show of Hands, a series of short films he made in the early 1990s.

Kevin Clash, best known for being the original performer of Elmo, was an ensemble puppeteer on Oobi and guest-starred as Randy in the episode, "Babysitter!".

[20] Matt Vogel, the current puppeteer for Kermit the Frog and Big Bird, played Oobi's friend Angus.

Martin Robinson, who plays Telly Monster on Sesame Street, built the puppets' glass eyes and accessories on Oobi.

The show's set pieces were built on tall wooden poles, positioned to be level with the puppeteers' hands when they raised their arms.

"[15] Tyler Bunch was told specifically not to shave because his natural arm hair gave Grampu the appearance of an elderly, hairy grandfather.

In an interview with the newspaper Jaam-e Jam, Estakhr said that she watched episodes of Oobi in English and wanted to make a tailored version for an Iranian audience.

[32] Like the original show, it features brother and sister hand puppets who live with their grandfather, but the cast was expanded to include two parents.

[33] In July 2013, Oobi: Dasdasi was sold to broadcasters in five countries: Kuwait, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.

[7] The steady increase in ratings was reported by Multichannel News author Mike Reynolds, who attributed Noggin's popularity to its "breakout original series Oobi.

episode on September 6, 2004, posted a 2.35 Nielsen rating among the preschool age group, becoming the highest-rated premiere of a Noggin show to that date.

"[84] Jeanne Spreier of the Dallas Morning News called Oobi "the most imaginative and interesting preschooler program to debut in years," describing its characters as "amazingly expressive hands that show anger, fear, happiness, even age and youth.

"[85] The Coalition for Quality Children's Media wrote positively of Oobi, complimenting its concept, and calling it "thoroughly enjoyable" and "extremely well received.

"[86] Diana Dawson of the Herald-Journal liked the show's old-fashioned look, stating that "in a world that too often forgets the innocent joy of playing kick-the-can and catching fireflies, there's something incredibly endearing about the bare-handed puppetry.

"[88] Jaime Egan of Families.com commended the show's messages of inclusion and diversity, calling them "invaluable" and highlighting Frieda and Kako as stand-out characters.

[89] Ryan Ball of Animation Magazine called the show "an offbeat new entry" to Noggin's lineup, adding that "the fact that all the characters are played by hands just adds to the quirkiness.

[91] In 2018, writer Jon Weisman named Oobi one of the best kids' shows of the 2000s, calling it "low-key charming" and praising the theme song.

'"[93] Andrew Dalton of The Stir said that he was a fan of the show himself, adding that Oobi is "just happy to be simple and gleeful, and that actually makes it more appealing to sit and watch as a grown-up.

"[94] The San Diego Union-Tribune's Jane Clifford felt that it could be enjoyed by viewers of all ages, remarking that "if as a kid you ever drew eyes or a mouth on your hand and then 'talked' to a friend, you'll relate to this show.

"[96] In a 2018 interview, Noel MacNeal recounted, "Some of our biggest fans became [college] kids coming back from parties, who were just like really stoned, and would just sit and watch Oobi.

[108] In November 2006, indie rock band The Format released a music video for their song "Dog Problems" which was inspired by Oobi.

[111] In January 2014, the condom company Durex made a commercial that starred a parody version of Oobi named Elizabeth.

[112][113][114] In an interview with La República, the commercial's director said, "Elizabeth is a parody of the television character Oobi, who is also a funny talking hand.

"[119] It is a plot point in Laura Lynn's novel Ariel's Office, where the narrator's daughter watches Noggin and is "transfixed" by Oobi.

[120] It is described as a "Noggin show that use[s] Señor Wences-style human hand puppets" in Dade Hayes's novel Anytime Playdate, which studies the preschool TV business.

[10] Noggin staff described the page as a place "where kids can match shapes with bubbles, colors with snacks, compose music, and draw and dance with Oobi.