KEY POINTS
- Epoch Company Ltd. drops US lawsuit against viral 'Sylvanian Drama' content creator
- Lawsuit alleged parody clips damaged the toys' 'wholesome' brand image
- Fans suggest new names from 'Desperate Mousewives' to 'Real Housewives of Calico County'
Travelling from lockdown lark to viral juggernaut, Kildare creator Thea von Engelbrechten built 'Sylvanian Drama' into a cult soap starring Sylvanian Families figurines — and landed in a courtroom.
Now, in a sharp reversal, Japanese toymaker Epoch Company Ltd. has voluntarily dismissed its New York lawsuit against her, with each side covering its legal costs, according to filings on8 August. Hours later, the creator announced that she would rebrand the account on August 19 and invited followers to suggest names.
Von Engelbrechten, the Irish content creator behind the hit Instagram and TikTok series 'Sylvanian Drama' — where wide-eyed woodland critters lived lives full of drama, divorce, and scandal — went from lockdown boredom to viral stardom after filming 'Desperate Housewives'-style storylines with Sylvanian Families figurines. In some scenes, the tiny rabbits wore fake eyelashes.
From Sweet and Wholesome to Full-blown Scandal
Epoch, which owns the 'Sylvanian Families' brand, sells the wholesome lineage of rabbits, mice, penguins and beavers as kid-friendly collectibles. They come dressed in gingham aprons, overalls, and cardigans, surrounded by accessories such as picnic baskets and vegetable patches.
In April, the company accused von Engelbrechten of copyright and trademark infringement, claiming she built a brand-deal empire on the back of their toys — all without permission. They weren't happy about the fact that her 'irreverent and borderline' humour clashed with the image they had been curating for decades.
Her dolls got caught up in plotlines about drug abuse, infidelity and murder — hardly the 'family values' the toy maker wanted to be associated with.
Celebs Couldn't Get Enough
The raunchy toy melodrama racked up more than 2.5 million TikTok followers and another million on Instagram. It even pulled in famous fans like Irish singer CMAT, Killers of the Flower Moon actress Lily Gladstone, and Saturday Night Livecomic Bowen Yang.
Some clips scored tens of millions of views, cementing the series as a cult favourite for grown-up toy lovers. Fans regularly tagged friends in comment sections, traded in-jokes from episodes, and even recreated scenes with their figurines at home.
But in January, von Engelbrechten's content suddenly stopped. Fans feared the lawsuit had killed their tiny soap.
Legal Plot Twist
Last Friday, in a surprise twist, Epoch Company Ltd. quietly informed a New York court that it was withdrawing from the case. No money changed hands, no terms were revealed, and each side will pay its legal bills.
The decision came just hours before von Engelbrechten broke her silence online, telling her followers she would be rebranding the account on 19 August — and asking them to help pick the new name.
Suggestions flooded in from loyal fans: 'Desperate Mousewives', 'Sillyvanian Scandal', 'Cancelvanian Drama', 'Not Sylvanian Drama', 'Crittergate', 'Furry Affairs', 'The Woodland Wives Club', 'Bunny and the City', and the tongue-in-cheek 'Real Housewives of Calico County'.
Whether she will still use the toys in her content remains a mystery — and neither side is saying a word about possible licensing deals.
From Bedroom Project to Big Business
Von Engelbrechten started 'Sylvanian Drama' during the 2021 lockdown, shooting the first episodes in her bedroom. The mix of wholesome figurines and wildly unwholesome storylines proved irresistible.
High-profile brands like Netflix, Sephora, Taco Bell, and Burberry came calling — partnerships that, Epoch Company Ltd. said, were proof she was making money off their products without consent.
Von Engelbrechten has called the series a parody, saying the over-the-top storylines of prime-time soap operas inspired it.
How We Got Here (Quick Timeline)
- 2021: Account launches; parody soap format goes viral.
- 2024–25: Major brand partnerships roll in; creator popularity soars.
- April 2025: Epoch files suit in New York; seeks injunction and damages.
- Jan 2025: Posting halts amid legal back-and-forth.
- 8 Aug 2025: Epoch dismisses its claims; creator plans 19 Aug rebrand.
What's In A New Name? Fans Weigh In
After the dismissal, von Engelbrechten asked fans to help rename the account ahead of 19 August. Suggestions poured in — 'Desperate Mousewives', 'Sillyvanian Scandal', 'Not Sylvanian Drama', 'Crittergate', 'The Woodland Wives Club' and more — underscoring a fiercely loyal community. Whether the same toys will feature the post-rebrand remains unconfirmed, and neither side is discussing licensing.
