The complete spectrum of children's shows
Well, maybe not the complete spectrum. I have watched a lot of children's shows in the past 9 years or so since my kids have become aware of TV programming just for them. Added to my experience watching TV as a kid myself and I can say I have some experience in this area. Not that we're obsessed with watching TV but we all enjoy a bit of entertainment and, dare I say, a bit of education. I have flipped through daytime network TV and really, there is very little there that interests me. Occasionally I go for a daytime romp through the History or Discovery channels and get into shows like "How gravity rules the universe" (I know I've mentioned I'm a geek.) , "What Ancient Rome Gave Us" or "Important British Literary Locations Beginning With 'H' " (My interests are nothing if not many and varied). So here is a list of shows evaluated totally from an adult perspective -- my list has no bearing on how children enjoy the shows or their educational value -- just my input as adult who is watching.
So top of the list:
Shows I would watch regardless of having children or not:
Sesame Street (PBS): It's a classic for a reason. Some recent amusements: CNN's pristinely clad reporter Anderson Cooper reporting from Oscar's garbage can. A song promoting the deliciousness of pears sung to the 1960's anthem "Hair". Sing along. "Give me a fruit called pears. Sweet juicy pears. Red ones. Green ones."
Word Girl (PBS): A new one to the PBS line-up. She's a superhero from the planet Lexicon who battles villains with her superpowers and her stunning vocabulary. One recent episode had her battling the Butcher, who is a butcher who also butchers the English language. (Multiple layers of meaning, nice touch.) The Butcher sets up a diversion consisting of a meaty "bauble queues" while robbing a jewelry store. He eventually meets his match in a vegetarian restaurant when Word Girl's side kick, Captain Huggy Face (he's a monkey) with direction from Wordgirl, depletes the Butchers powers by pelting him with tofu. (I love it!) Wordgirl
The Upside Down Show (Noggin): I think this show is actually done by the same production company as Sesame Street. This show successfully lives on both the adult tongue-in-cheek level and is completely engaging for kids as well. The characters speak intelligently to their target preschool audience. The "Action fingers! Ready for action! Action Ready! Batteries not included! " bit is too funny.
Johnny and the Sprites (Disney): Muppets on a Disney budget!
Shows that are just plain sweet:
Mr. Rogers - Could anyone person be more reassuring, loving, or welcoming? I really wish I could have met him. Won't you be my neighbor?
Little Bear (Nick Jr.) - Just totally sweet, creative and gentle. Beautiful animation.
Charlie and Lola (Disney) - So sweet. Brother and sister discovering ins and outs of the world. Episodes include "I Am Inventing a Usefullish Invention" and "But I am completely hearing and also listening".
Max and Ruby (Nick Jr.) - Brother and sister bunnies. Very large "awwwww" factor.
Maya and Miguel (PBS) - Another brother and sister program with kind of quirky animation, engaging plots and a totally stick-in-your-head theme song.
Shows that become just background noise
Backyardiagans(Nick Jr.)- Not bad. Lots of good music.
Wonder Pets(Nick Jr.) - Redeemed itself a bit with a recent episode where the pets had to rescue a bunch of beetles from a sinking yellow submarine. (Clever.)
Shows that I watch because I can't look away:
Oswald (Noggin): Main character is a blue octopus with a pet wiener dog that really is a hot dog in a bun. Oswald's best friend is Daisy, who is a walking daisy. Huh?
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (Noggin): Are we watching adventures in Maggie's imagination? Is the pig the manifestation all stuffed animals? What is the true nature of the Ferocious Beast? Perhaps I'm over thinking this one.
Shows the make me want to beat myself over the head with a stick
Dora and its spin-off Diego: I know these shows are enormously popular with children but would it kill the writers to throw in any kind of grown-up pun, double entendre, or a bit of trivia I could at least use at a party? And, please, stop telling my kids to say it "Louder!".
Show that makes me want to beat myself over the head with a stick, then chew on the stick and then chase my neighbors around waving the now wet and shredded stick.
So far there is only one kids show I have seen that deserves this designation. The show that I stand agog with how replete with stinkyosity it is ....
Yo! Gabba Gabba. : No kidding, that is the name. It is lame to the nth degree. The characters talk to kids like they're idiots and there seems to be no overarching theme. It is trying to be educational but is it promoting exercise, good eating, self expression, reading??? I can't tell! I've watched it and the only thing I can think of is that they were going for was some kind of Sid and Marty Croft type show. Maybe an HR Pufnstuf (1969-1970) or Lidsville (1971-1973) genre. But those shows never tried to be "educational" for a reason....they were just weird, bizarre even, but entertaining. (Perhaps it had to do with the early 1970's and the availability of mind altering drugs to TV writers. Not that I'm actually suggesting that is what happened but "puffin' stuff"? Just sayin'.) At least HR Puffnstuff had Witchypoo and Lidsville had Raunchy the Rabbit and Weenie the Geenie to set you thinking about how odd a character a writer can actually manifest out of the psychedelic ether. (Sid and Marty Crofft hold a special place in my heart for creating one of my favorite kids shows - Electra Woman and Dyna Girl -- kind of a mid-seventies answer to Batman and Robin.)
So top of the list:
Shows I would watch regardless of having children or not:
Sesame Street (PBS): It's a classic for a reason. Some recent amusements: CNN's pristinely clad reporter Anderson Cooper reporting from Oscar's garbage can. A song promoting the deliciousness of pears sung to the 1960's anthem "Hair". Sing along. "Give me a fruit called pears. Sweet juicy pears. Red ones. Green ones."
Word Girl (PBS): A new one to the PBS line-up. She's a superhero from the planet Lexicon who battles villains with her superpowers and her stunning vocabulary. One recent episode had her battling the Butcher, who is a butcher who also butchers the English language. (Multiple layers of meaning, nice touch.) The Butcher sets up a diversion consisting of a meaty "bauble queues" while robbing a jewelry store. He eventually meets his match in a vegetarian restaurant when Word Girl's side kick, Captain Huggy Face (he's a monkey) with direction from Wordgirl, depletes the Butchers powers by pelting him with tofu. (I love it!) Wordgirl
The Upside Down Show (Noggin): I think this show is actually done by the same production company as Sesame Street. This show successfully lives on both the adult tongue-in-cheek level and is completely engaging for kids as well. The characters speak intelligently to their target preschool audience. The "Action fingers! Ready for action! Action Ready! Batteries not included! " bit is too funny.
Johnny and the Sprites (Disney): Muppets on a Disney budget!
Shows that are just plain sweet:
Mr. Rogers - Could anyone person be more reassuring, loving, or welcoming? I really wish I could have met him. Won't you be my neighbor?
Little Bear (Nick Jr.) - Just totally sweet, creative and gentle. Beautiful animation.
Charlie and Lola (Disney) - So sweet. Brother and sister discovering ins and outs of the world. Episodes include "I Am Inventing a Usefullish Invention" and "But I am completely hearing and also listening".
Max and Ruby (Nick Jr.) - Brother and sister bunnies. Very large "awwwww" factor.
Maya and Miguel (PBS) - Another brother and sister program with kind of quirky animation, engaging plots and a totally stick-in-your-head theme song.
Shows that become just background noise
Backyardiagans(Nick Jr.)- Not bad. Lots of good music.
Wonder Pets(Nick Jr.) - Redeemed itself a bit with a recent episode where the pets had to rescue a bunch of beetles from a sinking yellow submarine. (Clever.)
Shows that I watch because I can't look away:
Oswald (Noggin): Main character is a blue octopus with a pet wiener dog that really is a hot dog in a bun. Oswald's best friend is Daisy, who is a walking daisy. Huh?
Maggie and the Ferocious Beast (Noggin): Are we watching adventures in Maggie's imagination? Is the pig the manifestation all stuffed animals? What is the true nature of the Ferocious Beast? Perhaps I'm over thinking this one.
Shows the make me want to beat myself over the head with a stick
Dora and its spin-off Diego: I know these shows are enormously popular with children but would it kill the writers to throw in any kind of grown-up pun, double entendre, or a bit of trivia I could at least use at a party? And, please, stop telling my kids to say it "Louder!".
Show that makes me want to beat myself over the head with a stick, then chew on the stick and then chase my neighbors around waving the now wet and shredded stick.
So far there is only one kids show I have seen that deserves this designation. The show that I stand agog with how replete with stinkyosity it is ....
Yo! Gabba Gabba. : No kidding, that is the name. It is lame to the nth degree. The characters talk to kids like they're idiots and there seems to be no overarching theme. It is trying to be educational but is it promoting exercise, good eating, self expression, reading??? I can't tell! I've watched it and the only thing I can think of is that they were going for was some kind of Sid and Marty Croft type show. Maybe an HR Pufnstuf (1969-1970) or Lidsville (1971-1973) genre. But those shows never tried to be "educational" for a reason....they were just weird, bizarre even, but entertaining. (Perhaps it had to do with the early 1970's and the availability of mind altering drugs to TV writers. Not that I'm actually suggesting that is what happened but "puffin' stuff"? Just sayin'.) At least HR Puffnstuff had Witchypoo and Lidsville had Raunchy the Rabbit and Weenie the Geenie to set you thinking about how odd a character a writer can actually manifest out of the psychedelic ether. (Sid and Marty Crofft hold a special place in my heart for creating one of my favorite kids shows - Electra Woman and Dyna Girl -- kind of a mid-seventies answer to Batman and Robin.)
Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers and H.R. Pufnstuff were the only bits of that I got. Ah, the serene, televisionless silence that is childlessness.
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Although, for the record, I'm sorry that in my televisionless existence I missed "British Literary Locations Beginning With H"--please tell me that's a real program.
I'm also sorry I've never been there for "Yo Gabba Gabba" because, due to some slightly sadistic tendencies, I think I'd enjoy seeing you beat yourself over the head with a stick, then chew on the stick and then chase your neighbors around waving the now wet and shredded stick. It'd be like a head-on car accident between two Volkswagens full of clowns--technically awful but not really.
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James:
Check out a typical Yo Gabba Gabba clip here, but make sure you have your stick ready for chewing on.
You'll have to wait through a 30-sec commercial before seeing the clip.
http://www.nickjr.com/video/index.jhtml?videoid=81023
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Hmmm, that just plays as weird to me. I suppose I am hopelessly underinformed where children's television is concerned. But unexpectedly and unexplainably, I can say that the phrase "party in my tummy," when repeated, starts to sound curiously dirty.
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What you missed the whole series??! Oh, you should have seen "British Literary Locations Beginning With R" -- clearly the best of the series. I thought they had to reach a bit with "British Literary Locations Beginning with Q" but who wouldn't really.
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