The other day while enjoying a playdate with my friends Tracy and Nicole, we were talking about our favorite kids tv programs. There are some really great, educational and just plain fun children's programs available today. Little Einsteins, Max & Ruby, Pinky Dinky Doo, Blues Clues, Dora the Explorer...the list goes on and on. There is even an entire blog devoted to The Backyardigans (I like the show, though maybe not quite that much).
But, with the good comes the bad.
Like, what's with The Wonder Pets. Can you hear it? "Linny, Tuck and Ming Ming to, we're Wonder Pets and we'll help you! What's gonna work, teamwork!" I can....over and over and over in my head. They sing most of the program in opera, helping other animals out of tight jams. Like the poor Dolphin who gets stuck in the fisherman's net. One of those little annoying pets (there is a gerbil, duck and turtle) sings something like "we've got to help him, or he will drown." Well yeah, if you don't shut up and do something, he will. Duh.
In a NY Times article, Nickelodeon's creative director for preschool television, Brown Johnson said she believes operetta is an art form particularly suited to children. "I used to run around singing my life to myself," she recalled. "I'd be singing 'I'm going to fall down,' singing about what I was having for lunch, about how mean my brothers were." REALLY?
My Mom LOVES Lazytown. I truly have no idea why (do you want to comment Mom)? The main character, Stephanie, runs around in a fushia wig with her weird puppet friends. They are always taunted by the local bad guy, Robbie Rotten, who wears his pants way to tight. Sportacus, the local hero (and real life producer of the show and like, Mr. Iceland or something) creeps me out. What is he doing hanging out with kids anyway. And all the flipping gives me a headache.
Oobi - OK, it's a talking hand. It doesn't speak in full sentences, only one or two words at a time. Once in a while they throw in a talking foot. That's just gross. Surprising fact - the guy who created Oobi also created The Wonder Pets. I would have never guessed.
Miffy - OK, this may be one of the cheapest kids television programs ever made (with the possible exception of the hand and foot diseased Oobi). Miffy's mouth doesn't move - she is just a clay figurine with a voice coming out of who-knows-where. Oh, and it's BORING!
What kids tv programs do you just adore / hate with a passion? Oh, and does anyone know what type of animal Uniqua is?
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22 comments:
My son is in love with Pinky Dinky Doo. AND he's learning stuff from her! How many of his future girlfriends will I be able to say that about??LOL And we have also discoverd Hi5 on TLC. Very cute show. Jack's big music show is a big hit here too. Even my one year old will come scrambling from wherever he is to listen to the music.
LOL I was going to write a post about kids TV one of these days myself! I hate Oobi, too. It's just dumb. And have you seen Maisy? Blech!
My daughters love LazyTown. I have to admit I find Sportacas quite the hotty!
I don't like Miffy, and Oobi grows on you. I think they have the occasional foot to should that people are different.
The Wonder Pets freak me out!
Right now, Pinky Dinky Doo is big in our house. Absolutely Posititoony!
I like Maisy. Mostly for the sound track!
Seth loves them all! His favorite is WonderPets & he sings the song all the time. That darn song runs through my head on a daily basis!
We're Jack's Big Music Show people. That's about the only one we all completely agree on; MM kind of likes Lazytown, which creeps me out no end, and she LOVES Oobi. I think the production costs have to be even lower than those of Miffy, considering that it's all basically hands and a few plastic eyeballs. It especially irritates me when they sing "Twinkle Twinkle" without any pronouns or articles ("up above world high, like diamond in sky" - WTF?????).
But we love Jack. ;)
What kind of animal IS Uniqua??? We love Franklin, of the books. We also like Pink, Dinky, Doo...We really need to cut back on our T.V. Watching!
Lisa
Hmmmm, my kids are a little older now, but back a few years ago, I hated Barney and the Teletubbies; loved Franklin and Blues Clues.
I wish the TV people would bring back some of the good ol' shows from way back when I was a kid...like "Magic Garden"! LOVED that show!
We don't watch much kids TV since Buttons is only 19 months. However, I still think Sesame Street is pretty fabulous and when I nannied I liked Blues Clues. I'm also looking forward to "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood" reruns when she's old enough. I guess I'm pretty 'old school' about kids TV right now.
Well, Jacob isn't old enough yet but I have tuned in to see what's in store for me. The ones I hate outnumber the ones I can stand. Caillou??? HATE it. Backyardigans? Hate it. Lazy Town - wtf, is all I have to say about that.
I like Thomas and JJ.
I think your Mom likes LazyTown because of the hero guy who does the splits. I'm not going much farther with that comment.
I personally, used to like to watch Oswald because of the art design. My daughter was so-so on it.
Kids don't like Oobi or Miffy anymore, but they are into Hi-5!
Stop! I will hear nothing against the Wonder Pets... I love them! Did you see the one where they are underwater in their scuba gear??
Loser, I know.
Eva loves Little Einsteins and Max and Ruby and Maisie... the Doodlebops scare the hell out of her... and Oobi... too creepy!
Yeah, I'm not real excited about the whole "Kid TV" experience I've got ahead of me. Some of those shows seem so annoying. This from someone who grew up thinking HR Puff 'N Stuff was quality TV...
This may be for the older set, but I really like Kim Possible. I watch it while running on the treadmill. Oh....and I don't have kids, so it's all me.
"Call me, Beep me, if you wanna reach me. What's the sitch?"
We're Playhouse Disney & PBS fans here (Nick Jr. on occasion). One of my all-time favorites is Clifford - I love that 'Big Red Dog.' My kids are Wiggles fans & love to dance around to the music.
Oobi is freaking bizarre, so are the Teletubbies. I think Lazy Town is too hyper for me. Are they on speed or crack, or something?
Funny post BTW.
Tammy
Oh I love The Wonder Pets. So does my 2 year old. I know bad Mom why is 2 year old watching TV.
I think Oobi is so weird and creepy. Also Caliou what a little winer, that kid just can't relate to anything.
I curently know the whole wonderpets theme song as well asw every Laurie Berkner song that there ever was....
oh my gosh -
A couple of weeks ago I was flipping through the channels and saw the Wonder Pets episode with the dophin in the net! It couldn't help but watch and wonder "WTF is this?" It was the most bizarre thing that I have ever seen.
Even my DOG, who watches TV, looked at me like "what is this wierd crap?" - I think a lot of these kid show makers are on crack!
Wasn't the first blues clues guy busted for marijuana?? Now wonder he was soo happy all the time ;)
Okay, I was cracking up laughing the whole way through this post!! I can't begin to tell you how much I agree with you on several of these shows!! Sometimes I wonder if the people making the shows even have or know children??
We like the Dora, Jay-Jay, Diego, Kim Possible, Clifford and Little Einsteins. My kids would probably mention a few more but I can't think of them all right now : )
Have you ever seen Hi-5 or peep? I don't care so much for peep but Hi-5 isn't bad.
Thanks for stopping by today!!
There was a Wonder Pets episode devoted to PEEING. Hate that dumb show.
I also hate Lazy Town & Doodlebops. But I can't make myself look away. Sporticus is a bit of a hottie, but what the hell is he doing hanging out with all the kids? Pedophile.
This post was funny. I enjoyed reading the parts about mom. She used to like the Teletubbies too. When Jr. was little and she came to Washington she liked to watch this. Thanks for your comment on my blog. It is not as good as yours because I am horrible at writing, but thanks for checking anyway. Man you got a lot of comments on this one. It was an awesome post.
Dear Stephanie,
I'd have to disagree with your opinion of the Wonder Pets. I stumbled across your blog while in search of the Wonder Pets theme song so that I could play it for my younger brother and sister, both of which are adopted. I think that Wonder Pets is a great show for children because it teaches them to work together to help others. On a different note, my sister, Jia, was adopted from China. She is a real sweetheart and I would am interested in reading anything you have posted about your adoption process.
The characters on oobi do not use any pronouns or articles...weird
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