The Children’s Television Edition
Oh how the children’s television worm has turned. When I was a little ‘un, we were prevented from watching more than one hour of television a day. On school nights, this meant wrestling with my sister over whether or not we watched ‘Secret Valley’ or whatever the hell it was she wanted to watch (something odious no doubt). Now, ABC2 seem to be marketing their non-stop children's programming as a means to improved home cleanliness.
On weekends, we were allowed to watch precisely as much cartoons as would prevent us from waking my parents early in the morning. However, in my excitement not to miss a minute of this opportunity, I often found myself watching an aged geezer read the racing preview (which finished at 7:00am). Why I didn’t just go back to bed or find something else to do, I’m not sure.
Anyhow, having my own child has led me to rediscovering kids TV in a way that I’d perhaps hoped I would never have to. But blow me down if, even by my standards, children’s television isn’t terribly obscure these days.
Grizzlewick’s current free-to-air favourites include:
Yo Gabba Gabba!
According to Nick Jr it’s “Life lessons with beat”. Mr Fix is convinced that the tall orange thing is some kind of phallus featuring a studded condom. Let’s all say this together “Mr Fix, that says more about you than it does about Yo Gabba Gabba”.
It’s essentially a skinny guy in a leotard and enormous hat mucking around with puppets. And dammit to hell if I haven’t just described most kids TV right there.
Pros:
1.In music and tone, decidedly geared to Gen X slacker rock parents such as ourselves.
Cons:
1. Too intense for early morning viewing.
You can read the yo gabba gabba production blog here , at the delightfully titled 'Yo Blogga Blogga!'. One of the contributors to the blog is the Mystical Permissions Wizard, who for reasons unknown reminds me of Chesty LaRue.
Lazy Town
Where Yo Gabba Gabba! is perplexing in its constant referencing of early 90s slacker style, Lazy Town is just plain weird. The story runs that Stephanie (a pink wigged enthusiatron with energy levels I can only envy) has moved to Lazy Town and is helping her uncle (the mayor of Lazytown) and Sportacus to get kids more active.
I’m intrigued by the notion of TV shows which seem to be promoting not watching TV (the ABC had its own version of Aerobics Oz-Style for kids a few years back, so it seems to be an international phenomenon). Unlike many other kids shows these days, this one still has a baddy, Robbie Rotten, who lives in a basement. The one interesting thing about the show is that the live-action people (because there are, of course, puppets a-plenty in this one too) have all significantly altered appearances, so that if you met them on the street, you probably wouldn’t realise (unlike meeting say, Justine from Playschool on the street*).
Pros:
1. Grizzlewick can’t stop watching it
2. Reasonably good stunts
3. No merchandise
Cons:
1. It’s just so NICE, even with a baddy in play.
Ben 10
Grizzlewick describes Ben 10 as “he’s got a watch and he can turn into heroes”. Ben 10 tells the story of Ben Tennyson who has an omnitrix (the watch Grizzlewick referred to) which can turn him into ten different “alien heroes”. With his grandfather and his cousin, he fights evil and the format’s kinda Scooby Doo in terms of its “villain of the week” approach. I’m horrified to learn that they’ve made two Ben 10 movies already and I may well have to sit through them at some time in the future. I can’t explain what it is that appeals to Grizzlewick about this one, because it’s a bit above his age level and frankly a little darker than he usually likes.
Pros:
1. Not as bad as current, postmodern airing of Scooby Doo
2. Or the Banana Splits
Cons:
1.Doesn’t start until just before 9am, leaving 2 hours of lego-based fun before you can crawl back into bed on Saturday morning
2. You know you’re a terrible, terrible snob when you can’t just watch a kids cartoon without silently screeching “THIS IS SO F-CKING DERIVATIVE!!!!!” in your head
3. TOO MUCH MERCH.
Consider yourselves warned: I will do a more detailed posting on Spongebob Squarepants soon.
* Or Alex Papps!!!! AL:EX PAPPS!!!!
On weekends, we were allowed to watch precisely as much cartoons as would prevent us from waking my parents early in the morning. However, in my excitement not to miss a minute of this opportunity, I often found myself watching an aged geezer read the racing preview (which finished at 7:00am). Why I didn’t just go back to bed or find something else to do, I’m not sure.
Anyhow, having my own child has led me to rediscovering kids TV in a way that I’d perhaps hoped I would never have to. But blow me down if, even by my standards, children’s television isn’t terribly obscure these days.
Grizzlewick’s current free-to-air favourites include:
Yo Gabba Gabba!
According to Nick Jr it’s “Life lessons with beat”. Mr Fix is convinced that the tall orange thing is some kind of phallus featuring a studded condom. Let’s all say this together “Mr Fix, that says more about you than it does about Yo Gabba Gabba”.
It’s essentially a skinny guy in a leotard and enormous hat mucking around with puppets. And dammit to hell if I haven’t just described most kids TV right there.
Pros:
1.In music and tone, decidedly geared to Gen X slacker rock parents such as ourselves.
Cons:
1. Too intense for early morning viewing.
You can read the yo gabba gabba production blog here , at the delightfully titled 'Yo Blogga Blogga!'. One of the contributors to the blog is the Mystical Permissions Wizard, who for reasons unknown reminds me of Chesty LaRue.
Lazy Town
Where Yo Gabba Gabba! is perplexing in its constant referencing of early 90s slacker style, Lazy Town is just plain weird. The story runs that Stephanie (a pink wigged enthusiatron with energy levels I can only envy) has moved to Lazy Town and is helping her uncle (the mayor of Lazytown) and Sportacus to get kids more active.
I’m intrigued by the notion of TV shows which seem to be promoting not watching TV (the ABC had its own version of Aerobics Oz-Style for kids a few years back, so it seems to be an international phenomenon). Unlike many other kids shows these days, this one still has a baddy, Robbie Rotten, who lives in a basement. The one interesting thing about the show is that the live-action people (because there are, of course, puppets a-plenty in this one too) have all significantly altered appearances, so that if you met them on the street, you probably wouldn’t realise (unlike meeting say, Justine from Playschool on the street*).
Pros:
1. Grizzlewick can’t stop watching it
2. Reasonably good stunts
3. No merchandise
Cons:
1. It’s just so NICE, even with a baddy in play.
Ben 10
Grizzlewick describes Ben 10 as “he’s got a watch and he can turn into heroes”. Ben 10 tells the story of Ben Tennyson who has an omnitrix (the watch Grizzlewick referred to) which can turn him into ten different “alien heroes”. With his grandfather and his cousin, he fights evil and the format’s kinda Scooby Doo in terms of its “villain of the week” approach. I’m horrified to learn that they’ve made two Ben 10 movies already and I may well have to sit through them at some time in the future. I can’t explain what it is that appeals to Grizzlewick about this one, because it’s a bit above his age level and frankly a little darker than he usually likes.
Pros:
1. Not as bad as current, postmodern airing of Scooby Doo
2. Or the Banana Splits
Cons:
1.Doesn’t start until just before 9am, leaving 2 hours of lego-based fun before you can crawl back into bed on Saturday morning
2. You know you’re a terrible, terrible snob when you can’t just watch a kids cartoon without silently screeching “THIS IS SO F-CKING DERIVATIVE!!!!!” in your head
3. TOO MUCH MERCH.
Consider yourselves warned: I will do a more detailed posting on Spongebob Squarepants soon.
* Or Alex Papps!!!! AL:EX PAPPS!!!!
posted by gigglewick at
2:21 pm
2 Comments:
Nine year old Sapphire HATES Lazy Town, and when she's inhaling her brekkie I hear her say, "oooh" in disappointment and then turns the telly off when they come on.
....yes, they're perfectly costumed to assure anonymity on the streets and to be replaced by new actors when the need to act in 'serious' adult movies or attend rehab requires.
My favourite kids' show right now, as everyone knows, is The Fairies. I can't help but find that black-haired poofter really attractive for some reason.
I haven't seen any of the shows you mentioned though. I must watch more Nick Jr.
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