Just like I did with Playhouse Disney, I figured that I would do the same with PBS Kids. I saw this channel as a kid, but nowadays, it's changed completely. So this is PBS Kids.
Operating as a programming block since October 11, 1993, PBS Kids provided educational stuff to children, while the viewers, in return, donate to the station every once in a while to keep having the educational stuff come to their children. It seems like a good trade until later on in recent times when the programming starts to pander to the technology-loving kid demographic. So let's get started!
For part 1 of this review, I will give you the names of the shows that came out in 1993, especially the ones that were added on but had been around before PBS Kids existed. I won't go in any order or tie them in with any theme. So here they are:
Sesame Street
Now this show... the whole U.S. knows about this one. It's been around since 1969. So I'll spend little time talking about this one.
This was where I learned the alphabet and the numbers. The characters are colorful and kept their likability through each season.
In fact, this show was so popular that there were so many different versions of it in different countries.
That's enough said.
Barney and Friends
Now we're talking!
Look, I know that this may be a cheaper version of Sesame Street to you. But unlike Sesame Street, I can remember most of the songs from this show. I don't know; it just seems so memorable that way!
Just like when I talked about Sesame Street, and seeing that I did a review on two movies by Barney, I'll go ahead and spend little time talking about this one.
Barney is a dinosaur that spends time with a group of kids at their children, and teaches them lessons like being polite, being generous, having confidence in yourself, and just being a kid.
Even to this day, I wish Barney would make another comeback.
Bill Nye the Science Guy
I love this guy! He's funny and smart!
All the experiments that this guy does is super cool! He even teaches the wonders of science.
-Even though I'm an English major, I'm still fascinated by science, because of this guy.
Whenever I watch this show, I would look forward to the skits. Even though they deal with detailed information, the skits would make learning enjoyable and to help you remember some of the stuff. It was and should've been a science classroom's dream come true.
The Big Comfy Couch
Not many people remember this show, I think. But I'll give you the premise anyway.
The show is about a clown girl named Loonette-
-(pause) Are you saying this girl is a loony?
-Yeah, I know the premise may sound a bit silly just by saying it, but it's the truth.
Each episode focused on different themes every time you watch this show, which was fair enough, seeing that it was airing on PBS. Plus, the skits were pretty cool.
In fact, I remember the "Ten-Second Tidy,"
the Clock Rug Stretch,
the Foley Family,
and the Dust Bunnies.
I especially liked when the show concluded with the Ten-Second Tidy and the couch nap, because it showed the subtlety of the routine- how easy it was to do that. Even the end credits seemed calming enough to be enjoyable.
Anyway, I wish this show was back on the air, because it brought back so many good times.
Lamb Chop's Play Along
Now I know I've talked about this show a lot in my reviews on some of its episodes. So I won't spend much time on this one.
This was one of Shari Lewis's greatest shows ever made. I especially loved the puppets. There was Lamb Chop, Charlie Horse, and Hush Puppy. But the puppet that I liked the most was Hush Puppy.
-Why not Lamb Chop, you may ask?
Well, Lamb Chop is an okay 6-year-old lamb, but I sometimes feel that she's too into herself and full of expectations.
But with Hush Puppy, he's smart, helpful, has a good heart most of the time, and has many dreams and goals.
Charlie Horse, on the other hand, felt like the typical kid-trying-to-look-and-act-cool stereotype. With a backwards cap and baggy clothes, he can only be described as a stereotype. Plus, he even gets his own show: Charlie Horse Music Pizza.
Anyway, no matter which character you love the most, Shari Lewis was always there to teach kids songs, games, jokes, and riddles. This had to be way better than Sesame Street.
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Here's a classic. This show was one of the first shows that I was introduced to when I was a kid. I used to watch this all the time.
Here was an old man that would tell stories and explore things with the people that are featured on the show. The simple quiet and gentle personality that Mr. Rogers has is very unique, in a way, because it's not persistent and not rude.
-Just think of Mr. Rogers as a Bob the Tomato kind of character, if Bob was a human.
Two years after the show ended, Fred Rogers died in 2003, which had many kids who were used to seeing the man questioning his death.
-That was the reaction to the death of an icon. It was that powerful.
Years later, an animated spin-off show called Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood became the Mister Rogers' of today's world, which featured a young tiger who would have adventures with the Make-Believe characters all grown up.
Either way, this was still a good show.
And the final show that I'm going to be talking about for today is...
Reading Rainbow
This was one of my favorite TV shows! I mean, LeVar Burton is absolutely inspiring with his sophisticated personality, vivid imagination, and love for books. Each episode would revolve around a certain theme, and LeVar would show books that would go along with the theme. They also point out other books, in case the kid audience had further interest on the topic, which is a plus.
What I liked most about the show were the video field trip. They were always fascinating, because it kept you interested and wanting more.
I was surprised when the show ended in 2006, because of the technological world growing every year.
So Reading Rainbow, in 2012, launched an app that would have all the books and videos that were featured on the show, which was a really great idea.
Recently, I heard about Reading Rainbow's campaign to bring the show back with newer stories, newer video field trips, and all sorts of reading-inspired goodness, by having the Kickstarter Revival Campaign.
The campaign started on May 28, 2014; and would you know it- in under twelve hours, the campaign reached its $1 million goal. On the following day, they reached double that amount. So you see, the show was such a big hit, that we can never let it go.
I'm glad that the show wants to come back on the air, and I hope to see it make its comeback.
And that was Part 1 of my review of PBS Kids. Stay tuned for Part 2!
Whatsoever Critic
Sources:
Wikipedia
Sesame Street
Barney and Friends
Bill Nye the Science Guy
The Big Comfy Couch
Lamb Chop's Play Along
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Reading Rainbow
Courtesy: Sesame Workshop, HIT Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, Nashville Public Television, Shari Lewis, Family Communications, Inc., and Lancit Media Productions.
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