Playhouse Disney- Review of My Childhood (part 2)

Hi, I'm the Whatsoever Critic. I review just about anything.

Welcome back to my review on Playhouse Disney! In Part 2 of this review, I will look at the shows that started in 1998 and 1999. So this is Part 2!

PB&J Otter

This show wasn't too bad. The series revolves around an otter family that live in a boat... house whatever, along with their boat-house-living animal neighbors at a place called Lake Hoohaw...
-(giggling)
The series is mainly about three young otters.

You had Peanut, who's the older brother of the otters;

Butter, the youngest of the otters;

and Jelly, the big sister.
-Yeah, basically the show named these characters after the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
So the kids would get into situations and try their best to solve most of their problems by... doing the Noodle Dance.

-That's like the most memorable part- the Noodle Dance. Does anyone remember that?

Anyway, the show was really good at teaching children the importance of problem-solving and teamwork. In fact, the show was so good that fans begged Disney to bring it back, even though it's all reruns. So the show went on the air every once in a while on Disney Junior.

After PB&J Otter wrapped up...
-Well, I forgot the time slot that existed back in the day...
But anyway, next up is Rolie Polie Olie.

Rolie Polie Olie

I found this show to be a little cutesy. Just the title alone is cutesy.
Here's the story: the series is about a little rolie polie character that lives with his family in an obviously geometrical word.

-That's cool how they live in a teapot with eyes. It's like Peewee's version of the movie Robots. I'm not kidding: every object in this world has eyes- the fridge, the house, the appliances, etc.
The lead character, Olie, would have adventures with his family and/or his friends.
For this show, I found the characters fascinating. You had:

1. the main lead as the all-around nice guy

2. the cutesy little sister

3. the housewife mom

4. the inventive father

5. the old geezer stereotype

6. the uncle that reminds you of Elvis

7. the supporting character as the lead's best friend

8. the family dog
And just like PB&J Otter, this show is shown every once in a while on Disney Junior, because again, the show was so popular that it needed redemption.

And let's be fair: this was one of Disney Channel's first full attempts to shove Pixar out of the way, so that they could try their own hand at CG animation, which was pretty impressive.

Out of the Box

Now, of all the live-action shows that aired on Playhouse Disney, this was one of my favorite ones.

The show is about a group of kids, along with two adult chaperones, that would come and play in "The Box." Inside "The Box," they would sing, play games, act out stories, and do crafts.

-For a long time, I thought the rooms that were inside "The Box" were real.

I know that during the intro, they construct the box with many boxes, paints, and construction paper; but the place seems pretty legit to be real.
What I liked about the show was that it felt like a routine: first there was the opening song, then came the arts and crafts, and then story time before the kids leave. And after that, there was the Goodbye Song, which was creative in itself, because I would snap and clap with them to the beat of the music.

I also liked the adults that were on the show: Tony James and Vivian Bayubay. They always seemed very kind and understanding towards the kids, as well as funny.
-I wonder what those two are doing nowadays?
Anyway, the show was awesome. But what I don't get is that Disney Junior can show reruns every once in a while of some past Playhouse Disney shows, but not this one! WTF?! This show is awesome! So, Disney Junior, make it happen!

The last show that I'm going to cover for today is another one of those shows that were acquired from other stations to be viewed on Playhouse Disney. And let me tell you, this one is... um...

Madeline

Based on the Ludwig Bemelmans book series of the same name, this show was a little iffy. My preferences are split down the middle, when it comes to this show.

Madeline was about a girl in a sort-of orphanage/schoolhouse who lives with other girls in a safe environment, with their caretaker Miss Clavel watching over them. There would be side characters every once in a while, like Pepito, the kid that would either befriend or annoy the girls.

There was also the dog that Madeline found one time.

To be honest, of all the specials and TV movies that this show had, the most memorable was the TV movie Madeline: Lost in Paris.

In fact, that movie was insultingly memorable, which was a bad thing, because it depict scenes of little girls working in a sweat-shop-like environment of the movie's villain.

-That's kinda harsh.

The movie aired in 1999, and what did I think of it when I was a kid? I remember crying, because of the child labor scenes that Madeline was in.

-That TV movie would be great for a review, maybe...

Well, anyway, Madeline wasn't too boring, with its songs and air of innocence.

And that was Part 2 of my review of Playhouse Disney! I'm not done yet, so stay tuned for Part 3!

Whatsoever Critic

Sources:

Wikipedia

PB&J Otter

Rolie Polie Olie

Out of the Box

Madeline

Courtesy: Walt Disney Television Animation, Nelvana, Disney Channel/OOTB, Inc., and DHX Media.

"The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" Book Review

Hi, I'm the Whatsoever Critic. I review just about anything.

I look back at my Spring semester, and I remember a book that really spoke to me. Well, not because I was required to read the book, but because it spoke to me in a way that I found myself choking back sobs and fighting back tears. That was the impact that this book has made on me. I'm talking about The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.

This book was written by Kate DiCamillo, the same author that brought you Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux. This tale offered innocent but then shatters it every once in a while. It provides a sense of hope, but at the very end. But is all of this worth the waiting for the journey to be over? Is it worth learning the lesson by showing depressing and heart-breaking story? Let's find out.

The story is about a china-rabbit doll that's owned by a girl named Abilene, who's in a wealthy family. The doll was given by the girl's grandmother who seems sorry for the rabbit for not knowing love when he sees it- Abilene loves him, but he thinks nothing of it.
One day, Edward falls off a boat during a vacation cruise, and he spends nearly a year underwater until a storm moves him to get caught by a fisherman, who immediately takes him in to show his wife.

The old couple take him in, and have him wear dresses, because they think that he's a girl rabbit. From every incident/event, Edward is passed on from person to person; and during this journey, he sees how people love him, no matter who they are. Sooner or later, he gets smashed into pieces by an angry diner manager. He is then fixed up by a doll mender and is put on sale in his doll shop.

During his stay in the shop, he finally has the nerve to open his heart and wait for someone to find him, and ultimately love him.

...Since I read the book already, I won't spoil the ending.

So how does this book fair?

Well, I wouldn't say that this is a great book. I mean, this book would make any sensitive person cry. When I first read this book, I had to choke back sobs, fight back tears, and pull myself together before I found the courage to return to the book.
The theme, I think, was what spoke to me the most. The theme of the story is love.

Love from someone Edward knew, and love from random strangers he meets that would take him into their lives. This really hits home for me, because I sometimes feel that I, as a person, take that for grant, because I have people that love me, and yet I act as if they don't. I feel that this book was a wake-up call for me, saying to acknowledge the people that love me and don't take it for granted. I think that was the message that DiCamillo wanted everyone to know.
Overall, this was a page-turner, but for a specific reason: because you want to know what happens to the main character and if he'll ever reach his goal or not. That plot device alone is what deems this story worthy of not putting down. It's that engaging. My advice is that if you're sensitive, then you may want to think about whether this is the best choice of book for you or not. This book, I believe, has no limitations when it comes to audience, but be aware that the message is powerful.

Whatsoever Critic
Source: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Courtesy: Kate DiCamillo- Candlewick Press

PBS Kids- Review of My Childhood (part 1)

Hi, I'm the Whatsoever Critic. I review just about anything.

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?

...Anyway, the girl has a doll named Molly, and they would go out and visit their clown friends in their clown town...
-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.