Welcome to Part 2 of my review on PBS Kids! Now for Part 2, I will look into the shows that came out 1994 all the way to 1999. So let's check them out!
Arthur
Now this one I'm familiar with: the show follows an 8-year-old talking aardvark, his family and friends, and the adventures that they have with each other.
The show is set in a suburban environment, mixed with school and what the characters enjoy.
-Fact about me: When I was a kid, I thought the characters were real, because they had personalities that can be relatable to anyone.
But, to be fair, I always thought that the premise was a little boring, because hey: it's set in a suburbia-type environment. Where's all the fantasy and imagination?
-The imagination that Arthur displays does NOT count!
Anyway, the show is around to this day; and it's pretty decent.
Charlie Horse Music Pizza
Just like Lamb Chop's Play Along, I won't delve into this show as much.
This was another show that was created by the late Shari Lewis. It featured the same puppet trio, but it also had new characters like Junior the part-time employee of the restaurant, Take-Out the anthropomorphic delivery orangutan, Fingers the raccoon who lives like Oscar the Grouch behind the pizzeria, and Cookie the pizza chef (played by the late Dom DeLuise).
It was reported that the show had only one season with twenty episodes, because it got cancelled after the death of Shari Lewis. That was a big loss, because we've lost a childhood icon, but her legacy still lives on.
In my opinion, the show wasn't as engaging as Lamb Chop's Play Along, but it still had an audience.
Dragon Tales
Talking dragons that have different personalities? And two kids visit their world by using a glowing stone?
-Um...
The premise may seem weird, but that's basically the story. I'll admit; I used to see this show all the time.
-Enough said.
The Magic School Bus
Now this one was pretty cool.
This show was also based on a book series, just like some of the shows that I had already pointed out.
-There's probably more based-on-a-book-series shows that I may address in this review.
So the series was based on the book by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen.
And it centers around a group of kids at would go on outrageous field trips with their quirky teacher Mrs. Frizzle and her lizard pet named Liz.
The field trips were always fun to watch, except for one running gag that annoyed me: the kid Arnold being the wimp of the bunch, scared of going on some of the field trips and saying that he "should've stayed home today."
-What was wrong with this kid? Doesn't he like field trips at all?
Well, forget it. I still love this show, even though it airs reruns on channels other than PBS Kids.
The Puzzle Place
For this one... I don't think anyone remembers this one anymore. For me, this was an okay show.
It's about a group of kids that would meet up in a place called... The Puzzle Place.
There, they learn about everyday conflict that's usually encountered in childhood and/or during the teen years.
They even tackled powerful issues like racism, sexism, etc.
-Yeah, this show was serious in those ways.
I would say that this show was much more mature than Sesame Street and Barney and Friends combined, but...
-...it would take Sesame Street a few years until they could have the same seriousness as this show...
Well, the show may seem forgettable, but it's still worth checking out.
Storytime
Imagine taking Reading Rainbow and having an obviously-Hispanic-and/or-Mexican-American stereotype host it. Well, that's this show.
I don't mind this show so much, but there was one thing about the main character that just drove me the wrong way. Every time the show began, Kino the host puppet would say something and then lean towards the camera lens without saying anymore, while raising his eyebrows in a "cool" way.
-I always wondered what was up with that. Just look at how "coolly" he does that eyebrow gesture in the intro, as if to say: I don't care what y'all say, but it's Storytime; and I'm cool. Heh heh. Feeling the douche! Whaz up, homie? I mean, was he trying to scare the audience with him mugging the camera? Well... not that we've seen stuff like that still happen today...
But a little courtesy would be nice, because if someone on TV leaned into the camera and stared at you like this...
I'd be creeped out and then change the channel immediately.
Other than that, the story did try its best to look like Reading Rainbow, but... not so much.
Teletubbies
Long story short: it's about a group of aliens that are cutesy and may raise a few flags...
-I don't know. The show that tried to revive the show by creating one that was similar to it raised more flags.
Well, even though most of the show was pointless, I found myself liking it when I was a kid.
Wimzie's House
This was one of my favorite shows that I used to watch.
The show was about a kid that was half-dragon and half-bird, and she spends time with her friends in her grandmother's daycare/her house. The characters were memorable, as well as the lessons learned.
-In fact, I'm even thinking of writing a review on some of the episodes in this show. That would be great for a review!
What I liked about the show was the characters, because they all had different unique personalities. There was:
1. the lead character that gets into trouble every once in a while and/or doesn't understand certain things
2. the kid that would ask questions
3. the smarty-pants stereotype that has a good heart
4. the naive little sister of the smarty-pants stereotype
5. the career-bound-yet-still-in-the-picture mother
6. the funny yet understanding father
7. the mother-figure-that-does-more-mothering-than-the-mother-does grandmother
I usually loved the stories about these characters, and I still the show to this day, even though it's no longer on PBS.
Wishbone
Not much can be said about this show, because I usually liked its intro.
It's supposed to be about a talking live-action dog that would read from different books and then imagine himself in the stories.
-Why do I get the feeling that many of the shows that PBS had were trying to be like Reading Rainbow, but didn't feel like it was capturing the actual spirit of reading?
Zoboomafoo
Now this was where I started to appreciate animals more. I loved this show growing up.
-I mean, why isn't this show on TV anymore?
Seriously, the Kratt brothers hanging out with a lemur puppet and learning about many animals was the coolest idea ever.
Zaboo was my favorite character on the show: he was funny, smart, and full of curiosity. He was also willing to learn more about the animals that were featured on that day's episode.
He was so engaging, that fans were in shock when this show went off the air at some point. I mean, it's rare that the show comes on on PBS Sprout nowadays.
-I mean, seriously! You gotta bring the show back, PBS!
ZOOM (1999 version)
This show is memorable, because it had so many things that were worth remembering:
the theme song, the games and activities, the mailing address, and the kid stars that would come and go after each season.
This was something that I would greet me after school at times, because it had that school feel, even when actual school was over for the day. That was how unique it was.
Thanks for joining me on Part 2 of my review of PBS Kids! We're far from finished yet. Be sure to stay tuned to Part 3!
Whatsoever Critic
Sources:
Arthur
Charlie Horse Music Pizza
Dragon Tales
The Magic School Bus
The Puzzle Place
Storytime
Penguins of Madagascar (that one pic)
Teletubbies
Wimzie's House
Wishbone
Zoboomafoo
ZOOM (1999 version)
Courtesy: DHX Media, Golden Books Family Entertainment/KCET, Sony Pictures Television, Scholastic Entertainment, Lancit Media, KCET, DreamWorks Animation, Ragdoll Productions, Cookie Jar Entertainment, Lionsgate, Cinar/Cookie Jar Group, and WGBH-TV.
