Welcome back to my review of PBS Kids. This is Part 3!
For Part 3, I will be looking at the shows that came out between 2000 and 2005. Just like I've done in Parts 1 and 2, I won't go in any order. So, here they are!
Bob the Builder
I know this show may seem outdated, but it's definitely worth mentioning.
It's a stop-motion animated show about a masonry contractor who has the help of anthropomorphic work equipment and vehicles, as well as the help of his friend Wendy.
Just like previous shows that I had mentioned in this review, this show emphasized the importance of resolving a problem, having cooperation in a group, and learning many skills.
But what really stood out with this show was the theme song, "Yes We Can!" In fact, I kinda liked the song more than the actual show, because it rocked and it was engaging.
The characters, on the other hand, were okay. I mean, they all have their personalities; and there really wasn't a villain; however, there was Spud the Scarecrow who caused a problem and/or made a problem worse.
-You know, since Ariel the mermaid was that kind of character in her show, why doesn't she and Spud get together whenever they get bored out of their minds?
Anyway, as forgettable as this show may seem, it's still worthy of checking out.
Caillou
This show is still around, I'll tell you right now. However, this show has evolved throughout the entire series.
The show is about a young boy and his daily interactions with his family, his friends, and the world around him.
For this show, it has its pros and cons. I'll start with the cons first.
Cons:
1. They got rid of the Caillou puppet characters over time.
WTF?! Those characters were the best additions to the show. What, were live-action puppets becoming unpopular at the time?
2. When will there be a season where Caillou goes to actual school? (The daycare counts, but then again, doesn't count.)
3. Will there be a spin-off show where Caillou is grown up? That way it can cater to older children?
Pros:
1. Caillou learns just about anything in each episode.
2. Caillou isn't restricted by his environment, because he goes places and likes to explore new things.
Those were my pros and cons for this show. Anyway, this show is destined to become a classic more less.
Cyberchase
Talk about catering to the older-kid demographic: this show was a mix between futuristic and mathematical. The show follows a kid trio who always have to save a powerful being called the Motherboard from the diabolical Hacker (voiced by Christopher Lloyd)...
-(sigh) How can one describe Hacker?
1. First of all, he has no political tie-ins, but strong resembles Elvis... Well, Disney did the same for one of its shows...
2. Second, he has two clumsy sidekicks named Buzz and Delete... whom seem like obvious hacker-based baddies for a computer.
3. Third, like I said before, he's voiced by Christopher Lloyd. If you thought that the voice of Rasputin from Anastasia was creepy, then you have to listen to the voice of Hacker- Hacker is just diabolical!
Anyway, we have our stereotypical heroes:
1. Jackie- the perfectionist/person-who's-afraid-of-things-that-are-disgusting stereotype
2. Matt- the-nerdy-yet-"hip"-rocking-best-friends-that-loves-to-collect-things stereotype... who's voiced by a woman for some reason (Jacqueline Pillon)
3. Inez- the youngest-member-of-the-team-that-would-most-likely-know-more-than-the-others stereotype
And we also see their cuddly sidekick Digit, who's a talking bird voiced by Gilbert Gottifried.
-Okay, maybe this show has too many celebrities... Other than that, I see no problem.
As a kid, I really enjoyed watching it, because it was well-energized for a show about mathematics, even though I was aiming for a major in English Language Arts.
Angelina Ballerina
Imagine taking The American Tail and turning it into a show about a girl that wants to be a professional ballerina. Well, that's this show.
To be fair, there's not much to say about this show, except that it has beautiful 2D-animation, as well as a unique premise.
-And also to be fair, I think this was all botched up when the 3D-animated spin-off Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series
I'm not sure if this was supposed to be based on the book of the same name or not, but this show was pretty decent. I'm also not sure if people remember this show or not, but I'll give you the story.
The show follows a girl that lives in an old-fashioned town and possesses a good heart. She helps solve problems, as well as interact with many different characters.
Plus, she learns how to solve her own problems.
I'll give the show credit for teaching valuable lessons such as having responsibility, having high self-esteem, and having management skills.
In my opinion, the show was very enjoyable, whether it was based on the book or not.
Between the Lions
Now we're talking! Another show about books!
I betcha this show consoled Reading Rainbow fans when Reading Rainbow ended.
-IDK. Just a guess...
Anyway, this show is about a family of anthropomorphic lions who own a library and would read a different book in each episode.
What was unique about the show was that, just like in Reading Rainbow, it emphasized the importance of reading; however, it also taught spelling and grammar, not unlike Sesame Street would. It was enough to satisfy most book-lovers.
Boohbah
This show, on the other hand...
This was like Teletubbies on steroids. In fact, I don't think the rest of America got the vibe either.
This show was so pointless, that it actually made me even more sick, back when I was a kid, when I had to stay home from school, because of an illness.
-Enough said.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Well, we all know the story for this show that was based on a book series of...
...stories.
It's about a large dog who's owned by a girl named Emily Elizabeth...
-That name is so long, yet I still remember it by heart...
...and he would hang out with his small pup friends as they would set off on unique adventures to solve problems.
-Not much to say about this show, except that the set-up is a bore. I mean, sure, the show is set in an island-based suburbia, but... That's just about it. I mean, where's the creativity in that. I don't know; maybe this show wasn't for me.
Jay Jay the Jet Plane
Here's a classic: the adventures of anthropomorphic planes doing tasks and having fun.
-Just call these characters the missing characters of Thomas the Tank Engine.
-Yeah, I'm not even kidding: this show tried to be like Thomas the Tank Engine, and the result was... Well, to be fair, this show would be better than Thomas the Tank Engine...
Liberty's Kids
This was an classic that I loved growing up. Liberty's Kids was an educational historical fiction TV about a group of young people that would operate the town newspaper to record and remember history as told in many of our history books.
I, personally, love this show. I love the characters: Sarah the girl from Britain; James the journalist (who reminds me a touch of Alexander from The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything); Henri the comedic and energetic member of the group; and Moses the former slave who decided to work with the group in their newspaper business.
-Now keep in mind that these were all fictionalized characters, in respects of keeping the historical facts accurate.
I also loved the show took stories of historical people and emphasized them with dramatic storytelling.
It's sad how this show isn't on PBS anymore.
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
I betcha most people passed this show up, but I'll tell you about it anyway.
It centers around the adventures of a young siamese cat that would venture around her owner's estate.
-(yawn)
-Yeah, as you can tell by my yawn, this show was just as boring as Clifford. Why? Well, is it fair to say that I get the feeling that both shows are restricted by their environment? I'm not kidding; this cat doesn't leave her estate and/or village to go on epic quests or anything. I mean, I know the show was supposed to be educational in some way, but the premise was just boring.
As you can tell, the PBS line-up that I have just showed you was starting to become unpopular... But I'm not finished yet! Stay tuned for Part 4!
Whatsoever Critic
Sources:
Bob the Builder
Caillou
Cyberchase
Angelina Ballerina
Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series
Between the Lions
Boohbah
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Jay Jay the Jet Plane
Liberty's Kids
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
Courtesy: HIT Entertainment, Cookie Jar Entertainment, Title Entertainment, Sullivan Entertainment, WGBH/Sirius Thinking, Ltd., BBC Worldwide Limited/Ragdoll Limited/GMTV, Scholastic Corporation, Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, and CineGroupe/Sesame Workshop.
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