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Elmo Saves Christmas (1996)
Festive Holiday Special with a Great Lesson
I loved Sesame Street ever since birth (or close enough), and I still love it today, even though I'm no longer the target audience. I didn't grow up with Elmo Saves Christmas, but I watched it for the first time on YouTube a few years back, and there was a treat in store for me.
There are other Christmas specials where characters wish for every day to be Christmas and gets their wish, including "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas" and The Fairly Oddparents' "Christmas Every Day," and each one tackles different consequences of that wish. This is probably one of those specials that shows the most negative and effective consequences of the wish.
There are a few things I don't like about this special. 1) The Easter Bunny has an extremely scratchy, creepy-sounding voice. 2) Santa gives Elmo 2 options for presents: a pink teddy bear and a snow globe. I'm intrigued why we doesn't give Elmo both of them. 3) Plot hole: There's nothing on TV for months except for It's a Wonderful Life, and the characters get tired of watching it over and over again. Did It's a Wonderful Life air on every channel the whole time? Did they not air other Christmas movies, like Rudolph or Frosty?
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
Anything But a Mean One
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) is one of my favorite Christmas specials/movies, alongside Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, the Peanuts holiday specials, and a few others. It is also one of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories in general. I can't imagine a holiday season without it. Coincidentally, I'm wearing a Grinch sweatshirt right now.
The songs, especially You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch, are catchy and one of the best aspects of the movie. Thurl Ravenscroft, who was also the original voice of Tony the Tiger, has a distinctive deep voice that makes You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch more enjoyable to listen to. It's one of the most iconic Christmas songs to ever be written, and it never gets old.
The idea of a mean character who hates Christmas and wants to steal everyone's cheer is an interesting concept. The Grinch is very similar to Ebenezer Scrooge; they both initially hate Christmas, on Christmas Day, they redeem themselves, find the meaning of Christmas, lose hatred in the holiday, and give to those in need.
The story's moral is timeless and unforgettable, which emphasizes that Christmas is about those who care about and spreading love and kindness, not just presents. As The Grinch says when he finds the Whos happily singing after he steals all their presents, decorations, and Christmas dinners, "Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Christmas perhaps means a little bit more." Despite his attempt to stop Christmas from coming, it still comes, and he redeems himself and brings everything back, realizing that stealing Christmas was pointless.
Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Let Go of the Past and Keep Moving Forward
Meet the Robinsons is one of the best modern Disney movies I've ever seen and is very underrated. The storytelling is heartfelt, and it beautifully captures themes of family, resilience, and the importance of dreaming big. The characters are memorable and quirky, each contributing to the overall message of embracing the future. The animation is vibrant and imaginative, which makes every scene a visual delight. Plus, the movie's humor appeals to all ages, making it a fantastic choice for family movie nights. Overall, it's a film that resonates on many levels and deserves more recognition for its creativity and emotional depth.
I love Lewis's first invention, the memory scanner, because it helps the characters recall events they don't remember clearly and can even project video footage of those memories. Sometimes I struggle to remember specific details of my experiences, no matter how hard I try or who I ask. If the memory scanner were real, that problem could easily be solved. I would definitely want to get my hands on one!
Most of the movie's humor comes from the main villain, The Bowler Hat Guy. His funniest moments include when he comes up with his evil plans and realizes that they're stupid right away and others where he uses them only to realize how foolish they are later. Plus, there is a hilarious running gag where he controls a frog and then a dinosaur to capture Lewis, only for both creatures to point out that he didn't think his plans through.
There are also other funny moments, particularly when Lewis shares what he learned about the Robinson family tree. He has not yet met Wilbur's dad, Cornelius, and Wilbur can't say what he looks like for spoiler reasons, so a picture of Tom Selleck appears instead. This choice is completely unexpected and random. Coincidentally, it is revealed in the end credits that Cornelius is voiced by Tom Selleck.
The visuals are not only realistic but also incredibly imaginative, blending vibrant colors with detailed textures that bring the characters and settings to life. The animation is an absolute mix of cartoonish charm and lifelike qualities, allowing viewers to engage themselves in the story. There's a distinct futuristic flair in the design of the gadgets and settings, which feels inventive and ahead of its time. The expressive character animations draw you into their emotions, making every scene resonate deeply. Additionally, the fluidity of movement and the creative use of lighting add depth and warmth, enhancing the viewing experience.
I strongly appreciate the inspiring messages in this story: the importance of moving forward and not giving up. We've all heard phrases like "don't give up" and "try and try again until you succeed" countless times, but the story takes it a step further, emphasizing that perseverance allows us to embrace failures, keep searching, and live in the present. This is a perspective we don't often see! The protagonist, Lewis, has lived in an orphanage since he was a baby and had 124 rejected adoption interviews, leading him to feel unwanted. After a failed invention, he decides to stop trying and go back in time to meet the mother he never knew, hoping to change his fate.
It's understandable for Lewis to feel discouraged because he put so much effort into his inventions and attempts to get adopted, only to fail every time. Interestingly, adult Lewis, aka Cornelius, created 952 prototypes of his time machine before succeeding, demonstrating that determination is not just about our failures but also about the resilience we show. His journey illustrates how persistence can lead to breakthroughs in even the most challenging attempts.
The Robinsons support Lewis after he struggles to fix the peanut butter and jelly maker he made earlier, reinforcing that failure offers great learning experiences. Franny notes that we often learn more from our failures than when we initially succeed, helping Lewis understand that persistence is key to achieving his goals and finding true rewards.
Mildred, the orphanage owner, tells Lewis, "Maybe you haven't found the right family yet." At a science fair, he meets a time traveler named Wilbur Robinson, and together they go to the future. While staying at Wilbur's house, his family grows to love Lewis like a member of their own, and he wishes for a family like them and becomes best friends with Wilbur. Eventually, he learns they are his future family, realizing that living in the past and trying to reunite with his biological mother is pointless because he already has a family.
When the future randomly disappears, Wilbur encourages Lewis to fix the time machine because he is the only one with knowledge of science and mechanics and will soon be the only individual present. This causes Lewis to embrace his failures, work toward success, and bring back the future. He eventually returns to the present, fixes his memory scanner, wins the science fair, and gets adopted.
The scenes where the Robinsons embrace Lewis are heartwarming, highlighting the healing power of love and chosen family, especially considering his background as an orphan. Lewis's adoption starts not just a new beginning but also his capacity for love and a family. These moments capture the essence of hope and the transformative nature of relationships.
I deeply relate to Lewis's journey because I experienced similar challenges, but I'm going to try not to go too much in-depth about it. During my middle school years, I faced a series of hardships and adversities in and out of school that caused me to lose interest in life and feel like I was overstaying my welcome to the world. I was longing for the past again, when life was good. I watched the movie in science class for the first time in years towards the end of eighth grade-my last year of middle school-and saw it a couple of times at home shortly afterward. You're probably wondering why I didn't apply the lessons it offered. At that time, I thought it was pointless because the idea of having a good life again felt too good to be true. While I loved the movie and was happy for Lewis's happy ending, I found it hard to believe I could achieve something similar.
During my early high school days, I unexpectedly began to experience positive changes in my life little by little, both in and out of school. One of the biggest factors of this transformation was that I attended high school with an entirely new group of kids, which allowed me to find a few changes to embrace-much like Lewis did when he stopped living in the past. I didn't know any of those kids before high school, except for my cousin Brycen and a couple of his friends, who were seniors when I was a freshman, and they motivated me to attend that school. This fresh start was exciting, especially since I was eager for new friendships. All the kids I met accepted me for who I was, allowing me to open up without being bullied, even for expressing my unusual interests and disinterests for my age, such as my liking towards preschool shows like Blue's Clues, The Wiggles, and Sesame Street, saying that I still enjoy playing with toys at home, and more.
This acceptance helped me overcome the loneliness I felt in middle school, especially after losing three close friends who moved away. I felt valued and loved, much like Lewis found with the Robinsons. This shift allowed me to embrace both my past and present, realizing that longing for the past again was pointless, similar to Lewis's journey. Throughout high school and afterward, I often reflected on my journey and realized I needed to keep searching for the right environment-similar to Mildred's comment-which I eventually did. Watching the movie multiple times during this period helped me relate to Lewis's experiences and growth, deepening my appreciation for the changes in my own life.
Since regaining my interest in life, I have never given up hope for negative experiences to improve or go away, while also trying not to raise my hopes too high. I finished high school two years ago and am now navigating a problematic, yet slowly improving community college experience. However, I still enjoy life outside of school, feel that I have a bright future ahead of me, and keep my high school memories alive to the best of my ability. There's also a possibility that I'll work at the same high school I attended after college.
I feel compassion for The Bowler Hat Guy due to his tragic backstory. Towards the end, he is revealed to be an adult version of Mike "Goob" Yagoobian, Lewis's roommate, which explains his grudge against Lewis. Lewis kept Goob awake all night while working on the memory scanner, causing him to fall asleep during a baseball game and not catch the ball. This led to his team losing and resulted in his abandonment at the orphanage. His resentment toward Lewis's success ultimately causes him to seek revenge by trying to crush Lewis's dreams.
His backstory evokes sympathy; he is a product of his circumstances, shaped by abandonment and failure. While Lewis embodies hope and determination, The Bowler Hat Guy is consumed by bitterness and revenge, creating an interesting contrast between the two characters.
Seeing Lewis give The Bowler Hat Guy a second chance truly touches my heart. It highlights the themes of redemption and the potential for change. Lewis's kindness and understanding show that even those who seem lost can find a better path, and he recognizes that The Bowler Hat Guy doesn't want to be a villain. There are a lot of fictional bad guys with tragic backstories, but Lewis is one of the few good guys I know of who feels sorry for the bad guy and recognizes that he's misunderstood.
The scene where Lewis wakes up Goob at the baseball game, gives him the chance to catch the ball, and changes his future is incredibly uplifting. His happy ending reminds us of how our choices shape our lives. Overall, these moments resonate with me, emphasizing hope and compassion.
Wonder Pets! (2006)
Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets, We're On Our Way to Help a Friend and Save the Day
I watched a lot of Wonder Pets on Nick Jr and Noggin when I was little, and I still enjoy it to this day and watch it once in a while. I have Linny, Tuck, and Ming Ming plush toys with big heads, big eyes, and small bodies, as well as bobble-headed action figures of all three main characters that came with vehicles and smaller animal figures; Linny has a rowboat and a penguin, Tuck has an airplane and a bluebird, and Ming Ming has a van and a cat.
The animation is very realistic without being hideous or creepy, unlike Dirtgirlworld. I find the characters, especially Ming Ming, to be quite cute, and they resemble real animals to some extent. The only big difference in their design is that the Wonder Pets wear hats and capes, while real animals do not.
I heard that Dirtgirlworld is a cartoon that combines animated characters with real-life video footage, but I don't remember where I heard that. The characters' faces are real people's faces edited to look cartoonish, similar to the style of Annoying Orange, which gives them a creepy appearance. Fortunately, I cannot say the same about the characters in Wonder Pets.
I don't know what the art style consists of, but it seems to me that it could be a) CGI, b) animated and edited photos of real animals, or c) paper mâché. Overall, it's a great example of realistic animation done right!
The songs are one of the best aspects of the show, besides the animation. I particularly enjoy the "Phone is ringing" and "What's gonna work? Teamwork" portions of the theme song. These segments often pop into my head when I hear a phone ringing or do a task that requires teamwork, and I consider them the national anthems of these complications. I'm considering changing my cellphone ringtone to the "Phone is ringing" part soon. Interestingly, a few kids in my high school class would sometimes sing the latter during a partner or group activity.
For many years, I believed that the theme song ("Wonder Pets, Wonder Pets, we're on our way to help a friend and save the day. We're not too big, and we're not too tough, but when we work together, we've got the right stuff. Go Wonder Pets, yay!"), "The Phone is Ringing," "There's an Animal in Trouble," "Linny, Tuck, and Ming Ming Too," and "What's Gonna Work? Teamwork" were five different songs. However, when I listened to the full, album version of the theme song on YouTube earlier this year, I discovered that they are all different segments of the same song.
The segment that opens each episode and is sung by the Wonder Pets when they are on their way to rescue other animals gave me a better understanding of the importance of teamwork (more about that in a little bit). I don't know what else to say about the songs; I'm not the best at analyzing music but not the worst either.
The show effectively tackles the benefits of teamwork. Despite the Wonder Pets' small size, they demonstrate that working together allows them to achieve seemingly impossible tasks; thanks to standing on each other's shoulders, grabbing each other's hands, having different abilities, and using what they learned in the classroom, they can reach high destinations and items that are so high, stop a light hot air balloon from flying by making it heavier, and the list goes on. This helped me realize that collaboration can lead to success, no matter how big or small we might feel. The various scenarios they face illustrate key lessons about seeking help and problem-solving as a group. The theme song says that even if you're not the biggest or strongest, teamwork allows you to tackle challenges and accomplish great things. Watching the characters support each other has deepened my appreciation for community and cooperation in my own life.
This is one of many Nick Jr shows with a formula that repeats episode after episode, but unlike most of the other ones, there's always a twist at the end. The Wonder Pets always celebrate their missions succeeding by eating celery, but they don't always eat celery with the same condiments or in the same portions. They eat it with peanut butter, by itself, or whatever else comes to mind. Just because a show has a predictable formula or never has any twists doesn't mean it sucks, but the twists give the show more originality. Otherwise, we'd have too much of a good thing.
There is one thing I don't like about the show. The Wonder Pets sing every 5 seconds (not really, but it sure feels like it). While there are other Nick Jr shows with characters who sing about almost everything they do, the Wonder Pets' singing habits feel particularly exaggerated. That's why I give the show an 8/10. I still appreciate the songs and am not trying to say that the characters shouldn't sing at all. I would enjoy the show more if they toned down their singing habits.
For those of you who don't know, a Wonder Pets reboot will be coming out soon, and Linny, Tuck, and Ming Ming will be replaced with a snake, a bunny, and a different guinea pig for some odd reason. I'm not excited about it, and I won't be watching it unless I hear good things about it. I assume that none of the characters from the original series will return. If that's true, I'm guessing that it will have very little to do with the source material or nothing at all, making it feel more like a standalone show. As Ming Ming would say, "This is sewious!"
Why bother making a reboot if the original main trio won't return? Is a guinea pig, a turtle, and a duck rescuing other animals in distress an outdated concept? I don't think so. Last year, I decided not to watch any more reboots that come out or ones I've never seen, except for ones I hear good things about or look good in the trailers. I'm keeping that promise, and you should do the same if you're tired of "botched reboots" too.
I feel sorry for the kids out there who have seen the awful reboots and not the source materials because they don't know what they're missing. However, there's a possibility that the first episode may be about the original Wonder Pets teaching the new ones how to do their job, similar to the first Blue's Clues and You episode, where Steve and Joe teach Josh how to play Blue's Clues. Who knows?
Charlotte's Web (1973)
Terrific, Humble, and Radiant!
I must admit that Charlotte's Web (1973) is very true to the book and better than the live action remake (I like the remake too, but I like the original better for the most part)! For the longest time, I had no idea that Hanna Barbera made this. This is a heartwarming story of a clever spider named Charlotte who uses her web to write words to describe a pig named Wilbur and save him from being slaughtered. The songs aren't overly saccharine and are actually quite catchy.
Debbie Reynolds' Charlotte is warm and wise, Wilbur is naive and friendly, and Templeton provides the perfect foil as a spoiled rat who's just in it for himself.
Piglet's Big Movie (2003)
Piglet's Big Movie is Sweet and Heartwarming!
Piglet's Big Movie is a sweet movie, but I don't think it's as good as The Tigger Movie. It shows how big of an impact Piglet has had on his friends' lives. He was the first to befriend Kanga and Roo and realize that they're not the mean and dangerous kangaroos everyone initially thought they were, he saved Roo when he (Roo) fell in the water and almost drowned, he found an inventive way to be able to find where Eeyore's house belongs no matter what happens to it, and more. Piglet may not have as much screentime (in most Winnie the Pooh incarnations) or personality as Pooh Bear, Tigger, Eeyore, or Rabbit, but these items are all signs that he's still an important character in the franchise. He may be small and easily frightened, but he also puts other's needs first at all times, is always happy to see his friends, and can be brave from time to time.
Additionally, Piglet initially feels that his friends don't need him, and they don't notice that he helped out with their plan to get honey from the bees, which many of us can relate to. However, Pooh and company regret their behavior when he goes missing and go out to look for him. They also look at his scrapbook to find clues where he could be and learn that small individuals can do big things.
This leads to a heartwarming scene where the characters have a big party for Piglet, do new drawings for his scrapbook, and rename Pooh Corner "Pooh and Piglet Corner" to show him how much they appreciate him, which brings him to tears and makes him feel so big. This is also a reminder of how we should value and treat our precious friendships.
There's a funny part in the party scene where Piglet gets stuck in a bubble, while Roo plays Pin the Tail on the Donkey and accidentally puts Eeyore's tail on Tigger. These scenarios make all the characters laugh, even Eeyore. Describing funniness is not my specialty, but this moment really stands out to me. Also, how many times have you heard or seen Eeyore laugh? Not very many, I suppose.
I must admit that Piglet's drawings are very nicely done! The scenes where the drawings are animated look like a kid's drawings coming to life. They look better than the art style in Peppa Pig because the characters still have full bodies, and it's easy to tell who and what is in the drawings just by looking at them. Talk about a childlike animation style done right!
The movie has a great selection of songs, with most of them being sung by Carly Simon. She sings her own rendition of the Winnie the Pooh theme song as well as some original songs, such as "Sing Ho for the Life of a Bear" and "With a Few Good Friends." Simon's vocals and the music in her songs are very soft and relaxing to listen to.
To put more bread on the table, the characters sing most of the lines in "Sing Ho for the Life of a Bear," and it has a catchy and upbeat marching tune that I find fun to listen to.
Like most good forms of entertainment, Piglet's Big Movie is not without its flaws. 1) Pooh Bear doesn't recognize Piglet when his shirt is fluffed after taking a bath at Kanga's house, but the former recognizes the latter when he (Piglet) is stuck in Christopher Robin's boot. I'm very much aware that Pooh is a bear of very little brain, but it still doesn't make sense to me because Piglet's face and the rest of his body are revealed when his shirt is fluffed, while only his feet are revealed when he's in the boot. 2) Continuity error: Tigger is in the flashback where Kanga and Roo move to the Hundred Acre Wood, yet he was the last main character in the franchise to be introduced and move to the Hundred Acre Wood. 3) Rabbit says that Piglet and Roo are the same height, but they're not. Piglet is slightly taller than Roo. 4) This is more of a series of short stories than one story, but I don't know how that problem could've been avoided without dramatically changing the main plot.
Too Smart for Strangers (1985)
Scary, Too Dark, and Confusing, Though Not Terrible
I'm neutral to Welcome to Pooh Corner, and it is not as good as any other Winnie the Pooh incarnation. I didn't grow up with Welcome to Pooh Corner because it's from long before I was born, it didn't have any reruns on TV at all during my lifetime, and I never owned any of the video releases. However, I've seen this episode and many other ones online. This is the worst or least good WTPC episode/special. This is one out of the only three episodes on YouTube, and I've seen all of them. I was originally planning on going in-depth about this in my review on WTPC as a whole, but after learning there was a page for it, I decided to do separate reviews on this episode and the series as a whole. I don't like Too Smart for Strangers, I don't hate/dislike it, it's a mixed bag like the rest of the series. Allow me to explain why.
Too Smart for Strangers has had a controversy in recent years because of the part where Pooh talks about molestation and genitals. I agree that it is too dark for a kid's show, especially anything Pooh-related, although the title character is right about touching others' private parts and molesting being unacceptable. How does he know about that? The animals from the Hundred Acre Wood are all naked/nearly naked plush dolls with no private parts and no pants. I never thought I'd hear my favorite bear talk about these items.
Pooh Bear and Piglet are right about stranger danger and any mention of it being scary and doing what we can to avoid strangers being a smart thing to do. However, the former comes off as TOO smart. So much for being a bear of very little brain. Too Smart for Strangers? More like Too Dumb for Strangers.
Tigger and Roo sing a duet about making your parents believe what you report to them about encountering a stranger. It briefly says if your parents don't believe what you say, you should keep repeating it until they believe you. It doesn't work that way (or does it?).
The plot is very confusing. I mentioned a couple of the plot holes earlier, but there's more. The characters watch multiple clips of real-life kids encountering strangers and how they handle it, and they mention being friends with those kids. How do they know them? Have they met them off-screen previously? Christopher Robin and his parents, Sora from Kingdom Hearts, and Darby from My Friends Tigger and Pooh appear to be the only humans who can find the Hundred Acre Wood. In a duet Pooh and Piglet sing towards the end, they say if they were to end up in stranger danger, they'd tell their moms or dads. They don't have any parents. Pooh and his friends live in their own little forest and don't encounter many strangers. They don't go into the real world very much. How do they know how to handle stranger danger? Could Christopher Robin have learned about stranger danger and touching others inappropriately in school and talked to his stuffed animals about them? I can't imagine a kid having such a conversation with his toys. The plot of Pooh's Great School Bus Adventure (another one of the show's educational specials and one of the other episodes on YouTube) makes sense to me because Pooh Bear mentions Christopher Robin taught him about school bus safety and etiquette, and the characters learn more tips from their adventure on the bus. They could've done the same with this episode but with the characters coming face to face with a stranger instead of riding a bus.
Instead of using the plot they picked, a stranger (maybe a heffalump or a woozle) could've come to the Hundred Acre Wood, and Pooh or one of his friends could've talked to the stranger, leading to them being kidnapped or ending up in some other kind of stranger danger. The characters who haven't been kidnapped or in stranger danger could've worked together to rescue their friend, and the victim could've learned what to do while in stranger danger and eventually got saved by himself/herself or their friends. The plot they picked could've worked if the episode/special came out sometime after The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh started because some new characters in the Pooh franchise have been introduced since then, and more creatures have been able to find the Hundred Acre Wood, but there are no new characters in Welcome to Pooh Corner.
There are 2 clips of kids being left at home by themselves, and they don't look or sound old enough to be left home alone. In one clip, a stranger shows up at a girl's front door, and she reports this to her parents on the telephone and doesn't let the stranger in. In the other one, a boy receives a phone call from a stranger, hangs up right away, calls his parents, and reports the stranger to them. Who leaves under-aged kids home alone anymore?
I already knew most of what Too Smart for Strangers was teaching before I watched it for the first time, but I learned a few tips from it, such as how strangers can be easy to come across at not-so-crowded places like construction sites and alleys and to never ride home with somebody I've never met who says they're friends with one of my relatives.
The special came out at the right time (1985). Back then, kidnapping was very common, and Disney had no choice but to make a PSA about what to do if one were to end up in stranger danger. Using familiar characters in a PSA is a more effective way to handle it than using real-life, unfamiliar faces because that could give more people motivation to watch it, and your favorite characters are shown to be in a similar situation you might be in. However, they could've made a PSA with different characters, like maybe the Mickey Mouse gang. Using Pooh characters was out of place, but the information is useful for the most part. If you don't like this and are looking for a better PSA about stranger danger with familiar characters, watch the Sonic Says "Stranger Danger" skit from The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Dora (2024)
It Isn't as Bad as the Original
I used to love the original Dora the Explorer series when I was younger, but now I hate it and find that it doesn't hold up anymore. I decided to watch the reboot because I heard that it was an improvement from the original in some ways. I recently watched 6 full episodes, so I gave it a fair chance. It's not as bad as the original, but it's not that much of an improvement. It lacks some of the original's problems, and others remain. If you're a fan of the original Dora, it's unlikely that you'll like the reboot. If you like the reboot or the source material, I can handle your opinion.
Pros:
1. The source material's theme song has been replaced with a new theme song, which I don't find anywhere near as annoying.
2. Dora and Boots surprisingly don't scream a majority of their lines at the top of their lungs anymore, unlike their original portrayals. Instead, they're calmer and more patient with the viewers like Steve, Joe, and Josh from Blue's Clues.
3. Backpack and Map's theme songs, the Travel Song, and We Did It are shortened, and they're not in every episode, so they're not as annoying or repetitive as their original versions. They're also less likely to get stuck in your head when you don't want them to.
4. The pacing is faster than the source material: the reboot's episodes are only 11 minutes, while the source material's episodes are 22 minutes (except for the specials). This means Dora and Boots can now walk a mile in only a minute or two, and they no longer have to overcome obstacles in order to do simple tasks like picking blueberries or buying ice cream.
Cons:
1. Dora and company are still the same annoying, oblivious, flat, and one-dimensional characters, except for the Grumpy Old Troll.
2. The characters still treat the audience like idiots by asking dumb questions that are impossible for even a 4-year-old to answer incorrectly, like "Is this a triangle?" and "Can you see that blue house?". That's right, Dora still asks the audience where her destinations are all the time, even when they're right in front of her or next to her and hard to miss.
3. The series has a generic, Cocomelon-like animation style.
4. Dora and Boots still do their "Swiper, no swiping!" routine, and it still scares Swiper away every time. This could make little kids think they can stop a thief from stealing their belongings and scare them away just by shouting "Swiper, no swiping!" or something similar.
5. Swiper's motivation to steal Dora's belongings is still never explained. To make matters worse, he still never learns not to take things that don't belong to him no matter what. One might think he'd learn from his mistakes after being called out for them thousands of times and that he'd get headaches from hearing Dora and Boots shout at him all the time, but apparently not.
6. Boots is now fluent in both Spanish and English, making the Spanish lessons pointless. He originally only spoke English, and Dora would always teach him Spanish, which allowed the audience to learn Spanish too, as bad as the original series is.
7. The Grumpy Old Troll is now a good guy, and he has less personality than in the original series (from what I've seen). His original portrayal wasn't too good either, but at least he had more personality back then.
8. Map is now female for some unspecified reason. If it's for the sake of gender equality, that seems unnecessary since the source material already had a balanced representation of both male and female characters.
The Loud House (2015)
I Wouldn't Trade It for the World (pun absolutely intended)
The Loud House is my absolute favorite modern cartoon! I'm mostly into old/classic cartoon shows, but there aren't an awful lot of modern ones that I like, only some. This is one of the only modern ones I watch regularly. After years of dumb sitcoms and brain-dead cartoons, we finally have a modern Nicktoon that doesn't overuse hyperactivity, mean-spiritedness, and gross-out humor! However, I've heard some say it has been going downhill ever since season 5. I haven't seen much of season 5-onwards, but some of the episodes from those seasons are bad, and some are good, just like the ones from the previous seasons. If I were to watch more episodes from the later seasons, maybe I would agree with those people.
The show is a slice-of-life series centered around 11-year-old Lincoln Loud (12-year-old in season 5-onwards) and his ten sisters. It provides a glimpse into the dynamics of a large family-something I never imagined before watching. I find the episodes engaging and unpredictable because of the unique situations they face from having so many family members.
I'm not part of a big family, so how was I supposed to know what that was like before I started watching this? The Loud family has a problematic life and gets into all sorts of unusual situations and scenarios because of the number of people who live in the Loud House, such as waiting in line to go to the bathroom at home for hours, getting fed up with eating the same 7 dinners every week, the kids waking up extra early to each leave for school on time, the house falling apart due to certain parts (the shower pipes, the sinks, etc.) being used by each of the members too much, and more.
Because the family gets into fights a lot and there are always obstacles in their way, the parents very seldom get to relax. I usually hate seeing people get into fights, but now that I've seen this, I know that a lot of the time it's hard for big families not to fight. Because there are 13 people in the Loud family, they each have their own picks for what to watch on TV, the music they want to listen to in the car, what they want to buy at the store, and much more, and they often can't choose one option to all agree on. This gives them more options and makes their decisions harder to make. These differences highlight the individuality of each family member and avoid making them one-dimensional, showing that they won't always see eye to eye.
Nonetheless, they love each other deep down, and Lincoln is grateful for having a large family, even though sometimes they give him trouble, make more noise than he can handle, and annoy him. I heard in a YouTube video and on the Loud House Wiki that Chris Savino, the creator, based the show on his childhood experiences. He grew up in a large family, so it's obvious that he knew what he was doing (if you're wondering why I said "knew" and "was," it's because he got fired). If you're wondering what it's like to be part of a big family, the show is likely to answer any questions you may have.
This is probably one of the most diverse cartoons ever made because it has a very diverse cast of characters with a variety of different ethnicities, backgrounds, personalities, and whatnot, which gives it more originality and acceptance for people who are colored, act differently from the average person, etc. The Loud kids each have their own unique personalities. Lori is the oldest and the typical teenage girl who's boy-crazy, bossy, and always on her smartphone, yet nice and responsible. Leni is the ditzy fashionista and the nicest of the sisters. Lucy is the poetic emo goth girl. Lisa is the science nerd who's incredibly smart for a 4-year-old (5-year-old in season 5-onwards. No pun intended). Luna is a musician. Luan is an amateur comedian and prankster. Lynn is a competitive athlete (even though I don't like her, mainly because of her habit of making everything into a competition. I thought I'd still mention her because she's one of the Loud kids and so you all know I didn't forget about her). Lola and Lana are polar opposite twins; the former is a girly girl who wears a princess dress and has tea parties, while the latter is a mud-loving, dumpster-diving tomboy who's good at fixing things. Lily is the family baby who runs around naked and constantly poops in her diaper like any other baby (only in seasons 1-4). Finally, Lincoln is the only boy who loves playing video games, watching science fiction movies, collecting coins, skateboarding, and rock music, and he's always coming up with elaborate plans.
The Louds and a majority of their associates are white/Caucasian like me, but Lincoln's friend group consists of kids with various ethnicities and accents: Clyde is black, Liam is southern, Stella is Asian, Ronnie Anne is Hispanic, and more. Interestingly, Lori is dating a Hispanic boy named Bobby, who happens to be Ronnie Anne's older brother.
Clyde has the unique experience of having two adoptive fathers-one is Black like him, and the other is White. They proudly represent the first same-sex married couple in a Nicktoon, showcasing the beauty of diverse family structures. Similarly, Luna is dating another girl named Sam. We need more cartoons like this to inspire and uplift!
The series has a comic-like art style and is in 2D animation instead of CGI, which gives it more originality than some other modern cartoons. On the episodes' title cards, the titles, the pictures, and the people involved are written and drawn in comic strip panels.
The series is filled with heartwarming and inspiring morals for children, teenagers, and adults alike, mostly ones related to family, honesty, and resilience.
In the first episode, Lincoln tries to watch the season finale of his favorite show, "ARRGH!", but the electricity goes out. He protects his sisters from the dark by pretending to be a ghost hunter from his show. When the power is restored, Lincoln discovers that the show's finale is over, leaving him initially upset. However, he soon realizes that he acted out his own "ARRGH!" episode and technically didn't miss it, and most importantly, he took care of his sisters, leading him to learn that family is more important than television.
In another episode, Lincoln's sisters encourage him to stop reading comics in his underwear. He tries on other soft, cozy clothing options to make himself comfortable while reading and encourages his sisters to give up their annoying habits for a day-such as Lori's constant phone conversations with Bobby and Leni's overuse of the word "like-to give them a taste of their own medicine. Initially, the kids find their habits easy to give up, but as the episode progresses, Lily is the only one who doesn't find her habit-crying-difficult to break. Ultimately, they all learn that almost everyone has their own annoying habits, and it's important to respect that.
Finally, in another episode, Clyde gives his video game console to Lincoln for a day because of his family's rule of avoiding electronics on Sundays and to maintain their friendship. Clyde is worried that Lincoln's sisters would want to play the console and might break it, and he tells lies and follows Lincoln all day to keep it safe. When he goes overboard, the Louds ask for the truth, and he eventually admits that he gave Lincoln the console only to keep their friendship intact. From this experience, he learns that it's okay to say no.
There are a lot of Peanuts nods in this, which is a plus because I'm a big Peanuts fan as you can probably tell by my username. Lincoln's winter gear resembles Charlie Brown's winter gear, a Charlie Brown Christmas parody briefly appears on TV in one episode, 2 shirts that resemble Charlie Brown's signature shirt appear in the background in another episode (both a yellow one and a red one), Lucy (from The Loud House, not Peanuts) and Lincoln do the football gag in another episode, the Loud family dog Charles is named after Charles Schulz, and the list goes on.
In conclusion, The Loud House stands out from other modern cartoons for its genuine portrayal of family dynamics and its diverse representation of characters. Its relatable stories and engaging humor make it enjoyable for viewers of all ages, especially those who can appreciate the complexities of growing up in a large family. With its unique art style and heartwarming messages, the show not only entertains but also offers valuable life lessons about love, tolerance, and understanding. As we navigate the challenges of family life, The Loud House serves as a delightful reminder that, despite the chaos, the bonds we share with our loved ones are what truly matter. If you're looking for a modern cartoon that resonates with real-life experiences, The Loud House is definitely worth checking out!
The Fairly OddParents (2001)
It Flips Your Lid (pun absolutely intended)!
For all my life, The Fairly Oddparents has been one of my favorite Nickelodeon shows, alongside SpongeBob SquarePants. This is the Nick show I've seen the second largest number of times throughout my life as a whole and the second longest running Nicktoon, with the first being SpongeBob in both cases. I have a lot of SpongeBob merchandise, but ironically, I never owned any FOP merch until earlier this year because it's very unusual to come across. I now have Timmy Turner, Cosmo, and Wanda plush toys and 2 pairs of FOP socks. If you're wondering why I give this a 9/10 instead of a 10/10, it's because the show went downhill in the 10th and final season.
The premise is simple: 10-year-old Timmy Turner has fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wanda, and they're always granting him wishes for almost anything he wants, watching over him, and helping him get out of sticky situations. Some of his wishes are very helpful, and others backfire, only for him to learn a valuable lesson in the end and receive a happy ending no matter what. What do I like about this premise? Cosmo and Wanda and sometimes their son Poof do everything they can to make Timmy happy, improve his miserable life, and help him hide from his abusive and sadistic babysitter Vicky. They take better care of him than his own parents, who are overworked, neglectful, and leaving him with Vicky all the time. Timmy admits in one episode that he isn't using his fairy godparents and doesn't love them just because they grant him wishes, but also because they make him feel safe, special, and loved. I must admit that the trio have a heartwarming dynamic!
Fairy godparents are only assigned to kids who are living a miserable life and in need of help, otherwise, there would be no point of having fairy godparents. Also, if anyone mentions or shows their fairies to anyone, they go away forever. Because of this, fairy godparents transform into other items while in public and around other humans, like goldfish, books, balloons, cats, and lots more. If kids still have fairies when they turn 18, the fairy taxi comes to take them away forever and erase all of their memories of them from their minds. It is sad that kids with fairies aren't allowed to remember their fairies when they grow up and will never refresh their memories, but these items explain why fairies appear to be so scarce and why only kids (plus Mr. Crocker) believe in them. However, the ending of the episode "Channel Chasers" is set in the future, where Timmy is an adult and briefly shown looking at picture of himself as a kid and Cosmo and Wanda in their goldfish disguises, and he slightly remembers his fairy godparents, which makes up for this.
There are some rules about making wishes as mentioned in the fairy godparent handbook, Da Rules: magic can't create or interfere with true love, nobody must reveal the existence of their fairy godparents to anyone, etc. These rules prove that magic can't always solve your problems and sometimes it's best to work out your problems on your own. They also allow the episodes to have conflicts and prove that the characters don't live in a utopia. Most kids reveal the existence of their fairies and get them taken away so soon, but Timmy is one of the very few kids to keep his fairies a secret for a year, causing a celebration of his first "fairyversary" in the episode "Abracatastrophe."
He makes relatable wishes that most kids with fairies would likely ask them to grant if fairies were real, including for all the food in the world to be desserts, everyone in the world to look the same, to not need sleep, every day to be Christmas, and the list goes on. Numerous episodes repeating the same formula and Timmy having to learn to be careful what he wishes for in half of the episodes makes the show sound formulaic and the protagonist sound static and like he never learns from his mistakes, but that's actually not the case. It's true that he learns to be careful what to wish for hundreds of times, but there are multiple wishes you have to be careful with, including the ones I mentioned. Timmy learns different consequences and uses of his wishes every time, and it isn't possible to learn all of them at once. Most of the time, he learns another lesson along the way, usually a solution to a situation that children and adults often experience in real life, such as the importance of sleep, not to grow up too fast, people like each other for who they are and not what they own, looks don't matter, and lots more. Those are all lessons that everyone must hear. "Christmas Every Day" is an episode in particular that stands out to me. At the beginning of the episode, Timmy wishes for every day to be Christmas because he wants more presents and to spend more time with his parents. Cosmo and Wanda grant his wish, and everyone is happy about it at first, but his good intentions eventually lead to trouble; all the stores are closed, the population of Dimmsdale slowly runs out of food and eggnog, Santa Claus is overworked and running out of creative ideas, the fairies run of magic, and all the other holiday symbols are angry about their respective holidays being gone for good. Timmy faces the consequences and asks all the kids in Dimmsdale to write letters to Santa, saying they want it to be December 26th, and the next day, Christmas is over, and everything is back to normal.
The animation is very smooth and energetic, and the colors are bright and vibrant. It's true that most of the characters are shown in a sideview at all times, but I don't think that's lazy because 1) they're not lacking movements in case it isn't obvious, and 2) I'll bet some of them would be harder to draw and not as good-looking in a full view. For instance, the tufts of hair on the front of Cosmo and Timmy would likely be in their eyes or not as noticeable if they were to appear in a full view. I don't know how else to describe the animation or art style.
There are lots of funny moments, including Mr. Crocker's "FAIRY GODPARENTS! FAIRY GODPARENTS!", Mr. Turner's "Dinkleberg!", Cosmo's laugh, and many more. Describing funniness is not my specialty.
There are numerous episodes with pop culture references and parodies, causing lots of my beloved shows and movies to be combined. For instance, in "Channel Chasers," the big three teleport into parodies of Peanuts, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Rugrats, Blue's Clues, Sesame Street, Scooby Doo, The Flintstones, and many more. Moreover, in that same episode, Timmy is shown to have a series of brightly colored alien-like stuffed animals called "Timmytubbies," which are parodies of the Teletubbies. Additionally, the big three teleport into an old Mickey Mouse cartoon in "Good Old Days," and Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Snoopy make a cameo in "Bad Heir Day."
Yogi's First Christmas (1980)
Festive Yogi
My mother once told me this was one of her favorite Christmas movies when she was a kid, and I've had a VHS of this movie for a long time (yes, I still watch VHS tapes, but I watch DVDs too). I watched reruns of Yogi Bear on Cartoon Network and Boomerang from when I was little (I'm guessing I was 2 or 3 years old. I'm not certain) until the latter stopped playing it in late 2014, so it was a big part of my childhood too, but thankfully Boomerang started playing more of their classics again last year in 2023 and is now fulfilling it's purpose again. Also, in 2017, I watched this on videotape for the first time in 9 or 10 years, and I've been watching this every holiday season since then.
Yogi and Boo Boo are awakened from their hibernation by a musical performance by Ranger Smith (aka Mr. Ranger), Snagglepuss, Huckleberry Hound, Augie Doggie, and Doggie Daddy, and they join in the holiday festivities and experience their first Christmas (hence the title).
The Cat in the Hat (2003)
Not the Cat in the Hat We Know and Love
I used to like this movie when I was younger, but after I heard many not-so-good things about it all over the internet years ago, I now hate it and have a hard time believing that I used to like it. I must have been blinded by my love of The Cat in the Hat book and animated TV special. I have a DVD of this abomination, but I'm going to get rid of it at some point. I also have a DVD of the original cartoon, but I'm keeping it.
The movie is very unfaithful to the book for the most part. Dr. Seuss probably wouldn't like this if he was still alive. Thankfully, his widow, Audrey Geisel, hated it so much and banned Hollywood from making any more live-action adaptations of her late husband's works. There are some unnecessary new characters and little to no rhymes, and the old characters have been flanderized. The Cat in the Hat (Mike Myers) briefly says that he isn't good at rhyming, which is ironic because part of the reason why Dr. Seuss's books are extremely popular is because of the constant rhyming. The fish (Sean Hayes) is the only good character. The story focuses more on new elements than the same scenes from the book. That makes sense because this is a feature-length adaptation of a short story, so the scenes from the book would likely only take up close to 10 minutes of the movie, and there would be lots of extra time to fill up. However, the film doesn't add anything to the story or expand upon it. Instead, it takes a few brief bits of the story, and the rest is a skit show.
Nearly every character is one-dimensional. Conrad (Spencer Breslin) is a rule breaker, Sally (Dakota Fanning) is a control freak, Mr. Humberfloob (also Sean Hayes) is a "germophobe," and Mrs. Kwan is a lazy babysitter who does nothing but sleep for most of the movie instead of doing her job.
There are numerous innuendos and gross-out jokes that are quite noticeable-some are poorly hidden, while others are downright disgusting or mean-spirited-such as the Cat in the Hat's bare butt appearing on screen with him letting out a stinky fart, multiple instances of him swearing (some are censored and others are not), him throwing the fish in the toilet, a scene where he tells the kids that the fish drinks his own pee, Larry Quinn's (Alec Baldwin) extremely hairy body being revealed (Did anyone really have to see that?), the infamous garden hoe pun, and many more. The inclusion of gross-out humor feels excessive and out of place in a story meant for children.
It also takes away the imaginative and whimsical elements that are characteristic of Dr. Seuss's work. The humor seems aimed more at adults than at children, which leads to confusion about the intended audience. Even though this is supposed to be a children's movie and an adaptation of a children's book, it definitely isn't for 4- and 5-year-olds who enjoy the book. This disconnection might leave parents questioning why certain scenes were included, especially considering the original book's charm and innocence.
Furthermore, the overwhelming quantity of innuendos could cause a misunderstanding about what is appropriate for young viewers. Kids are often easily influenced, and introducing these themes in a children's movie can lead to uncomfortable discussions or unwarranted curiosity. Even though the adult jokes will go over many younger viewers' heads, young children shouldn't be exposed to them. They make the movie feel like a Cat in the Hat parody rather than an adaptation.
Because of their presence, I'm surprised I was allowed to watch it when I was younger, but when and if I ever have any kids in the future, I won't let them watch this until they're older, maybe when they're 12 or 13. However, I will let them read the book and watch the cartoon at any age. It would have been more effective to maintain the playful spirit of the source material without such crude humor. This so-called adaptation is rated PG, but it would've made more sense to give it a PG-13 rating. Overall, while humor has its place in children's entertainment, there's a fine line between funny and inappropriate, and this film seems to blur that line rather menacingly.
Some of the character designs are creepy, especially the Cat, Thing 1, and Thing 2's designs. The Cat more closely resembles a giant skunk than a cat. He looks like Pepe Lepew and Ronald McDonald fused into one character, as Nostalgia Critic says in his Cat in the Hat review. The things do look accurate, but they look even creepier. As mentioned in the same video, "What makes something cute in a drawing doesn't always make it cute in real life. In a drawing, you can get away with leaving certain things out, like upper lips per se. They would look like wrinkles if you put them in a drawing, but in real life, it looks scary!" I strongly agree with that. I don't know what else to say about the character designs.
Don't watch The Cat in the Hat (2003). Watch the cartoon and read the book instead. If you're looking for a good live-action Dr. Seuss adaptation, watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).
Update for October 10, 2024: My DVD of this movie thankfully got donated recently.
LazyTown (2002)
Okay Show
I did a negative review on Lazy Town a year ago today, and it was the first review I ever did. However, I deleted it because 0 out of 9 users found it helpful. That didn't surprise me at all because I'm aware that Lazy Town is a popular show, and I seemed to be in the minority for not liking it. I was never into it, not even when I was little. Whenever it came on Nick Jr or Noggin, I would turn away from the TV or hide because I was scared of the puppets.
I recently watched 16 or 17 full episodes on YouTube, and I'm now neutral to it. The reason I've been watching it a lot lately is because I've been hearing good things about it for years that I had missed out on, and I had never given it a chance. It's not that bad, but it's not as good as people say either. What are others seeing about it that I'm not seeing? It's possible that my feelings about it stem from my childhood and I'm having trouble realizing it.
I initially thought the title was misleading, which caused me to hate it, but I recently read a YouTube comment, saying it isn't and explaining how. If you've seen the show before, you know it's about Stephanie and Sportacus helping the population of the titular Lazy Town embrace healthy habits such as eating fruit and vegetables (or sports candy as they call them), exercising, and playing outside. That's probably the last thing you'd expect from a show called Lazy Town. Despite this, the townspeople sit on the couch, eat junk food, play video games, and don't care about their health when Stephanie and Sportacus are absent, making the town lazy and the title not misleading. Additionally, the antagonist, Robbie Rotten, always tries to stop Sportacus and Stephanie's efforts. These items made me reconsider my feelings about the show. At first glance, this may seem like a satire on those who exercise too much, but it's not.
The character Sportacus is always full of energy and demonstrates that anyone can be like him with enough hard work. He performs one-handed pushups, splits, handstands, flips, and breakdances-coincidentally, I can breakdance too! His portrayal by Magnus Scheving, a real-life gymnast and the creator of the show, adds authenticity to the character. I recently watched a YouTube video that mentioned that Magnus offered the role to other actors, but they all turned it down, leaving him no choice but to play Sportacus himself. This suggests that nobody else fits the role better, especially given Magnus's gymnastics background, which allows him to perform the same moves as the character.
In the first episode, Stephanie moves to Lazy Town and meets all her friends for the first time. When she asks them to play soccer with her, they initially think she wants to play their soccer-themed video game with them. However, Stephanie clarifies that she wants to play soccer in "real" life. This leads her to sing a song about how we shouldn't spend all our playtime on video games or technology, emphasizing that life is full of games. Even though I was never into playing sports, this episode resonates with me, as I sometimes get bored of technology and miss doing non-technology-related activities (doing art, playing with toys, reading books, etc.), causing me to spend less time on technology for a change and do whatever else I want to do. Moreover, playing sports and doing other non-technology-related activities allows us to experience what we see in TV shows and video games in real life and touch what we see, as the song says. Don't get me wrong- I love playing video games, but I don't spend all my playtime on them.
Similarly, Sportacus uses various gadgets that help him exercise and get up to do simple tasks while also highlighting the benefits of modern technology. For example, he has a flying scooter that requires pedaling and a spring pad he jumps on to refill his airship. These devices allow him to accomplish tasks, like flying, that he can't do on his own. They demonstrate how technology can promote movement rather than replace it.
While the show's messages about healthy eating and physical activity are great, it tries too hard. I find the portrayal of sweets and the characters' seemingly endless amount of energy unrealistic; all the characters, except for Robbie Rotten, are always running and jumping around without seeming to get tired, which is too much for them. Also, Sportacus never sits still or goes anywhere without doing gymnastics, and he directly says in one episode that he never gets tired. It may be safe to say that these circumstances overstimulate me, but I'm not certain. I recognize that this is my own experience and may not apply to everyone. Also, whenever Sportacus eats sweets, he passes out, and the only way to regain his energy is to eat an apple. I appreciate the show's effort to encourage healthy habits but believe it's okay to enjoy sweets in moderation, and exercising too much could cause one to hurt their body. Are they trying to say we shouldn't eat sweets at all?
I still find the puppets creepy to this day. There is something I find very unsettling about puppets that look a lot like people, including the ones from Lazy Town, whether it's the way they move or their facial features. They look like horror movie characters or creepy ventriloquist dummies rather than kid's show characters. Why would Nick Jr, Noggin, and Sprout allow them? I find Ziggy the creepiest and Mayor Milford Meanswell the least creepy. Maybe they'd be more appealing if they looked like muppets.
Additionally, I recently googled "Why are some Lazy Town characters puppets and others real people?". I came across a theory that the puppets were originally real people and are now puppets because they're so lazy that they need others to control them. It also said that Stephanie is energetic and new in town, Sportacus is sporty (hence his name), and Robbie productively works on schemes to make the town lazy, so they can't be puppets if the theory is true. It's intriguing, but I couldn't find the definitive answer to my question.
Before revisiting the show, I thought the puppets could possibly be good characters writing-wise. That's all that matters to me regarding fictional characters in general. However, they have one-dimensional personalities. Trixie is a troublemaker, Pixel is a nerd, Ziggy has a sweet tooth, and Stingy is... well, stingy. They could all use more depth to their personalities. I find Trixie and Stingy mean-spirited and annoying at times, especially with the idea of the latter claiming everything to be his and taking things that don't belong to him, but there is an episode where he learns the consequences of stealing.
The music and songs are awesome! Some of the background music sounds similar to video game music, most notably Stephanie's "Bing Bang" at the end of every episode. Moreover, the music that plays when Sportacus does his moves also sounds like video game music and a little bit like music from an action movie too. Not to mention, most of the songs are Eurodance-based, giving the show a diverse selection of music genres, and many of them encourage specific dances and convey body language.
One can't talk about this show without mentioning Robbie Rotten. Like many people, he's my favorite character and the show's highlight in my opinion, mainly because of his humor, expressiveness, and unique personality. Despite being deemed the laziest man in town, he's the most active character besides Sportacus, with "evil" plans that include dancing, singing, jumping, inventing machines, and more. He puts a lot of effort into his plans to stop the others, and they have gotten him out of his underground lair for the first time in years. His eccentricity and the late Stefan Karl Stefansson's (his actor) inspiration from Jim Carrey's Grinch are evident in his voice and mannerisms. Some of his funniest quotes include "A villain couldn't even get peace and quiet on the moon," "Who'd you expect? Sportaflop?", and "Don't let your kids watch it! Before you know it, they're going to be eating sports candy, moving, running, jumping, and dancing, oohhohoho!! And being healthy." I especially relate to his line, "Some children should be seen and never heard" because I'm sensitive to noise, including children (and adults) screaming. Robbie is the only character who realizes the trouble with exercising too much, isn't always running and jumping all over the place, and wants to relax. I'd rather listen to him than Sportacus.
If you or somebody you know isn't a fan of Lazy Town but are looking for a show that promotes similar positive messages without some of the flaws I mentioned, consider checking out The Wiggles. This show encourages being active through simple dances and catchy songs, while also being quite humorous. Interestingly, the characters seem less hyperactive than I remembered from my earlier days of watching. The Wiggles characters eat both healthy and junk food without the said negative consequences.
In one episode, Greg, the Yellow Wiggle, stresses the importance of exercise and cautions against overdoing it. There's also a lazy character, Jeff, the Purple Wiggle, but thankfully, no one makes him change. You might be wondering about the titular foursome's puppet counterparts, which also resemble ventriloquist dummies. They're creepier than the ones in Lazy Town, but they're only in a few episodes and were eventually retired because they scared viewers. It makes me curious why the creators of Lazy Town didn't make similar changes. Did Stingy, Ziggy, and company not scare as many people? However, it is valid to acknowledge that The Wiggles lacks a few of Lazy Town's best qualities, such as characters who specialize in gymnastics and cheerleading, as well as a character like Robbie Rotten who adds a layer of conflict and excitement. To clarify, I'm not making you watch The Wiggles. I just like it better and am suggesting an alternative for those who don't like Lazy Town.
Playdate with Winnie the Pooh (2023)
Okay, But Not What I Was Hoping For
I'm a diehard Winnie the Pooh fan, and it was high time that Disney Jr made their own Pooh Bear show. Yes, they played reruns of My Friends Tigger and Pooh for a while, much to my amazement, but they never made a Pooh Bear show of their own before this came along. During my heyday in the 2000s and early 2010s, I've came across various plush toys and action figures of Pooh and friends as babies and a few other products featuring baby Pooh and company, and I have a few of those toys myself. There was a logo on some of their boxes and tags that said, "Pooh Babies," and for those longest time, I thought that was the name of a TV series starring the Pooh characters as babies, but there's actually no show by that name. I'm guessing that's the name of the merchandise line they're in. This is the closest thing to it that there is.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1984)
A Great Show for All Ages!
I watched a lot of Thomas and Friends when I was little and had my own Thomas train set. I still watch and love it and have my train set to this day. This seems to be one of the most popular PBS Kids and Sprout shows with older audiences, and it's easy to see why. For many years, there were other kids in my class at school who also liked it, even when we were no longer the target audience for the said channels. Rev. Wilbert Awdry said in an interview on YouTube that the Railway series, the book series it's based on, was written for everyone, not just kids (if you're confused, it was recorded long before YouTube was a thing. I'm guessing it's either a) part of a documentary, or b) a bonus feature on a Thomas DVD or VHS). You're never too old for the original Thomas, but you're too old for its boring reboot, All Engines Go, the second you're born (I'm exaggerating about being too old for AEG, but if you like it, I can tolerate your opinion). I find this show fun to watch, partly because it's about talking trains, which is likely part of the reason why it's as popular as it is, and I love trains. If you like trains, maybe you'll like it too. However, that's not all I like about it, and there's more to Thomas's character than just being a talking train with a face.
The realism is one of the main reasons why Thomas is as popular as it is, despite having a few fantasy elements like the trains having faces and the ability to talk, and that's one of its best aspects. Actual railway practices are present, and the show has taught many kids, including yours truly, how railways operate, what a controller (or a train dispatcher, as they're called in the US, where I'm from), a fireman (for a train), a steam engine, a diesel engine, and a branch line are, and more. The engines are driven by people and have firemen, and they can't drive themselves. In one episode, Thomas tries to drive himself, but he drives recklessly and crashes, which shows why locomotives shouldn't move without people operating them.
The engines also have jobs that real-life engines have, like pulling cargo and trucks. Unlike their All Engines Go counterparts and other cartoon trains, they move realistically. They don't sway from side to side, jump off the tracks, use their wheels like hands or feet, turn their heads, or perform any other human-like movements. The characters being trains has an impact on the stories, and the show would be very different if they were anything other than trains.
The only big difference between them and real trains is that they talk and have faces, while real trains don't. I've heard a few people on the internet say they were creepy in the original model era, but I don't think they're creepy at all because their faces look not too simple but also not too human-like. On the other hand, I find the Jay Jay the Jet Plane characters creepy because they look like airplanes with human faces, although I never watched the show; I've seen commercials and merchandise for it and heard some not-so-good things about it.
A lot of people talk about the greatness of the realistic aspects I already mentioned, but I like some other realistic elements that not a lot of people talk about (as far as I know). In the model era (seasons 1-11), everyone and everything looks real (minus the humans and animals): the machines, the sky, the grass, Tidmouth Sheds, the train tracks, the steam, the water, etc. In fact, I heard somewhere that real water was used in the model era, which makes it even more authentic and realistic. In those seasons, Thomas and company look like real vehicles or toy vehicles that come to life. I don't know if it'd be safer to say they look like toy vehicles or real ones, but toy trains would probably move just like the engines and cargo if they could come to life in the real world. The characters' mouths don't move along with their voices, but I prefer them that way because their mouths look like they were sculpted and not made to move. Toy trains with faces probably wouldn't move their mouths either if they could come to life in the real world, unless they had mechanical mouths. The Island of Sodor looks like a real place you could visit. Don't get me wrong, I like the CGI seasons too (except for the Big World Big Adventures phase, seasons 22-24), but I like the model era the best for the most part because it looks the most realistic and down to earth, and it's the era I grew up watching the most.
Despite being locomotives, the characters feel somewhat like real people. They face issues and scenarios that people often face in real life, like having an identity crisis, realization, maturity, the value of friendship and the people around you, how to be a better person, how to feel safe, and more. The engines are very expressive and have a wide variety of facial expressions, and it's always easy to tell how they're feeling, even when an unfamiliar word is used. For example, the show taught me what it means to feel cross, and whenever the narrator says, "Thomas was cross," it's easy to tell that cross means angry because of the scowl on Thomas's face. Static faces with clear emotions make it easier for children to connect with the characters' emotions. A child can easily identify a character's feelings and will understand why they feel that way.
The engines all have their own unique personalities, but I'm not going to mention all of them because there are too many for me to keep track of, and we'd be here all day if I mentioned them all. Thomas is the cheeky and fussy, yet optimistic, playful, and kindhearted little blue tank engine. Percy is the naive, childlike, and thrill-seeking green saddle tank engine. James is vain but lots of fun (as mentioned in The Engine Roll Call). Edward is old, wise, full of experience, and the kindest of the engines. Gordon is pompous, yet proud and strong. Henry is the easily irritated, sometimes worried and superstitious, yet kind and friendly gentle giant with a love for nature. They're all quite "human" and relatable, especially Thomas. How? Like me, he can be stubborn at times, yet he's always eager to help a friend in need and persistently tries, even when he's in a difficult situation or struggling with his job.
The morals of the stories are told in a mature (though not always dark) and practical way. For instance, in one episode, Henry stays in a tunnel for a long period of time because he's afraid the rain will wash off his paint if he doesn't. He also doesn't care about his passengers, so he gets trapped in the tunnel for not doing his job and faces the consequences of being lazy on the job. Sir Topham Hatt scolds the engines whenever they misbehave or get into mishaps, or as he would say, cause confusion and delay, yet he also praises them for their hard work. This dynamic is like a parent informing their child about their (the child's) wrongdoings and good behavior. The morals are never shoved into the audience's faces or said out loud. The series shows that certain actions have consequences in a more effective way than just giving a lecture.
Thomas is a quiet and slow-paced show (in a good way). It lets the story play out on its own, and it's not one of those preschool shows where the plot is interrupted by characters who talk down to the audience or sing every 5 minutes or so. Yes, there are music videos (only in seasons 3-24) and learning segments where the audience is asked questions (only in seasons 8-12), but they're in between episodes, not in the episodes themselves. Just because a preschool show has a song every 5 minutes or so or breaks the fourth wall doesn't mean it sucks, but it's good to have at least one preschool show with uninterrupted plots and characters that don't constantly sing, otherwise, we'd have too much of a good thing. Plus, I hate being talked down to (if you're confused, I don't have a problem with fourth-wall-breaking depending on how it's handled). For those of you who don't know, Thomas originally wasn't a preschool show, but it became one when Hit Entertainment acquired the rights to it in 2002, and it became a non-preschool show again when the Andrew Brenner era (seasons 17-21) started in 2013.
There are many funny moments throughout the show, especially when the characters roast each other. For instance, in the episode where Percy is covered in chocolate, his friends joke that he looks good enough to eat-and he really does! The humor is sophisticated enough for older audiences to appreciate, but there are no innuendos. The characters often engage in light-hearted teasing and practical jokes, but they aren't always mean-spirited. Even my family does the same thing at times.
In conclusion, my love for Thomas and Friends stems from its unique blend of realism, relatable storytelling, and captivating characters. The show not only entertains but also educates, making it a cherished part of my childhood that continues to bring joy to my life today. The model era, with its authentic visuals and meaningful lessons, holds a special place in my heart, while the characters and their journeys resonate with experiences that many of us face. As a fan, I appreciate how the series transcends age and offers valuable insights about friendship, responsibility, and self-discovery, proving that the magic of Thomas and Friends can truly be enjoyed by anyone, no matter how old they are.
Seasons 1-11 and 17-21: 9/10
Seasons 12-16: 7/10
Seasons 22-24: 3/10
Update for January 3, 2025: Today I heard that Britt Allcroft, the creator of the Thomas show, passed away last week. May she rest in peace.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (2006)
Hotdog! Awesome Show!
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was one of my favorite shows alongside My Friends Tigger and Pooh when I both 4 and 5 years old, and when I was 9, I watched it for the first time in years, and it's been one of my favorite shows again ever since. I was also a big fan of the old Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh cartoons back then, and I still am. They've always been my favorite Disney franchises and 2 of my favorite media franchises in general. Some people say this is a disgrace to the Mickey Mouse franchise, but I don't think so. It's not entirely faithful to the franchise, and it has a whole new premise in place of the old one, but it's still good. Also, there's another CGI Mickey show on Disney Jr called Mickey's Mixed-Up Adventures (previously called Mickey and the Roadster Racers), and it has a similar animation style, but it's more faithful to the old cartoons than this. You might like that show better if you don't like this one. As for me, I like MMC better because I grew up with it, and I've watched a lot more of it.
The characters still have their same old personalities, with Mickey being the optimistic, cheerful, and childlike leader of the club that's made for you and me, Donald being the short-tempered duck who gets stuck with all the bad luck and has a tendency to be jealous of Mickey, Goofy being Mickey and Donald's dimwitted, clumsy, and accident-prone sidekick, Minnie being Mickey's sweet girlfriend who's good at making bows, Daisy being Donald's sassy girlfriend, and Pluto being Mickey's loyal yet easily jealous dog with a strong sense of smell. Some callbacks to the old Mickey cartoons are present. Just to name a few examples, the episode "Donald and the Beanstalk" has a similar plot to Mickey and the Beanstalk (but it's not a rehash of the latter) and is also a Jack and the Beanstalk parody, the Sensational Six sing the Mickey Mouse Club March in Donald's Hiccups, Salty the seal from the short "Mickey and the Seal" returns in a couple episodes, and in Mickey's Color Adventure, everything loses its color, and most of the episode is in black and white like the early Mickey shorts.
Pete is usually the main villain in the franchise, but he's more of an anti-hero here. He can still be sneaky and up to his old tricks, but he makes friends with Mickey and the gang most of the time and helps them with their problems (e.g., unlike Mickey and friends, he was once able to stop a fire hydrant from leaking and turn the wrench around because of how big and strong he is). He doesn't smoke, poke people with swords, or kidnap Minnie anymore. He can still be the villain from time to time, but he always learns from his mistakes. In case it isn't obvious, I like his portrayal here better than in the regular Mickey cartoons (don't get me wrong, I still love those too). Also, are my family and I the only ones who have noticed that he sounds a lot like Tigger? They're both voiced by Jim Cummings, and that explains it.
Plenty of funny moments are present, including Goofy mispronouncing mouskatool, Donald squawking when he's angry, Willie the Giant confusing Mickey for a bird with large, round ears and the latter playing along with it, and more. If you've seen this before, you know that a lot of the time, Goofy has trouble saying mouskatool, and has a tendency to pronounce it as "mouskatowel," "mouskatiddly-tutu," "mouskatooly," or some other variation. Describing funniness is not my specialty.
The animation in the first season looks robotic, rough, and lacking in variety, but it improved in the rest of the seasons. The backgrounds are colorful and bright, and the character designs are good. The characters have their same old designs they've had for a long time, only in CGI.
Yes, I agree that the series is like Dora the Explorer but with Disney characters, but I don't think it's a Dora rip-off. It's Dora done right. At least the Sensational Six don't scream a majority of their lines and don't have a "Swiper, no swiping" routine or anything similar. Instead, they're calmer and more patient with the viewers like Steve and Joe from Blue's Clues. Unlike the Dora characters, Mickey and the gang have a tendency to admit that either their questions are dumb, or their guesses aren't the correct answers. For example, in the movie "Mickey's Big Clubhouse Hunt," Mickey asks the audience if a pacifier can help him and Pete fly into the sky, and he answers, "No, that's silly!" and picks the mystery mouskatool: a bunch of balloons. Yes, a pacifier making one fly is indeed silly. There's also an episode or two where the characters admit they sing too much (I don't have a problem with characters singing about their daily routine, but that gives the episodes more originality). For example, in Mickey's Big Surprise, Goofy plays Connect the Dots and sings about which number is connected to which other number (if you're confused, the dots have numbers on them), and Donald replies, "Okay, I GET IT!", causing the former to go straight from one number to the next and randomly stop singing (even though I like that song). Some older audiences might think that the idea of an interactive show where characters speak to the camera, ask the audience to play with them or help them complete their tasks, and include moments of silence after they ask a question is a dumb idea (likely because it's not like they can see or hear the audience), but I don't have a problem with it depending on how the fourth wall breaking is handled because it can make the viewers feel like they're part of the show. On the other hand, some might argue that kids don't know that TV characters can't hear them, but that's clearly not the case for every little kid. Even when I was little, I knew that TV characters couldn't hear or see me, and I didn't (and still don't) always respond to the interactive shows I watched (or still watch, and that includes MMC).
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988)
Gotta Get Up, I've Gotta Get Going, I'm Gonna See a Friend of Mine
Winnie the Pooh and the Sesame Street gang have been there for me since birth or close enough, and I'm still a big fan of this show to this day! I still love it just as much as I did when I was a baby, which doesn't surprise me at all because a franchise you've loved since birth can be hard to hate, and it's perfect for all ages. It has adorable songs, short episodes for those with a short attention span, and very witty writing. The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is much better than the garbage that's on TV today (e.g., Teen Titans Go)! I have everything Pooh related (I do have a lot of Pooh merch, but not every one of them in existence. It feels like it, though): numerous plush toys, action figures, DVDs, VHS tapes, Halloween and Christmas decorations, books, clothing, a piano, and a couple of pillows and blankets, and I've done a number of drawings of Pooh Bear and friends. I can never get enough of this silly old bear and his associates, as Christopher Robin would say.
This is the best Pooh show, partly because it's the one that's the most faithful to the movies. It has a similar animation style, and it's the only Pooh show that has 2D animation. It's also the only series where Christopher Robin is an important character. He's a minor character in My Friends Tigger and Pooh and The Book of Pooh, and he doesn't appear in Welcome to Pooh Corner, Playdate with Winnie the Pooh, or Me and Winnie the Pooh at all, but he is mentioned in one episode of WTPC.
All your favorite characters from the movies have returned here, and they each have their own unique and memorable personalities. Tigger is bouncy, cheerful, and goofy, Piglet is timid yet so kind at heart, Rabbit is short tempered, organized, practical, and always tries to keep his associates on their toes, Eeyore is depressed and gloomy, Owl is wise, Kanga is kind and motherly, Roo is inquisitive, Gopher is hardworking, busy, short tempered, and obsessed with dynamite, Christopher Robin is the child with a big imagination who's the voice of reason and somewhat of a father figure to his stuffed animals, and of course, Pooh Bear is the calm and cheerful bear of very little brain and a very big heart who's obsessed with honey and doesn't seem to ever get angry. There are also some new characters, like Stan Woozle, Heff Heffalump, Kessie the bird, Mama, Papa, and Junior Heffalump, Christopher Robin's mother, and more.
The Pooh universe has expanded here. There are more characters like I mentioned, and there are a couple episodes where the characters have adventures outside the Hundred Acre Wood. New locations like the ones in the real world are now present in the Hundred Acre Wood, like a pizza place, a grocery store, a movie theater, and a few others. This makes the Hundred Acre Wood feel slightly like part of our world and gives the characters more to do, and now we know where Pooh and company do their shopping and whatnot.
Hot Potato: The Story of the Wiggles (2023)
Wiggletastic!
I grew up watching The Wiggles on Playhouse Disney, Sprout, and VHS tapes, and sometimes I still watch it to this day and do the dances for nostalgia purposes. The Wiggles are my favorite children's band, partly because I've had a lot more exposure to them than any other children's band and they're one of the only ones I grew up with. However, I only like the original lineup (Anthony, Murray, Greg, and Jeff). I'm neutral to the Sam era, and I never watched the new Wiggles. When I first heard about this documentary, I was excited for it, and I enjoyed watching it very much! It shows how these guys are more than just a kid's band with catchy songs and explains even further at how they were able to overcome new challenges and obstacles along the way, from mental health, medical emergencies, and other things.
I learned a lot from the doc, like how Dorothy the dinosaur and Captain Feathersword came to be, the origins of Wiggles songs like Hot Potato, Rock-a-Bye Your Bear, and Get Ready to Wiggle, and how Jeff's sleeping routine was thought of. I already knew that the original Wiggles, minus Jeff, took an early childhood education class together in college and originally wanted to be preschool teachers, but I didn't know until I watched this that they have used a lot of what they learned in that class, such as including repetition in their song lyrics (for those of you who don't know, repetition is a key to learning, although I think some but not a whole lot of Wiggles songs go overboard with the amount of repetition, which I find annoying) and speaking directly to the camera in the episodes.
Another fact I learned from this is that when The Wiggles gave various TV channels the idea to create the Wiggles show before it came along, a lot of them turned it down because they thought their (The Wiggles') home videos were cringe, and Anthony replied, "Greg, Murray, and I studied early childhood education in college, so we know what we're doing." This led to them making the show themselves, and before they thought of that, they thought to themselves, "Do they know more than we do?" Those are good words to live by! You should ask yourself the same thing if others bully you, make you change something about yourself, or give you negative comments about yourself and are feeling down about it, and I'm going to do the same for myself the next time somebody does such a thing to me. You know more about yourself than anyone else, so it's unlikely that others know more than you do. The people at those TV networks probably didn't ever take an early childhood class, so it's unlikely that they know more than The Wiggles.
I've heard previously that the reason Sam left the group was because he got fired, and I heard somewhere else that he left because his contract expired. I was confused and didn't know which reason was the right one, but it's clarified in the doc that it's the latter. Thank you, Wiggles, for clarifying that! I was surprised that Sam was in this (in neither a good nor bad way) because this is the first time he's had involvement with The Wiggles and been in touch with any of the other members since he left, and I think he said years earlier that he had no interest in working with them ever again, but I could be mistaken.
There is video footage of various full length Wiggles songs performed at their latest reunion concert in this, and the songs' titles appear on screen at the beginning of the videos, just like the TV series, which made me feel like I was watching The Wiggles. I like the idea of the music videos in both this and the show having title cards because that way everyone watching knows the names of the songs (except for those who don't know how to read yet or don't pay attention, of course), and no other shows I've ever seen have title cards during their songs. Enough said.
Charlie and Lola (2005)
"I have this little sister Lola, she is small and very funny..." -Charlie
For the longest time, I didn't like Charlie and Lola because I thought the characters had annoying voices, but a couple years ago, I heard good things about it on the internet and started watching a few episodes on YouTube, and I now like it. I got to admit that it's a cute, sweet, and entertaining show. The voices sound similar to the ones in Peppa Pig, and both shows' characters have British accents, but the voice acting in this isn't as annoying as Peppa Pig's. I give it credit for that. What else do I like about it?
Charlie is always willing to be the "adult" (despite being 7 years old) and help out his carefree and stubborn little sister Lola with whatever she needs. Whether it's trying new foods, getting a haircut, or losing a tooth, he's always happy to share his wisdom with his little sis. He solves her problems in unusual ways a lot. For example, when Lola won't eat certain foods, he turns them into unique and mystical foods from different areas with his imagination. In one episode, he turns peas into "green drops" from Greenland and mashed potatoes into clouds from Mount Fuji. So in a way, Lola technically got to eat foods she's eaten before and likes and simultaneously try something new. Who wouldn't want to have a brother (or sister) like Charlie?
There are adults present, but they never appear on screen, only the kids and animals. That gives me slight Peanuts/Charlie Brown vibes.
The animation and art style are unique. The characters all look like drawings a kid did with them being colored in with crayon or colored pencil while also somewhat looking like they were drawn by professionals, and some of the textures look like actual fabrics and paper cutouts. All these items make this feel like a storybook that has come to life, and the same art style from the books is used here.
The Backyardigans (2004)
We're Your Backyard Friends, The Backyardigans
I watched a lot of The Backyardigans when I was little and still watch it for nostalgia purposes from time to time. I still have my Backyardigans collection from my childhood and use it all from time to time; I have a couple of DVDs, a VHS tape, a CD of the Backyardigans soundtrack, and plush toys of all the main characters, minus Tasha (IDK why I don't have her. Maybe my family and I could never find a Tasha). Some say that this is one of the few preschool shows that are entertaining for all ages, and I'd have to agree. This is proof that preschool shows don't have to be dumb, repetitive, and grating just because they're for little kids, but that's not saying enough. What else do I like about it?
The music is the show's best aspect in my opinion and one of the main reasons why it's as popular as it is. A wide variety of music genres are present, like rock, pop, jazz, reggae, and many more, and there's a different genre in each episode. A number of the songs are in the styles of old music, including 1950s and 60s jazz, which could bring some nostalgia to those who grew up in those time periods, help bring back long-gone music styles, and introduce them to more modern kids like yours truly. Moreover, some of the songs are parodies of well-known songs. Just to name a few examples, "Those Bones" is a parody of "Dry Bones," "A Scurvy Pirate" is a parody of "Drunken Sailor" (one of the sea shanties that plays in the background on SpongeBob a lot), and "Laser Limbo Tango" is a parody of "Limbo Rock" by Chubby Checker. The songs are sometimes soft, beautiful, and relaxing to listen to, especially the theme song and the closing song. Uniqua and Tasha have the most beautiful singing voices of all the characters.
The premise is another one of the show's best aspects. In every episode, The Backyardigans turn their ordinary backyard into other places and go on big adventures via their imaginations, like going to Outer Space, helping a lost worm named Sherman find his way home to the jungle, searching for buried treasure, surfing at the beach, anything you can come up with. They play new roles every time depending on the imaginary setting, like pirates, cowboys and cowgirls, astronauts, jungle explorers, knights, secret agents, and lots more, and they can do whatever they want because of that. Sometimes their adventures take them to different eras in time, such as the medieval times and the Renaissance Era. All these aspects help promote creativity and imagination and allow imaginative play to be celebrated in a unique and inventive way. The show never gets old or formulaic because of them, unless you dislike songs. It captures the feeling of being a kid and being able to transfer your mind and body to a different world. The Backyardigans have got the whole wide world in their yard to explore, as mentioned in the theme song.
The premise isn't entirely original, but unlike some other preschool shows that promote imaginative play, we the audience can always see the main characters' fantasy sequences and everything that is happening inside their heads, and that gives it originality. Also, the backgrounds look a lot like actual places you can go to.
The plot is a perfect way to teach kids creativity, interpersonal communication, the power of imagination, and to communicate with others. It has no educational value other than that and using real geological references, but I prefer it that way because that gives it more originality and makes it more enjoyable for older audiences like me. Moreover, people watch TV to be entertained, not to learn.
The main characters are like most normal kids, with their own flaws and strengths. There's a spunky pink creature named Uniqua (I never knew what she was supposed to be), a shy kangaroo and new kid on the block named Austin, a laidback moose named Tyrone, a feisty hippo named Tasha, and my favorite character, Pablo, a nervous and quick-thinking penguin. They each reveal a world of complexity when you look closely at them, but you're able to sit back and enjoy the roles the five friends take in the many stories they make up. The mixture of simplicity and complexity makes the whole thing work: the characters are just kids, and nothing more. Some might get annoyed at Tasha's attitude and temper at times, even me, but who never had a friend who acted like her at times? If Pablo, Uniqua, Tyrone, and Austin are able to still be her friends when she acts moody and bossy, the audience should be able to forgive her occasional misbehavior too.
The characters can be funny at times, like when Pablo has a panic attack and his friends calm him down, and when one of them opens the back door at the end of every episode, lets out a one liner (e.g., "Boo! Ahhh!"), and closes the door again. Describing funniness is not my specialty.
The fourth wall-breaking is handled better here than in some other preschool shows. At the beginning of every episode, The Backyardigans say hello to the audience, introduce themselves, and explain what they're about to imagine, and they don't break the fourth wall again until the end, when it's time to say goodbye, similar to Wow Wow Wubbzy, another one of my favorite Nick Jr and Noggin shows. They talk to the viewers like they're just watching the show and aren't actually there with them, and they don't treat the viewers like idiots.
For those of you who don't know, the creator, Janice Burgess, passed away of breast cancer in March at the age of 72. Thank you, Ms. Burgess, for this masterpiece! May she rest in peace.
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1985)
Happiness is Anyone and Anything at All That's Loved By You
When I first saw the Broadway musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, I thought it was based on the movie. However, after watching a behind-the-scenes look on my You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (the movie) DVD, I learned that it's actually the other way around. Last spring, the same high school I attended put on the same play. My family and I went to see it, and we all enjoyed it very much! It was the best play I've ever seen, and I was fortunate enough to get all the main characters' autographs. Although I finished high school 2 years ago and completed my second year in community college recently, if my high school had performed the play while I was there, I would have wanted to participate. I would have liked to play either Charlie Brown, Linus, or Snoopy. I already have the right attire to play Linus: the red and black striped shirt, the black pants, and even the blue blanket, so nobody would've had to create or purchase a Linus costume for me. Just to clarify, I first watched this before I knew about the play, and the play isn't the reason I like it.
The plot is a typical day in the life of Charlie Brown, with little moments from Valentine's Day to the baseball season, from wild optimism to utter despair, all mixed in the lives of his friends. This is a love letter to Charlie Brown, hence the title, which makes me like this even more! The other characters show more appreciation for him than usual, and they even sing about it at the beginning. To put more bread on the table, at the end he says it hasn't been such a bad day after all and how much better his friends have made his life. Above all else, Charlie Brown is resilient, persistent, and never fails to get up and try again.
If you've seen this before, you know that Snoopy talks in this, just like the play, but all his dialogue and singing is from his thoughts, and the humans can't hear him, so he's technically still nonverbal, which makes the idea of him talking even better. That, and he still does his signature laugh and growl, although some might argue that this contradicts his character. I don't know what else to say about it.
The play brings to life many favorite gags from the comic strip, such as Charlie Brown flying a kite, losing baseball games, Lucy's obsession with Schroeder, Snoopy's obsession with suppertime, and more, all presented through well-written songs with beautiful music that truly captures the essence of the original strip. My favorite song is "Happiness," the last song in both the TV movie and the play. It's a soft, relaxing, and beautiful song that always makes me feel emotional.
There is one thing I don't like about this: Lucy's song, Little Known Facts because the lyrics consist entirely of inaccurate facts that Lucy is trying to teach Linus, like we eat eagles on Thanksgiving and Christmas, snow comes up, bugs make grass grow, fire hydrants give us water to drink, and more. That's why I give this a 9/10. I can't blame Charlie Brown for scowling at her, trying to correct everything, and banging his head up against a tree at the end of the song. Overall, this is the best non-holiday Peanuts special, and if you're a big Peanuts fan like me, you should check this out, and the play too if possible.
Charleyyy & Friends (2013)
"Hahaha, Charleyyy, you're so funny!" -Bowser
I can't blame Bowser for loving this show and watching it all the time, even though it affects his relationship with his son Bowser Junior because he cares about nothing but Charleyyy. I agree that Charleyyy is so funny, mostly when he screws up at whatever he is trying to do! He makes expressions and sayings literal a lot or demonstrates certain tasks in unusual ways, which makes him as funny as he is! Just to name a few examples, in one episode his car needs gas, but he doesn't know what kind of gas his car takes, so he farts in the gas tank and in a way gets gas (even though I hate fart jokes and gross out humor in general), and in the Christmas episode, he says he's going to rap, but he wraps a microphone with wrapping paper. Describing funniness is not my specialty. My favorite episode is the one where Charleyyy puts a pot on his head like a hat.
Despite the title, Charleyyy's friends never appear. It has been confirmed in the latest SML video that the point of the show is the viewers are his friends, which could make them feel included and puts their names in the title (sort of). I don't know what else to say.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
I'm a Goofy Goober, Yeah!
SpongeBob has been one of my favorite shows for all my life, and I always thought the SpongeBob Movie was just as good. Unlike some other movies based on TV shows, the movie is 100% faithful to the show, and the animation, humor, characters, etc are just what you'd expect out of a SpongeBob movie. It's very welcoming to those who haven't seen the show or are unfamiliar with it, and it has the show's signature tone, presents who the characters are, and explains what is happening in Bikini Bottom. You don't have to watch the source material to watch this. Surprisingly, all the returning characters are voiced by the same people who voice them in the show rather than using stunt casting.
My favorite part is when SpongeBob and Patrick eat too much ice cream at Goofy Goober's because of the hilarious visual gags of them destroying the ice cream and the waiter getting completely covered in it, and what better way to celebrate your achievements (or failures) than eating ice cream like crazy (but not too crazy). I think Goofy Goober's could be a parody of Chuck E. Cheese, but I don't know whether Goofy Goober himself is supposed to be an animatronic or a walkaround character/mascot. I don't know what else to say about the scene.
I heard that the show was originally supposed to be canceled after season 3 and this was meant to be the end of the franchise, but the show is still running. This feels somewhat like a series finale and would have been a perfect ending for the franchise, with Plankton finally succeeding in stealing the Krabby Patty secret formula using Plan Z after failing Plans A-Y throughout the series and getting arrested at the end, the Chum Bucket having customers for the first time, the characters celebrating how grateful they are to have SpongeBob in their lives, and SpongeBob becoming the manager of The Krusty Krab 2, showcasing the hard work he has put in throughout the series as a whole. I believe SpongeBob would be a better fit for the role than Squidward, considering the former has been the employee of the month 274 times in a row, and he's a loyal and hardworking employee, while the latter is lazy, sometimes slacks off when he's supposed to be working, doesn't care about his job, and has never been the employee of the month. It's been suggested that this may be set after the events of the show, even season 4-onwards, due to the absence of a second Krusty Krab and SpongeBob not being the manager in any of the episodes from those seasons, but I don't know if it's true or not.
SpongeBob and Patrick are at their absolute best here, as they go on a life-changing adventure together, get past all the danger they come across, bring King Neptune's crown back, save Bikini Bottom and their loved ones, and defeat Plankton thanks to the power of teamwork and staying by each other's side the whole time, even when they were in seemingly hopeless situations that one could easily give up on resolving (more about that later). Patrick is initially the only one who supports SpongeBob's dream of being a manager and love of kid's stuff (blowing bubbles, toys, Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy, Goofy Goober's, etc.), and when the former finds out that the latter didn't get the promotion, he's the only one who knows his friend is capable of the position. His confidence in himself and his friend is his biggest strength in the movie.
The story delivers a strong, positive message: anyone, regardless of being a goofball, a wingnut, a Knucklehead McSpazatron, or just a kid, can accomplish great things. SpongeBob initially feels insecure about not being considered mature enough when he doesn't get the manager's promotion of the new Krusty Krab 2. Mr. Krabs gives the promotion to Squidward because he thinks SpongeBob is a kid, and managing is a big responsibility. Despite being told time and time again that they're kids, SpongeBob and Patrick prove to the entire population of Bikini Bottom that even small individuals can achieve big things and do what everyone says a kid can't do: they make it to Shell City, defeat the cyclops, ride David Hasselhoff, bring King Neptune's crown back, redefine cool, and risk their lives to save Mr. Krabs. SpongeBob learns that being mature isn't about being tough, gruff, or merciless, having facial hair, or pretending not to be scared, but about handling stress and hardship with calm and confidence, maintaining self-discipline, not being controlled by emotions, and being proud to be a goofy goober despite others' opinions. This leads to Mr. Krabs changing his mind and giving the promotion to SpongeBob. SpongeBob also realizes that it's okay to enjoy what he likes and that his love of kid's stuff benefits him.
This relatable aspect resonates with me, as I, too, am a kid at heart and embrace kid's stuff (toys, blowing bubbles, some but not all little kid shows, online games, etc.) and find it enhances my life. I've never once felt discouraged for liking kid's stuff or being a kid, no matter what others have said. I probably get that from SpongeBob, otherwise I most likely would've learned these lessons too late. The movie is ranked #1 in Phantom Strider's "Top 10 Most Relatable SpongeBob Episodes" video, emphasizing the importance of finding happiness and self-improvement regardless of age. I agree with what he says about it and also find this to be the most relatable "episode." The show promotes maintaining a childlike sense regardless of age. SpongeBob and Patrick each live alone, and the former has a job, but they still look and act like kids, and social expectations don't matter to them. Coincidentally, I used to think that the two leads were actually kids because of this movie, they look and act like kids, SpongeBob still goes to school (driving school, or in his case, boating school. At the time, I didn't know that driving school and regular school were two different things), and his voice sounds like a kid, but now I know that they're young adults (as far as we know). However, it is confirmed in the episode "Sleepy Time" that SpongeBob was born on July 14, 1986, and Patrick was born on either April 24th or August 17th of the same year, so they would've both been kids when the show started on May 1, 1999; the former would've been 12, and the latter would've been either the same age or 13. Also, sea sponges age much slower than humans and don't have a set lifespan, so maybe SpongeBob is actually a kid.
The story also conveys that there are no right or wrong opinions and that being a kid does not diminish one's power compared to adults. Lastly, SpongeBob, Patrick, and Princess Mindy exemplify that bravery, faithfulness, and heroism are not exclusive to adults, but rather stem from self-belief.
I love the songs in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie! "The Best Day Ever" is my favorite song in the entire SpongeBob franchise because it perfectly captures SpongeBob's boundless personality and is the most easily remembered song, besides the theme song. It debuted during the end credits and is fitting for SpongeBob to sing because his being manager likely makes him love his job more than ever, and his last line before the end credits is "Manager! This is the greatest day of my life!". It later appeared in an episode of the song's same name from 2006, 2 years after this came out, which makes it even better! "Goofy Goober Rock" is another favorite of mine because it's energetic and a parody of Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock," and it's about SpongeBob embracing who he truly is. "Now That We're Men" has a catchy and upbeat marching tune that I find fun to listen to, especially during the instrumental break when SpongeBob and Patrick slap their knees. "Just a Kid" captures the carefree attitude of being a kid, and "The Goofy Goober Theme Song" helps strengthen the leads' positivity and eternal youth and represents their escapism from growing up. It also brings back fond memories of me singing it with my cousins when we were little and with my friends in high school.
If you're a SpongeBob fan and haven't seen this movie, you should definitely check it out!
Super Mario Logan (2007)
Rest in Peace, Super Mario Logan (2007-2017)
Unlike some old Super Mario Logan fans, I didn't grow up with Super Mario Logan. I discovered it in December 2014 when I was 11, during the Junior era. I've enjoyed it ever since, even watching classic era (2007-2012) videos later on. My favorite videos are "Bowser Junior's Summer Vacation" and "The Big Thanksgiving." SML was funny, action-packed, and sometimes touching. It had quirky characters and inspired lots of people, including me, to create their own plush videos. However, it slowly went through a minor decline with the introduction of Jeffy in 2016 and fully went downhill in 2017, becoming more mean-spirited, repetitive, and formulaic. The videos often feel rushed and have hurtful or plain uninspired morals, and the character dynamics changed for the worse. There are too many issues with the current state to elaborate on, so I'll only focus on the biggest ones.
1. **The Infamous Jeffy** Jeffy is infamous for starting the downfall of the channel and contributing to many of the issues it currently faces. He has led numerous fans, including me, to lose interest in the content. Despite currently being 19 years old, Jeffy is extremely immature for his age (for those of you who don't know, the SML characters' ages change each year like real-life people, unlike many characters from other media). His behavior makes Caillou, a 4-year-old, seem more likable, mature, and well-behaved in comparison.
Jeffy's actions, including inappropriate behavior, lack of manners, temper tantrums, breaking fragile items on purpose, and being a bad influence on younger viewers, have caused several controversies, including the demonetization of three of Logan's YouTube channels, the deletion of various videos, complaints from parents of young children, and a troubling incident where a child attempted suicide, copying the character's actions in "Jeffy's Tantrum." I believe that mimicking his antics may lead to poor choices and temptations.
In some earlier SML videos, there were disclaimers against copying wrongdoings and dangerous actions performed by certain characters, like using a hairdryer while in the bathtub or not wearing a seat belt in a car. Unfortunately, many of the more recent videos lack these disclaimers, which could have contributed to some of the controversies. Plus, sometimes these wrongdoings would lead to an SML lesson at the end of earlier videos, but never in the newer videos. Thankfully, the reuploads of pre-puppet era videos by SML Reuploaded do include disclaimers.
Despite a slight improvement in Jeffy's character, he should have shaped up a long time ago. His negative impact and lack of character development over the years make it puzzling why Mario adopted him and continues to keep him. Additionally, Logan has confirmed in a live stream that he regrets creating Jeffy, adding to the confusion and seeming hypocritical given that Jeffy is still featured in the channel's content.
2. **Character Dynamics** The dynamics and relationships between the characters have become increasingly negative and mean-spirited over time. Even before this decline, they would irritate each other occasionally but still showed that they cared. However, being jerks is their only trait now, and the mean-spiritedness is heavily exaggerated. This is an obvious sign that they're trying too hard to be funny. Plus, most of them have no personality other than their archetypes. They constantly mock each other for being gay, using sex, experiencing the deaths of loved ones, being disabled, and much more. While I understand that some people enjoy dark humor, it's easy to see why I'm not too fond of the current state of SML, especially since I have autism and am very religious, making the "jokes" particularly insulting and offensive. Making fun of serious topics can contribute to a culture where people feel unsafe or unsupported for who they are. Talk about sinful and not-so-Christian behavior. I know Logan and Will are also Christians, and they should reflect that in their actions.
Additionally, characters like Mario, Chef PP, Cody, Brooklyn Guy, Chives, and the Huckerdoos (minus Hank) constantly endure unnecessary mistreatment, even for minor actions, like expressing their personal opinions. To make matters worse, Hank always forces his family to mimic him, doesn't support their differences, and can't handle criticism. There's nothing wrong with expressing yourself, and the world would be boring if everyone were the same. Mario and Rosalina obviously aren't meant for each other, and neither are Brooklyn Guy and Karen. Why are both couples still married? How can they handle living together?
Mario's relationship with Jeffy has taken a particularly antagonistic turn, negatively impacting family dynamics. Jeffy has caused Mario to be beaten up, arrested, locked out of his own house, chased by a shark, and the list goes on. In earlier eras, Mario wasn't afraid to stand up for himself and do the right thing, but now he allows his so-called "friends" and family to walk over him and never stands up for himself anymore.
I am different from the average person in some ways, and I feel extremely privileged not to live in the SML universe because of that. Otherwise, I could easily be bullied, tormented, or grounded for being different and for expressing myself without finding acceptance anywhere. I have friends and family who help keep me alive and healthy so I can live longer, and so should Mario, Chef PP, Cody, Brooklyn Guy, Chives, and the Huckerdoos.
3. **Lack of Character Development** Unlike in older eras, there is little to no character development. The characters seldom learn from their mistakes, but when they do, they often return to their old ways out of the blue in their next appearances and make the same mistakes over and over again, as if they never learned from them at all.
For instance, in "Jeffy's Parents" and "Jeffy's 18th Birthday," Jeffy promises to behave, and Mario vows to be a better dad. However, they do not keep these promises in future videos, continuing their hatred for each other and showing no growth. Additionally, the latter only cares about the former when a video's plot calls for it. Does Mario love Jeffy or not?
In "Zombie Jeffy," we discover the reason behind Jeffy's strong dislike for green beans, and Mario pledges never to force-feed him green beans again. Although Mario initially keeps this promise, the green beans gag returns in "Jeffy's Good Day," making him appear hypocritical.
In "Goodman's New Life," Mario and Goodman switch bodies and gain insights into each other's lives. Although Goodman realizes and understands how hard it is to be "poor," he continues to haunt Mario and mock the poor in later videos. Can the characters not make up their minds on how they want to act?
4. **Target Audience** It's unclear who the target audience is. Adult content like strong language, dark violence, and heavy toilet humor are present and very noticeable. On the other hand, Jeffy appears frequently because the bratty Jeffy fans, mostly little kids, are always screaming for him, watch the channel just for the said character, and won't give the other characters a chance. The homemade puppets look like they were bought at a toy store, and there's a lot of SML merch that only kids are likely to own, like backpacks and pencil pouches. Is it supposed to be a kid show or an adult show?
5. **The Channel's Schedule** From January 2014 to August 2022, Logan uploaded 2 videos per week but now uploads 3 videos per week. He mentioned in a discussion post that he and his team never take time off work, which adds stress and may affect his creativity. Filming 3 videos weekly leaves him little time, often leading to filler content to make them longer. In a vlog, Logan mentioned needing an editor due to the heavy workload from his main channel and daily uploads on his other channels.
In another vlog, he stated that he films main channel videos on Mondays and Tuesdays, while he spends the rest of the week editing them and creating content for his other channels. Many fans suggest he return to 2 videos per week, but Logan worries that would mean longer waits for lower-quality content. The videos often feel rushed because of everything I said about the schedule so far.
I believe a more relaxed schedule of 1 or 2 videos per month could benefit him and his audience, allowing for more thoughtful storytelling and fresh ideas. I've been making a family-friendly Peanuts plush series called "Snoopy Plush Adventures" for the past 9 years, partly inspired by SML, and I release 1 to 2 episodes every month or two. This approach allows me to come up with more plot ideas, remove or shorten filler/unnecessary scenes, take breaks in between episodes, and pursue other interests. Also, I'm too busy with my personal life to work on episodes on some days, so I couldn't make new ones every day or every week even if I wanted to. SML could benefit from a similar schedule for the same reasons while still uploading regularly.
In conclusion, despite being mentioned on Good Morning America, experiencing age restrictions, demonetization, complaints from parents about Jeffy, and receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Nintendo, Logan has made little to no improvements to his content. He often ignores advice from long-time fans and rarely keeps his promises. While he can't bring back the Nintendo plushes, he could still improve his show and start a more flexible schedule. I seldom watch the newer content anymore, and it continues to get worse and worse over time. I can't take it anymore. What's the point of continuing to support the channel if I know it will potentially never improve? The SML parody channels lack many of my issues with modern SML and are much better, making them great alternatives.
Toy Story (1995)
You've Got a Friend In Me
Who doesn't love Toy Story? The Toy Story series is likely one of the most popular Disney and Pixar franchises, and I can see why. This is one of many Pixar movies that reveals a secret world of things that either aren't alive in the real world or society has very little knowledge about, and the one that started it all.
I read an article explaining that Tom Hanks wanted to voice Woody because the premise resonated with his childhood. As a kid, he wondered if his toys came to life when he left the room. While the idea of toys coming to life has been done before, it has never been quite like this. For instance, in the Winnie the Pooh franchise, the plush toys are alive due to Christopher Robin's imagination (as far as we know), and the stories would remain largely the same if the characters were anything other than stuffed animals.
In contrast, the Toy Story franchise is not limited to a child's imagination; it provides a unique perspective by showing toys coming to life when humans are absent and the story being shown from their perspective, while still portraying them as ordinary toys that are played with by children. Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Andy's toys are a vibrant community, facing their own anxieties, dreams, and amusing escapades when humans are not around. Every child imagines their toys coming to life and going on adventures, and the franchise brings that fantasy to life in a captivating way. This ability to capture the magic of childhood imagination is one of the franchise's greatest strengths.
Don't get me wrong; I adore Winnie the Pooh. Pooh and his friends being stuffed animals does have some impact on the stories, although not as significant as the toys in Toy Story. For example, if the characters were live animals, they couldn't be Christopher Robin's imaginary friends, and Eeyore couldn't lose his tail.
Each Toy Story movie addresses common issues that children and toys face together in real life, adding its own unique twists. In this one, the story revolves around a child getting a new favorite toy and slightly growing out of the old one, which causes Woody to feel jealous of Buzz and "lose" his friends.
If you've seen this before, you know that there are real-life toys and board games in it, like Mr. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, a troll, Mr. Spell, a Barrell of Monkeys, Candyland, Battleship, and many more, which is another one of the movie's best aspects. Their presence makes perfect sense because this is a toy story, hence the title. They also make the movie feel like part of our world. I heard in a YouTube video that the presence of these toys has brought some nostalgia to the parents of those who were kids when this was new and helped increase their (the toys') popularity. It also led to a few significant changes to their real-life counterparts. For instance, Mr. Potato Head was given eyebrows for the first time, and Slinky Dog was brought back after being gone for decades, sporting the same dachshund-like design he has here rather than his original Pluto-like design.
The animation is brilliant (for the most part), colorful, very detailed, and realistic yet cartoony at the same time. While this wasn't the first movie to use CGI, it was the first movie to be entirely in CGI, and I have to admit that it looks good for being Pixar's first movie. However, it is outdated in some areas. For example, the humans don't look as realistic as possible like the toys or even the Incredibles characters (but they do look decent), and Scud isn't fully rendered and doesn't have much texture. I find that understandable and justified due to this being Pixar's first movie. Furthermore, the animation looks even better in the sequels.
I strongly appreciate the storyline of this movie. It's all about fun, adventure, friendship, teamwork, and overcoming odds. At first, Woody feels jealous when Andy gets Buzz Lightyear for his birthday, especially after telling the rest of the gang that nobody will be replaced. He worries about his bond with Andy breaking up and feels threatened by Buzz. But when they end up in a tough situation at Sid's house, they reconcile, work through their differences, and help each other escape. This leads to them becoming best friends and both getting what they want. Buzz feels sad when he finds out he's not the real Buzz Lightyear, but Woody's speech about the value of being loved by a kid helps him happily accept being a toy. I find Woody's advice about self-acceptance and being oneself to be important and heartwarming. Without the tough times they went through, Buzz wouldn't have realized the value of being a toy. Also, the movie shows that old and new toys, like Woody and Buzz, or people who prefer one over the other, can get along. Just because something is old doesn't mean it sucks or is outdated.
Personally, I think the movie's message about embracing change and finding value in both old and new things is timeless and heartwarming. The characters' growth and the importance of friendship make Toy Story a classic that appeals to audiences of all ages. The movie does an excellent job of blending humor, emotion, and action, creating a truly enjoyable and memorable experience. I've had a very special place in my heart for Toy Story ever since childhood and always will. If you haven't seen it, where have you been for the last 29 years? You should check it out if you haven't before.