So my kids have gotten into watching Nick Jr.

[jeriendhal]

And after a month or so of being subjected to this watching it with them, I can do a decent summary of most of the shows.

Backyardigans: A moose, a penguin, a kangaroo, a hippo and ah... um... something hang together in their shared backyard and have wild pretend adventures and celebrate their imaginations... in a cgi animated show. Which children watch passively. Indoors.

Er. Right. Moving on.


Dora the Explorer: In this wildly popular animated series, a young hispanic girl, aided by the magical objects her grandmother gave her (obviously marking them as witch and young apprentice) travels the land with her monkey familiar guided by her map's maniacal instructions.

Oh, and adults are utterly worthless. I mean look at the Pirate Adventure episode. A bunch of pirate pigs come along and steal the props for their kids' play right off the stage and not one person in the audience whips out their cell phones to call the cops or Homeland Security? No, they lets their kids take the prop boat to chase after them alone on the high seas. What is the matter with you people?


Yo Gabba Gabba: A frighteningly dressed giant pulls out creatures from suspended animation each episode to perform for his amusement. Occasionally the robot in the group teleports in random strangers to do tricks or play music for them, but they always get away before they can be asked to send for help.


Max and Ruby: After being abandoned by their parents, a six year old bunny girl suffering from severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder must try to maintain a shred of normality in her household while caring for her near mute two-year old brother. Their nearby grandmother occasionally tries to help, but since she's obviously suffering from dementia herself (witness how she never bothers to offer to take the children in) she can't do much.


Little Bill: Rather like the Cosby Show, except even more saccharine.

Comments

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm still happy with not having cable for the house.

[ladysmith.livejournal.com]

Out of all of them, the only one we let J. watch is Backyardigans. Uniqua is an alien, and was based on the creator's imaginary friend.

I can't deal with the others. Dora annoys me, I want to know what drugs the writers of Yo Gabba Gabba are on, and I really REALLY want to smack Ruby.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

Ruby drives me up the wall too. Backyardigans is the only one I can really stand either, though Olivia has its moments.

[ladysmith.livejournal.com]

Olivia is cute. And I'm surprisingly amused by Team Umizoomi. Especially since someone is picking up basic math skills, and now has the hang of pattern matching. (I fail at math, and I wasn't getting it across to him.)

[lacousteau.livejournal.com]

You missed the Teletubbies! Lys had the tubby Tubbies, the Teletubby blocks, the small beanbag dolls of all 4 and the big dolls that spoke and sang (all 4). What's worse it that we had a family bed. You would roll over in the middle of the night and hear Tubbies singing (Tinkle winkle pinky winky, tinkle winkle pinky winky. Again! Again! Again! Again!) It was surreal.

Her other addiction was Bear in the Big Blue House. Many woodland animals in a sweet Colonial style house where the shadows talk to you and the psychadelic lemur hangs out, trilling gibberish at you. The otters, Pip and Pop will help your child join the Mystic Order of the Toileteers. Yay!!!!

[mehhayperson.livejournal.com]

I have a confession.
Me and my American sisters kind of love Yo Gabba Gabba. I don't know if I'd want my hypothetical children to watch it, but as long as you can accept that it's so WEIRD it's great to dance to if you're feeling silly. And honestly, some of the songs aren't half bad.

Your description of it made me LOL, though :P