Children’s TV: What’s Changed

When I was a kid, yes, that’s getting longer and longer ago, children’s television wasn’t so scary.

You could say what you want about “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” and the way he talked but he was just like your uncle. I have to admit I really never watched him as a kid. His show had a great impact on a generation of kids.

There was also “Sesame Street”. I really never watched that much either. Now I did watch “ZOOM” and “The Electric Company”. I can remember being shorted if I didn’t see the pinball counting segment or an episode of Spiderman. Brilliance! How did I learn the sounds of the alphabet? The Letter People, of course!

Oh, in my later formative years, there was “You Can’t Do That On Television” and “Mister Wizard’s World” on Nickelodeon. Both were must-see-TV for me.

But now, I have to say a little bit about children’s programming of the later generations. First, there was “Barney”. I don’t know how any little kid could sit through his shrieking. He still sends some shivers up my spine. I don’t understand how some kids didn’t go to sleep and have dreams that Barney turned evil and didn’t eat them.

There’s also one of the wackiest shows out there, “Yo Gabba Gabba!” It’s described as a fun live-action program for young children ages 1 and up. Host DJ Lance Rock makes friendly toy monsters come alive in a magical land full of music, dance, colorful cartoons, and simple life lessons. If you haven’t seen an episode, I urge you to watch it. Take a look at Muno, the red cyclops. See if he doesn’t remind you of something. The show’s webpage says he’s can be a bit clumsy and has been known to break things.

Apparently, pre-schoolers aren’t the only people who watch the show. ABC News did a story about how twenty-somethings are becoming fans. That’s probably due in part to some of the stars the show attracts. It gets celebrity guests like Elijah Wood, Tony Hawk and Laila Ali. Bands including “The Shins” and “Jimmy Eat World” have also appeared on the show.

Nickelodeon estimates since the show’s premiere in 2007, more than 21 million people have watched the show. It’s been streamed more than 25 million times online. My littlest nephew is starting to watch Noggin and it’s one of the shows he watches.

Of course, my older nephews watch “Hannah Montana”, “Fairly Odd Parents”, and the “Suite Life of Zack & Cody”. It’s all Disney Channel and Nickelodeon for them.

Watch “Yo Gabba Gabba!”, I dare ya!