Reviewing Kids Shows

BY HARSHINI MAGESH '23

When was the last time you watched a program made for four-year-olds?  We’re all in high school now and are considered “too old” to watch Dora the Explorer, but nonetheless, let’s take some time to reminisce about the past. Join me in ranking my most watched kid’s cartoons!

Arthur - 10/10
The basic plotline:  A third-grader finds his way through school, dealing with different relationships. The program tackles issues like bullying, mental health, and changing friendships. The characters’ relatability—whether it be in  DW’s meme potential, Binky’s character development, or Muffy’s brutal honesty—is the best part of the series. We can all see parts of ourselves in the characters For example, Arthur’s best friend, Buster, a master procrastinator, food-lover, and struggling comedian, really is the epitome of an AB student. 

sibling relationships summarized: “It’s ONLY children, DW, not LONELY children. Lonely is what you’ll be after I sell you” - Arthur Read

Caillou - 2/10
Oof. You could watch the very first episode or the last episode from the fifth season and you would still end up with the same plot: a spoiled four-year-old brat cries about nearly everything. He says he learns something new each day, but I never really saw his character development. From pinching his newborn sister’s face or abusing his cat to throwing tantrums 24/7 and accepting food from random strangers, Caillou is a good example of everything a kid shouldn’t be. As for my rating, -10 points because of how unbearable it was. +2 points, because it was, I admit, quite entertaining at times.

Adolescence sucks: “Growing up is not so tough / except when I’ve had enough”

Blue’s Clues : 20/10
A human host along with his dog sidekick Blue solves puzzles with the viewers’ help.
This program is most likely the reason why I can’t socialize. Whenever Steve or Joe paused and asked the viewer to help them figure out a word they had “forgotten,” I was ready to shout out the answer at my TV, convinced that they could hear me. This show deserves extra points for making me feel like Sherlock Holmes solving a mystery, which is why I gave it a 20/10. Let me be honest. When Steve, the first host, left for “college”, I cried. When he returned for the 25th Anniversary Reunion a few months ago, I teared up again. 

The feeling of being appreciated: “Hi! Come on in! We're so glad you're here! ”

Teletubbies: -1000/10
To be honest, I’m not sure what the plot was. Here’s an irrelevant fun fact: did you know that the Teletubbies are actual music artists? If this is your jam, their latest full-length album, “Ready, Steady, Go!” was officially released on music platforms a few months ago. This show scared the living daylights out of me, to the point that “Sun Baby” haunts me in my dreams to this day. Not surprised that this show also has a cult following. Though it was advertised as an educational show for toddlers, there was absolutely nothing that kids could be learning except for how to speak in gibberish. I truly believe that every minute I watched that show rotted a million of my brain cells. 
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Pretty self-explanatory: “Be careful, Tinky Winky. Don't step in the tubby custard. Oh, dear! Tinky Winky slip in the tubby custard!”

Overall, regardless of what we watched when we were younger, we can’t deny that our favorite shows have played a huge part in making us who we are today. I hope you could take a trip down memory lane and reminisce about some of the shows that you grew up with.