TV Shows

I was talking with my cousin recently, and she mentioned to me that I tend to have a loathing for a lot of the children's shows out there. Even some of the more popular ones such as *gasp* The Wiggles or Dora.

I'll break it down into sections....

The first types of shows that I really hate are clay-mation. I don't know what it is about this art form, but I do NOT like it. Not even that one where Mel Gibson played the lead "chicken"...nope, not a fan of it at all. This means that I do not like watching ANY of the following:

1. Bob the builder
2. Fifi and the Flowerpots
   
3. Odd Jobbers

There are two exceptions -- these being Dragon and Pocoyo.


The second type of show that I really hate (and I mean to the extent that it does not come on in my house at any time for any reason) are the shows that have grown adults dressed up in costumes. This includes, but is certainly not limited to:

1. Teletubbies
2. In the Night Garden
3. The Wiggles
4. Barney <--- oh how I hate to even write this name down.

I don't really know what it is about these characters that I don't like but something bothers me. Perhaps I just imagine that there is some giant freaky pedophile inside those things. My other MAJOR loathing with Teletubbies and Night Garden especially, is the fact that they don't even speak correctly. Why are they promoting their shows as "educational programs" when you are saying things like "tubby custard" or "nika-pika-poo"?? Nothing, NOTHING bothers me more than baby talk (delivered by an adult, that is).

I also have to add a foot note to this. I used to lump Yo Gabba Gabba in with this group --- but after catching a few episodes of it on TV, it's really not that bad. The music is "cool"(and believe me, you're preschooler is able to know that Wiggles is so not cool, but that the music on Yo-Gabba is) and the messages delivered are really good. Eat well, be nice, it's okay to be scared, etc... The giant walking vibrator is still a little disturbing to me, but whatever...


There are some shows which are nice, educational and such, but for some reason or another just drive me nuts.

1. Dora/Diego <-- way too much SHOUTING, SHOUTING, SHOUTING in high pitched voices!
2. Toot & Puddle <-- this one is a neat show, but those pigs remind me of gremlins after they've been dumped in the pool.
3. Toopy & Binoo <-- I like this one, I do. I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed that Toopy is a cross-dresser though?? (not that there's anything wrong with that!)
4. Daniel Cook <-- Can you say obnoxious?!

I also don't like a lot of shows that other people would think are wonderful.

1. Franklin goes here, because I think that he is a whiny little thing who is snarky and rude.
2. Rolie Polie Olie goes here too, because I can't stand the gender stereotypes that they have in it.
   
3. 4 Square also fits here -- there isn't anything about this show that I do like -- from the guys with potatoes in their tights teaching young children ballet, to the freaky wall-eyed "do-was", I haven't found a positive point in it (that I'm able to tolerate over all the negative).

However, there are some great shows. I really enjoy, really, there are!

1. Backyardigans, this is a Canadian show (Yay, go Canada!), where you've got 4 little neighborhood friends who meet in the back yard and carry out fantastical imaginative adventures. What's wrong with using our imagination, folks??
2. Elmo's World and/or Sesame Street. These shows teach...for real. What's wrong with that???
   
3. Roll Play -- this show is fantastic! Not only are children learning imagination, story telling and dramatics, they are also exercising (I dare you to have a preschooler watch this show and make him sit on the couch the whole time!)
4. My Friend Rabbit -- I like this one because all the characters are misfits of some form or another, yet they are all accepted for what they can (or can't) do, and there is no blame placed on anyone. Also, it's very creative how the writers have them overcome their faults.
5. Emily Yeung -- the "newer" version of Daniel Cook. Only with manners that aren't forced.

So...what are your thoughts?? Am I way off base? Do you agree, disagree, think that I'm from Mars??