Childhood Shows
By Maxine Mah
Being born in the “Gen-Z” era, there were a plethora of fads (or an overhyped trend that don’t last for more than a year) that came about. For example, Silly Bands, Rainbow Loom, and slap-on-bracelets just to name a few. But let’s go back to where we all grew our roots and learned the real valuable life lessons that stuck with us until today, on T.V.. I’m sure all of us born in ‘02, ‘03, ‘04 and maybe even ‘05 all had that wonderful moment where we woke up on a beautiful Sunday morning—free of stress might I add—and turned on the television. Let’s reminisce together on the shows that were an iconic part of our lives that now, we have seemed to forget.
The Berenstain Bears (no, not Berenstein) : “The bear fact is that/They're just like you and me/The only difference/Is they live in a tree.” Yes, the iconic bear family with our favorites like Mama, Papa, Sister, and, of course, Brother (they were all named with their position in the family—how creative). Teaching us beautiful life lessons about working hard or making friends, the citizens of “somewhere deep in Bear Country,” were always there for us, as we were always there for them.
Harold and the Purple Crayon: Our best friend Harold and his crayon went around the esentially blank world drawing whatever he pleased with amazingly artistic and precise recreatments of a boat or a sled. Based originally on a story by Crockett Johnson, we always enjoyed the greatness of a mute character who just drew for fun, maybe inspiring all the future artists to come in the next generation.
Dragon Tales: Following the story or Emmy and Max, these siblings hold a dragon scale that allows them to visit their dragon friends, Cassie, Ord, Zak, and Wheezie. They fly through the sky helping kids overcome fears and accomplishing goals. Along with having one of the greatest theme songs in childhood T.V. show history, Dragon Tales especially loved to bring out honesty and kindness in all the children who watched the show. “Emmy wished on a dragon scale/And that's what started Dragon Tales”
Curious George: Probably the most iconic show out of this list, our protagonist George and his “dad” The Man in the Yellow Hat had adventures all around “The City,” or Manhattan. George is just a small monkey learning about life with his father (?) The Man in the Yellow Hat, accompanied by, of course, music by Jack Johnson. And we can’t forget, the Curious George movie created in 2006 which shows George’s origin and how he came to live in “The City.” I highly recommend anyone, at any age to watch this show.
Arthur: Again, another simply, iconic show (maybe because of the plethora of memes created around it) Arthur is about an aardvark and his animal friends going through life. Differing from other kids shows, Arthur a little older (8) and is facing more “big-kid” problems, like his annoying younger sister D.W. (standing for Dora Winifred). Arthur was also the very first kids’ show to have an openly gay couple—his school teacher getting married in season 22 on the very first episode. Impressively woke for our time, Arthur was, and still is, a quintessential show for anyone born in Gen-Z.
Oswald: Some may not remember this one, but Oswald was a show about an octopus living in the “Big City” (what is with kids shows and living in the Big City). Oswald was special because he wasn’t a risk-taker, always very cautious and unsure Oswald was about conquering fears and overcoming hardships. Along with the strange amount or random characters, like his dog (a hot dog) named Weenie or his friend Daisy who is a literal Daisy. However, only lasting for one season many Gen-Z kids may not remember this show as well as the others.
Crashbox: Or in my opinion, the best kids show in the world, and no one remembers it, except me. Crashbox only aired for two years and was mainly shown in Canada. Premiering on HBO, Crashbox was a knowledge show, teaching kids how to add or solve mysteries, or even teaching vocabulary. And the most interesting part—it was entirely stop motion and the concept was that it functioned in your brain. New combinations of minigames every episode and surprisingly satisfying stop motion robots, I highly recommend everyone of all ages to watch this show (or find it on YouTube or something).
There you have it: seven iconic kids’ shows you may or may not remember. And yes, I know I definitely forgot some good ones but these are the ones that made a positive impact on my life and hopefully did the same to yours.