Kids TV these days...

... is pretty good actually. Now I know a bunch of you people love Adventure Time just as much as I do, but does anyone have some other good suggestions on childeren's television?

Right now my personal favourite is Horrible Histories, a CBBC show. I'm pretty biased because I'm majoring in history, but you can't argue with this:

I love all the little puns that are thrown in everywhere.

And their songs are brilliant as well:


So, what childeren's programs are you guys watching?

I realized my two year old was probably watching a little too much Pocoyo the other day when she walked up to me and said "Oh dear" exactly like Stephen Fry.

I don't know it but if it's got your kid sounding like Stephen Fry I'm going to assume it's a Good Thing.

Tell you what's creepy as fuck - the Doodlebops. The little neighborhood restaurant where I eat breakfast on the weekends always has it on. Holy shit.

I encounteredTrapped at the gym a couple of weeks ago. It's another pretty good CBBC show. In fact it was so captivating that my programmed workout finished without me noticing!

I really miss Wishbone. I watched that a lot in college, even stone cold sober!

I like Gravity Falls, which is on Disney! (I hated Disney channel as a kid and still think it's all shit, but this cartoon is pretty awesome) It follows in the mold of all those cartoons that are aimed at more than 1 audience (Adventure Time, etc).

I looked that up. WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH A THING JERRI

Edit: I also looked up Gravity Falls and one of the characters is voiced by Kristen Schaal? That's so awesome.

Phineas and Ferb is still my gold standard for children's TV that is also enjoyable for adults.

Then you'll like Gravity Falls. Check it out sometime!

I tried to give it shot once, for some reason I didn't warm up properly to it. It's sort of a cult thing amongst students but I didn't really feel it. I didn't hate it, but I didn't bother getting into it either. Should I give it another shot? Convince me!

Ponies? Ponies.

My two-year old mainly likes Top Gear. He's not really into kid's shows, or TV in general, but he does like that show.

Ahhhh Civil War Song for Horrible Histories will always drag me along. I really should watch some of the other stuff though.

Preeeetty sure I'm going to love Adventure Time to bits (thanks again goes to Bladida) but ah the time. orz

Yes! It's very good. Just sort of light and goofy and with enough cleverness to keep you enjoying it. I'm not a huge fan of the musical numbers but I can mostly ignore those. To me it's very much a spiritual successor to Kim Possible (which was also very good) in both tone and how the villains kind of steal the show.

The protagonists are clever and likeable, and rely on imagination, ingenuity, and intelligence. The supporting cast is also strong, and the characters are not one-dimensional caricatures (although the older sister, Candace, gets the closest to that). Each episode is a dual-story between the Phineas and Ferb gang's creative hijinks and the Agent P/Dr. Doofenshmirtz conflict/buddy comedy. The show is very self-aware of its tropes and past episodes, and long-form running gags are common, as well as references/jokes based on awareness of those running gags. There's a sense of real heart to the show, and it comes through, IMO.

The Aquabats Super Show. It's like a love letter to all those crazy live action Sid and Marty Krofft shows from the 70s.

Matt Chapman of Homestar Runner is also involved in the show which explains why the villain in the linked episode looks strongly familiar.

Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom - a super UK show for pre-schoolers about fairies and elves. Very funny and witty, I think.

My son also really likes Backyardagains. Good music, lots of singing.

That Charles II song is oddly addictive.

I even tried to get a thread going for it...
http://brokenforum.com/index.php?threads/gravity-falls.2452/

Well if it's any consolation as a result of that thread I watch the intro fairly regularly.

Backyardigans really grates on me but Ben & Holly is great. My favourite episode is the one with the hamster and the best Star Trek reference ever.

Ah, but you're in Ireland, and if it's the same as the UK, they redubbed backyardigans, which frankly is like touching up Michelangelo with Dulux. OK, maybe a bit hyperbolic there, but I think it's great, I love the music and dancing. I was thrilled recently when my seven year old, who generally views herself as too old for little kids' shows, went through a little Backyardigans renaissance. It was nice seeing it again.

You could be right actually - the characters all have English accents.

Okay, I'm super busy with exams right now, but after that I have two weeks of sweet nothing, so I'll look at all your recommendations and tell you what I think (because clearly that's what you guys have been waiting for all this time).

Most of their songs are actually really catchy. My friend can sing along to this entire song:

Watching that led me on to this masterpiece.



And if that one is blocked

And I can see it's a new one I don't know yet ;_;

Edit: I found another link so you get a like anyway!

PM me the link and I'll change the post.

I can't be the only one watching the new TMNT cartoon right? RIGHT? I mean they're radical ninja dudes!

My son and I are huge fans, it's excellent. Great voice work, great baddies, the animation is fantastic and every episode has at least one sequence that makes me want to open it up in VLC and grab a frame to use as a wallpaper.

I can't get over how crappy the original animated show is in comparison, but I love the little references to it that they throw in (my favourite being the t-phone's ringtone).

It's ridiculous how much better the new TMNT is than the original cartoon in pretty much every aspect: character design, dialogue, characterization, banter, action, and humor. Even the goofy mutant villains are more menacing and better characterized, although BeBop and Rocksteady are a pretty fucking low bar to clear. Hell, I even like the Kraangs' Mojo-Jojo-esque speech patterns.

It's a pretty low bar to clear the original cartoon and movies. I'd say its slightly better than about the same level as previous revivals (There was a time travelling one which I remember not being that bad...), and entertaining enough for me to watch. It's no Justice League, but still good.

Guys, I didn't make this thread so you could slag off my favourite childhood nostalgia shows. Don't forget I was born in 1992, and some of my fondest memories are watching TMNT reruns with my brother. On the other hand, I always favoured the X-Men cartoon and that shit holds up for real. (I tried to rewatch TMNT and failed, so boring)

I just had 14 more hairs turn from brown to gray after I read that.

I mean, there's a reason I started a thread about television for childeren, after all.

I saw an episode of Adventure Time yesterday that made me bawl my eyes out. I love that show, but damn. That hurt. (It was the Princess Cookie episode, and no I don't want to talk about it.)

Quitch - thanks for those vids, I never knew this was a show (seen the books about). How awesome!

Well, much as I'd like to take credit, it was Lizzy who initially pointed them out.

GODDAMNIT CALISTAS IT'S LITERALLY THE FIRST POST IN THE THREAD.

Those books are the best, and almost entirely responsible for the fact that I'm majoring in History right now. I know I've exposed myself as a babby in this thread but they're pretty fun for you old guys as well. If you have an interest in a certain period I can definitely recommend picking one up about it.