Best in Shows

Maddie is starting to actually sit for a reasonably long time to watch TV. At this point she'll watch pretty much any kids' show that happens to be on, but when we she does ask for something I can't help feeling happy that it is usually "Lalo" (Charlie and Lola) or "Peepee" (Pee Wee's Playhouse). Here are the following reasons why I prefer these shows to others:

1. They have characters that sound and act like real kids. PWP has the Penny Cartoons, which are claymation representations of the kind of rambling and incoherent stories kids tell, and C & L features voice work by actual children, talking the way actual children talk (with extra points for the British accents, reminiscent of another Charlie).

2. They have interesting art. Lauren Child is the author and illustrator behind C & L, and I like how messy her drawings look, not unlike the work of frequent Roald Dahl illustrator, Quentin Blake. The PWP sets were designed by punk artist Gary Panter (who is said to have had a big influence on Matt Groening), and animation by Nick Park of Wallace & Gromit.

3. They teach lessons, without being preachy. Both shows will teach that being nice is good, and being mean is bad, but they usually tell stories that promote using your imagination instead of just shoving a moral down your throat.

4. They are actually funny. Say what you will about Paul Reubens the actor, but Pee Wee Herman the character is hilarious. And even after watching the "Lalo" DVD we got from the library on repeat for a week, it's still pretty darn cute.