Last Sunday’s Family Guy had a cutaway about the classic 70’s children’s show The Electric Company, and I’ve spent the last couple days looking up clips on YouTube.
We actually didn’t watch that show much back when it was on (we watched Sesame Street, plus a few French shows); what I remember is mostly the extremely catchy theme song and the Spider-Man skits. And it starred Morgan Freeman, too! Damn, I guess he’s always had that smooth and sexy voice—equally suitable to teaching kids to read, and the heartstrings-tugging story of penguin life and death in Antarctica. All that and some funky animation, too!
Not that Sesame Street was any slouch in that area. I remember this beautifully bizarre song and a mournful ballad that captivated me as a youngling. And some useful advice, animated in the same trippy style as Yellow Submarine.
What do kids watch today, to broaden their minds? Are there any good educational shows, or is it all cartoons based on computer or card games? Not having any kids myself, I really wouldn’t know. Zoboomafoo is quite neat from what I’ve seen, not least of all thanks to the hunky hosts. (yes, I’m shallow. Sue me.) Speaking of hunky: Steve Burns was quite cute in Blue’s Clues, but he’s mega-hot now, with the stubble and the shaved head and the geeky rock music.