Posted by
Andrews on Friday, August 22, 2008 11:12:47 AM
I know this is a bit off topic, but if anyone has children and needs to occupy them for a while, the cartoon Oswald is a good bet. Not only is it the most soporific (in a good way) show ever made (I sometimes watch the DVDs while working to keep from blowing a gasket when dealing with irritating co-workers), it lacks the usual agenda of children's programming. Except for an occasional nod to telling the truth, sharing, the usual children's niceties, it doesn't have a bit of an agenda. The only downside I can find is that, for those of us of a certain age, it isa bit disconcerting to hear Squiggy's voice coming form a penguin*. Other than that, it is a fine show, and nice to find one children's program without any indoctrination at all.
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* It is also possible that, hearing Fred Savage's voice come from a big blue octopus, some will wait for a voiceover to explain the lessons he learned, but I was not enough of a Wonder Years fan to worry about that.
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POSTSCRIPT
To be completely accurate, there was one episode where Oswald's trip to the dump was interrupted by people who found uses for his garbage. But it was so devoid of overt eco-proselytizing that I will let that pass. And, in any case, I am not opposed to reusing things, nor to reducing waste, I am a relatively frugal fellow, but I don't like to see garbage picking elevated to a moral imperative. So, as it lacks the preaching of most children's shows, I give Owald a pass on this.