While most students at Mt. Vernon do not regularly watch shows meant for children, many likely remember watching them. For others, the shows might have become a daily sight due to their younger sibling’s demands. Regardless, kids’ shows often are very repetitive and consistent. For teenagers forced to watch them over and over again, they often become painful and annoying. However, some series do stand apart from this trend for better and worse
One show that exceeds expectations is “Bluey.” “Bluey” can be entertaining and funny even while being immature. Its plot changes from episode to episode, and it includes legitimate, relatable concepts like loss. “Bluey” often makes fun of the main characters, which lets those who would rather watch something else appreciate what is happening. Background details and Easter eggs within it also make it more interesting to watch.
“Paw Patrol” is starkly different from this. The series is extremely repetitive, and each episode is nearly identical. All of the characters have the same personality, and it is often boring. Outside of the Paw Patrol, all adults and characters are constantly getting lost, falling into natural disasters, and experiencing other situations. In all of these events, they are unable to solve their own problems. There is no attitude of hard work and determination for the average person. This takes out the values and lessons a child could learn. The show tries to add variety with super powers and exotic scenery that never really changes anything. While a repetitive show works for toddlers, older individuals will likely be understimulated and will not appreciate the show.
However, a repetitive plot can work in some situations. “Scooby Doo” has the same plot in every episode. Mystery Inc. comes across a monster or kidnapper that disrupts human life. They attempt to hunt it down and are thwarted many times. In the end, they set a successful trap that captures the fiend and reveals it to be an actual person.
While this plot happens every time, “Scooby Doo” can be entertaining because it leaves clues to help determine the killer. Throughout the scenes, trails can be discovered that stimulate the viewer. The characters have different personalities, and slapstick and other forms of comedy enhance the series. It offers a much better option than “Paw Patrol,” which may be due to it being targeted towards an older age group. However, its bright animation can still satisfy young children while being stimulating for this older group, making it a series good for many ages.
The worst show, in my opinion, is “SpongeBob.” In “SpongeBob,” almost all of the characters are idiots. The plot is often confusing and random, and the show is relatively pointless. It fills time with random situations and unrealistic problems. Furthermore, in a study, it reduced the ability of children to score well in areas like their problem-solving ability, attention span and patience. For most people, it is painful and hard to watch. Watching characters become obsessed with songs and immature ideas can be embarrassing. It is hard to get through an episode simply because it is difficult to associate with. Most of the main characters do not show problem solving or common sense, resulting in disappointing episodes. These concepts make it one of the worst child shows out there, although it may satisfy young people.
While children’s shows are not targeted towards high school students, many people may still feel nostalgic towards them. Otherwise, students might think about them daily while younger siblings beg their parents to let them watch these shows. Whatever the reason, these series often do come up in teenager’s lives. When they do, the quality of the shows often determines how willing people are to press the play button. Otherwise, students may never stoop to watching them again.
