BTW

[maevele]

If someone, anyone, has a problem or has noticed anything squicky or fucked up about the Backyardigans, tell me now. Because it is the children's show that I love most. and if there's a problem? then there's a Problem.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

I heard that the music people are the Lounge Lizards. Remember them? I like that, myself.

[seaya.livejournal.com]

Heh. My problem with it is the songs make me want to claw my ears out, but I suspect that isn't what you meant by problematic ;).

[emzebel.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched it in at least a year as the kid has moved on to Scooby Doo and superheroes, but I LOVED this show while he was watching it.

BUT, that said, the Legend of the Volcano Sisters episode (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Backyardigans_episodes#The_Legend_of_the_Volcano_Sisters) made me want to throw things at the tv screen and I deleted it immediately. The basic concept is that Tasha and Uniqua are Volcano Goddesses who demand appeasement from the boys and their big catchphrase is "We know what we want. We know what we don't want. Now get us what we want." And, of course, they refuse to give any hints and expect the boys to read their minds. Nice enforcement of gender stereotypes there, folks. They don't want the giant Tiki mask, they don't want the giant pearl - they want flowers and to be invited to the Luau.

[replyhazy.livejournal.com]

I agree with the Volcano Sisters comment above.

But I can never write off a show that has animated characters dancing -- REALLY DANCING! To the music! Using actual steps! In well-thought-out choreographies!

And I love their cultural cross-appropriations, if you can call it that. Where the culture the music comes from has no relation to the setting -- it's great!

[maevele.livejournal.com]

see, that didn't hit as a gender thing to me, because i would expect volcano goddesses to be temperamental and demanding.(and tasha is always a demanding bossypants) And them wanting the flowers and invitation instead of the giant materal possessions seemed like a positive to me.

[littlebutfierce]

dancing -- REALLY DANCING! To the music! Using actual steps! In well-thought-out choreographies!

Yeah, my former coworker's wife had a dance background, & she was really impressed w/how they do it (I guess maybe they use actual dancers dancing in the process).

[maevele.livejournal.com]

I know! The dancing! It's not random cartoon dancing! You could do those dances. And yeah on the settings/music disassociations. Let's have a western ep, with hiphop! Or a fairy tale ep with 80's synth pop!

[emzebel.livejournal.com]

Oh, I definitely see how it fit - and I love the "Hook-e-Pele" song and the fact that they did ultimately just want the offering of friendship and the fact that the episode ended up turning on the boy who just wanted to listen to them, not impress them - hell, when you look at it like that, it's awesome!

But the volcano goddess concept is also tied into the idea that women generally are tempermental and demanding - it's just heightened with representatives of the volcano goddess. Maybe I'd read one too many lines about men being expected to read women's minds about what they want, but it really seriously bugged me the first time I watched it.

It's definitely not a reason to not watch the show. Hell, if that's the only example we can all collectively think of, I'd say it's doing a damn good job overall.

(And now I have "hook-a-pele, hook-a-pele, hook-hook-hook; distruction is coming and coming soon..." going through my head).

[porcinea.livejournal.com]

I adore the Backyardigans!

Also Yo Gabba Gabba.