# Parents Up In Arms Over Tweenage Dora the Explorer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791 "2009-03-09T01:32:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/1 "2009-03-09T01:32:25Z")
Dora the Explorer- the perky, adventuring Latina with the high-pitched voice who has enchanted millions of children and irritated millions of adults for almost a decade now- is getting a [new, tweenage alter ego](http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/story?id=7033295&page=1) courtesy of Nickelodeon and Mattel. The companies have only revealed Tween Dora’s sihouette so far and a few comments on the dolls Mattel will be making, but parents are already angered that the spunky and smart Latina heroine is being made over in what appears to be an attempt to compete with Barbie and Bratz. Apparently, Dora has moved to the big city and solves mysteries with her pals, the Explorer Girls. Of course, the original kid Dora will be around to stay as well. A few thoughts come to my mind upon this: The Humor Thought. Of course, anything is ripe for satire, and I got a funny mental image of a tweenage Dora the Explorer who acts like a stereotypical teen, but also does everything her young counterpart does, mainly shouting at the top of her lungs to nobody in particular. I can imagine her in a clothing store: “I THINK THIS DRESS IS CUTE! DO YOU THINK THIS DRESS IS CUTE?” “Uh…who are you talking to?” The Why-Complain-_Now_? Thought. Why has it taken until now for people to complain about how Nick and Mattel are branching out Dora from her original concept? For years now, Mattel and other companies have made licensed Dora products that do what most Barbie-types do: mainly, dress Dora up as a princess or someone fancier than she is or allow you to style her hair and change its color. If the fashionista Tween Dora is a travesty to Dora’s original character, aren’t these uncharacteristic uses of Dora just as a travesty? The Been-There-Done-That Thought. Tons of cartoon characters have been aged up and down- aging down to babies is the most popular, but aging them up is sometimes done. The Rugrats were aged ten years in honor of their tenth anniversary. And it’s not just Americans who do it: the Japanese produced a anime series featuring aged versions of the Yankee-born Powerpuff Girls, and in possibly one of the closest examples, a well-known character in Brazil named Monica who is about Dora’s age also got a tween alter-ego. The This Too Shall Pass Thought. Remember the Loonatics? You’re not alone. A few years ago, Warner Bros. announced a new TV series featuring futuristic superheroes with personalities similar to those of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the classic characters. There was a bunch of “OMG THEIR RUINING BUG BUNNY” outcry from the press and fears that this XTREEEM makeovers were going to replace the classic characters. The characters were redesigned and ended up looking less hip and dark and ended up looking more overly cute than the original characters they were based on. And then the show premiered…and no one noticed. Loonatics ran its course with no one noticing. Although I’m sure Tween Dora and Regular Dora will most likely coexist as Tween Monica and Regular Monica do over in Brazil, there is the (scant) possibility that no one will notice Tween Dora once she hits the scene, just as [del]Buzz[/del] Ace Bunny and his fellow futurists were after the initial panic. I’m just amazed that, like when the Loonatics first hit the scene, so many people are looking at something so common and really unimportant as a spinoff/redesign of a familiar cartoon character and taking the cry of another Nickelodeon star to heart: “This is sewious!” ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/2 "2009-03-09T02:27:33Z")
The video in that link is not playing. I hate it when they make you watch a whole fucking video, complete with stupid annoying commercial, instead of just showing you a picture. For those who don’t have the desire to watch a video, [here is a picture.](http://chipchicklets.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tweenage-dora-silhouette.jpg) Note that it’s just a silhouette - the actual new Dora will not be released until the fall. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/3 "2009-03-09T03:05:24Z")
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**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/4 "2009-03-09T03:14:36Z")
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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/5 "2009-03-09T03:20:30Z")
And since Dora’s moving to the big city, she’ll most likely need a map to figure out where not to go. “Say it with me: crackhouse…whorehouse…good part of town! Crackhouse…whorehouse…good part of town!” (I hope **dougie\_monty** isn’t reading this…) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/6 "2009-03-09T03:21:38Z")
The release from Nickleodeon is SO dumb it almost seems like an elaborate hoax: > [@](#): > > “As tweenage Dora, our heroine has moved to the big city, attends middle school and has a whole new fashionable look,” the companies announced in a February release titled “Dora Grows Up!” Seriously, if I posted that before it had hit any media outlet and said “Where will this story be posted?” 99 out of 100 SDMB members would answer, “The Onion.” IT’s not the concept, which as mobo points out has bene done many times before, it’s just the presentation. The releases read as if they were written by rank amateurs, people who had never worked in media before in their lives. It’s just mesmerizingly unreal. I can’t find any evidence it’s NOT real, but it’s so jarringly stupid it’s hard to believe it’s not some sort of… I don’t know, trial balloon to be safely discarded? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/7 "2009-03-09T06:48:29Z")
Personally, I’ve been counting the days til Diego becomes legal. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/8 "2009-03-09T11:49:13Z")
I’m just glad the Dora sillohette doesn’t have boobies. ---
**Author:** ![Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@Ichini\_Sanshigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichini_Sanshigo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/9 "2009-03-09T18:32:26Z")
Meh. So basically, despite all their protests to the contrary, they _are_ changing the whole premise of the series. _Dora the Explorer_ isn’t really a show for tweens anyway, but they want to tap into that lucrative market, so they’re discarding old Dora, but using her momentum to create _Bratz II_. As I said, meh. ---
**Author:** ![cruel\_butterfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5daacb/32.png) [@cruel\_butterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cruel_butterfly)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/10 "2009-03-09T18:43:02Z")
Why do they feel they need to let Dora grow up anyway? Shouldn’t kids outgrow a certain character or cartoon and latch on to whatever is age appropriate? What about the legions of not-yet-4-year-olds who would have watched and bought Dora products? Why not just introduce yet another cousin who lives in the big city and wears cute clothes and goes to middle school and follows maps? Her sidekick could be a sewer rat or a filthy pigeon. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/11 "2009-03-09T18:43:56Z")
Loonatics is still on. My six year old daughter watches both the old Bugs and the new “Ace”. She prefers the old one. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/12 "2009-03-09T19:25:58Z")
> [@cruel\_butterfly](#): > > Why do they feel they need to let Dora grow up anyway? Shouldn’t kids outgrow a certain character or cartoon and latch on to whatever is age appropriate? What about the legions of not-yet-4-year-olds who would have watched and bought Dora products? Why not just introduce yet another cousin who lives in the big city and wears cute clothes and goes to middle school and follows maps? Her sidekick could be a sewer rat or a filthy pigeon. The funny thing, is, Dora HAS a tweenage cousin, Alicia. However, I believe the plan is to have both the current Dora and the new one, as separate shows. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/13 "2009-03-09T19:27:33Z")
Kai-lan’s cuter than Dora anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/14 "2009-03-09T19:37:45Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The release from Nickleodeon is SO dumb it almost seems like an elaborate hoax: > Seriously, if I posted that before it had hit any media outlet and said “Where will this story be posted?” 99 out of 100 SDMB members would answer, “The Onion.” IT’s not the concept, which as mobo points out has bene done many times before, it’s just the presentation. The releases read as if they were written by rank amateurs, people who had never worked in media before in their lives. > > It’s just mesmerizingly unreal. I can’t find any evidence it’s NOT real, but it’s so jarringly stupid it’s hard to believe it’s not some sort of… I don’t know, trial balloon to be safely discarded? It doesn’t really seem any dumber than any of the actual shows that are on now. Hannah Montana anybody? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/15 "2009-03-09T19:50:25Z")
I hope they really skank her up. It will make her pictures on my Green Giant cans a lot more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/16 "2009-03-09T20:28:33Z")
I’ve always hoped my nieces and nephews would spend more time trying on training bras and less time learning Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/17 "2009-03-09T20:28:57Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > I’ve always hoped my nieces and nephews would spend more time trying on training bras and less time learning Spanish. Especially the nephews. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/18 "2009-03-09T20:30:51Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Especially the nephews. As long as they know which heels to pair with them. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/19 "2009-03-09T23:45:33Z")
[This guy does not approve](http://oculosis.com/maraby/tmp/pedobear.png) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2009, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791/20 "2009-03-10T00:23:38Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > [This guy does not approve](http://oculosis.com/maraby/tmp/pedobear.png) Seeing as Dora’s technically still underage, I think he would. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/parents-up-in-arms-over-tweenage-dora-the-explorer/488791.md?page=2)