They’re, like, real animals. But they can talk. And sing. And walk on their hind legs. And wear itty-bitty home-made superhero costumes. But they’re, like, not cartoons. Instead they live in some horrific half-real, half-animated netherworld.
An animals is in danger! They fly to the rescue. Singing. The duck has a speech impediment. The turtle wears track shoes. The guinea pig has an encyclopedic knowledge of botany.
I can feel my brain melting.
It’s the turtle’s eyes. They’re SO BLUE. They bore into my skull like lasers. When will he blink? Please let him blink!
Oh, look! They’re rescuing a poodle now! She’s climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower because she’s depressed and suicidal. She looks like a real dog, but she can speak English with a French accident. Save her, Wonder Pets!
Who will save me? The remote sits inches from my hand, but I can’t seem to change the channel. Tuck, Linny, Ming-Ming … you are my new masters! I will obey.
I, too, have been captivated by the Wonder Pets. They are unique, cute, and the original music is very catchy. I have no qualms with the Wonder Pets. I will watch adeptly as the Wonder Pets do their job…then I’ll probably watch Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! when that comes on.
Linny, Tuck and Ming-Ming too
We’re Wonder Pets and we’ll help you…
[sub]Written by Larry Hochman and Josh Selig, published by Music by Nickelodeon, Inc. (BMI) and Tunes by Nickelodeon, Inc. (ASCAP)[/sub]
This is hands down the worst show aimed at preschoolers I’ve seen in quite awhile–and that includes the thing between shows of the six-year-old with a speech impediment teaching kids how to cook. Let’s say each episode of The Wonder Pets is about 12 minutes and they take up the first four with the exact same opening every time. It’s like they’re not even trying.
Of course, the real entertainment value for my wife and I comes from making up our own words to those songs they sing in every episode. And it keeps our 2-year-old entertained so all is not lost.
Children’s television thrives on repetition. Complaining that every episode of The Wonder Pets! begins with the Pets answering the telephone is like complaing that Joe always sings about how to play Blue’s Clues or Dora’s map always sings the same song and repeats the directions three times. Technically, every episode of The Wonder Pets! from beginning to end is exactly the same- just switch out a different animal and style of music. And if you think about it, the opening of each short changes a little bit each time- the classroom is always decorated with markings from whatever country the Pets are about to visit, they always end up in a different silly costume while changing into their new clothes, etc. I’m not a kid, but I imagine kids love stuff like that. (Heck, I love the jokes in “The Wonder Pets Save The Duckling!” which play on the tried-and-true formula when the Pets realize that Ming-Ming is the one they have to save: “Linny, Tuck, and Ming-Ming…usually.”)
I can’t stand anything about this show. If only I could figure out how to make the Backyardigans recordings on the DVR stop just before the damn “Phone… the phone is ringing…” bit begins, I’d be a happy man.
Backyardigans = good
Wonder Pets = creepy beyond belief.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the guinea pig’s name isn’t “Lenny”. I’ve been watching this show for weeks now (ummm…with my one-year-old daughter), but it was just yesterday that I paid attention during the credits and found his name is actually “Linny”. My world is much less steady today.
Oh, and my post to the “Quick! What song is stuck in your head right now?” thread.
