# Your personal opinion, please-Worst children's television series
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted
**Created:** [July 23, 2026, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880 "2026-07-23T19:26:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 8
### Author:  [@De\_La\_Rue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/De_La_Rue)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/141 "2026-07-27T01:23:00Z")
The Railway Series (the basis for Thomas) was written by the Rev. W. Awdry; I just looked up the first book, which happens to include the Henry story and its harsh, moralizing ending:
[ ](https://i.ibb.co/Q3Pt056m/The-Sad-Story-of-Henry.png)
_Man_. It makes complete sense these were written by a reverend.
Henry _does_ get taken out of the tunnel to help pull a train in the next story, but that was the one Awdry’s publishers insisted he write to tie the first three together. And, presumably, provide a happier ending for Henry. Redemption is possible!
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### Author:  [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/142 "2026-07-27T02:49:32Z")
Garfield Goose had Funny Company episodes.
Yes, the theme song will never leave my head. And I didn’t see it very often.
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### Author:  [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/143 "2026-07-27T02:52:33Z")
Your last sentence is of course true. But when a book/tv series is so heavily about moralizing, I think this is a situation when a railroad locomotive is most definitely NOT “just” a railroad locomotive.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/144 "2026-07-27T04:24:55Z")
> [@Jebbilene](#):
>
> The original stories for _Thomas the Tank Engine_ date back to the 1940s, so they are really not in tune with modern sensibilities. They could do more to update them though.
I borrowed some [Richard Scarry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Scarry) books from the library recently, and noticed that they’d been gently updated. They are still charming and full of life. 😀
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> Your last sentence is of course true. But when a book/tv series is so heavily about moralizing, I think this is a situation when a railroad locomotive is most definitely NOT “just” a railroad locomotive.
In fact, if they were, they’d be genderless. It’s not as if railroad locomotives reproduce sexually, go on dates with each other, etc. And it’s not as if there aren’t any genderless characters in literature.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/145 "2026-07-27T04:39:18Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#):
>
> Garfield Goose had Funny Company episodes.
>
> Yes, the theme song will never leave my head.
And now I’m hearing Garfield Goose’s clattering beak in my head!
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### Author:  [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/146 "2026-07-27T05:20:42Z")
You’re welcome! 🤪
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### Author:  [@Jebbilene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jebbilene)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/147 "2026-07-27T13:19:08Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> I borrowed some [Richard Scarry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Scarry) books from the library recently, and noticed that they’d been gently updated. They are still charming and full of life. 😀
Oh that’s awesome. I love Richard Scarry!
I don’t mind Thomas too much. Those trains are so emotional about everything. When I was teaching pre-school, there was more than child who Really Liked Trains, and also had trouble connecting to emotions. Thomas books were great for discussing how people feel, and why. The faces are quite expressive.
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### Author:  [@Jebbilene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jebbilene)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/148 "2026-07-27T13:42:19Z")
I feel like I should add that I would often edit them as I read them. That line about Henry deserving it, I would never read something like that aloud. But Thomas books were always popular.
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### Author:  [@Cachalot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cachalot)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2026, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/149 "2026-07-30T07:32:30Z")
That is indeed deranged, if not hallucinogenic. But it is weirdly fascinating.
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### Author:  [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2026, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/150 "2026-07-30T10:39:15Z")
Teletubbies or Fingerbobs. I can’t decide which one is worse.
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### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2026, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/151 "2026-08-01T15:57:11Z")
Worst cartoons:
Three Stooges
Go Go Gophers
Marvel Superheroes
Spider-Man (1967)
Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2026, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/152 "2026-08-01T16:46:54Z")
Davy & Goliath.
GOD!
What treacly, dull, boring crapola!
> **[Davey and Goliath](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davey_and_Goliath)**
>
> Davey and Goliath is an American Christian clay-animated children's television series, whose central characters were created by Art Clokey, Ruth Clokey, and Dick Sutcliffe and which was produced first by the United Lutheran Church in America and later by the Lutheran Church in America. The show was aimed at a youth audience and generally dealt with issues such as respect for authority, sharing, and prejudice. Eventually, these themes included serious issues such as racism, death, religious Each...
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/153 "2026-08-01T16:48:06Z")
I disagree.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/154 "2026-08-01T17:14:33Z")
I called out Davey and Goliath back in post 4
> [@Your personal opinion, please-Worst children's television series](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/4):
>
> “Gee Davy, I don’t know. Maybe Caillou isn’t so bad compared to a show with a weirdly talking dog giving advice on morality.”
> [@furryman](#):
>
> Worst cartoons:
> Three Stooges
> Go Go Gophers
> Marvel Superheroes
> Spider-Man (1967)
> Sherlock Holmes in the 21st Century
I probably had no taste as a kid, but I recall liking the 1967 version of Spider-Man and (heaven help me) the Go-Go-Gophers, too. Never cared for the Stooges in any form.
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### Author:  [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/155 "2026-08-01T18:00:06Z")
I’d agree with Teletubbies. I’m not familiar with Fingerbobs, but it sounds awful, too.
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### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/156 "2026-08-02T17:59:38Z")
I remember liking H R Puffenstuff and Underdog, That kid had terrible taste.😉
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2026, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/157 "2026-08-02T18:05:27Z")
I liked those, too, and adored “Hong Kong Phooey”
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/158 "2026-08-02T18:43:42Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#):
>
> There’s something about those Disney and Nick shows that I’m not a fan of though. In most of them, the kids are smartasses and the adult figures are mostly stupid or incompetent and the kids are always trying to get one over on them. My sister-in-law ended up banning these shows from her daughters because of their behavior after watching them.
Especially _That’s so Raven_ and \*The Suite Life of Zack & Cody".
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### Author:  [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/159 "2026-08-02T19:59:45Z")
_ **Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn** _ has entered the chat.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2026, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-personal-opinion-please-worst-childrens-television-series/1031880/160 "2026-08-02T23:11:47Z")
> [@furryman](#):
>
> Worst cartoons:
> Three Stooges
Did you ever see _The Robotic Three Stooges_? I think it’s mentioned earlier upthread. Appalling!
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