ELEVEN TELEVISION SHOWS I ENJOYED AS A CHILD
(presented alphabetically)
- Danger Mouse - Danger Mouse was, of course, the greatest secret agent rodent the world has ever known. I loved watching this British cartoon on Nickelodeon, and I have the first four seasons on DVD now. I didn't realize that they were actually shorts of about five minutes each that Nick just edited together until seeing them again on DVD.
- Darkwing Duck - There were a bunch of Disney afternoon shows that I watched, like Duck Tales, Chip'n'Dale's Rescue Rangers, and Tale Spin. However, my favorite was Darkwing Duck, which seemed like it never got the shot it deserved. DD was a fairly incompetent duck superhero. The show was very funny to me, and I still quote the catchphrase: "I am the terror that flaps in the night..."
- Double Dare - One of the greatest game shows ever. It was hosted by Marc Summers (who now does a lot with Food Network), and involved kids getting very messy for cash and prizes. I really wanted to be a contestant.
- Kids Incorporated - I don't remember a whole lot about this show, except that I watched it a lot on Disney, and it was one of those pop singing shows. I had fantasies where I cast myself and my friends (and yes, some of my stuffed animals, proof of which I still think my parents have on their fridge) on the show.
- The Muppet Show - Are you kidding me? Greatest show ever. Period. I loved it then, I love it now. And I own the first two seasons on DVD.
- The Price Is Right - One of my earliest memories is from sitting on the couch at my sitter's house, eating Frosted Flakes and watching Bob Barker on The Price Is Right. I haven't seen any of the Drew Carey incarnation, so I can't judge, but I know that Bob Barker was the greatest. Come on down!
- The Real Ghostbusters - I was a Ghostbusters fan before I watched either movie (and I actually saw the second movie before the first). I watched the cartoon every week, however. A few episodes stand out in my mind, such as the Christmas episode where the Ghostbusters captured Scrooge's ghosts; the Sandman episode, where everyone in New York (except Winston) was put to sleep; and the Boogeyman episode, which gave me nightmares. What a great cartoon.
- Square One - This was an educational show about math. It aired on PBS, and it was very clever and funny. I loved Mathnet, the Dragnet parody that featured two mathematicians (Kate Monday and George Frankly) solving crimes. I've seen some clips on YouTube recently, and it still holds up (if slightly cheesier than I remember it).
- Tiny Toons - If there's one thing I remember about the shows I watched in my childhood, it is that my father hated this one. I loved it, though what I've seen since hasn't held up as well. I guess my father was not the target audience.
- Transformers - I used to watch Transformers, but then something happened and I didn't want to see it anymore. I don't remember if it scared me or not, but it seems like I smelled something bad, associated it with the show, and stopped watching. I don't really know.
- You Can't Do That On Television - This was a sketch comedy show for kids on Nickelodeon, and it was great. Don't say water, or get water dumped on you. Don't say "I don't know", or get slimed. And then there were the opposite sketches, the cheesy jokes from the lockers, and Barth. Good old Barth.
