Nostalgic shows to entertain young and old,
Out of ideas for what to stream for the kids? These classic shows are worth revisiting
Seasons have changed, moons have passed and there’s a good chance that you have reached a new stratum in your streaming studies. There are limitless discoveries to be made, or so it seems. And old relics are turning up too.
Comfort and nostalgic TV are trending. As is family-friendly programming — how else would order be kept and revolts be extinguished in this time of quarantine?
In the Venn diagram of children’s and nostalgic TV shows available on streaming services, the circles barely meet. We are all familiar with the dynasties of children’s television like “Sesame Street” — may sunny days sweep the cloudy days away forever.
Or, the iconic and imaginative “Mr. Dressup” — couldn’t we all use some craft time now? And it’s not possible to forget about “Polka Dot Door,” the mind-expanding show about songs and stories that may be one of the longestrunning Canadian shows, spanning the ’70s to the ’90s (to this day you can still spot Polkaroo on TVO Kids). But what of the wacky children’s shows that didn’t make it past the ’90s: the puppets, bears and secret lairs that not only entertained us as children, but educated us?
Do they remain buried for a reason? Maybe. We don’t have to go that far back in our TV past for cringeworthy content. As an adult, you can make sense of the time and trends and “Friends” of it, but is a show about a pet monster OK today? Or do these artifacts merely lack the flash and velocity to edutain today’s child?
If you haven’t jumped down the YouTube rabbit hole yet, searching for a “Care Bear” or “Carmen Sandiego,” hop on in for a random and unscientific search of the shows with a Canadian connection that shaped us — for better or worse — and find out if you can rewatch them or if they have dissolved into the ether.
Today’s Special (1981—1987)
This Canadian TV show taught us about what really happens after hours at a department store: Jodie, Sam the security guard, and Muffy the Mouse teach Jeff, the mannequin that comes to life through magic, about being human. Incidentally, IMDB trivia tells us that some scenes were actually filmed at Simpson’s, the department store that the show is based on. You’ve been there. It’s now the Bay flagship at Yonge and Queen streets.
Where to find it: A true fan of the show has collected episodes on YouTube to the delight of many. But otherwise, it can’t be found. Not even on TVO YouTube channels.
Inspector Gadget (1983—1986)
— Original Series The original animated Canadian co-pro about a bionic secret police inspector who is happily clueless but still manages to outwit the bad guys, with his niece Penny and her dog Brain along for the ride, was ahead of its time. It taught us that girls can save the day, dogs are good and cats are evil, self-driving vehicles are real, wearable tech is not out of the ordinary and that you should never leave home without your tablet or smartphone.
Where to find it: If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you are in luck. Or, if you have a library card, you can check it out for free on Hoopla.
Fraggle Rock (1983—1987)
Filmed in Toronto for CBC, HBO and ITV, this Jim Henson-produced show about the creatures living in Fraggle
Rock was created to show a positive version of our world: egalitarian, environmentally minded and a shorter workweek to make more time for dancing and singing, unless you are a Doozer, of course. Where to find it: Amazon Prime Video does it again. The entire series is available. The 1987 documentary, “Down to Fraggle Rock,” narrated by Jim Henson, is a great companion to the series but is not currently found anywhere, except for maybe YouTube, unofficially speaking.
Edison Twins (1984—1986) Problem-solving with science! Annie and Tom Edison are twin wunderkind teenagers who solve neighbourhood mysteries using scientific and mathematical principles, not unlike the man that inspired their name, Thomas Edison. To top it off, each episode ended with an animated “how-to” explanation: codes and ciphers, animation, radio waves. Where to find it: Even though this originally aired on the CBC and was filmed in Toronto, you can no longer watch it in Canada. (Unless you are on YouTube.) Americans can still watch on Ameba, an independent subscription service for educational TV for kids. It is listed as being on the free streaming service Tubi on Apple TV, but it isn’t really.
Care Bears (1985—1988) The Canadian-produced series by Nelvana is the one you know and love, north and south of the border. This animated series about bears who live in Care-aLot were parables about kindness and karma. Let’s face it, even though the “Care Bears” are fictional, there is something very real about the feelings-stealing, Lord No-Heart. Where to find it: The original series isn’t available in Canada. (Check out the Care Bear channel on YouTube.)
Fred Penner’s Place (1985—1997) Don’t we all want a secret forest hideaway accessible only through a treetrunk? If the musical Fred Penner taught us anything, it was the value of playtime. Let creativity reign. Why not make musical instruments from household pots and cutlery? Yes, that happened! Where to find it: You can watch Season One on CBC Gem.
Street Cents (1989-1998) — The BuyCo. Years There is not a lot to be found on “Street Cents.” Even the CBC, the network that aired the Halifax-based production, has expunged traces of the show’s early years. “Street Cents” taught us to be cynical, in a good way. Advertising and big-name brands were passé — so much so that it aired without commercials. I wonder if a younger Naomi Klein ever tuned in? In 2015, Vice featured an oral history of “Street Cents,” which is essential reading for diehards.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1991—1995) — The game show First, this is an American game show based on a computer game that tested kids on their knowledge of geography. But did you know there was a French Canadian version? “Mais où se cache Carmen Sandiego?” (1994—1996). Made in Montreal by Télé-Québec, the french language educational network of Québec, the show followed the same format, but in French, bien sûr.