“Viewers like you. Thank you!” I think any single digit 2000’s kid reading this right now can vividly recall which of their favorite tv shows this tagline was attached to. The channel numbers might have been different, but the shows were the same. And so our Saturdays were spent the same way.
Cereal with your favorite spoon and bowl, milk dribbled around the floor as evidence of your still developing fine motor skills, and the main tv set. You’re probably at your grandmother's house, so at least 4 people to 1 remote. And so whilst the house was empty or the adults decided to humor you for a few hours, you dutifully watched the same shows alongside millions of other kids (and annoyed older siblings) around the country.
One day, we stopped dribbling milk on the floor and washed our bowls in the sink for the last time. Then, before the bowls were done drying, we grew up.
The 24/7 PBS kids channel was created in the beginning of 1999. For me, it aired on the WTTW station. I was a dutiful viewer. Their theme songs and reruns play in the background of some of the softest moments of my childhood.
Super Why
When I was 7 years old, I lived in the coolest apartment ever. It had an upstairs and a downstairs, and my room was hugeeeeeee. I had an absolutely ridiculous amount of space all to myself. My unit of measurement as a kid was the amount of cartwheels I could fit between walls. My room was 5 and a half cartwheels lengthwise and 6 cartwheels wide. Before we moved in, my dad and I spent two days painting my walls pink. (My parents always tried their best to make me happy.) Unfortunately, our home was broken into two separate times. My brother was only 10 months old, so my parents weren’t willing to risk a third.
I have always been proficient in moving. I had a lot of practice in putting my life in boxes.
The upstairs part of our home had a lot of empty space, this is where I spent most of my time as a kid. (My biggest regret is not spending more time in my room) The night of our move, I remember waiting by the door with my mom, brothers, and the last of our bags. I’ve always been very expressive (my mother nurtured this in me the best she could) and I was so excited about moving. My little brother loved watching me dance and sing, and I loved my little brother, so that’s what I did. I sang the Super-Why theme song and arabesqued around the room.
My mom was stressed out a lot around that time and I definitely wasn’t helping. But for a very long time, I didn’t notice that. All I remembered was my brother's laugh and the smile on her face. When I hum the theme song and remember my immense pride at being a “super reader” my whole life, I find myself reflecting on the simplicity of my world at that time.
Yo-Gabba-Gabba
I’m a big musical fan, I can sing Hamilton and the Lorax soundtracks at the drop of a hat. I’m a great performer, Glee, Dance Moms and Bring IT were my first “big girl” shows.
Yo-Gabba-Gabba had the catchiest jingles. Between the colorful sets and costume design and the enthusiasm with which Lance Robertson performed, I was hooked. It was one of my favorite shows, but it’s nearly impossible to rewatch. It truly was a show made for children. My dad and I spent a lot of time in movie theaters. So when he told me we were going to see a movie, I figured we’d just be rewatching The Avengers for the fifth time. Imagine my shock when I heard Muno and Plex start singing on stage. I don’t remember much of this live performance. It’s a blur of joy and laughter mostly.
My dad and I spent a lot of time watching movies together. He was not big on snacks, but he was huge on cereal. Naturally, so was I. The top of our refrigerator seemed to be host to an infinite supply of corn pops and golden smacks (thanks mom). We spent weekends watching all sorts of movies. Because my dad is a 50 year old man, he wasn’t interested in Pixar and Dreamworks films. I watched Cars for the first time last summer and I didn’t understand any of my best friends' Shark Tales references until the week I turned 19.
My dad and I watched whatever movies we could catch on TV. We're both absolute comic book nerds, so naturally Nolans’ Batman Trilogy was up first, and the rest was history.
Fetch! With Ruff-Ruffman
I have a lot of Space in my house. Space of course being the name of my pets, Spot and Ace. Owning a dog and a cat in the same, reasonably small home is a lot of work. But I adore my pets, and I’ve always adored the dynamics of pets and people. Fetch! was a tv show about a game show host who happened to be a dog. His assistant was a black cat and his participants were middle school kids. These kids got to do the coolest stuff in the world. I loved this show dearly, it was unique not only in form, but in perspective. Instead of having adult chaperones walk them through everything, or casting a net of “everyone is a true winner” under the losers feet, the contestants were given genuine independence. Obviously I don’t think that these 12 year olds were running around Boston alone, but it was close enough for me. My independence is something I am fiercely protective of. While I couldn’t compete on the show (the contestants could only be from Boston), I tuned in every chance I got. Seeing children being treated as capable human beings went really far for me. Plus I dreamed of owning a dog and a cat at the same time, the show made it seem so cool.
Thanks to my mom, this dream is a reality now, and I spend my time at home tiring out a pitbull and being head-butted by a grumpy tabby cat. As far as I know, Spot is not a game show host and Ace isn’t his under appreciated assistant. Despite this, my pets are cool as hell. Ruff Ruff-man was cool as hell too.
Conclusion
PBS kids still airs on most local TV stations. Although I tune in to Hulu and Netflix like a proper 19 year old now, I am forever indebted to the creators of my favorite shows. To the countless talented, dedicated adults who created those magical Saturdays for me, I am endlessly grateful. Even though we all did it, it’s easy to forget the impact these channels had on our childhood. Not just PBS kids, and definitely not just the shows I talked about. As I get older, and my memories of when I was little Caitlyn become fuzzier, I find that love still creeps behind the blurry edges of the Saturday morning TV screen.
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