For The Kids #18: Shining Time Station (Thomas & Friends)

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: February 12, 2021) Word up! Will Wordman and Lucas WordMancini don the costume for the much-requested show that was all about vocabulary, WordGirl! The guys learn more about the history of the show's animation studio and unique comedic style, the S-tier voice-acting roster, and if PBS succeeded at making a smart and funny television show for kids. Redistribute the cheese wealth!

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 29, 2021) He's just a kid who's 4, it's Caillou! Will and Lucas uncover the history of the bald kid that everyone hates and determine whether or not his stint on PBS Kids was as bad as everyone says it is. The guys sift through their own complicated feelings on Caillou while exploring the surprisingly deep history of the character's development, its connections to Arthur, Teletoon, and Spawn(?), and the potentially dubious source of the Caillou backlash.

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: January 15, 2021) Will and Lucas, two grown men, enter the Boohbah Zone! Lucas is far more enchanted by the more psychedelic and arthouse aspects of the Teletubbies also-ran, while Will is a bit more put off...they explore its brief history before diving in to a full episode of the show for babies/sensory assault. Along the way, they discuss which 2020 phenomenon the Boohbahs resemble, reveal a surprising connection to a podcast inside joke, and generally revel in the silly and even creepy world of Boohbah.

(Original airdate: December 18, 2020) (CW: More swears than normal) Conductor Will seats Lucas on the Nostalgia Express as they take a look at the origins of Thomas The Tank Engine and its North American vessel, Shining Time Station! Later on down the track, they wrap their heads around children's entertainer George Carlin, discover an interesting link between Thomas and a popular anime, discuss which Canadian TV channel corresponds to its American equivalent, Will reveals his top 3 childhood fandoms, and Lucas finds his new favorite character(s)!

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: December 4, 2020) Eso es! Will and Lucas, by the whim of the Patreon poll, look back at another attempt by PBS to appeal to the Hispanic market, with a show about twin siblings and a healthy amount of Spanglish. Along the way, the guys discuss their childhood bedtimes, Chuck E. Cheese, lucha libre, and a surprising Arthur-related connection!

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: November 21, 2020) Will and Lucas wish on a dragon scale, and find themselves neck-deep in Dragon Tales! The guys explore the long road that the show took to becoming a reality, and just how lucrative it was for PBS Kids (plus, the wild merchandise!). Along the way, they discover the show's connections to ReBoot and the Gundam franchise, its theme song and Will's take on it, reminisce on an EXTREMELY regional popcorn franchise, and why Dragon Tales may secretly be anime...  Some of the research for this episode came from this episode of DefunctTV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNF6XhSF0a8 

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 23, 2020) The podcast digs into a favorite from Lucas' past as he and Will come in Between The Lions! The guys take a look at the Sesame Street-adjacent production that aimed to improve kids' reading ability and try to keep their heads on a swivel to keep up with all of the segments...plus, some stops along the way to remember TV Guide and the TV listings channel, make a surprising Gremlins connection, and determining where the BTL theme song ranks in the For The Kids canon! Some of the research for this episode came from this episode of DefunctTV, check out the video at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpRmCXTdlE8& 

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: October 9, 2020) Martha was an average dog, until she won the Patreon poll! Lucas and Will dive in to the cartoon all about a talking dog and her impressive vocabulary and the world of talking animal media. There's a lot to discuss about the show's Arthur roots and its connection to another mega-popular cartoon franchise, how accurately the show portrays the radio, fashion, and what Lucas' dog Spirit would say if they ate alphabet soup...

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 25, 2020) Will & Lucas are buzzing about this PBS Kids show that was produced in, and heavily features, their hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada! The guys get in all of their many Atlantic Canada references throughout the show while discussing the aquatic equivalent of Thomas The Tank Engine as well as its real-life counterpart, plus Lucas drops hot exclusive information about the show and his connection to it and Will remembers his own encounter with the show's Harbormaster...

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: September 11, 2020) Hello, neighbor! Will and Lucas get down to tackling a true titan of children's television, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. They cover a brief history of the man himself, his amazing outfits and his innate charisma and showmanship before settling into an episode and ruminating on the big question: Does Mister Rogers' Neighborhood hang with today's crop of kid's entertainment?