For The Kids #14: Martha Speaks

(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?

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: July 31, 2020) If you love to read, chances are that you saw this titan of children's television as a child and Will & Lucas are here to determine if Reading Rainbow holds up! The guys discuss the revered past and the uncertain future of the show before getting into their own reading habits, Star Trek: The Next Generation, the immortal theme song, and even manage to uncover another Arthur secret! 

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: July 17, 2020) Two out-of-their-depth white guys try and figure out if PBS' show about Chinese history and culture holds up or not! Will & Lucas talk about the representation that Sagwa brought to PBS in the early 2000s, the iconic theme song, and its significant connection to Arthur. There's also more silly fare like Galidor and Ace Lightning, and why Sagwa is China's answer to Kevin Bacon...

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: June 26, 2020) It's, quite literally, baby's first TV show as Will & Lucas turn back the clock to Barney-mania! Barney & Friends was something of a cultural touchstone of the 90's, so the guys remember their own experience watching as kids, then reflect on the hatedom of the anti-Barney backlash and the weird urban legends it spawned, and finally, take a look at the show and see if there's anything there for kids these days!

(ORIGINAL AIRDATE: June 12, 2020) Could the boys be barking up the wrong tree by revisiting the dog who loves to read? Will and Lucas delve into the history of the lovable Jack Russell Terrier and his literary adaptations, plus they take some time to think on which books should be Wishbone-ified, Medieval Times, the PBS Expanded Universe, and what the show's legacy is for the people who remember it...