Programmes from my childhood are much better, even today.
I am blessed, and cursed, with a child who doesn’t like to watch television programmes on his own. That's not because he is scared but because he has a very inquisitive and social nature.
When he is watching TV he is always asking questions, coming up with alternative scenarios, or explaining – to whoever will listen – what is going on.
Then, when all that stops, he launches into quizzes on our favourite characters and which ones we’d like to be ourselves.
This is all very positive and enjoyable if a little exhausting at times.
But it does mean I have had to sit through some of what I can only describe as absolute dross.
Differing tastes
Perhaps, with my son being a six and me being 34, you might expect us to have similar tastes. But there are children’s programmes from his era that I just can’t get on with.
Ben 10 is probably the worst of these, and the most obvious that we differ on. I think my distaste for this series is largely down to the cynic in me that believes it is more about the merchandising than the quality of the show.
Owning figures based on the shows we love is not a new thing, and maybe I am romanticising about my childhood, but consistently updating characters, or adding new ones, just smacks of a pre-determined need to make more money than improving story lines.
What happened to TV annuals?
Recently we’ve seen the demise of the Blue Peter annual, where declining sales of the once much desired TV annuals in favour of other types of merchandise has seen sales end completely for them.
Older kids’ television programmes certainly seemed – even if they weren’t – to be more about the quality of the programme, increasing viewing figures, and I’m guessing advertising revenue, rather than what they could sell as a result of their existence.
Back to my childhood
Recently I decided to introduce some of my own childhood favourites to my son in an effort to make watching television together a more enjoyable experience for us.
Box sets of The A-Team, Dangermouse and Starfleet were ordered.
It’s been a great success. As I have enjoyed re-watching programmes I liked 20-odd years ago, and my boy has been intrigued by them too.
At times his friends have been confused by his mimicking of the cast of The A-Team, but all has become clear upon a visit to our house.
And as my son’s grandparents are still prepared to watch programmes from today with him – as am I occasionally. So he doesn’t feel left out when playground discussions lead to Horrid Henry or The Giblet Boys.
Used correctly television can be a fantastic tool for stimulating children's imagination - quite a vehicle - just probably not as great as Mr T’s van.
Do you enjoy watching TV with your children? Or are there programmes you'd rather avoid than engage with?
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06 October, 2011
My son is loving Scooby Doo at the moment and always watched Noddy and Andy Pandy when he was younger, so again nice to see that he's loving the programs of our youth. Certainly agree that some of the programs around now are awful, some are good admittedly and have learning messages in them but the likes of Power Rangers and Ben 10 are encouraging kids in my opinion to grow up with violence, and there's already enough of that in the world without adding to it. Oh dear, I think I've turned into Mary Whitehouse!
mum
06 October, 2011
I love this post. I don't let Harry watch Ben 10 or Power Rangers, but I enjoy quite a few of the shows he loves (me and his dad have actually watched Phineas & Ferb after Harry's gone to bed...). He's quite keen to know what shows we loved "in our time" and Morph's gone down very well with all of us. I think Dangermouse could well be another hit.
mum
06 October, 2011
I have done exactly the same and have bought loads of dvds of my old childhood favourites, my kids love them, and i love watching them again and feeling nostalgic. You are right, there is some absolute rubbish on these days - some ok though. great post
dad
06 October, 2011
Kim - I got my boy Trumpton and Camblewick Green on DVD when he was younger. I'd almost managed to forget about the Power Rangers. Not sure I can claim complete innocence on the inciting violence front, after all The A-Team has lots of fights and artillery in it.
Keris - I like Deadly 60, and even some of the Sam & Mark stuff. Dangermouse has gone down a storm here, not as well as The A-Team but still a success.
Elsie - Thank you, and pleased to know I am not alone in doing this.
mum
06 October, 2011
The first time I tried this I sat my sons down in front of a video of the Clangers. Not surprisingly they weren't impressed - not everything keeps very well.
Now I restrain myself to showing them classic films - The Sound Of Music, Back To The Future, ET, Mary Poppins etc. It's become quite a treat to have a movie night and it's my choice.
That said, some of the stuff they watch now is less awful than a few years ago. Phineas & Ferb is brilliant as is Fairly Odd Parents.
admin
07 October, 2011
Sadly many of these don't mean anything to me as I didn't grow up in the UK. We got a lot of American shows (which I still love) like The A Team, MacGyver, Knight Rider etc. My children are still quite young so they like watching things like Shaun the sheep and Wallace and Gromit, but I'm trying to track down the Wombles to see what they make of that. We haven't really progressed past CBeebies yet, and I dread the day they see the likes of Ben 10.
Leigh
Ready for Ten Team
mum
07 October, 2011
Great post. I do this as well - buy DVDs of 'retro' programmes in the hope they'll prefer them to some of the contemporary ones. Clangers and Bagpuss and Roobarb and Custard went down well but Mister Ben and Mary Mungo and Midge were met with howls of derision. They thought the animation was terrible! Personally I can't stand Ben 10, or Power Rangers. I'm thinking of getting Sesame Street out - I wonder if it will be as good as I remember!
dad
07 October, 2011
Ellen - My son has tried to introduce me to the Ferb folk, will have to agree at some point.
Leigh - It was Mr Men all the way for me at that stage.
Alison - Thanks. And it's been good to see if these programmes were as good as I remebered.
mum
07 October, 2011
We bought The Muppets TV series on DVD, allegedly for the benefit of our daughter. She also shares my appreciation of Bod which is wonderfully simple, with brilliant music.
expert
09 October, 2011
Great post Ian. The trouble is that children's TV today is all about the merchandise rather than creative people making programmes that children will engage with - you'd be hard pushed to find a show that doesn't have an associated range of tat to flog. In many cases the programmes are in part or wholly funded by the toy marketeers, making them little more than glorified adverts. People complain about toy ads in between the programmes, but at least then you can talk to your child about the ads and see them for what they are. It's harder to do that when the programme *is* the advert.
dad
10 October, 2011
Kath - Muppets is a good call. I used to enjoy their movies. Will have to see if I can grab a bargain.
Joanne - Thank you. I know what you mean and I suppose the world must still go round, but the cynic in me finds it difficult to take to some 'shows'. I remember reading about the creation of In The Night Garden, and how it was all geared, produced with costs and merchandising right at the front, and that's from the good old Beeb.
11 October, 2011
Children's television made with a motive to sell toys has been going on for decades. Star Wars in 1979 featured a load of aliens in the background purely to sell merchandise. He-Man in '83. Transformers in '84. Plus a load of others.
This doesn't, however, necessarily make the shows 'bad'. In fact it helps to make a half-decent show otherwise children won't want to watch it and buy the toys!
dad
11 October, 2011
Good points Damian. I am a massive Star Wars fan, and the 1977 original which I am so in love with was unmotivated by merchandising, although all subsequent films were affected by it (The case of the Ewoks and Lando well documented). Granted having characters to buy is brilliant for children to re-enact scenes and make their own, but this should not be the motive for programming, IMNSHO.