Recount some of the most memorable television shows, video games, movies, or computer games that you have encountered throughout your years. Why did this particular media catch your attention?
As I grew older my favorite shows consisted of "Friends" and "Will and Grace." To this day, these are still my favorite shows, especially now that I’m plenty old enough to understand all the context, unlike when I was ten years old and didn’t know what they were talking about all the time. The "Friends" show is about a close knit group of friends that have been friends for years and years, they vary widely on their individual personalities but they all come together to love each other for who they truly are. Same with "Will and Grace," except they truly have unique relationships with one another. Karen is a bi sexual drug infested drunk, who cracks me up with her smart ass comments to Rosie. Jack is flaming gay and never passes a chance to show it and I love his crazy affection for himself. Will is an almost boring lawyer who lives and loves Grace who is just a hot mess. She reminds me of Lucy from "I Love Lucy." Both of these shows grab my attention because they are revolving around a group of friends, and to me a group of friends who truly care for one another for who they TRULY are, is extremely rare. A best friend only comes once in a lifetime. I love the relationships between people and how they work. It’s amusing to me to watch these shows that portray the lives of other groups of friends. The connections, perceptions, and realizations of one another from friend to friend is truly interesting when you think about it. Whether friends are totally opposites or practically twins, the relationship they share is remarkable especially when it’s presented as a comedy, which is my favorite. Anything that makes me laugh is worth watching! These are the thoughts and ideas behind these shows that ran successfully for so long. I love it!
From the colorful lunchboxes that my fellow classmates brought to school, to the decorations within the classrooms themselves, I was surrounded by cartoon characters. They not so much ‘caught my eye’ as much as they were ‘shoved down my throat’. The lunchboxes were covered with Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, The Power Rangers, and so on. The classroom decorations consisted of Clifford the Big Red Dog posters and Garfield knick-knacks. It was not my choice to become acquainted with these creatures. They neither interested me, nor did they concern me – and yet – there I was, surrounded by them, having to stare at their sickening grins all day long during lessons, and obligated to finish coloring within the lines of my Disney character picture when all I wanted to do was scribble all over Mickey’s face until I couldn’t see him anymore. I hated all of them. They bored me. They were my sworn enemies. They were infantile, and in my little mind, I thought I was so much more than that (clearly, I was wrong, but whatever). Then the day came: the day when we were going to watch a movie during class. It seemed so wrong; we came to school to learn, right? What was a movie going to teach us? Well, it taught me that there was something else beyond this too-bright, phony, and ridiculous cartoon world. There were films of the real world, too. The movie was Milo and Otis. The story of an orange kitten and a pug puppy lost in the wilderness away from their home. This was not a cartoon. This was something different. Different. That’s what I needed in order to be fascinated. Something different. All of this run-of-the mill animated animal junk was not enough for me. I noticed that it was imperative for me to see reality the way it was (even though Milo and Otis is far from a documentary) and I believe that this realization has helped me become the analytical skeptic that I am today.
In response to what Chelsey said: Humorous television shows are by far the only ones worth watching! Drama just doesn’t make sense to me. There’s enough of it going on, and it would be nice to get away from it every once in a while. And it’s funny how people start to like a certain series when they are very young and don’t fully comprehend the context of the episodes themselves. It’s great to hear kids laugh awkwardly when the recorded audiences on the show are heard laughing. The kids don’t get it, but they want to fit in, and it’s almost painful to watch them replay jokes over and over in their minds, hoping that something will eventually click. I’ve honestly never seen an episode of Friends (how strange) but all-in-all, I can fully agree that Will and Grace is a great show, and Jack is one funny guy, to say the least.
I completely forgot about All That. I loved that show. I liked Keenan and Kel the best out of all of them. I wish I would have remembered that. I have also seen Harriet the Spy. I thought it was okay just Rosie is a little annoying after her t.v. show and stuff. None of this really pertains to your blog but when you said All That I wanted to say something. Well actually I did like Harriet the spy I thought it was pretty cool. I remember the one scene where she is in the classroom and she is digging a message into her desk. I can't remember it completely but I think I felt bad for her. Also I do think that a duck eating your parents is pretty serious are they okay? haha Just kidding. All in all I can see that show could be pretty influencing on a young girl.
In response to what Marissa D, said: Well, I guess I’m old fashioned when it comes to the Disney characters and other animated movies. i absolutely love them. I mean, i recently went to see "Wall-E" and "Kung Fu Panda." The animated pictures still bring out the kid in me. Who doesn’t love "Finding Nemo?" So, I'm sorry Marissa, I can’t agree with scribbling all over Mickey Mouse's face. I can still remember going to Disney world when i was just a knobby kneed little brat. I thought that place was heaven and I'll always love the Disney characters, no matter how old I become! M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!
The word, "NICKELODEON!!!", could be heard shouted throughout my house by me and my twin brother Spencer, pretty much twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. From "Kablaam" to "Hey Arnold", I didn't want to miss a single episode of my favorite shows. At the time, I just thought the shows were really cool and never really thought much more about it. Looking back, I most likely was drawn to those shows because in most of the shows, the characters go through some of the same problematic situations that I was growing up. In "Hey Arnold" most of the episodes had an underlying moral theme that was eventually tied in at the end. If I had to pick a favorite Nickelodeon show, I would have to say it would be "Keenan and Kel". My brother and I were quite crazy when we were younger and Keenan and Kel were always getting into trouble too. If I had to pick a current favorite show, it would definitely be "Lost" or "Entourage". The characters of Lost and suspense can keep one hooked for hours. Lost really caught my attention because I've never seen a show like it. It's been four great seasons and we as viewers still do not know everything about the special island they are stranded on. Now on the other hand, the outrageously glamorous lifestyle of Vince, E, Turtle, Ari and Drama never gets old for me. Entourage is one of the few shows I could watch over and over again without getting sick of it. They have the life that most people only dream of and not to mention the comedic aspect of the show. I think the reason that I was drawn to watch "Entourage" is that i have a close group of friends that remind me of the characters on the show. Of course, we don't have near the cash or good looks of guys on the show but some of the situations of the show remind me of stuff that happens to us too. Most of these shows shaped me into who I am today and as Kel would say "Awwww Here It Goes!"
Living my first 5 years of life in London and then moving to Australia I would assume the television shows I grew up watching were different to those you all watched. However, I know the movies I watched were probably the same. I had the largest Disney video collection of everyone I knew. I loved Winnie the Pooh and all his friends in the “Hundred Acre Wood”. I think this was mainly due to the fact I loved thinking up fantasy worlds for my toys to live in as Christopher Robin did with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and the rest of the gang! I also loved the classics; Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Beauty and the Beast. But my favorite was, and still is, The Little Mermaid! The bright colors, the sea creatures and especially the singing lured me in time and time again. It was ironic that in the movie Arial wanted to be human and “play all day in the sun” when every little girl watching wanted to grow fins and go and live under the sea! Arial innocently got herself into all kinds of trouble just because she wanted to find out everything she could about the people she saw living on land. She was amazed by forks, cups, glasses and many more things we don’t think much of in everyday life and often take for granted. I think back to the days when I used to watch The Little Mermaid religiously. I was also young and innocent and often got into trouble for doing things I didn’t even realize were wrong! I was also amazed by new things. In a way I suppose I grew up with Arial, both of us were learning new things everyday and making new friends. Kids’ movies these days are far from the classics. I loved Shrek and Madagascar, but they don’t compare to the wonders of Disney when I was younger!
18 years of my life have gone by and every moment of it has been absolutely amazing. From the television shows, to the most famous Disney movies to Saturday morning cartoons, I was affixed to the television. The most memorable television show that I watched daily would probably be The Magic school bus. Who doesn’t love a magical bus, a teacher named Ms.Frizzle and field trips to unknown places? Watching 8 students go from science class to the depths of the sea to being turned into plants to learn about photosynthesis, captivated me . I was hooked. Every day after school, forget my homework it was straight to the T.V. to watch Ms.Frizzle and the gang embark on their newest adventure. Not to mention that I had a character on the show that had the same name as me! (Keesha is not a popular name, I was shocked!) This brings me to one of my all-time favorite movies, The Little Rascals. Watching Alfalfa and Darla and all of their friends, made me want to be just like them with freedom to do whatever they wanted. Parents were rarely featured in this movie which made me jealous that they didn’t have their parents telling them to do chores all of the time. The kids acted like grown-ups especially when Alfalfa claimed that he “loved” Darla, they were like 10 years old! Anyways, lastly my all time-favorite movie that I have seen around 20 times is Cool Runnings. This is the movie about the Jamaican bobsled team. This movie caught my attention because it was about 4 Jamaican sprinters who all lost their chance to compete at the summer Olympics until one guy decided to start a bobsled team. Of course in Jamaica they do not have cold weather, nevermind ice! It is full of hilarious moments and phrases that I have memorized (from time to time I will quote the movie much like people quote “Borat”). For me, comedy is a way for me to grasp information and apply it, all of the aforementioned movies and shows used comedy in a way to get kids to understand it. Well it worked for me. I tell you that I actually learned about photosynthesis before all of my second grade friends did all thanks to the Magic School Bus. If you need to brush up on any of your science knowledge or need to show up your genius science friend may I suggest going to YouTube and searching the Magic School Bus?
Yes Hannah Disney! Disney! That is all I can say. When I was growing up all I wanted to do was become a Disney Princess. Ariel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, it didn't matter to me. I wished that I while I was sleeping my fairy godmother would come and wave her magic wand over my innocent, naive little head and "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" I would turn into Princess Keesha. Well as I got older I realized just how lame of a drea that was. So instead I decided to bring a little bit of my childhood with me and decorate my room with a Disney theme! I agree with you 110 % that nothing is as good as the original Disney movies. Shrek and Madagascar were funny but the classics are the way to go!!!
When I was a kid, I was the monkey child scaling trees and acquiring splinters left and right. I was always outside, and I was rightfully raised to have respect for nature. So, needless to say, the “captivating” 11-part series Planet Earth that aired in 2007 literally captivated me. You could not pry me from the television screen. Every episode extended my utter awe of the world. For example, in the last episode on caves they found a visible division of chemical composition within the lake which made the surface appear to be below the actual surface while you were swimming back up. Like an illusion. It blew my mind. Given the fact that I usually only watch tv purely for entertainment, like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, or Reno 911, it is a rare achievement for a tv show to inspire me. I had begun to lose my interest with being outdoors around 14 due to the ever advancing world of technology. In other words, computers and tv were ruling my life. But this show re-exposed me, and everyone, to the natural world that our society has separated ourselves from. It reminded me that there is more to this world than our materialistic obsessions, our gas-guzzling sports cars, and the artificial environment in general. This show set out to make the human race care about our planet again, and it succeeded in my book. It showed how bizarre reality can be, exposing things from birds that can literally shape shift, to squids that can light up 1000 miles below sea level. It portrayed the diversity of nature that we tend to ignore, and by doing so, it intrigued our easily distracted society. We get so wrapped up in our own lives that we simply forget about it. But I think Planet Earth showed that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, and that we have the responsibility and power to save it.
Harriet the Spy is the grade A film. That "boy with the purple socks" is the greatest mystery man.. of all time I'd say. I'm only slightly exaggerating. I think kid shows/movies have definately gone downhill since our generation though. There use to be so much encouragement to be imaginative and explore. Every girl character on Nickelodeon and Disney now has a full face of make-up, perfectly placed hair, and a blackberry. I don't know what the world is coming too. It's coming to an end, hah. Alright, but seriously, Harriet the Spy, great movie.
During my younger years, I never could understand why my entire family obsessed about the television show, "Seinfeld". Some people refer to this show as, "the show about absolutely nothing." It seems to have one universal theme for its episodes...sex. And the comical part about the show is that Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George all speak of it so nonchalantly. As an eight-year old, it made me quite angry to see my family enjoying this sitcom while I could do nothing but grunt. I never could grasp the jokes that Jerry and Elaine would make during the episode. In essence, I was jealous. I wanted to be older so I could join in the laughter. It really made me feel like a little girl. However, all in all, that's exactly what I was... a little girl. I wasn't supposed to understand the sexual innuendos. And for those who haven't seen this show before, "Seinfeld" is pretty much defined by the indirect remarks to sex. But as the years went by, I learned a little more about our society and how much it revolves around this concept. I began to realize that the way the characters approach dating others was actually funny. And the fact that there really wasn't any other plot to it, I had to agree that it was about "Nothing!" In my opinion, it seems a little extreme how Jerry dates a different woman every episode. [Although I do understand that it's in a certain way...just for effect.] He will never commit to a woman for more than 5 days, practically. In the beginning of the episode, he seems so excited about finding this wonderful new female. It seems as though he is starting out "fresh" in the dating world and will come into this new relationship with an open mind. However, one specific episode was particularly ridiculous because he ended up breaking up with her by the end of the show. The craziest part was that he broke up with her because she had “man” hands. In other words, they weren’t beautiful enough for his superficial perspective. So the fact that Jerry makes such outlandish and extreme decisions for his dating life, it is therefore very humorous to the audiences…such as myself. Despite any previous accusations I may have made at a younger age, I am now the biggest fan of “Seinfeld”. I find all the corky mistakes to be the most comical aspect of the show and I absolutely love watching it now.
In response to Deanna: PLANET EARTH RULES! Seriously though, I totally understand where you're coming from. That series made it really easy to see natural beauties only the wealthy get to travel to. The way they filmed it was pretty impressive as well. I watched something on how during the cave filming the fimers were sitting in piles of bat dung for weeks at a time. I also loved how they could speed up every natural process so you really saw the change take place (a flower blooming or something). I desperately want to purchase the series, but it is nowhere near my budget at this point. It really did inspire me to get off my ass and think about traveling. It exposed us to things we forgot existed. You're right, we're way too busy and lazy. I think Planet Earth was the perfect way to give some people a swift kick in the ass, myself included.
Well one of the most influential media in my childhood was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I loved the movies, the games, the TV series, and anything else to do with them! I even learned my first word while watching the first movie; it was the scene where they were explaining their change and they learned their first word as well “pizza”. They were just really cool with their ninja fighting moves and their catchy comebacks to the bad guys, especially the Shredder. I also remember that as a kid I would play Math Blaster and Freddy The Fish on my dad’s computer. They were really good games that taught you math and problem solving skills respectively. In Math Blaster, you had to navigate the levels and shoot the aliens that got in your way, but your shot would only hit its target if you solved the math problem correctly. In Freddy The Fish your friend gets kidnapped and Freddy has to find him. You have to search for clues that lead you to new places and you have to solve puzzles to open doors, or find the gears that fix the draw bridge and other things like that. I really liked puzzles and mysteries when I was a kid and I still do today. As for TV shows my absolute favorite show was Boy Meets World. It seemed that everything that happened to Corey happened to me right at the same time and his brother Eric really reminded me of my older brother. Even his parents reminded me of my own. The only extra person was his sister Morgan because I don’t have any other siblings. Part of the appeal of the show to me was that Corey always had his best friends Shaun and Topanga with him and he always stayed in the same place (except for the college years and even then he was in the same general area close to home). As part of a military family I would move every two-three years so I never really had a best friend like that or even a group of friends I hung out with my whole life. So it was mainly that vast difference between my life and Corey’s that made the show so appealing to me. I think that’s the key to making a good TV show; finding the contrast with your experiences and that of the characters while at the same time being able to relate to those experiences in some small way.
When I was younger I always use to watch the shows cat dog and doug. They use to always grasp my attention because of how dumb they were. I always seemed to have watched the dumbest shows on television. Another show I used to watch that grasped my attention was the gameshow legend of the hidden temple. I always loved that show because of how intense it was. I love watching game shows. Back when i was between the age of 4 and 6 it was all about thomas the train because my mom actually said I learned something from the show. Another show is spongebob square pants because I love watching Patrick Square and spongebob work together because they have a combined IQ of 30, which makes me feel like I am begging to become less smart when I watch the show. Spongebob caught my attention because I can relate to what they are doin in their life sometimes which makes me feel even dumber. Last but not least was the Flinstone's which was one of my favorite because it made me feel like I was with my family. Also it grabbed my attention because of how the lived in a rock and their pet was a freakin dinosaur. All these shows were pretty much all the shows I watched when I was younger but as i got older i began to discover the video games and all the war games that you could play on these games systems. I usually played games like madden NFL or NCAA football and sometimes I would play a war or fighting game. Once technology started to advance I tried to play some games on the internet like world of warcraft but once I tried to play i found out that I was wasting my time sitting on my ass. There were always the movies like Sandlot and Mighty Ducks that always caught my attention because I love sports and they are just classics but also the movie Superbad because of how much it remids me of high school and reminds me of kids that I know and also things that I did in high school. These are the most mermorable shows, movies, games, and computer games that I have grown up on over the years and they still are my faves.
Through the last 18 years of my life I can think of a few of television shows that caught my attention as a young child and held it ever since. The funny thing is that most of the shows have been cartoons. I guess I am just an animated person and like to watch animated shows. The number one show that caught my attention has to be Tom and Jerry there is nothing else like it on television plus it is a classic. There is just something about a cat and mouse rivalry that entertains me. The characters caught my attention right away. For one jerry is the cutest mouse I have ever seen. He has the best pranks and certainly knows how to get tom into some serious trouble. On the other hand we have Tom the sly cat even though hes not as clever as jerry he still knows how to get revenge. Most of the time jerry wins and that’s the way I like it. I guess its an underdog type of situation let the small guy win for once. The last show that caught my attention is looney tunes come on who doesn’t love the looney tunes. You have tweety, Sylvester , bugs bunny, taz, daffy duck, porky the pig, and many more. You not tell me out of all the looney tune characters you can not find one that you like. My all time favorite would have to be tweety I love that guy yes he is a guy for you that did not know that. But tweety has to be my favorite because the way he talks it reminds me of when I was growing up and had speech problems. I could always relate to tweety and he always cheered me up in one way or another.
While I was becoming the person that I am now, I was influenced in a number of ways by many different things. Things such as television shows and video games. My favorite shows to watch on television were "All That" and "Kennan and Kel". You know all the good ones. these shows shaped my being. They brought that type of comedy into my life. They molded my personality into a quick witted and sarcastic shape. The shows that I watch now are slightly different from before, but only in the sense that there for wiser minds. They are shows that use adult humor and sarcasm to entertain their audiences. Shows, such as "Family Guy", "American Dad", and "Futurama" all use witty sarcastic humor that captures me. I,also, now watch shows that keep my mind wanting to see more. I'm talking about shows like "Lost" and "Heroes." These types of shows make my brain think really hard on whats going to happen next. Now,as I look back into all these years, I realize that I have played way more video games than any kid should have. I'm not saying I didn't do anything else, but what I'm saying is that they had a major impact on my life. Video games taught me how to think in the ways that I do now. They taught me to be strategic and contemplate each move oh so carefully. I've played many types of games such as action, adventure, shooters, role-playing, and of course sports games. Of those, the game types that have had the biggest impact on me would be the sports games and the role-playing games. I play these types the most often because it is easy for me to relate to the games content. I like them the best because they make me think about things more carefully. These simple things have impacted my life on an immense scale and i just wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't fpr these things.
In responce to Hannah: I comepletely agree that kids shows today are far from the classics. Even though I didn't mention it in my post, you have reminded me of all those disney movies that I watched as a kid. I too have an extencive disney collection and I watched them time and again and they never got old. I guess thats the magic of disney they keep talking about. The one movie I would watch over and over was the Loin King. I even named my stuffed animal Simba! I think I still have him in a box somewhere but when I was little I would carry him everywhere. So even though the ninja turtles are my favorite I can safely say that disney movies are close second, especially the Lion King and Aladine, he was cool too!!!
I believe that the greatest thing behind the shows such as “Will And Grace” and “Friends” is indeed the comedy. I have always been drawn to humorous television shows, and I guess that is what has always made me love shows such as these. I can definitely relate to the comment you made earlier about being able to enjoy the show more and more as you grow older and begin to actually comprehend the content and plot of the show. It’s so funny how a show you can watch a show or a movie a few years later and pick up on way more details and aspects of the show that you never had noticed before! I also feel that the bond of friendship between characters in these television shows is what makes me want to continue watching these tv series over and over again. The comedy that ties all of characters and their friendships together makes these television shows so successful.
I am proud to say that I could quote majority of the lines from The Little Rascals, although I completely forgot about it until you mentioned it! I remember being roughly the same age as the children in the movie when I watched it and was jealous that my friends and I didn't have a clubhouse or a secret sign! As is the case in most movies of this type, Alfalfa and the rest of the boys made some pretty good revenge plans considering they were only 10 years old at the most! I always wanted to build a treehouse or a go-cart or play a prank on someone as revenge the way kids do in movies, but they quite turned out as well as i hoped! As im writing this The Parent Trap comes to mind. Lindsay Lohan played the part of twin sisters who were seperated at birth, coincidently meet each other and try to reunite their parents. One of the girls and the butler have the best handshake I have ever seen and those girls pulled pranks on everyone in order to get their parents back together! Movies with story lines like these often made me think of ways in which I could pull pranks on people!
For some reason I was always drawn to the animated shows of the late 80s to the early 90s. My favorite shows were transformers and most definitely teenage mutant ninja turtles. My brother and I would dress up as Leonardo and Michealangelo every chance we got. I think I was attracted to cartoons because I like to draw. Drawing allows you to create anything you want and to use your imagination. Another favorite for me would be rugrats because it was told from a toddlers perspective. Mainly though, its the way cartoonists use their imaginations that really caught my attention.
In response to Ms. O'Malley's blog, I have to say that I completely agree with loving all of those classic cartoons. They were absoultely priceless in so many ways and are still enjoyed today by varying groups of people. I would have to say that one of my appreciated points of Tom and Jerry is the fact that all the 'descriptions' are done through music. Essentially, no real word-conversation are necessary. Everything is 'spoken' through the different articulations in the music. For instance, a more 'frightening' sound [for example, a minor chord] usually accurately depicts how much Tom is striving to scare Jerry for revenge. Conclusively, we may all have enjoyed the same shows but for different reasons...which just means that the episodes were able to reach a wider audience.
23 comments:
As I grew older my favorite shows consisted of "Friends" and "Will and Grace." To this day, these are still my favorite shows, especially now that I’m plenty old enough to understand all the context, unlike when I was ten years old and didn’t know what they were talking about all the time. The "Friends" show is about a close knit group of friends that have been friends for years and years, they vary widely on their individual personalities but they all come together to love each other for who they truly are. Same with "Will and Grace," except they truly have unique relationships with one another. Karen is a bi sexual drug infested drunk, who cracks me up with her smart ass comments to Rosie. Jack is flaming gay and never passes a chance to show it and I love his crazy affection for himself. Will is an almost boring lawyer who lives and loves Grace who is just a hot mess. She reminds me of Lucy from "I Love Lucy." Both of these shows grab my attention because they are revolving around a group of friends, and to me a group of friends who truly care for one another for who they TRULY are, is extremely rare. A best friend only comes once in a lifetime. I love the relationships between people and how they work. It’s amusing to me to watch these shows that portray the lives of other groups of friends. The connections, perceptions, and realizations of one another from friend to friend is truly interesting when you think about it. Whether friends are totally opposites or practically twins, the relationship they share is remarkable especially when it’s presented as a comedy, which is my favorite. Anything that makes me laugh is worth watching! These are the thoughts and ideas behind these shows that ran successfully for so long. I love it!
All things 90’s have influenced more than I can express. That decade’s presence in my life was during, what some would consider, a crucial time in my development, and a strong sense of comfort and freedom are associated with all things 90’s. Having said this I could easily write about “Slime Time Live” or “All That,” and believe me, I’m tempted to do so; however I feel something that has influenced me the most would be the classic movie, “Harriet the Spy.”
This movie stars Michelle Trachtenberg who went on to bring us such classics as “The Ice Princess” and “Eurotrip.” Trachtenberg plays a sixth grade spy who spends her time figuring out the world and learning from her nanny, Gully, played by Rosie O’Donnell. Is this ringing any bells yet?
Anyway, I feel this movie greatly contributed to my “childhood sense of wonder.” It really opened my imagination. For instance, upon finding feathers on the floor at the age of seven I didn’t think my dog had torn apart my pillow, I was convinced a duck ate my parents. While this may seem silly (correction: while this is silly), a duck eating your parents is much more interesting than your dog having a fit. Similarly, Harriet found it more interesting to believe a Chinese delivery boy was some sort of black market runner. Reality was as she said it was until proven otherwise. This movie allowed me to understand “reality” while realizing the importance of my perception. When you’re young you’re not sure how the world really is. Harriet inspired me to question the world around me. She also made me think I could be a spy at age twelve, which seemed pretty cool at the time.
Harriet has influenced me in a much more superficial, costly way. I’m convinced that this character lead to my love for knick-knacks. Harriet had tons of great little tools she used for her spying. She had this beautiful green butterfly mirror, magnifying glass, notebooks, and more I can’t quite recall, all held on a belt under her yellow raincoat. There is a scene where Gully, Harriet, and her two best friends go to this garden full of knick-knacks. There were ties hanging from branches, bottles dangling from trees, hubcaps crafted into windmills, and bubbles everywhere. to this day I find “treasures in others’ trash.” As cliché as that sounds, it’s true.
Thanks to this movie I am extremely impractical, curious, and a pack rat. Everything is good in moderation, right?
p.s I'm not sure if I'm posting this right, so I'm sorry if I mess anyone up.
From the colorful lunchboxes that my fellow classmates brought to school, to the decorations within the classrooms themselves, I was surrounded by cartoon characters. They not so much ‘caught my eye’ as much as they were ‘shoved down my throat’. The lunchboxes were covered with Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, The Power Rangers, and so on. The classroom decorations consisted of Clifford the Big Red Dog posters and Garfield knick-knacks. It was not my choice to become acquainted with these creatures. They neither interested me, nor did they concern me – and yet – there I was, surrounded by them, having to stare at their sickening grins all day long during lessons, and obligated to finish coloring within the lines of my Disney character picture when all I wanted to do was scribble all over Mickey’s face until I couldn’t see him anymore. I hated all of them. They bored me. They were my sworn enemies. They were infantile, and in my little mind, I thought I was so much more than that (clearly, I was wrong, but whatever). Then the day came: the day when we were going to watch a movie during class. It seemed so wrong; we came to school to learn, right? What was a movie going to teach us? Well, it taught me that there was something else beyond this too-bright, phony, and ridiculous cartoon world. There were films of the real world, too. The movie was Milo and Otis. The story of an orange kitten and a pug puppy lost in the wilderness away from their home. This was not a cartoon. This was something different. Different. That’s what I needed in order to be fascinated. Something different. All of this run-of-the mill animated animal junk was not enough for me. I noticed that it was imperative for me to see reality the way it was (even though Milo and Otis is far from a documentary) and I believe that this realization has helped me become the analytical skeptic that I am today.
In response to what Chelsey said:
Humorous television shows are by far the only ones worth watching! Drama just doesn’t make sense to me. There’s enough of it going on, and it would be nice to get away from it every once in a while. And it’s funny how people start to like a certain series when they are very young and don’t fully comprehend the context of the episodes themselves. It’s great to hear kids laugh awkwardly when the recorded audiences on the show are heard laughing. The kids don’t get it, but they want to fit in, and it’s almost painful to watch them replay jokes over and over in their minds, hoping that something will eventually click. I’ve honestly never seen an episode of Friends (how strange) but all-in-all, I can fully agree that Will and Grace is a great show, and Jack is one funny guy, to say the least.
In response to Kirsten:
I completely forgot about All That. I loved that show. I liked Keenan and Kel the best out of all of them. I wish I would have remembered that. I have also seen Harriet the Spy. I thought it was okay just Rosie is a little annoying after her t.v. show and stuff. None of this really pertains to your blog but when you said All That I wanted to say something. Well actually I did like Harriet the spy I thought it was pretty cool. I remember the one scene where she is in the classroom and she is digging a message into her desk. I can't remember it completely but I think I felt bad for her. Also I do think that a duck eating your parents is pretty serious are they okay? haha Just kidding. All in all I can see that show could be pretty influencing on a young girl.
In response to what Marissa D, said:
Well, I guess I’m old fashioned when it comes to the Disney characters and other animated movies. i absolutely love them. I mean, i recently went to see "Wall-E" and "Kung Fu Panda." The animated pictures still bring out the kid in me. Who doesn’t love "Finding Nemo?" So, I'm sorry Marissa, I can’t agree with scribbling all over Mickey Mouse's face. I can still remember going to Disney world when i was just a knobby kneed little brat. I thought that place was heaven and I'll always love the Disney characters, no matter how old I become! M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!
The word, "NICKELODEON!!!", could be heard shouted throughout my house by me and my twin brother Spencer, pretty much twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. From "Kablaam" to "Hey Arnold", I didn't want to miss a single episode of my favorite shows. At the time, I just thought the shows were really cool and never really thought much more about it. Looking back, I most likely was drawn to those shows because in most of the shows, the characters go through some of the same problematic situations that I was growing up. In "Hey Arnold" most of the episodes had an underlying moral theme that was eventually tied in at the end. If I had to pick a favorite Nickelodeon show, I would have to say it would be "Keenan and Kel". My brother and I were quite crazy when we were younger and Keenan and Kel were always getting into trouble too. If I had to pick a current favorite show, it would definitely be "Lost" or "Entourage". The characters of Lost and suspense can keep one hooked for hours. Lost really caught my attention because I've never seen a show like it. It's been four great seasons and we as viewers still do not know everything about the special island they are stranded on. Now on the other hand, the outrageously glamorous lifestyle of Vince, E, Turtle, Ari and Drama never gets old for me. Entourage is one of the few shows I could watch over and over again without getting sick of it. They have the life that most people only dream of and not to mention the comedic aspect of the show. I think the reason that I was drawn to watch "Entourage" is that i have a close group of friends that remind me of the characters on the show. Of course, we don't have near the cash or good looks of guys on the show but some of the situations of the show remind me of stuff that happens to us too. Most of these shows shaped me into who I am today and as Kel would say "Awwww Here It Goes!"
Living my first 5 years of life in London and then moving to Australia I would assume the television shows I grew up watching were different to those you all watched. However, I know the movies I watched were probably the same. I had the largest Disney video collection of everyone I knew. I loved Winnie the Pooh and all his friends in the “Hundred Acre Wood”. I think this was mainly due to the fact I loved thinking up fantasy worlds for my toys to live in as Christopher Robin did with Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and the rest of the gang! I also loved the classics; Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Beauty and the Beast. But my favorite was, and still is, The Little Mermaid! The bright colors, the sea creatures and especially the singing lured me in time and time again. It was ironic that in the movie Arial wanted to be human and “play all day in the sun” when every little girl watching wanted to grow fins and go and live under the sea! Arial innocently got herself into all kinds of trouble just because she wanted to find out everything she could about the people she saw living on land. She was amazed by forks, cups, glasses and many more things we don’t think much of in everyday life and often take for granted. I think back to the days when I used to watch The Little Mermaid religiously. I was also young and innocent and often got into trouble for doing things I didn’t even realize were wrong! I was also amazed by new things. In a way I suppose I grew up with Arial, both of us were learning new things everyday and making new friends. Kids’ movies these days are far from the classics. I loved Shrek and Madagascar, but they don’t compare to the wonders of Disney when I was younger!
18 years of my life have gone by and every moment of it has been absolutely amazing. From the television shows, to the most famous Disney movies to Saturday morning cartoons, I was affixed to the television. The most memorable television show that I watched daily would probably be The Magic school bus. Who doesn’t love a magical bus, a teacher named Ms.Frizzle and field trips to unknown places? Watching 8 students go from science class to the depths of the sea to being turned into plants to learn about photosynthesis, captivated me . I was hooked. Every day after school, forget my homework it was straight to the T.V. to watch Ms.Frizzle and the gang embark on their newest adventure. Not to mention that I had a character on the show that had the same name as me! (Keesha is not a popular name, I was shocked!) This brings me to one of my all-time favorite movies, The Little Rascals. Watching Alfalfa and Darla and all of their friends, made me want to be just like them with freedom to do whatever they wanted. Parents were rarely featured in this movie which made me jealous that they didn’t have their parents telling them to do chores all of the time. The kids acted like grown-ups especially when Alfalfa claimed that he “loved” Darla, they were like 10 years old! Anyways, lastly my all time-favorite movie that I have seen around 20 times is Cool Runnings. This is the movie about the Jamaican bobsled team. This movie caught my attention because it was about 4 Jamaican sprinters who all lost their chance to compete at the summer Olympics until one guy decided to start a bobsled team. Of course in Jamaica they do not have cold weather, nevermind ice! It is full of hilarious moments and phrases that I have memorized (from time to time I will quote the movie much like people quote “Borat”). For me, comedy is a way for me to grasp information and apply it, all of the aforementioned movies and shows used comedy in a way to get kids to understand it. Well it worked for me. I tell you that I actually learned about photosynthesis before all of my second grade friends did all thanks to the Magic School Bus. If you need to brush up on any of your science knowledge or need to show up your genius science friend may I suggest going to YouTube and searching the Magic School Bus?
In Response to Hannah:
Yes Hannah Disney! Disney! That is all I can say. When I was growing up all I wanted to do was become a Disney Princess. Ariel, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Tinkerbell, it didn't matter to me. I wished that I while I was sleeping my fairy godmother would come and wave her magic wand over my innocent, naive little head and "Bibbity Bobbity Boo" I would turn into Princess Keesha. Well as I got older I realized just how lame of a drea that was. So instead I decided to bring a little bit of my childhood with me and decorate my room with a Disney theme! I agree with you 110 % that nothing is as good as the original Disney movies. Shrek and Madagascar were funny but the classics are the way to go!!!
When I was a kid, I was the monkey child scaling trees and acquiring splinters left and right. I was always outside, and I was rightfully raised to have respect for nature. So, needless to say, the “captivating” 11-part series Planet Earth that aired in 2007 literally captivated me. You could not pry me from the television screen. Every episode extended my utter awe of the world. For example, in the last episode on caves they found a visible division of chemical composition within the lake which made the surface appear to be below the actual surface while you were swimming back up. Like an illusion. It blew my mind. Given the fact that I usually only watch tv purely for entertainment, like It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, or Reno 911, it is a rare achievement for a tv show to inspire me. I had begun to lose my interest with being outdoors around 14 due to the ever advancing world of technology. In other words, computers and tv were ruling my life. But this show re-exposed me, and everyone, to the natural world that our society has separated ourselves from. It reminded me that there is more to this world than our materialistic obsessions, our gas-guzzling sports cars, and the artificial environment in general. This show set out to make the human race care about our planet again, and it succeeded in my book. It showed how bizarre reality can be, exposing things from birds that can literally shape shift, to squids that can light up 1000 miles below sea level. It portrayed the diversity of nature that we tend to ignore, and by doing so, it intrigued our easily distracted society. We get so wrapped up in our own lives that we simply forget about it. But I think Planet Earth showed that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, and that we have the responsibility and power to save it.
In response to Kirsten:
Harriet the Spy is the grade A film. That "boy with the purple socks" is the greatest mystery man.. of all time I'd say. I'm only slightly exaggerating. I think kid shows/movies have definately gone downhill since our generation though. There use to be so much encouragement to be imaginative and explore. Every girl character on Nickelodeon and Disney now has a full face of make-up, perfectly placed hair, and a blackberry. I don't know what the world is coming too. It's coming to an end, hah. Alright, but seriously, Harriet the Spy, great movie.
During my younger years, I never could understand why my entire family obsessed about the television show, "Seinfeld". Some people refer to this show as, "the show about absolutely nothing." It seems to have one universal theme for its episodes...sex. And the comical part about the show is that Jerry, Elaine, Kramer, and George all speak of it so nonchalantly. As an eight-year old, it made me quite angry to see my family enjoying this sitcom while I could do nothing but grunt. I never could grasp the jokes that Jerry and Elaine would make during the episode. In essence, I was jealous. I wanted to be older so I could join in the laughter. It really made me feel like a little girl. However, all in all, that's exactly what I was... a little girl. I wasn't supposed to understand the sexual innuendos. And for those who haven't seen this show before, "Seinfeld" is pretty much defined by the indirect remarks to sex. But as the years went by, I learned a little more about our society and how much it revolves around this concept. I began to realize that the way the characters approach dating others was actually funny. And the fact that there really wasn't any other plot to it, I had to agree that it was about "Nothing!" In my opinion, it seems a little extreme how Jerry dates a different woman every episode. [Although I do understand that it's in a certain way...just for effect.] He will never commit to a woman for more than 5 days, practically. In the beginning of the episode, he seems so excited about finding this wonderful new female. It seems as though he is starting out "fresh" in the dating world and will come into this new relationship with an open mind. However, one specific episode was particularly ridiculous because he ended up breaking up with her by the end of the show. The craziest part was that he broke up with her because she had “man” hands. In other words, they weren’t beautiful enough for his superficial perspective. So the fact that Jerry makes such outlandish and extreme decisions for his dating life, it is therefore very humorous to the audiences…such as myself. Despite any previous accusations I may have made at a younger age, I am now the biggest fan of “Seinfeld”. I find all the corky mistakes to be the most comical aspect of the show and I absolutely love watching it now.
In response to Deanna:
PLANET EARTH RULES!
Seriously though, I totally understand where you're coming from. That series made it really easy to see natural beauties only the wealthy get to travel to. The way they filmed it was pretty impressive as well. I watched something on how during the cave filming the fimers were sitting in piles of bat dung for weeks at a time. I also loved how they could speed up every natural process so you really saw the change take place (a flower blooming or something). I desperately want to purchase the series, but it is nowhere near my budget at this point. It really did inspire me to get off my ass and think about traveling. It exposed us to things we forgot existed. You're right, we're way too busy and lazy. I think Planet Earth was the perfect way to give some people a swift kick in the ass, myself included.
Well one of the most influential media in my childhood was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I loved the movies, the games, the TV series, and anything else to do with them! I even learned my first word while watching the first movie; it was the scene where they were explaining their change and they learned their first word as well “pizza”. They were just really cool with their ninja fighting moves and their catchy comebacks to the bad guys, especially the Shredder.
I also remember that as a kid I would play Math Blaster and Freddy The Fish on my dad’s computer. They were really good games that taught you math and problem solving skills respectively. In Math Blaster, you had to navigate the levels and shoot the aliens that got in your way, but your shot would only hit its target if you solved the math problem correctly. In Freddy The Fish your friend gets kidnapped and Freddy has to find him. You have to search for clues that lead you to new places and you have to solve puzzles to open doors, or find the gears that fix the draw bridge and other things like that. I really liked puzzles and mysteries when I was a kid and I still do today.
As for TV shows my absolute favorite show was Boy Meets World. It seemed that everything that happened to Corey happened to me right at the same time and his brother Eric really reminded me of my older brother. Even his parents reminded me of my own. The only extra person was his sister Morgan because I don’t have any other siblings. Part of the appeal of the show to me was that Corey always had his best friends Shaun and Topanga with him and he always stayed in the same place (except for the college years and even then he was in the same general area close to home). As part of a military family I would move every two-three years so I never really had a best friend like that or even a group of friends I hung out with my whole life. So it was mainly that vast difference between my life and Corey’s that made the show so appealing to me. I think that’s the key to making a good TV show; finding the contrast with your experiences and that of the characters while at the same time being able to relate to those experiences in some small way.
When I was younger I always use to watch the shows cat dog and doug. They use to always grasp my attention because of how dumb they were. I always seemed to have watched the dumbest shows on television. Another show I used to watch that grasped my attention was the gameshow legend of the hidden temple. I always loved that show because of how intense it was. I love watching game shows. Back when i was between the age of 4 and 6 it was all about thomas the train because my mom actually said I learned something from the show. Another show is spongebob square pants because I love watching Patrick Square and spongebob work together because they have a combined IQ of 30, which makes me feel like I am begging to become less smart when I watch the show. Spongebob caught my attention because I can relate to what they are doin in their life sometimes which makes me feel even dumber. Last but not least was the Flinstone's which was one of my favorite because it made me feel like I was with my family. Also it grabbed my attention because of how the lived in a rock and their pet was a freakin dinosaur. All these shows were pretty much all the shows I watched when I was younger but as i got older i began to discover the video games and all the war games that you could play on these games systems. I usually played games like madden NFL or NCAA football and sometimes I would play a war or fighting game. Once technology started to advance I tried to play some games on the internet like world of warcraft but once I tried to play i found out that I was wasting my time sitting on my ass. There were always the movies like Sandlot and Mighty Ducks that always caught my attention because I love sports and they are just classics but also the movie Superbad because of how much it remids me of high school and reminds me of kids that I know and also things that I did in high school. These are the most mermorable shows, movies, games, and computer games that I have grown up on over the years and they still are my faves.
Amber Bryant's Post:
Through the last 18 years of my life I can think of a few of television shows that caught my attention as a young child and held it ever since. The funny thing is that most of the shows have been cartoons. I guess I am just an animated person and like to watch animated shows. The number one show that caught my attention has to be Tom and Jerry there is nothing else like it on television plus it is a classic. There is just something about a cat and mouse rivalry that entertains me. The characters caught my attention right away. For one jerry is the cutest mouse I have ever seen. He has the best pranks and certainly knows how to get tom into some serious trouble. On the other hand we have Tom the sly cat even though hes not as clever as jerry he still knows how to get revenge. Most of the time jerry wins and that’s the way I like it. I guess its an underdog type of situation let the small guy win for once. The last show that caught my attention is looney tunes come on who doesn’t love the looney tunes. You have tweety, Sylvester , bugs bunny, taz, daffy duck, porky the pig, and many more. You not tell me out of all the looney tune characters you can not find one that you like. My all time favorite would have to be tweety I love that guy yes he is a guy for you that did not know that. But tweety has to be my favorite because the way he talks it reminds me of when I was growing up and had speech problems. I could always relate to tweety and he always cheered me up in one way or another.
While I was becoming the person that I am now, I was influenced in a number of ways by many different things. Things such as television shows and video games.
My favorite shows to watch on television were "All That" and "Kennan and Kel". You know all the good ones. these shows shaped my being. They brought that type of comedy into my life. They molded my personality into a quick witted and sarcastic shape. The shows that I watch now are slightly different from before, but only in the sense that there for wiser minds. They are shows that use adult humor and sarcasm to entertain their audiences. Shows, such as "Family Guy", "American Dad", and "Futurama" all use witty sarcastic humor that captures me. I,also, now watch shows that keep my mind wanting to see more. I'm talking about shows like "Lost" and "Heroes." These types of shows make my brain think really hard on whats going to happen next.
Now,as I look back into all these years, I realize that I have played way more video games than any kid should have. I'm not saying I didn't do anything else, but what I'm saying is that they had a major impact on my life. Video games taught me how to think in the ways that I do now. They taught me to be strategic and contemplate each move oh so carefully. I've played many types of games such as action, adventure, shooters, role-playing, and of course sports games. Of those, the game types that have had the biggest impact on me would be the sports games and the role-playing games. I play these types the most often because it is easy for me to relate to the games content. I like them the best because they make me think about things more carefully.
These simple things have impacted my life on an immense scale and i just wouldn't be the person I am if it weren't fpr these things.
In responce to Hannah:
I comepletely agree that kids shows today are far from the classics. Even though I didn't mention it in my post, you have reminded me of all those disney movies that I watched as a kid. I too have an extencive disney collection and I watched them time and again and they never got old. I guess thats the magic of disney they keep talking about. The one movie I would watch over and over was the Loin King. I even named my stuffed animal Simba! I think I still have him in a box somewhere but when I was little I would carry him everywhere. So even though the ninja turtles are my favorite I can safely say that disney movies are close second, especially the Lion King and Aladine, he was cool too!!!
In Response to Chelsey’s post:
I believe that the greatest thing behind the shows such as “Will And Grace” and “Friends” is indeed the comedy. I have always been drawn to humorous television shows, and I guess that is what has always made me love shows such as these. I can definitely relate to the comment you made earlier about being able to enjoy the show more and more as you grow older and begin to actually comprehend the content and plot of the show. It’s so funny how a show you can watch a show or a movie a few years later and pick up on way more details and aspects of the show that you never had noticed before! I also feel that the bond of friendship between characters in these television shows is what makes me want to continue watching these tv series over and over again. The comedy that ties all of characters and their friendships together makes these television shows so successful.
In response to Keesha:
I am proud to say that I could quote majority of the lines from The Little Rascals, although I completely forgot about it until you mentioned it! I remember being roughly the same age as the children in the movie when I watched it and was jealous that my friends and I didn't have a clubhouse or a secret sign! As is the case in most movies of this type, Alfalfa and the rest of the boys made some pretty good revenge plans considering they were only 10 years old at the most! I always wanted to build a treehouse or a go-cart or play a prank on someone as revenge the way kids do in movies, but they quite turned out as well as i hoped! As im writing this The Parent Trap comes to mind. Lindsay Lohan played the part of twin sisters who were seperated at birth, coincidently meet each other and try to reunite their parents. One of the girls and the butler have the best handshake I have ever seen and those girls pulled pranks on everyone in order to get their parents back together! Movies with story lines like these often made me think of ways in which I could pull pranks on people!
In response to what jennifer said:
For some reason I was always drawn to the animated shows of the late 80s to the early 90s. My favorite shows were transformers and most definitely teenage mutant ninja turtles. My brother and I would dress up as Leonardo and Michealangelo every chance we got. I think I was attracted to cartoons because I like to draw. Drawing allows you to create anything you want and to use your imagination. Another favorite for me would be rugrats because it was told from a toddlers perspective. Mainly though, its the way cartoonists use their imaginations that really caught my attention.
In response to Ms. O'Malley's blog, I have to say that I completely agree with loving all of those classic cartoons. They were absoultely priceless in so many ways and are still enjoyed today by varying groups of people. I would have to say that one of my appreciated points of Tom and Jerry is the fact that all the 'descriptions' are done through music. Essentially, no real word-conversation are necessary. Everything is 'spoken' through the different articulations in the music. For instance, a more 'frightening' sound [for example, a minor chord] usually accurately depicts how much Tom is striving to scare Jerry for revenge. Conclusively, we may all have enjoyed the same shows but for different reasons...which just means that the episodes were able to reach a wider audience.
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