Blue's Clues

[Rob_Merritt]

I'm home sick and I'm watching Blue's Clues with my 3 year old foster daugher. (yeah, she picked it, thats the ticket). Ahh.. When the hell did it become a puppet show? I remember it use to be a "cartoon" show with a person acting with them. Now its a puppet show, and Blue now talks. Why do they have to ruin everything?

[Demon G Sides]

Yah. I"m home on School Vacation, and my little brothers were watching it (Now they are playing Crackdown. No, all they do is drive, they don't slaughter gang bangers).

Its changed since when I was a kid...

And they got rid of Steve for a while too. I don't know if he's back. Is he?

[Bullhajj]

Yeah, I watched Blue's Clues with my kids a few years back. We got them the Blues Clues game, which featured FMV of Steve asking them if they wanted to draw, color, or find blue. Eventually they stopped watching the show and playing the game. Then one day one of my kids got sick and we turned it on and there was NEW STEVE, who didn't even look like old Steve. NEW STEVE was playing old Steve's guitar, sitting in old Steve's big red chair, and Blue was dancing around with NEW STEVE like a puppy that didn't even care who he danced with. I felt depressed.

[Bullhajj]

Yah. I"m home on School Vacation, and my little brothers were watching it (Now they are playing Crackdown. No, all they do is drive, they don't slaughter gang bangers).

Its changed since when I was a kid...

And they got rid of Steve for a while too. I don't know if he's back. Is he?

HOW LONG HAS THIS STEVE THING BEEN GOING ON!

[Demon G Sides]

Yeah.. This new guy is obsessed, and I mean flat out 'watching them while they go to the bathroom' obsessed with ducks.

Its depressing... I miss Old Steve.

Old Steve left and made a band.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

Its changed since when I was a kid...
First season of Blue's Clues: 1996

Get off my lawn, whippersnapper.

[Demon G Sides]

Hahaha. *Runs across lawn every day*

I was 6 or 7 then... Yeah. I'm a youngling.

[madkevin]

Remember when they switched Darrens on Bewitched? As I child, that BLEW MY MIND. I was utterly convinced that one day I was going to come home and my Dad would be a TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON, but everybody would be all like "No, no, Kevin, he's always been your Dad!" and then Paul Lynde would show up and make some sort of drunkenly-gay double entendre.

[Bullhajj]

Remember when they switched Darrens on Bewitched? As I child, that BLEW MY MIND. I was utterly convinced that one day I was going to come home and my Dad would be a TOTALLY DIFFERENT PERSON, but everybody would be all like "No, no, Kevin, he's always been your Dad!" and then Paul Lynde would show up and make some sort of drunkenly-gay double entendre.

Dude, you should never watch HOLLYWOOD SQUARES. You will be so messed up.

[Old Man Gravy]

They switched from Steve to Percival or whatever his name is a couple seasons ago. They actually had a pretty gentle transition, where Steve and Percival shared a couple shows, and it culminated with Percival and the Spice Rack and the Chair and the Leg Of The Sofa and the Watchband and all the other wierd characters making Steve a card to take with him as he went off to college.

It was actually cool, gave the little ones an easy transition.

But yeah, the puppet show? Bleah! YLG hates it. She likes Old Blue that went "bow bow bow bow", not puppet Blue.

[Demon G Sides]

Oh... Thanks for the clarification gravy. I thought Steve might've just poofed off one day.

Oh well. Didn't they bring him back? It seems like now I"m seeing him in episodes with the puppets... I could be mistaken.

AND DON"T GET ME STARTED ON THE WONDERPETS. That show is satan.

[Bullhajj]

It's not as bad as swapping out the Darrens on Bewitched, but I remember being totally disappointed with getting Col Potter for Henry on M*A*S*H.

[MRUS]

They switched from Steve to Percival or whatever his name is a couple seasons ago. They actually had a pretty gentle transition, where Steve and Percival shared a couple shows, and it culminated with Percival and the Spice Rack and the Chair and the Leg Of The Sofa and the Watchband and all the other wierd characters making Steve a card to take with him as he went off to college.

It was actually cool, gave the little ones an easy transition.

But yeah, the puppet show? Bleah! YLG hates it. She likes Old Blue that went "bow bow bow bow", not puppet Blue.


Joe was the next guy after Steve. They were supposed to be related somehow. Cousins? Anyway, has Joe been replaced too?

[Bullhajj]

But yeah, the puppet show? Bleah! YLG hates it. She likes Old Blue that went "bow bow bow bow", not puppet Blue.

Ah, a man still in the middle of children's programming.

Let me ask you this: Who were the group of primary color teddy bears that hopped around, each with televisions in their stomach, and occasionally they fall and roll down the hill but never speak. I think one of them (the purple one with the purse) is gay.

[Mike O'Malley]

Remember when they switched Darrens on Bewitched?

Speaking for my generation- no.

[Old Man Gravy]

Surely you're pulling my leg, Canyon. How can you have forgotten the Teletubbies?

[Leah C]

Joe was the next guy after Steve. They were supposed to be related somehow. Cousins? Anyway, has Joe been replaced too?

Steve went to college, Joe's his little brother. I don't think Joe's been replaced, but my nanny kidlets have moved on to Curious George so I'm out of touch with the Blue scene.

[Warning]

Man my sons used to watch Blue's Clues all the time. Which meant all the songs are still in my head.

We just got a letter... we just got a letter... we just got a letter... wonder who it's from?

[Demon G Sides]

Mailbox, who was on some sort of contraption that allowed him to circle AROUND the house and come in through a window. I never really understood what exactly was going on with mailbox. Was/is he gay? Kinda came off that way.

[madkevin]

Speaking for my generation- no.

How about when they switched Beckys on Rosanne?

[Slainte Mhath]

Steve's transition to Joe was a gentle one, my little kids never even blinked. We haven't seen much Blue's Clues in the past year, now my 3-year-old is more into Dora and Diego, Scooby-Doo (new and old) and Wonderpets. My son who is 7 (and used to love Blue's Clues and Bob the Builder years ago) is now a Cartoon Network junkie who likes Camp Lazlo, Fairly Odd Parents, Billy and Mandy and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (all of which are brilliant). He also watches a lot of Avatar, which is Nikelodeon's gateway anime.

[Bullhajj]

Speaking for my generation- no.

Dude, I saw it in reruns and was still scarred. don't come peeing on me and madkevin's parade here. we will send the 60s over to kick your papa's ass with flower power and tall kinky afros.

[Bullhajj]

Surely you're pulling my leg, Canyon. How can you have forgotten the Teletubbies?

Just testin. You passed.

[Bullhajj]

Steve's transition to Joe was a gentle one, my little kids never even blinked. We haven't seen much Blue's Clues in the past year, now my 3-year-old is more into Dora and Diego, Scooby-Doo (new and old) and Wonderpets. My son who is 7 (and used to love Blue's Clues and Bob the Builder years ago) is now a Cartoon Network junkie who likes Camp Lazlo, Fairly Odd Parents, Billy and Mandy and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (all of which are brilliant). He also watches a lot of Avatar, which is Nikelodeon's gateway anime.

My kids were shocked when they first started to watch Nikelodeon. My wife had identified words like "Stupid" and "Dumb" as bad, when really I think she meant they were poor choices and somewhat rude. Kids didn't know this. They were like, "He said a bad word. Wait, another one. Another! My God, they keep saying bad words!"

[Supertanker]

How about when they switched Beckys on Rosanne?

But I loved the way they handled that. They had the new Becky watch a Bewitched rerun, and comment on how lame it was the producers thought they could switch actors.

[GregB]

AND DON"T GET ME STARTED ON THE WONDERPETS. That show is satan.

What's gonna work? TEAMWORK! What's gonna work? TEAMWORK!

[Mike O'Malley]

But I loved the way they handled that. They had the new Becky watch a Bewitched rerun, and comment on how lame it was the producers thought they could switch actors.

Seriously? That's hilarious.

[RickH]

Speaking for my generation- no.

How bout when they swapped Sarahs on Roseanne? And the new one was better and is still working.

EDIT: Damn! Must read entire thread. Must read entire thread.

[Slainte Mhath]

My kids were shocked when they first started to watch Nikelodeon. My wife had identified words like "Stupid" and "Dumb" as bad, when really I think she meant they were poor choices and somewhat rude. Kids didn't know this. They were like, "He said a bad word. Wait, another one. Another! My God, they keep saying bad words!"

We had that same issue. My wife had labeled "Stupid", "Dumb" and "Idiot" as bad words. Kids start watching Nick Toons and Cartoon Network and each of the three words comes out at least once per half hour episode. Discussion of how cartoon characters are overly rude commences.

It's unavoidable though. Unless I force my 7 year old to watch Dora/Diego/Blue's/Wiggles he's bound to hear something my wife disapproves of. When I pointed out that his friends teach him far worse, she did not seem placated. =)

Seriously though, "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends", absolutely brilliant. One of the funnier cartoons on TV today.

[Crater]

The worst was when they changed the mom on Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Aunt Viv! Nooooo!

[SpoofyChop]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue%27s_Clues

There's enough info on Blue's Clues here to bore several message boards.

I hate this show but my kids love it unfortunately.

[Dave Long]

Camp Lazlo, Fairly Odd Parents, Billy and Mandy and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (all of which are brilliant).

Billy and Mandy is pretty rank. Camp Lazlo isn't much better. Ed, Edd and Eddy is a lot funnier and staged a lot closer to the level of eight-year-olds. Billy and Mandy goes way too far into adult-land all too often.

Fairly Odd Parents is a Nickelodeon show. It's good, but a little too hyperactive.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is the best of those you mentioned, but even that has its problems. Cartoon Network really hasn't had the same pull for my boys lately, mainly because most of these newer shows aren't as good as the likes of a Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory, Powerpuff Girls or Teen Titans. They're just noisier and less focused.

[RickH]

Billy and Mandy is pretty rank. Camp Lazlo isn't much better. Ed, Edd and Eddy is a lot funnier and staged a lot closer to the level of eight-year-olds. Billy and Mandy goes way too far into adult-land all too often.

Fairly Odd Parents is a Nickelodeon show. It's good, but a little too hyperactive.

Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is the best of those you mentioned, but even that has its problems. Cartoon Network really hasn't had the same pull for my boys lately, mainly because most of these newer shows aren't as good as the likes of a Samurai Jack, Dexter's Laboratory, Powerpuff Girls or Teen Titans. They're just noisier and less focused.

You, sir, have nailed it. CN has really lost its way lately. I used to be able to watch it with my kids, but most of their stuff is just junk right now. The only thing worse is Disney Channel cartoons.

[CounterMeasure]

My son moved on from Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer a couple of years ago. Thank god. I couldn't take anymore of "You see Swiper? Where? Right behind us?"

Now we settle down to Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Even the wife enjoys it. "TINKLE TINKLE IN THE CAR, YOU SHOULD REALLY USE A JAR!" Best. Song. Ever.

My son discovered Tom and Jerry a couple of months ago on Boomerang. He really gets a kick out of that old show. Proof that classic violence like beating, stabbing, blowing up, or outright killing of an animated cat never goes out of style.

[Dave Long]

I knew when I started putting on the various Nick shows more often that Cartoon Network was missing the excitement it had about three years ago.

I really can't get enough Teen Titans. That's probably one of the best animated shows that's ever been on. You got exciting, funny, hip and smart all in one half hour program. They even brought in the Doom Patrol. THE DOOM PATROL! Even though my kids did not know the characters from the comics, it was written so well that they latched onto it right away.

When it comes to the funny cartoons, the writing in Powerpuff Girls, Dexter and even Johnny Bravo was so far above the stuff they're doing now. It resonated with my kids and made them laugh while remaining entertaining for me.

They're just not as entertained by the current crop of shows and will even turn them off... something kids rarely want to do with a TV. They don't even bat an eye if I switch to Noggin and Little Bear really grates if you haven't watched it in awhile. At least the Noggin shows aren't all screaming, which is how you can characterize the current crop of funny cartoons on Cartoon Network.

I figure a lot of the talent that did the likes of Dexter has moved on after having so much success at CN and with the Star Wars Clone Wars shorts, etc. Those people just aren't working on these newer shows and it ... um... shows. The anime shows are mostly better options on CN... specifically Naruto.

[Old Man Gravy]

YLG's favorite is (and has been for about the last year and a half or so), thankfully, Spongebob. Quite watchable. The only thing is they seem to go in heavy rotation, so you'll see the same four episodes like eighteen times a day each for a month.

[RichVR]

For your further Steve needs...

http://www.steveswebpage.com/

[John Merva]

But I loved the way they handled that. They had the new Becky watch a Bewitched rerun, and comment on how lame it was the producers thought they could switch actors.

And then, when the original came back, every cast member that 'met' her for the first time asked her where the hell she'd been.

[Frumple]

At least even the crappy new Blue's Room show seems to be created by humans. The first time I saw Boobahs barely awake at 5am with the little guy I briefly thought I tuned into some nefarious alien infant deprogramming transmission.

[Rob_Merritt]

For your further Steve needs...

http://www.steveswebpage.com/

Hey, they was a cool TMBG "Dead" cover. Thanks!