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TV for toddler - is ANYTHING suitable? I've veto'd Postman Pat, Peppa, Rosie ...

162 replies

FrozenNorthPole · 30/04/2011 21:56

... it's just all so incredibly pink & predictable. Have made a list of things that have been ruled out.

Postman Pat - men go out to work, women stay at home. Apart from traditional female roles / unskilled clerical (Mrs Goggins), and the needlessly butch female doctor.

Peppa - just ugh. So pink, so inane, have avoided most TV episodes but people keep buying us books. All females in dresses. Shit plotlines. Men Daddy Pigs go out to work. Mummy Pigs don't.

Rosie - a female heroine at last. But wait ... everything is covered in flowers and is pink. Female 'heroine' (and simpering smaller female) endlessly conciliatory and bow to others' whims. Petulant & disruptive boy plays football on his own.

In the night garden - would be okay apart from upsydaisy who is in no way okay. Oh, and the Pontipines / Wottingers.

Something Special - hmm, struggle with this one. Does Aunt Polly count as female character? Is Lord Tumble part of the higher echelons of the patriarchy?

Me too - shit.

Balamory - women in traditional female roles, men in traditional male roles.

Timmy time - ooh. Perhaps this one okay?

I may have overthought this. Have always had these feelings about the tv programmes but having recently acquired some proper patriarchy goggles I'm putting my foot down and trying to make more positive choices on DD1's (2.5 years) behalf.

Any views?

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thefruitwhisperer · 09/05/2011 19:45

I dislike Tinga Tinga because theres no moral. Its just this is why that happened, the end.

Hen loses her friend Eagles needle (in a bid to upstage Peacock who NEVER gets his comeuppance either) and Eagle never comes to visit again. And there you are, no message that you should look after things you have borrowed, that jealousy is bad, or that you are beautiful as you are. And thats why Hen pecks the ground! Bye!

I fucking hate that peacock...

misspollysdolly · 07/05/2011 00:04

There are many programmes I would love to veto - for some of the reasons above, but also - in a lot of cases - because they are utter rubbish and fairly insulting to children's intelligence! I get very irriated that some programme start with a good, worthy germ of an idea (Me Too, for example - tackling the concept that many parents work and their children are in some sort of childcare) but are so appallingly bad that they are ruined by dumbing everything down and end up giving a very poor very of the real situations. Balamory is not quite as bad as Me Too, but suffers from the same sort of problem. We live in a very urban area which often sees a lot of tension and police presence. It annoys me that PC Plum seemingly spends his whole working time (and presumebly tax payers money) tracking down badgers and ladybirds...Hmm

The few that get my approval are: Show Me Show Me, Tweenies (v irritating, but actually deals with things that are real to children in most cases and has male/female carers), Charlie and Lola (enough whimsy to be cute, without being stupid and does look at interesting scenarios/emotions whilst incorporating play, creativity and imagination), 64 Zoo Lane and Octonauts. We also loved (and much mourn) Tikkabilla, which like Show Me Show Me was superb!

My guys do watch all sorts, most of which I cringe at but out of choice I would stick on the above for them. MPD

lisianthus · 06/05/2011 21:37

Great summaries from porpoisefull and MoChan. That pretty much is where I come out too. Rastamouse is good though- strong female characters, including one of the leads.

WHY don't the female Octonauts go out exploring though? Gah.

PrinceHumperdink · 05/05/2011 11:40

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SybilBeddows · 05/05/2011 11:38

oh! yes! actually all I remember is the soothing voice of the narrator going 'Meet Robin and Rosie of Cockleshell Bay.' What a lovely rhythm.

SybilBeddows · 05/05/2011 11:37

my 18mo ds loves ITNG and refuses to listen when I try and explain the sexism to him Angry

what is up with DirtGirlWorld? I have never watched it closely enough to take in the storylines but I thought that was a good one Sad

PrinceHumperdink · 05/05/2011 11:37

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MoChan · 05/05/2011 11:21

I have big problems with the way women are portrayed in children's TV. Even when there are prominent female characters they are often silly, spoiled or difficult. Things like Dirt Girl World and Zingzillas portray women negatively, IMO. We watch as little TV as possible, TBH, for this reason. When we do, we tend to watch DVDs.

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 05/05/2011 10:54

Thank you PH - much appreciate your efforts in explaining it to me!

TimeWasting · 05/05/2011 08:25

Fraggle Rock was great. I only really remember the female fraggles. Red who was really feisty and the hippy one who I'm sure had hairy armpits. Might have to see if I can get hold of a DVD.

PrinceHumperdink · 05/05/2011 08:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

porpoisefull · 05/05/2011 08:08

It seems to me there's a big difference on CBeebies between the shows with adult actors or presenters, which generally have a good gender balance and mix of role models, e.g. Nina and the Neurons, Big Cook, Little Cook, the otherwise cringingly awful Me Too, and the ones with animations or animals (perhaps seen as more 'childlike'). As far as I know, only Everything's Rosie has a female lead. Charlie and Lola, Chuggington, Kerwhizz (urgh) and Tinga Tinga Tales seem balanced, but most of the rest either have male leads (Octonauts, Tommy Zoom, Charlie Bear, Timmy Time, Bob the Builder, Postman Pat) or the female characters are simpering/preening/infantile (Zingzillas, Tweenies, 3rd and Bird, Waybuloo).

HandDivedScallopsrgreat · 04/05/2011 23:10

Can someone actually tell me what In the Night Garden is about? I don't understand it at all (possibly because I have never sat down and watched a whole episode!). It just seems like random shapes appearing on the screen dancing around with no actual relation to anything else going on. Waybuloo is another one that is a bit beyond me.

[the question was rhetorical btw - by the sounds of it neither me or DS are missing much]

Unrulysun · 04/05/2011 22:43

so much better to overthink than to underthink IMHO Wink

Am also struggling to introduce dd (11 months) to a world where she doesn't get crapped on from a great height every day.

Was watching In The Night Garden earlier with a growing feeling of unease about the sodding Pontypines though. That might be the definition of overthinking but I will refer you to my initial statement. Why does mummy Pontypine always come second? Don't get me started on Upsy Daisy...

Francagoestohollywood · 04/05/2011 22:08

No idea Mercury, as we are not in the UK anymre. It used to be on Nick jr if I remember well.

MercurySoccer · 04/05/2011 20:43

When are the Wonderpets on?

noodle69 · 04/05/2011 19:46

Dora is the most popular. I work with children and have had groups of children argue about who plays 'Dora' when we roleplay. Boys want to do it as much as girls. Also we have dora toys and the boys play with them. They also like reading the stories and I dont think anyone has ever mentioned about her being a girl.

Francagoestohollywood · 04/05/2011 19:11

Oh the Wonderpets are fab (I have to thank MN for discovering them)!

For me Maisy has a pavlovian effect, the moment I hear its name I am transported to the time my first child was a toddler fascinated by its stories. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww Smile

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 03/05/2011 22:00

That's exactly it Franca, comfort watching. MIL has an old Maisy video and the DCs dig it out and watch it before bed every time we stay there. Theme tune does my head in though!

Thomas1969 · 03/05/2011 21:43

The Wonderpets! Try them. Fantastic.

Francagoestohollywood · 03/05/2011 10:27

WKWTTG have we got the same children? Mine at 6 and 8 still watch Maisy on special occasions for comfort watching.
She is an independent, liberated woman mouse.

SardineQueen · 03/05/2011 10:03

I haven't been much help on this thread! I don't really veto any telly for the kids as that would involve the telly going off, and that aint going to happen Grin Wink

What I can tell you is that DDs favourites are Peppa, Ben and Holly, and Dora, and I think all of them are just fine. Nanny Plum in ben and holly is fantastic Grin

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 02/05/2011 22:33

Get a Maisy DVD, Maisy is an independent woman who organises her life, works and helps her friends. Both my DS and DD have loved her from an early age and will still watch from time to time aged 5 and 7, they liked the books too.

GirlWithTheMouseyHair · 02/05/2011 21:32

Charlie and Lola? - Lotta and Lola together are annoying but other than that it's pretty inoffensive isn't it?
RastaMouse
Waybuloo - 2 boys, 2 girls (even if Deeli is obsessed with pink and dancing)

Tinga Tinga is racist, it's really sad because it would be an awesome programme otherwise but you can't just cherry pick "black" accents from acros the world and pass them all off as African

Francagoestohollywood · 02/05/2011 17:00

Maisy the Mouse of course