Oct 6

Oct 6 Bailey's PBS Memories 2

It's that time again! It's especially fitting to stroll down memory lane this week, as October 5th marked the 50th anniversary of the network's launch. For half a century, PBS's programming has provided quality, and often educational, television content for adults and children alike, and we can only hope that they will continue for another 50 (or more) So, to honor PBS, let's have some fun, by traveling back with me, once again, to my favorite PBS shows from my childhood!

Wishbone (1995-1997)

"What's the story, Wishbone?" "Woof!" I feel sincerely sorry for people who didn't grow up with this series. The titular character is an adorable Jack Russell Terrier (voiced by Larry Brantley and played by Soccer, along with some other dogs that served as doubles), who relates the everyday problems of his owner, a teenager named Joe (Jordan Wall), to works of classic literature and reenacting the stories in fantasy sequences. Every episode finds Wishbone imagining himself as the protagonist of a given tale (abridged, to fit the length of a television episode), with this little dog dressed up in costume, and acting against a cast of human beings. It's hilarious how earnestly the actors in these fantasy series treat this dog like a human while Wishbone 'performs’ in roles such as Ichabod Crane and Mr. Darcy. The show always dedicated the last few minutes of each episode to behind-the-scenes information, as an introduction to film production, of sorts. For a kid who loved movies and television, like I did, it was one of my early forays into understanding everything involved on the set of a show. If you've never seen an episode, check one out on YouTube. If the nostalgia doesn't get to you, the hilarity of the outlandish story sequences probably will.

Anne of Green Gables: The Animated Series (2001-2002)

As I've already mentioned, I'm a massive fan of the 1985 miniseries Anne of Green Gables, directed by Kevin Sullivan and his follow-up television series, Road to Avonlea (1990-1996). In 2001, Sullivan created yet another series based on Montgomery properties, resulting in this animated television series (and, in case you're wondering, yes, the one and only Patricia Hamilton voiced Rachel Lynde). This television series featured storylines geared more toward younger children, with a lesson learned at the end of every episode. In the series, Sullivan combined characters from both Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea (though the timeline doesn't make too much sense in the universe of his live-action work). While it could never match up to Sullivan's other work, it was still a fun Sunday morning cartoon set in my favorite fictional universe, with a great theme song.

Fetch with Ruff Ruffman (2006-2010)

Yep. Those dates are correct. While in high school, I happened to come across this game show hosted by an animated dog that featured a group of kids running around Massachusetts doing various challenges related to science, history, and/or some other educational topic. I don't exactly know what it was that made me love this show so much as a teenager. It may have just been a nice distraction from high school's stresses, or the fact that the show took place in my home state, but I think it was a combination of the show’s genuinely interesting topics and innocent fun. In any event, there is no way I could make a list of my favorite PBS Kids shows without including it!

What do you think of the shows on my list this time around? What PBS Kids shows were your favorites growing up? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for part 3 of my PBS memories!