Laurie Gerber: Compete, Pout, Martyr and Shout
The Electric Company is Back!
Filed under: Movies
A few years back, I purchased the DVD collection, The Best of The Electric Company. I bought it for Ellie, but I probably enjoyed watching it more than she did. I loved that show as a child but had forgotten just how clever it really was. Witty and kind of kooky, the show tricked you into learning to read by hiding the lesson in the silly fun.
Original episodes of The Electric Company ran for six seasons, from 1971 to 1977. The show lived in rerun heaven until 1985 when it went off the air for good, never to be seen again until the DVD collection came out in 2006.
While it is doubtful that the sheer genius of the show that introduced the world to Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno could ever be duplicated, Sesame Workshop is going to give it a try. Beginning in January 2009, new episodes of The Electric Company will begin airing on PBS Kids.
Obviously, they are going to have to retool the show if they want to stand out among all the children's programming available today. Instead of adult stars, the show will feature teens with word-manipulating super powers. Set in a natural foods diner in New York City, each episode will tell a story using animation and live action and will focus on vocabulary. Of course, there will be an online component as well as a companion magazine.
Other than the name, it sounds like a completely different show than the original. But in this day of fast-paced, in-your-face children's television, the original format probably wouldn't capture and hold the attention of kids the way it did back then.
Classic Childrens Television
Bugs Bunny
What's up, Doc? This rascally wabbit first appeared in 1938, and has been outwitting opponents ever since. Creator Tex Avery claimed the bunny has a "Flatbush" accent, which is a combination of the Bronx and Brooklyn.
Warner Bros.
The Simpsons
Hilarious and smart, this satirical cartoon began airing on the Fox Broadcasting Network in 1989, and is the brain-child of Harvard College graduate Matt Groening. It features a dysfunctional but lovable family of five, including now-legendary sitcom scamp and n'eer do well Bart Simpson.
Fox Broadcasting
Mr. Rogers Neighborhood
Won't you be my neighbor? "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" helped build kids' self-esteem from 1962 to 2008. Fred Rogers created was perhaps one of television's most beloved personalities until his death in 2003.
PBS
Rugrats
Rugrats is the Nickelodeon Network's longest-running show, and is about a group of precocious toddlers. Kids have enjoyed this series since 1991, and were treated to a full-length movie in 1998.
Nickelodeon
Thomas the Tank Engine
Based on a series of children's books by English writer Rev. W. V. Awdry, Thomas is a tank engine modeled on a class of locomotives built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway. Thomas is well-known for being cheeky, and more than a little bit pompous.
Destination Films
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo, where are you? This hungry, lovable mutt and his sidekick, Shaggy, teamed up with Fred, Daphne and Velma to form a gang of "meddling kids" who busted criminals. The show ran on CBS from 1969 to 1976, when it moved to ABC, which canceled it in 1986.
The CW
Sesame Street
Perhaps the granddaddy of all educational children's television shows, The Street has been educating little TV viewers since 1969. The show spawned a series of iconic characters, including Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and Grover, created by puppeteer Jim Hensen. One it's most famous episodes dealt with the death of the beloved Mr. Hooper.
PBS
Capt. Kangaroo
Paging Mr. Green Jeans! Captain Kangaroo aired weekday mornings on CBS, and the show's creator, Bob Keeshan, based it on the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. Little known fact? Keeshan was the original Clarabell the Clown on "The Howdy Doody Show."
CBS/Getty
Wallace and Gromit
Wallace and Gromit are the two main characters in a series of British animated shorts, as well as a feature-length film, and were created by Nick Park of Ardman Animations. Wallace, an absent-minded inventor, relies on his more savvy pet dog, Wallace, to help him out of mostly cheese-related jams.
Dreamworks
The Wonder Pets
Noggin
Original episodes of The Electric Company ran for six seasons, from 1971 to 1977. The show lived in rerun heaven until 1985 when it went off the air for good, never to be seen again until the DVD collection came out in 2006.
While it is doubtful that the sheer genius of the show that introduced the world to Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno could ever be duplicated, Sesame Workshop is going to give it a try. Beginning in January 2009, new episodes of The Electric Company will begin airing on PBS Kids.
Obviously, they are going to have to retool the show if they want to stand out among all the children's programming available today. Instead of adult stars, the show will feature teens with word-manipulating super powers. Set in a natural foods diner in New York City, each episode will tell a story using animation and live action and will focus on vocabulary. Of course, there will be an online component as well as a companion magazine.
Other than the name, it sounds like a completely different show than the original. But in this day of fast-paced, in-your-face children's television, the original format probably wouldn't capture and hold the attention of kids the way it did back then.
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 3)
12-06-2008 @ 9:17AM
Me Too said...Lollie lick a lollie lick a lollie lick a lollie
About a year ago I watched a few skits on youtube, also Gary Gnu from GSC (I think? My sister loved that show so I had to hate it).
Long story-also about a year ago I took my teen for anxiety therapy and the therapists approach was for me to set boundries,ie: make her do chores. She said I had to TELL her to fold clothes the clothes piled on the table, etc. I told her I expected her to do it b/c she loves me and the therapist thought that was crazy and wanted to know where I learned that.
I learned it from St. Mr. Rogers I guess b/c of the song "Little things, that say I Love you. Little Things that say I care... Like hanging up my coat before you ask me...." Nowadays I hear kids say he's gay or a perv. Very sad b/c it means they no longer learn morals and manners. Obvoiusly... My teen not excluded
I also have a 2 yr old and when I was able to stay home with him, we watched PBS Kids from the time it started in the morning unitl the News report came on at 6. I hope PBS never goes away. Don't forget to donate when they have telethons and we can help ensure that.
Reply
12-06-2008 @ 10:41AM
Kim said...anyone else remember "the magic garden"? that was another good one.
Reply
12-06-2008 @ 1:24PM
Dwyane said...IT'S THE PLUMBER!! I'VE COME TO FIX THE SINK!!
Reply
12-06-2008 @ 2:32PM
Vince said...Congrats for bringing back Electric Company. I remember Reading Rocket. It was on around 1972 or so. Also HR Puffinstuf, Banana Splits, and of course, the Rocky and Bullwinkle show! Loved those Fractured Fairy Tales!
Reply
12-06-2008 @ 2:51PM
johnw said...oh hell no do not teeny bop up this show-stick with original format or don't bring it back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
12-12-2008 @ 8:44AM
Bonita said...Man, do I feel old and I'm in mid-fortys and I remember all the shows and will be happy to see them again to look at with my Grand-son, he is an old soul he loves all the old shows and I dont see why they need to make them look and be new good T.V. is Good-T.V. and kids and adults will sit down and look at them together !!! Cant Wait... but no one talked about Romper Room (cant think of his name but the guy off the show also played on threes companys )
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 4:53PM
Wolfster said...I liked Electric Company. But seriously - introduced the world to Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno? What cultural rock were you hiding under before the 1970s? Did you never see - just 2 examples - I Spy or West Side Story?
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 6:31PM
Torsten Adair said...Well, not to quibble, but Bill Cosby and Rita Moreno were already quite well known by the time The Electric Company premiered.
Spider-Man also had a tie-in comicbook, titled "Spidey Super Stories". It was endorsed by the Easy Reader (Morgan Freeman), and featured Marvel characters, as well as characters from the Electric Company, like Jennifer of the Jungle.
Chuck Jones animated Wile E. Coyote shorts for TEC. Harvey Kurtzman (the creator/editor of MAD Magazine) created animation for Sesame Street. Mel Brooks and Zero Mostel also appeared quite frequently on TEC. (And I can't locate it, but wasn't one of the TEC actors also on Hill Street Blues?)
Uband duboes ubanyubone spubeak Ubbi Dubbi?
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 7:06PM
Kristi said...I can still remember the address from ZOOM:
Z double O M
Box 354
Boston, Mass 02134
And I still have to sing the little song to remember it!
This was actually a question one night on Who Wants to be a Millionaire!
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 7:10PM
Dar ` said...For me, I remember Romper Room first, then I think Seasame Street etc. etc. But then again, I'm 48
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 7:45PM
Tanya said...I remember our local Romper Room host was "Miss Penny" (Jacksonville, FL late 60's early 70's) Imagine my shock when I walked into my high school home economics class and guess who my teacher was? Yep, Miss Penny herself. LOL... I couldn't believe it. We used to tease her about it. :)
Reply
12-14-2008 @ 8:00PM
Kelly said...Oh my god, the memories. "'We're gonna turn you on, we're gonna give you the power....." That show rocked!!! Someone mentioned Zoom ("We're gonna zoom-ba-zoom-ba-zoom"). And how about the New Zoo Revue? ("It's the New Zoo Revue, coming right at you..") And Big Blue Marble? ("And the Big Blue Marble is its name...") Oh my god, it's amazing how all those old shows and tunes come flooding back. And what was that other one I'm trying to think of...? Something about "Villa Allegra! La-la-la-la-la-la.... Villa Allegra!" LOL, oh my god, I want DVDs of all those shows. Wonder how many I could find....
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12-14-2008 @ 8:17PM
d. foster said...Yards and Yards of Yellow Yarn!!!!!!!!!
Reply
12-15-2008 @ 5:48PM
Paul said...I loved The Electric Company when I was a kid. Letterman was my favorite segment. He would rip the letter S from his varsity sweater and turn the desert into a dessert. I also liked the Spider Man segments, but I don't think that "Spider Man, Spider Man, does whatever a spider can" came from there. There was a Spider Man cartoon with that theme song.
I was recently watching "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" on AMC. Remember those crazy colory wordings we saw when the Oompa Loompas sang their songs? Those were inspired by The Electric Company.
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1-07-2009 @ 11:00PM
chanel said...I loved the sesame street theme song! I was too young to know the show ''The Electric Company''.
Reply
1-07-2009 @ 11:01PM
nia said...What is your favorite 80's cartoon? Anyone?
Reply