Children's Television Review — “Oswald”

by Daniel Sean Kaye

oswald.jpg class=righthand width=250 height=353 For those of you new to the Kids’ TV game, I am sure you are underwhelmed with what passes as entertainment for children on Sprout, Nick Jr., Noggin, Cartoon Network, PBS, etc. A great deal of it will make you wince, even though your child may love it. Personally, I have been delighted at how few of these animated mistakes have been able to rope in my 4-year-old son.

One I must admit I enjoy is Oswald, about a singing blue octopus and his wide variety of friends. Created by author and illustrator, Dan Yaccarino, it is a sweet and weird half-hour, staffed by very familiar voices such as Fred Savage, Michael McKean, David L. Lander, and Larraine Newman.

The problems encountered on the show aren’t big, but there’s a healthy dose of camaraderie, honesty, and problem-solving. No one gets too mad or too mean and there’s no violence at all (thankfully). But the show brims over with creativity and a diverse cast of characters including a tree, a snowman, a butterfly, a rabbit, a robot, a pumpkin-headed fellow, and a dog that is, well, a hot-dog.

No matter how often we watch it or how often the episodes are replayed (I think there aren’t too many, and they date back to just 2001-2002), my wife, our son and I always stop to watch. It’s gentle and quirky and a welcome respite from the predictable boring television for children.

February 10, 2008

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