(The Following Post is currently being remastered. It will have all it's images at a later date. It'll be done when you No longer see this message!)
THIS POST IS INTENDED FOR ALL AGES.
In 2003, the Pop launched, Chartshow tv launched Pop Plus, a channel which only served the purpose, to alternate programming blocks. So if Pop showed Cartoons, Pop plus showed Music videos, and vice versa. (Though this was not always the case.)
A year later, Pop plus would be rebranded as Tiny Pop and the Preschool shows would move there.
Like The Gimmick of Roary being a "Presenter", Tiny Pop would have it's own Mascots in the Cheeky Monkeys, who would appear in Simple Quizzes bookending the ad Breaks. But they are remembered mostly for a Catchy Birthday Song. Which was retained even when the Mascots were changed to Spots. And Apparently they had a morning and Bedtime Song too!
In 2024, Narrative Entertainment, would use the Slots of Tiny Pop and it's plus one channel to create Great Real and it's Plus one channel, a station that Played the Same New Zealand Customs Program and nothing else. After 6 months, by popular demand, Tiny Pop returned and would returned to their rightful homes at 615 and 618 respectively.
...which makes what was announced a year that more Maddening! You would think a Preschool channel would be safe from the Streaming Era, but sadly no!
So like we Did last week, We will now go through every Show That was shown for a Preschool audience.
And this is where I'm heading into unknown territory. As apart from a scant few shows, and my interactions with my Niece and Nephews, I'm definitely not the target Audience. And a lot of shows are Either Lost Media or have no Wiki page.
44 Cats.
Based off a Song from a Songwriting Contest in Italy, Rainbow Studios, (of winx Club fame!) Created a show that was far and away different from the Many Spin-offs and Distaff Winx had: a Preschool Show about A Literal band of cats.
Agent Binky
A Candian Joint that teaches Space Science about a Secret Pet-ran space Program. Once you get over the strange head-sizes, it's a fun show.
Babaloos.
A French Canadian Joint from 1995, so I remember this the first go around. It follows the adventures of a houseful of everyday items that gain life after midnight.
Babar: Adventures of Badoo.
Babar 's Disturbing Origins aside, The Franchise leaps into a new Century and a new Dimension in this sequel that now follows the king of the Elephants giving advice not to his children, but grandchildren.
Both English V.As of Babar would Die of old age during it's two season run.
Berenstain Bears
As a Child I was Gifted many of these Picture Books so Imagine my surprise Years as an adult later that there was a cartoon that went with the books.
Bindi the Jungle Girl
Bindi Irwin, The Daughter of The late Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, As a Child, Presented a Similar Show at a smaller, Scale. It also had her Dance with Backup dancers who dressed like Her father.
Blippi
For a Brief Time, The French Canadian Mime Was on Terrestrial Television, before returning to Netflix.
The Busy World of Richard Scary/ Hooray For Huckle.
One of the Most Imaginative World, It really is a shame Richard Scarry's Ideas for Vehicles and Design isn't used as a source for New Ideas. That Being Said, The German Book Series has being made in Servable Cartoons many times.
Cailou
You think the Item 3 Images below was reviled by Parents and Childcare Professionals-THAT WAS CHILDPLAY COMPARED TO CAILOU!
There are Thesises backed by Universities that were made to catalogue all the harm this cartoon did. Preschool teachers often said online that they had to "Reteach" Speech Patterns to remove the whiny Cadence Cailou Spoke With. And Lets Not Forget that When Cailou Doesn't get what he wants, When No one wants to PLA-AAAAAY! (Hi Matt Neff!) he does things like the above image! Somehow got a reboot, but it's toned Down and it's messages are a lot clearer!
Care Bears (Modern Shows)
With MLP in Back in the best form of their franchise , Nelvana Returned in kind by bringing back Carebears. This time the Carebears resolve their problems with words and deeds without have to resort to the Care Bear Stare aka: bombarding the Jerks with Tummy Radiation!
Also, as of The latest Series, Unlock the magic, Good Luck Bear No long speaks in a Beegorah Brogue, So... Progress!
Clifford
My feelings on the Eldrich Horror that is 3D Live action Clifford left at the door, The Clifford Books and cartoon was a key memory for generation x kids, Millienials and into z.
Cocomelon
Behold! The Electronic Brainrot Babysitter that is nothing more than Capitalist Greed and AI slop marketed towards the kind of parent who sees the child as nothing more than an excuse to park the car close and a scapegoat to drive it home early!
Cocomelon on the circle of Animation fanatics and those who have, is given the level of hatred that would rival most armies! Though it's not really a Problem here! Once anything is translated into Irish (Which is usually the Dross of the Animated World, unless they try to be hip by killing Avatar the last airbender for 20 years!) It's looked over once and turned over to anything else.
Sadly not even the Irish Language Kiss Of Death will deter Netflix!
Connie The Cow
Gentle Adventures where the background and side characters were pictures drawn by young children
Dino Ranch
A 3d Cartoon where Children ride Dinosaur like horses in a western Setting and putting right mischef caused by Raptor riding Varmits! Made by Canadian CBS And Disney. Returned to Disney UK when it returned to Sky.
DinoCity
Tiny Pop's only original show, which was a recent thing. Very Bluey-coded!
Dot.
We won't hold that if Dot's Creator wasn't sister to Da Zuck! It would never be created. However, there are very few Tech Savvy Female characters who are not Teenagers or Adult Women
Earth to Luna
With Transformative Imagination, Luna teaches kids Science and Biology with songs.
Enchantimals
Hasbro's attempt to smash My Little Pony and Bratz Together into a new IP. Gijinka Fashion dolls who have a pet or pets in the deluxe dolls of the Animal they are anthropomorphed from
Wait a minute...
A Feature Length Episode that introduces the plot of Patter Peacock who is caught up on a flood and is dragged all the way down the river through the kingdoms of the next themes of the dolls, all the way to the Forest kingdom of the Series one dolls. The Displaced Peacock soon makes a Home and Friends, though The Discount Rarity From MLP (So much similarities where made between the two, Patter had be redrawn with blue skin.) As a show, it was going to be a Christmas Special, (and if I find a dvd of the movie, it will be) but there is nothing here to separate It from MLP, to the point you can close your eyes to this show and think you are watching The Pony Show.
Flipper and Lopaka
Did you know, this was the last show of the Flipper Franchise and not the Live Action show with Teenage Jessica Alba Salsa Dancing in A Bikini?
I know!
You all know who Flipper is, that is if you are over the age of 25. Flipper was a smart Dolphin who rescued ships and drowning people every week since the Advent of Colour.
Like Lassie with Scales and Gills!
this show is no longer set in post wartime Florida, But a South Seas Island where The Lopaka is a Boy caught in storm who through Near Death Magical Shenanigans, can now talk to animals.
Fraggle Rock
for what ever reason 10 years ago, The 80s Muppet show, Fraggle Rock was shown. Fraggles are Carefree beings who live in the crawlspace of an inventors Fix it Shop, eat the edible buildings of the industrious Doozers who avoid being eaten themselves by Giants. While not straightforward as It's Sister show Seamer Street, the Morals are more about friendship and feelings.
Franny's Feet
Was on Channel 5, the Main character is the granddaughter of a cobbler, who after wearing a customer's shoes teleports to the Country of the day.
Franklin/ Franklin and Friends
A Tortoise Scout teaches about scouting and the Environment.
Gabby's Dollhouse.
Recently having a movie, Dreamworks mixed media show sees a live action girl turned into a doll to interact with cat dolls in a doll house.
George and Martha.
Feeling like The Honeymooners for little Kids, George and Martha are Lovestruck Hippos whose lives and Arguments are presented with humour everyone can understand in this late 90s cartoon.
Go Go! Corey Carson!
Called Beep! Beep! Corey Carson in Irish. Vtech finally joins the party in having it's toys on Pop. Corey is a car who is a big brother and just started school in episodes that are relatable. For Instance, Corey learns the tuba, but he's terrible, but he's Very enthusiastic, but his father cannot bring himself to tell him he sucks playing it!
Happy Valley.
Wait a Minute!
that's better!
the first Happy Valley was a series of 52 vignettes to be shown at the beginning of the year to teach about the changing seasons.
Harry and his Bucket Full of Dinosaurs
Based on a book series, the Main character can jump into a magical world with 6 Dinosaurs (7 in the books)...
Sorry Anchisaurus, I guess you are just not cool enough to join the Partenon of Generic Dinosaurs!
the books are highly recommended. The cartoon has being described as "vapid", for young kids though, I see no issues. And I have seen a lot worse!
Hello Kitty Super Style
Growing up, Hello Kitty was nothing more than a mascot on the kids clothes that were too expensive unless you bought them from the Charity Shops.
Little did We know, that over in it's Home Country of Japan and Everywhere not called Ireland, that This Mouthless Cat-Girl was a Big deal.
From A simple coin purse in the 70s, to a massive Franchise that has it's own theme park, Hello Kitty has had Cartoons before, but none that my generation grew up on.
That all changed thanks to Netflix and Pop, when Hello Kitty Super Style it's latest alliteration launched 2 years ago.
It's what you would expect from a preschool Show for Generation Alpha, based on a Franchise with no real storybeats. Kitty is a helpful and beloved citizen of a town of quirky characters, she can solve problems by Having Costume Changes into references. And given the current decade the Jerk character is a vain self-centered Influencer type!
Jay Jay The Jet Plane
Thomas the Tank Engine, But what if it were Planes?
That's it!
Lily buds
A French Cartoon made by Zodiak for Discovery Latin America. Lilybuds are fairy creatures who look after the forest and the flowers they are named after. This was a recent show my Nephews didn't pick up on it!
Little Bear
this was a 90's Show that was only shown during the summer when The Children's show was on Hiatus til the School Term, Back when Irish Television had a proper block of shows! To me being on the Summer Block growing up, had the feeling of not being good enough!
Masha and The Bear
The Only Russian Export we still want in the 2020s!
Masha is a cheeky little Babusha adopted by a Bear with Animal friends in tow in this Delightful and Well animated show.
Maya the Bee
Controversy of it's original 1920's German Book aside, Maya had softened from being a Commentary of Individualism over the Military State, to just being a run-of-the-mill Preschool Show!
Miffy
Famous for Winning a Lawsuit over copyright against Sanrio, the Parent company of Hello Kitty, Miffy has being in an out of fashion since 1959.
Milly Molly
A show my now teenage Niece grew up on, Follows 2 friends, One White, the other Native Australian having the kind of down to earth Adventures in Rural Outback Australia.
Molang
A French cartoon about A White rabbit and her Buddy a duck called Piu Piu, have fully adventures while the creator jabbers in a high pitched voice!
My Little Pony: Pony Life
How much more can we squeeze out of MLP:FIM?
The answer is, one season!
Not content with just letting the end be the end, We got a new show with an art Shift that the fandom couldn't get into. And why was this made when the plot had being resolved?
Noonberry and the Super Seven
Noonberry and his Friends used the power of the Senses including the sense of Self and Justice to Solve problems in a Nicely animated One Season Wonder
NumberJacks
Yeah, that Show!
A weird Bbc Show with Surface level 3d and cringy live acting that you'd expect from a show like this.
Peg+Cat
an animation that also explores Maths but beyond counting, they even had the likeness of Genius scientists and Composers to explain who they are, like Newton and Beethoven, though for a young audience
Peep and The Big Wide World.
a bird who learns social skills whilst living in a city
Pikwik Papers
A Quartet of Animals run and Deliver papers.
Pj Masks
Disney's Superhero that's recently now being put under the microscope by fellow Overthinkers of Film and tv. It recently returned to Disney after it returned to Sky 2 months ago at time of writing
Pocket Dragon Adventures
A silly Show that had all it's figures given out for free in cereal back in the day in the 90s (That should be an indicator on how old I am!) Pocket Dragon Adventures i did watch, but i can't remember any real plots or the name of any characters.
Rainbow Fish
a show that a good sounding theme, but that's it! In a time when briefly TG4 (the Irish Language Station) had Cartoons in English, before dubbing them. This show was one of them.
Rolie Polie Olie
a late 90s show with a Postwar era feel in design and Music, the 3d hasn't aged well.
SamSam
Missing from the Goodbye Citv Posts i did 2 years ago, with a valid reason: Though a Citv Original until Pop got it, It was not made in Britain, but FRANCE! Samsam is a young hero who still has to deal with issues of a child his age made manifest into villains like Selfishness, embarrassment and er...Bedwetting!
Every Sesame Street Adjacent Show (That isn't Sesame Street itself!)
For whatever reason after 2001, Channel 4 in Britain and rte in Ireland, just stopped running the 1 hour, "Brought to you by the letter s" Sesame street that had being a stable for many, many years. and instead we got shows and cartoons that starred the b-team of Muppets, Elmo, Gabby, Grover and the like. But as of last year Netflix has come in as the home of Sesame Street, after fears of cancelation
Simon
Now on Sky Kids, Simon is a Rabbit-boy who deals with the issues a seven year old gets into.
Super Wings
Made as a toy franchise of Baby's first Transformers, Jet and Pals are Delivery Planes (And also First responders in later seasons?) for the Super Wings delivery Service. Going on World Trekking adventures Delivering Toys to a different Country/ Or City in this Korean show, where a word of the week, usually hello, goodbye thank you or Nice was used in the story.
in this Massive Show with 160 plus episodes they did go to Ireland, and Shockingly the episode was not based on Leprechauns. So Again, PROGRESS!
Strawberry Shortcake (2000s and 2020s Reboot!)
The eighties Ragdoll and Cereal franchise returned in the 2000s to continue where it left off, only to be completely rebooted into a Gen Z Foodie teenager who runs a foodtruck.
And i get where it's coming from. If you are making characters for young children to aspire to, you don't make them their age!
With that said you show a picture of 80s Strawberry Shortcake and the redesign to someone who doesn't one or the other and watch them look at you confused when you tell them they are the same character!
Timothy Goes To School
Rosemary Wells' Book series is bringing that Richard Scarry inspired Wholesomeness to our screens, as Timothy a raccoon starts Kindergarten.
Toopy and Binoo
Wait this is a real show? I've only every seen this stills of this show as You-Know-what-Posts! still as an actual show it's harmless even it a little janky.
Transformers Rescuebots
Noone expected Transformers to be converted into a Pre-School show, nevermind keep it's identity without become immature. Autobots are paired with a family of first responders as a cover of their alien origins. In a fun and surprising show.
True and the Magic Kingdom
A magical Girl show where A Protector of a kingdom, is gifted wishes from a tree that manifest as 3 magical items to solve a problem. once per episode True is reminded or encouraged to take a breath and calm down before Internalizing the problem to a second person as a sounding board.
Vic The Viking based on a 1975 book, Vic is a young viking who despite being young and frail uses Smarts and Guile to outwit Oafs on the regular
WellieWishers
Having a Picture book Artstyle feel, the Wellie Wishers were American Girl dolls attempt to break Europe. Watching the show with Cousins and Nieces while babysitting, i found the voices to be bratty and annoying!
Will and Dewitt
And Finally this Canadian show where Will is a unconfident boy who is motivated by Dewitt, A Frog to do what Will would think was difficult at the episode's start!
And that will do it!
Next time we end with the shortest reigning Pop shows as we hear it for the Girls and the Boys as we both cover PopGirl and Kix/Pop Max!
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