A lot of Millennials wax nostalgic for shows like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (myself included), but I honestly don’t hear anybody in my age bracket who talks fondly about the peak programming that was PBS in the ‘90s.
Which is strange to me, since, as I just mentioned, PBS was PEAK television back in the day. For many of us, it was our introduction to the portmanteau that is “Edutainment,” and we surely learned so much, and had a great time doing so!
Yes, people DO still talk about Sesame Street (likely out of fear of its cancellation one day), but PBS had so much more to offer than just Big Bird and Elmo thirty-odd years ago. Let’s talk.
PBS Was Also Always The Channel You Watched When You Were Tired of The Craziness On The Other Networks
Being a ‘90s kid was something else. I know people like to say that today’s kids’ entertainment is nothing but nonsense, but I’m a veteran of the Ren and Stimpy years, and I can tell you that we had our fair share of what our current generation would likely call “brain rot” if it aired today.
Freakazoid, Animaniacs, Cow and Chicken, the list goes on and on. I LOVED the weird shows of my era, but PBS was like a beacon of hope in comparison. Shows like Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood taught us lessons in empathy and compassion, while something like Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? taught us the importance of geography (and how dope acapella could sound).
Reading Rainbow - which is coming back, baby - taught us that reading CAN be fun, and The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross taught us that life is full of happy accidents. I’ll tell you, when you wanted to take a break from the manic stuff on the other networks, PBS was your go-to!
A Lot Of Great Characters Came Out Of PBS As Well
PBS had some great characters that I don’t hear a lot of people talking about today (Again, aside from Sesame Street). Like Arthur! True, the memes got a hold of him, but he was an interesting character way before that. Or Ghostwriter. Does anybody else remember that floating dot whooshing around on their television screen?
The list goes on and on. Miss Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, Thomas the Tank Engine, Lamb Chop from Lamb Chop’s Play Along…like I said. The list just never ends (it’s like it goes on and on, my friend), which brings me to my last point.
All In All, It Mostly Taught Us How To Be Good And Caring People
Outside of this website, I’m a teacher, and one thing that I’m always talking to my students about is themes. Like, what overall message are you supposed to get out of such-and-such a book, or what is the lesson that you learned after reading this story?
Lots of times, I have to pull the answers out of them, but when it comes to PBS, the lessons were front and center so anybody could understand them. The most predominant message from PBS back then (and I’m sure now as well) was to be good and caring human beings.
You didn’t have violent programming or crude humor on the PBS TV schedule. You also didn’t have obnoxious commercials that badgered you to pester your parents to buy you things. Instead, you just had wholesome, educational television that taught you to be most excellent to each other.
Honestly, what could be better than that?
