WordGirl

My favorite cartoon on PBS Kids was WordGirl. It got me interested in learning big words and creative writing. Rewatching the show as an adult, I was surprised at how great the writing, characterization, and racial and gender representation are. The only time I saw a kid's cartoon with a black girl as the protagonist was The Proud Family. That's even rarer with superhero cartoons. Becky Botsford is one of the most well-written black girls I've ever seen. While she is a kick-ass superhero, she also still acts like a quirky and awkward 10-year-old. She unapologetically loves girly things like unicorns and glitter, and she also likes gender-neutral things like reading and art. She's intelligent, confident, and funny. I also like how the show isn't afraid to give her flaws. For example, she's terrible at singing and dancing, uses her powers for selfish things like winning competitions and finishing chores, and sometimes slips up keeping her secret identity a secret. Becky's best friends Todd and Violet are also excellent. Violet is like Chelsea from That's So Raven, but more soft-spoken. Todd is a great example of Asian representation because he's not the stereotypical overachieving mathematician; he likes journalism. Becky's parents, Mr. And Mrs. Botsford, are some of the best parents I've seen in a kid's show. Mrs. Botsford is a district attorney, and Mr. Botsford is like Victor Baxter from That's So Raven. Unlike many dads in cartoons and sitcoms, he's goofy without being completely stupid, is a kind and caring father who's comfortable with showing his emotions, and is also a great cook. The only character that I don't like is Becky's younger brother TJ. However, unlike Caillou and Arthur's parents, when TJ acts out or says something rude, they call him out on his bad behavior and punish him. This show is also a genuinely good parody of superhero tropes. There's this narrator who breaks the 4th wall and banters with the characters, kind of like Dave the Barbarian and The PowerPuff Girls. Plus, the villains have creative designs and are all hilarious. It's sad how no one talks about WordGirl since it's on PBS Kids. It had a great run with 130 episodes. It's probably one of the best superhero kid's cartoons I've ever seen. It's definitely leagues above Teen Titans Go.

Alright, this is the single best PBS show ever made in my eyes. It stars beckie, aka wordgirl, who is a young girl living life also as a superhero. Obviously this has to stay a secret because, duh, superhero. And while children superhero shows are common, this one teaches children the meanings of some words. This is great and all, but what is the best is it doesn't beat down and go all in-your-face at children like "you're stupid and young!!" And most of all? There's genuinely humor. This show's very funny almost always, I find myself always chuckling or bursting out laughing at almost every joke. Please watch this.

This is one of the few cartoons today that children can wash without being beat over the head by a socio-political message. Sure there are morals to each story, but they're not overt. The only obvious message in this show is the meanings of words and that words do have distinct meanings - something that today's children sorely need to hear!

I'm a forty-something year old guy and I love this show. I don't even kids! But if I did, THIS would be one I would have no problem sitting them down in front of unsupervised and be able to rest assured that they wouldn't be indoctrinated into any immoral teachings.

Of course, as with any children's programming, you should watch this first by yourself to ensure that it's appropriate for YOUR child, but I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

This show is a massive W. I feel like there needs to be more shows like this on PBS Kids because it teaches kids new words in such a creative way, while providing a plot line that is compelling and keeps the viewer on the edge of their feet. The show also did it's best to teach kids new words that aren't basic like "arc," or "computer." They did their best to teach kids words like "allure," or "dazzling," and I appreciate that. I also appreciated that the narrator was genuinely funny, while also adding to the story. He didn't take away from it, like most cartoon/book narrators. While teaching kids words and keeping them entertained, they also provided lots of representation that is needed in a kids show. Kudos to the creators for creating such a good and educational show.

This is probably one of the cleverest children's shows that I have ever watched (so far). All the characters are interesting, and the jokes always land. The plots are silly, but they work. My only complaint is the thing where they have to teach children words, but even that is funny most of the time. This show takes superhero tropes and just runs with them in the funniest ways possible. Though the same group of villains show up time and time again, they always manage to be funny and original.

I would highly recommend watching this show.