Curious George

As it is mentioned in the title, this is a very cute and nice show. It's so much better than the other younger kids' shows like "Dragon Tales" or "Sesame Street". Although the design isn't as nice as it was in the movie, it is still pretty good for a small PBS production like this. The voice acting is pretty great, too. They have Frank Welker, the voice god, as George and Jeff Bennet, who is just great, as The Man with the Yellow hat. The best part of this show is the education that it provides. While entertaining kids, this show deals with simple mathematics and science. Even though "Curious George" is targeted towards a much younger audience, I still find it quite interesting. My advice is to give it a try. It's hard to miss; all the PBS channels air it twice a day.

There are three types of young kids' shows on TV these days. The first is the hypnotic category, which has constant noise, motion, and repetition to keep kids' attention (a la Barney, Teletubbies, Backyardigans). The second is the "treat kids like they know absolutely nothing" category, in which shows "talk" to the viewers and ask completely mindless questions that are so obvious they can't be answered wrong (Blue's Clues, Dora the Explorer, etc.). The last and smallest category is the "simple story" category, in which shows teach young viewers with simple, easy-to-follow stories that can hold attention and entertain. Curious George is one of the few shows in that category, and it still teaches lessons in math and logic, which I don't think should be important in a kids' show, but which PBS and many parents believe are very important. Curious George is simple and nice, and I can appreciate its value even though I am neither a parent nor a sub-six year-old child. The animation and design are good, especially compared to the other PBS and Nick shows out there, which just goes to show that the makers actually care about what they are making. Yes, there is a very annoying character: Bill, a bratty know-it-all kid who drives me crazy. Even still, I'm not going to complain, because I doubt he annoys little kids like he annoys me. If you look at the other comments I have written you can see that I can be harsh, and I hold high standards, and this show meets them. If you have kids, and especially if you are tired of the hypnotic shows and the obnoxious shows, this is good, simple, well-done entertainment for kids.

I cannot recommend this show enough. This show uses simple story lines to teach valuable lessons. Unlike a lot of other shows out there that cram learning down your throat this one focuses on learning in real-life situations. I am a 5th grade teacher and some of the kids I have encountered do not understand many of the simple science concepts that are presented in this show. George is able to encounter magnets, simple machines and explore cause and effect. However, as the parent of a 4 year old the most valuable part for me is that I can watch WITH my daughter and have great discussion. This gives my daughter realia that we refer back to every day. For example, recently the water in our town was not working and she looked at me and said "well, you just dig and find more water". Although she has learned simple math and science concepts (not to mention the terrific vocabulary, they don't "simplify" because it's for kids) the reason I recommend this show is because it teaches critical thinking, I cannot stress enough how important that is for kids today. This show is a great jumping off point for any and all types of exploration, we should be watching shows that make our children CURIOUS and encourage them to question the world around them. And I know that parents worry that their child will not be ready for kindergarten if they don't know every letter and sound etc... But I am here to tell you if you read and talk to your child everyday they will be fine but if they don't know how to think critically (which they ABSOLUTELY can do as a toddler)they will struggle. So please use this show to your advantage and listen to their brains clicking away, you will enjoy yourself!

the show is constructed around its writing, the writing itself is multi-layered. while george enters into situations in which common sense, math, and science concepts are introduced, the narrator maintains a sympathetic and respectful tone toward his mistakes and lack of understanding. outlandish situations are presented as such, and they are often funny for both the kids and adult audience.

by encouraging a sense of wonder about the world through empiricism and experience, this show accomplishes the rare feat among kids shows. adults are depicted as present, involved, non-interfering, sympathetic guides. george is often left to make his own decisions. instead of awkwardly presenting and dissecting social norms and peer relationships, the characters' personalities take their respective courses. george has the ability to chooses between which rules to adhere to, and which to not. as such, this show is a standout among early education television for both parents and children. the show's attitude about the world is mature, tolerant, and positive.

the quality of the show is fairly consistent from episode to episode. some episodes have stronger writing and animation quality, some are weaker, but overall, excellent, especially given the quality of the pack it runs with (pbs kids shows.)

Wonderful show. It's not just for little kids. It's great for learning new things . George is definitely a one of a kind character. I hope they keep making new episodes. Totally love this show