Top 10 TV Shows Kids Today Don't Recognize
#10: “The Tribe” (1999-2003)
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When a strange disease sweeps across the world, killing all the adults and leaving behind only children and teenagers to fend for themselves, you get a show full of drama and post-apocalyptic action. This live-action show follows a group of teens known as the Mall Rats as they struggle to survive in a world on the brink of total anarchy. Most live-action TV shows today aimed at kids contain easy to wrap up problems and a fun laugh track. With “The Tribe” being such a different beast, it’s no wonder it has been mostly forgotten to the point of being unrecognizable for kids today.
#9: “My Life as a Teenage Robot” (2003-09)
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Being a teenager is hard enough, but what if you had to do it while juggling the responsibility of protecting the entire world? That’s the task of XJ-9, better known as Jenny, a robotic girl created to defend the Earth from whatever whacky threats may seek to do it harm. Of course, Jenny would prefer just to live the normal high school life of a teenager alongside her friends. The quirky antics of awkward teens learning life lessons is nothing unfamiliar to kids nowadays. However, the animation and the early 2000s humor resulted in the show being left behind in the pages of cartoon history. Show this show to a kid today and they’re unlikely to recognize this mechanical super teen.
#8: “Oswald” (2001-03)
In the bizarre world of Big City, a blue octopus lives his day to day life accompanied by his best friend, a hotdog shaped dog named Weenie. Each episode follows Oswald as he talks to his friends like Henry the penguin and Daisy the flower. While many shows today, even ones directed at young children, contain action and engaging adventures, Oswald strikes a different chord by being a calm, soothing experience. Sometimes there’s drama, like Oswald learning to rollerskate or getting stuck to his cookbook, but even that danger is accompanied by soothing music and low stakes. The mellow mood of this show leaves it as one that’s tough to recall as more than a vague memory.
#7: “The Big Comfy Couch” (1992-2006)
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Who doesn’t love jumping onto a soft couch and settling in to watch a clown girl and her doll complete activities and learn lessons? Why not stretch your legs as if they’re the hands of a clock? Maybe you’d like to hear the clown read a story to her doll? All of this and more await you on “The Big Comfy Couch.” It’s certainly a show that felt right at home when it was made, but now is more unsettling and eerie than anything else - especially the sentient dust bunnies that speak gibberish. It’s no wonder this show has become a relic of its time. Any kid that unearthed this show today would likely question why it was made in the first place.
#6: “Aaahh!!! Real Monsters” (1994-97)
If you’re looking for a show about creepy monsters living in a dump and learning to scare the daylights out of humans, look no further! This bizarre animated series follows three monsters doing just that, all while getting into trouble and having fun. This show contains wild scenes, like a pencil child tearing the skin off his own hand to pass a note in class. That just isn’t something you see anymore. The character designs are strange and off putting, the environments are dingy, and the storylines are just odd. It’s no surprise that we moved on from this creepy crawly cartoon to brighter pastures. Maybe it’s best we just leave this horror show in the past where it belongs.
#5: “Wishbone” (1995-97)
Have you ever wanted to learn more about classic literature but struggle with dense texts? Why not engage with the material by watching a dog dress up in costumes and tell you the stories! “Wishbone” follows the titular dog as he imagines himself into various books. Want to see a dog as the Hunchback of Notre Dame? Maybe you’ve always been interested in “Pride and Prejudice” but would pay more attention with a pup involved. “Wishbone” is the show for you! Of course, the meeting point between dog lovers and children interested in classical literature has always been a slim overlap. Maybe that’s why this adorable pooch and his colorful imagination haven’t remained a staple after all these years.
#4: “JoJo’s Circus” (2003-07)
Since kids obviously love clowns so much, why not create an entire stop-motion show about clowns living in Circus Town?! Each episode follows JoJo Tickle as she goes on adventures with her pesky pet lion, Goliath. Along the way she interacts with the other residents of Circus Town, talks to the audience, and learns a daily lesson. The clowns, the animation, and even the wrap up portion are all a relic of their time. Perhaps it’s best that an entire world of clowns is left in the past to protect kids today from forming eerie memories about this strange reality.
#3: “Oobi” (2000-05)
What do you get when a bunch of puppeteer veterans of “The Muppets” are hired to do hand puppets? “Oobi” of course! Following the four-year-old Oobi through his daily life, you get to experience a world where literally everyone is a hand puppet and googly eyes. Then of course, there are the strange, short sentences that the puppets talk in, usually in third person. All of this taken together creates a strange show that feels like something out of a fever dream. This program is truly something that makes you question why it was ever made. But it really did exist! Sure, the idea of a show based on puppeteer training techniques is interesting, but in practice the result is pretty bizarre.
#2: “Sherlock Holmes in the 22nd Century” (1999-2001)
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Kids today have likely been exposed to a number of adaptations of the legendary Sherlock Holmes. However, there is one that truly might be the most confusing take on the character. When a clone of the infamous Moriarty begins causing trouble, New Scotland Yard does the most logical thing possible: bring Sherlock Holmes back to life. To complete the cast of odd characters, a robot takes on Watson’s identity to give Holmes his old partner back. It’s a novel spin on the character, but certainly not a definitive one, which perhaps explains why it’s been largely forgotten.
#1: “Angela Anaconda” (1999-2001)
Coming of age stories about teenagers dealing with everyday life are common and timeless. At that level, you would think Angela Anaconda might still be around. However, what sets this bizarre experience apart is the unsettling animation style. Black-and-white photographs were used as part of a cut paper animation style, leading to a strange presentation of an otherwise mundane concept. The unsettling faces of these characters are bound to make anyone want to forget the experience … if they can. It just goes to show that even if the story is relatively tame, the presentation can transform it into something entirely different.
