Top 10 Unintentionally Disturbing Kids Show Characters

“Rainbow” (1972-92)

On paper, there’s nothing weird about three fluffy puppets going about their everyday life. The issue is that one is based on a bear, the other on a hippopotamus, and the last is Zippy. It’s already odd that he’s the only one not based on an animal, but it’s even weirder since he has a zipper on his mouth. Although, that last part may be for the viewer’s benefit, since he speaks with a weird, breathy cadence that makes us immediately reach for the mute button. It’s unclear what Zippy does, what he’s supposed to be, or even how he fits into the world of “Rainbow” at all.

“Wizbit” (1986-88)

You’d think creators would make sure that a show’s title character would pass the fright-test. But Wizbit totally fails, and no amount of intergalactic backstory can excuse his sinister air. Sure, he looks like a sentient party hat, but the mischievous eyes and high-pitched voice fail to convince us that this alien comes in peace. His role on the show is mainly to appear out of nowhere, spout a vaguely threatening comment, and then vanish in a slew of surrealist visuals. The series commits to his utter weirdness in such a way that Wizbit becomes a walking haunted house, and not a fun one.

“Noel's House Party” (1991-2000)

We can’t decide what’s worse: the unblinking stare, the smile that never fades, or the fact that he only uses the word “blobby” to speak. All together, it’s a recipe for a deeply unsettling house party at Noels. Mr. Blobby usually comes out for “Gotcha” segments that prank real life celebrities. But, pitting him against humans only makes him stand out even more. No matter how many laugh tracks they put over his antics, there’s nothing remotely endearing about the uninhibited destruction he wreaks any time he steps onto set. If the goal was to make him cute, they should’ve taken a long and hard second pass at his design.

“Téléchat” (1982-86)

Somehow, a ringing landline is the most disturbing part of this experimental parody series. The show satirized news programs with a ton of absurdism and a touch of black comedy, but it’s hard to focus on that when the phone could ring at any moment. There’s nothing that can prepare you for the first time they answer the landline, revealing a dead-eyed baby face where the speakers should be. The only thing creepier than the whispery way he mutters is the fact the show never acknowledges or explains what’s going on. It’s probably better for everyone if they just let him ring.

“Sesame Street” (1969-)

Elmo, Big Bird and the others managed to sidestep the creepy puppet epidemic, but that didn’t save the show from a different kind of nightmare fuel. Limbo, who’s much less fun than the game, helps kids learn how to count. Coincidentally, he’s also terrifying enough to make them scream more than learn. Somehow, the soulless voice makes even counting feel eerie, as if he’s building towards some sort of detonation. But, hands down the worst part is when his face appears. The noodle-like consistency that his mouth and eyes take on is traumatizing enough to scare kids off counting forever.

“The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack” (2008-10)

Peppermint Larry clearly needed a firm presence in his life. Unfortunately for audiences, that meant Candy Wife snapped, crackled, and popped onto the scene. Despite her name, she’s anything but sweet. Uncomfortably, she’ll just appear in corners, watching, like some sort of silent jumpscare. If that weren't bad enough, the show occasionally changes art-styles for dramatic effect. Suffice it to say, seeing Candy Wife rendered realistically adds an even deeper uncanniness to her design. It’s honestly impressive that, without so much as a single line, the show manages to make a walking piece of candy one of the creepiest things to ever appear in a cartoon.

Various

These two are certainly out of this world - for better and for worse. Their designs are clearly not meant to be normal, but it goes way overboard to the tune of dead-set eyes and mismatched human fashion. That, paired with the weird anatomy and zany attitude, make their hijinks come across as unsettling instead of innocent, especially on “The Big Breakfast.” These two weren’t created for the light entertainment show, but actually made their TV debut on the kids’ program then known as “Dempsey’s Den.” However, it was on “The Big Breakfast” that they went on to find success as something appeared aimed at children, at least on the surface. Unfortunately, their silly interviews and yelling at the screen proved popular enough to warrant appearances in a ton of other shows, too, including a titular 1998 children’s entertainment series for ITV. The only thing worse than those eyes are when you aren’t prepared for them.

“Wizadora” (1991; 1993-98)

For some reason, whoever designed this show decided that most of the inanimate objects needed a face. It majorly backfired in the form of Phoebe, a normal phone that underwent a spine-tingling makeover. By plastering the eyes, mouth, and nose of a disturbed doll onto her, it constantly feels like Phoebe is watching you as you watch her. The bad design choices don’t stop there, either. Since the phone is Phoebe’s hair, any time Wizadora picks it up, she’s basically tearing the scalp off her friend. That could be ignored if Phoebe didn’t speak, but fitting for a communicator, she has a lot to say. Wizadora really should’ve just invested in a cell phone.

“Peppermint Park” (1987-88)

In just six volumes, this ill-conceived children’s show managed to give even Annabelle a run for her money in the scary department. Shows like “Sesame Street” proved that puppets aren’t always creepy, but there’s one main difference there - those aren’t humanoid. Here, the ghastly excuse for characters are some of the most horrifying wooden creations ever put on TV, let alone for a so-called children’s program. Their creepy movements, sing-alongs, and wide age range make it hard to believe this wasn’t a horror movie that got mislabeled somewhere along the way. “Peppermint Park” was canceled early into production due to poor reviews, and honestly, that’s a mercy.

“Jigsaw” (1979-84)

With one look at this guy’s grotesquely wide smile, long nose, and ghostly white skin, it’s clear that he shouldn’t be allowed around any children’s TV show. But, for some inane reason, Mr. Noseybonk appeared as a frequent recurring character in this puzzle-adventure show. Whatever he does, he always has way too much fun with it, and that giddy gait is enough to leave even adults shaken. It’s genuinely shocking how anyone thought this was okay for an educational program. The masses echoed the scared sentiment, since Mr. Noseybonk has gone down in infamy for terrifying youths for years. It seems that, however nosey he is, the feeling is definitely not reciprocated.