#5 Phineas and Ferb

   
Out of all of the recent shows that Disney Channel has aired, the one cartoon that has stood out among them is Phineas and Ferb. Still ongoing, this series first began around 2007 and centers each episode around the adventures of two stepbrothers, Phineas Flynn and Ferb Fletcher, who are trying to make the best out of each day of their summer vacation before they have to go back to school. Most episodes begin with these two brothers wanting to do something with their day but what’s funny is that regardless of what they decided to do, they manage to pull off an amazing stunt for the idea instead of the simple idea that it is and for some reason which they haven’t figured out, at the end of every day the invention vanishes before Candace can get them in trouble. Other popular characters include their older sister Candace Flynn, that is always trying to bust them for all of the dangerous stunts they pull by telling their mom, Isabella, the neighbor that is leader of the Fireside Girl Scouts and has a crush on Phineas, Perry, the Platypus that is  secretly an agent, and Dr.Doofenshimrt, who wants to rule the Tri-State area of Danville.

    This show is very popular and I find it a great influence to children who watch it. Good always prevails because Perry the Platypus is always able to stop Dr.Doofenshmirtz in his schemes. Although young, Phineas and Ferb go beyond what is  expected of them in order to truly enjoy their summer day with friends outside. These among other themes make the show something that not just children can watch but also people of all ages, due to its cultural references every now and then and its humor. Although it isn’t Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, or The Simpsons which are considered comedic adult shows, this show strangely mirrors in fashion and set-up of episodes. Overall, this is a show that gives not only children the idea to be adventurous but does encourage them to be more active outside with famous lines like Phineas always saying “Ferb, I know what we’re gonna do today!” This line usually begins the episode with the idea of the episode. Finally, this series really does show that kids are capable of whatever they set their minds to do regardless of age, which is seen through every adult questioning if the brothers are too young for whatever they are doing for the day when ordering parts and Phineas always replying “Yes, Yes I am.” Next Time, I’ll be reviewing Young Justice among other superhero shows.

#3 Jimmy Neutron Vs. Planet Sheen

Anyone here remember Boy Genius Jimmy Neutron? How about his friend Sheen? Well from the beginning of the Jimmy Neutron movie in 2001 to the Nickelodeon television series following after in 2002, this show has become a favorite for the children who remember it. A couple years after the series ended, Nickelodeon has brought forth a sort of rendition of the original show known as Planet Sheen. This series focuses on one of Jimmy Neutron's best friends, Sheen, as he "accidentally" disregards Jimmy's directions to leave a rocket ship in his lab alone and ends up on the strange planet of Zeenu. Upon landing here, Sheen is seen by the Emperor as the one to bring peace and greatness to the planet and makes him the number one adviser to the Emperor.

If anyone remembers Jimmy Neutron, Sheen wasn't the smartest or brightest around and although energetic and curious, only ever brought trouble upon contact with anything he did. In his new show, not much has changed and even one of Jimmy's friends, even "brighter" Carl Wheezer, makes a return as Doppy, a new character based off of Carl. The final main character that appears to be one of familiarity is Mr.Nesmith, a brilliant monkey that got stranded on the planet before Sheen's arrival and wants to use Sheen's ship to get back home. He is the brains of the show, just like Jimmy was in his own show, as the voice of reason although not listened to much by Sheen. The show is similar to Jimmy Neutron with the exception that the focus of the show has shifted to Sheen but just like before mischief is caused or the main characters get into trouble and at the end learn a lesson.

In this case, the question is always, which show is better, the old or the new? I personally prefer the old series of Jimmy Neutron because it seemed to promote scientific curiosity while this one because the character is going to make obvious mistakes, I can't take the show as serious. I'm not saying that I don't like Sheen or the show because I always found him to be the comic relief of the previous series but now that the show is all comedy, I don't feel like I am getting much out of the show. Overall, both series are entertaining to watch. Next time, I'll be looking at an ongoing series that hopefully everyone should remember, The Power Rangers!

#4 The Power Rangers Series

Anyone remember these six characters that started the whole saga for young children in America? I sure do because they are still going strong today as the Power Rangers. This show debuted the same year I was born in 1993 and although I didn’t watch it when I was about a month old, a couple years later, it became all I would watch later.  This idea originated from Japan even earlier as the name Super Sentai or “Mecha Task Force” airing around 1975. In America, this show is currently on it’s 16th reincarnation of these super heroes with “Power Rangers: Samurai” being the newest one to be on the air.

    Most story lines with this show begin with regular teens that are by chance or because of their ability selected to assist in the protection of the world from evil. There are many different kinds of rangers but the main ones that remain in each series are a Red, Blue, and Yellow ranger color wise with there either being more additions from the start or through the season. The Red Power Ranger is considered the leader among the group of rangers and later in the seasons begins acquiring a special battle suit or armor that only the Red Ranger can pilot. Most villains in each episode are restored after being defeated to monster size in which the Power Rangers use their Zords or machines to defeat the newly size villain with what is known as the MegaZord. Each story line has its own villain of the time or place but the concept is always the same with good always prevailing over evil. In the end of each series, evil becomes too powerful with the only way to overcome them is by unleashing and giving up their powers, and although the rangers become regular teens again, a new group of individuals are chosen as the next season begins.

    I personally feel that as long as this show is around, as far as hero shows go, this will always be a good influence on children. It combines doing the right thing whether they are rangers or just human beings, to defeating evil with awesome fighting scenes. The ideas of helping others regardless of who they are, evil or good, and always giving someone a chance is something I’ve gotten from these shows. Even though it is a violent show, the violence shown is never too graphic or really graphic at all. I can’t wait to see what the next season will be for Power Rangers.
Next Time I’ll be reviewing a Disney Channel Cartoon : Phineas and Ferb.

 

#2 Adventure Time! Vs. Pokemon

  Upon watching a couple of episodes of Adventure Time!, I’ve noticed some differences to this show in comparison to Pokemon, an ongoing series that began in my childhood. Adventure Time!, which premiered around 2010 on Cartoon Network, is a series of short episodes that follows the adventures of a young human boy named Jake, who wants to become a memorable hero, and his best friend Finn, a talking magical dog, as they explore the Land of Ooo. These characters befriend other unique characters such as Princess Bubblegum, Lumpy Space Princess, and many others which seem to have their own personality. Pokemon, which premiered around 1998 also on Cartoon Network, follows a young boy named Ash as he journeys through various regions with his first magical creature, or Pokemon, Pikachu, a yellow electric mouse, and collects other Pokemon to befriend and train them for competition. Ash wants to become a Pokemon Master, and to do that he fights other trainers in a sport known as a Pokemon Battle to see who is better skilled at training their Pokemon. Ash, like Jake, meets and befriends other young Pokemon Trainers, such as Misty and Brock, along his journey to collect 8 badges from a Pokemon Gym to qualify for the Pokemon League Tournament.
Even though Adventure Time! encourages creativity, the wonders of exploration, and friendship as seen through Jake and Finn, there are other characters or even episode plots which appear inappropriate for children. One example is Lumpy Space Princess, a purple cloud creature that portrays a rotten teenager. This character first appears in the second episode, “Trouble in Lumpy Space” and when she is denied the use of a car by her parents, she wrongly disrespects her parents with words like “Lump Off Mom” and “Stop Lumping Yelling at Me.” Then she calls them idiots, even though she was the one that made them upset. Unlike Pokemon, in which characters respected authority of parents, this character is showing children rebellious behavior and disregard for higher authority in order to satisfy a selfish desire. The character Jake, like Ash, is always doing his best to do the right thing, which is admirable but there are still issues on this show that shouldn’t be viewed by younger audiences. Some episodes mention make-out points, seven minutes in heaven, boyfriends and other sort of high school situations that make me question why this is on Cartoon Network. A show like Pokemon used to be about making friends, doing the right thing when there were problems, and just having fun through adventuring or participating in friendly competition.   

  I’m not trying to influence others to not watch Adventure Time! but I do want to bring an awareness to what is being discussed within the show. It has grown in popularity over the years and I’m sure there is still more that can be said on both a positive and negative perspective but that’s what I personally found watching it so far. Next time, I’ll be reviewing a Nickelodeon Cartoon, Planet Sheen.