Should They Watch It?

Lost Ollie premiered on Netflix to critical acclaim. Fans seem to love this limited series! But before you allow your kids to watch it...Laura and Kara have some serious concerns. Who exactly IS the audience here? The ladies will do their best to figure that out, and along the way they'll discuss mental health, imaginary friends, and...when exactly does this show take place?! Tune in for an interesting journey in this episode of Should They Watch It?

Laura and Kara have finally decided it's time to take a hard look at the MEGA hit - Avatar the Last Airbender, along with special guest and huge Avatar fan, Eric O'Keeffe. Eric is a producer, podcaster and voice actor from the popular children's podcast, What If World! While you may think this is an obvious "yes", our team takes a look at the good, the bad, and the surprising from this martial-arts, anime inspired 2005 classic. 

This week, we 'dive' into an 'ocean' full of fun with* Octonauts* and special guest, Marshall Escamilla. Marshall is an educator, musician, father, and podcaster.  You can hear him co-host Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, a science podcast for the entire family. So who better to help us "swim" through all the science-based knowledge kids can 'fish' for in Octonauts!

This week, Laura and Kara take a deep look into the 1988 mega-hit, The Land Before Time. This movie is full of important messages for social-emotional learning, as well as how to deal with loss and grief. Laura has a lot of thoughts about how to use movies and TV to help your kids navigate various complexities through life, and Kara brings some interesting (and even tragic) facts about the movie. But first, the Missouri School District has reinstated spanking, and our mamas have THOUGHTS.  

Trigger Warnings: Death, Loss, Grief, Spanking, and Domestic Violence

This week, Laura and Kara discuss the horse-loving mega-franchise, Spirit Riding Free. Are there any potential issues with this series? The internet seems to think so and the ladies are digging in to see if they agree! But first, Kara's voice is currently heard in one of the top movies in the country...but is everyone impressed? (Not exactly) Tune in to this week's podcast to learn more!

This week, Laura and Kara welcome special guest Nate Dufort to discuss one of his favorite animated series - Gravity Falls! Nate is a writer, producer, director, and voice actor who splits his time between Detroit and Chicago.

Nate is the Founder and Executive Producer of Soundsington Media, a children's podcast company focusing on quality audio programming for young audiences and the young at heart. His podcasts REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids, My Neighbors Are Dead, and Unspookable have been featured on Linkedin, NPR, CBC Radio, The New York Times, The Guardian, Forbes, Time Out New York, WIRED, Fast Company, The A.V. Club, Vulture, the front pages of NPR One, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

Tune in for a truly fascinating (and mysterious?) episode!

This week, Laura and Kara delve into The Hidden Lives of Pets - a 4 episode series on Netflix. This, of course, leads Kara to talk about her menagerie of pets throughout her life as well as some interesting pet facts she's learned along the way. Laura comes with stories about being accused of cheating, and how the government may be responsible for our allergies...what?! Tune in and let us know what you think of this week's podcast!

We are thrilled to have special guest Bill Childs, host of Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child on our podcast this week to discuss the 1995 classic, Babe! You may think you know this movie, but Laura, Kara, and Bill are bringing interesting trivia as well as a list of potentially problematic things you should be aware of before watching with your children. This week's podcast is laugh out loud fun (no really, get ready for our hosts to laugh out loud...a lot!). That'll do, podcast. That'll do.

The Positives
Babe teaches viewers not to judge a book by its cover and tackles prejudice in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, and Babe is a fitting example of the benefits of kindness.  This inspiring message leads to a conversation about one of Bill’s favorite shows, Ted Lasso, which is filled with the same humble and positive energy. 

Bill loved the deliberate pace and that the movie was smart and honest about what happens on animal farms and didn’t treat Farmer Hoggett as a black and white “bad guy.” 

 Great voice acting, especially from legend Christine Cavanaugh as Babe and James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, who finishes up with the classic line, “That’ll do pig. That’ll do.” Fun Fact: Inspired by his time on the farm, Cromwell became vegan and animal advocate. 

 Animatronics were the decided approach to bringing real animals to life.  At a time were CGI rules the screen, it was nice to revisit a special effect that isn’t used as often.

Fun fact: The 48 Yorkshire pigs that played Babe were adopted out to owners under a contract that did not allow them to slaughter the pigs. 

Potentially Problematic
The audio dialogue replacement was distractingly bad for Kara.

 The movie begins in a slaughterhouse, and with several mentions of where Babe came from combined with a fear of becoming the farmer’s next meal, your kids might have questions about how most people get their meat.

 There is body shaming of the farmer’s wife. 

 The dog, Rex, perpetrates an act of violence against his female partner.  He also shows initial hostility towards Babe.  We later learn why he behaves this way, and during opportunities of redemption, he rises to the occasion.  It might be worth a conversation with children about abusive behavior.  

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Bill: Yes

 We had an excellent time with Bill and we know you’ll have a great time listening to this episode. You can listen to his station here and check him out on twitter and facebook where he shares interviews and music live in-studio from some of your favorite indie artists. 

DuckTales
The new iteration of DuckTales tracks the globetrotting adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, Louie and granddaughter, Webby. Donald Duck, Launchpad McQuack, and Mrs Beakley also make their returns to round out this this star-studded and entertaining cast.  Also to return? Hijinks! But the plot is much more substantial.

Did they Sing It?
Kara has never been more excited to sing a theme song and the ladies sang over half of this one. If you’ve never seen this DuckTales theme animal mashup by Insane Cherry, please watch. 

The Positives
Talented voice acting cast and a witty, well-written show. The best-written and funniest show we’ve watched so far. 

 The female character Webby, voiced by Kate Micucci, becomes a much more substantial and contributing character this time around.  The hosts discuss Hollywood’s penchant for “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” tropes or token characters like Chip N’ Dale’s Gadget, and why Webby defies these stereotypes to become one of the most interesting characters on the show.

Scrooge’s character is much more lovable and adventurous, while still maintaining the grumpy, opulent traits that make him the iconic feathered friend he is today.  

The boys have very distinct personalities, as compared to the original where viewers could only distinguish them by their t-shirt colors. 

Nostalgia!  If you are a fan of the original DuckTales, you can rest assured that this version will not only entertain you with a combination of reminiscence and refreshment, but it’s also a show you can enjoy with your children.

Fluffy or Educational
Fluffy as a duck feather, but very fun for adults and kids. 

Potentially Problematic
Some cultural references are for adult audiences and could fly over your children’s heads, like the show’s reconceptualization of the headless horse/man. 

Our trio of adventurous youth are not what you would call role models.  Therefore, expect to see defiant behavior, lying, sneaking out, and pretty much unsupervised. Given what we know about a child’s inclination to mimic defiant behavior, the fact that it’s cartoon animals doing on pretty extravagant (beyond realistic belief) adventures, we think it’s unlikely to cause issues, and concerned parents could just have a conversation with kiddos about what is and isn’t appropriate behavior. Caillou on the other hand….

Will parents like it?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

 Both ladies loved the nostalgia and laughed like crazy. The writers clearly targeted the parents when writing the show with some pop culture references and throwbacks to the original, which is appreciated. 

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Side Conversations
TV has changed significantly with binging becoming the norm. Block programming and delayed gratification that came with TGIF, after school shows, and Saturday morning cartoons is all but gone. 

Kara and Laura discuss workplace inequality after Kara experiences a blatant career opportunity oversight because of her gender. Kara, a 25-year voice acting veteran, points to examples of how gender inequality has impacted her industry. Laura and Kara discuss examples of misogyny in the entertainment industry and the ladies agree that Kara should make some phone calls to address the issue. 

 We are happy to see more female roles, more diverse roles, and truer to the part casting. We loved to see Nope star Keke Palmer

T.O.T.S., short for Tiny Ones Transport Service, is a Disney Plus computer animated series about Pip the Penguin and Freddy the Flamingo, the organization’s very first non-stork birds tasked to deliver baby animals to their new families. TV-Y

The Positives
The show is well-written entertainment for kids.

 Messages of the importance of inclusion and the benefits of diversity.

Representation of diverse family structures.

Teaches problem solving, teamwork, and perserverance.

Fluffy or Educational?
The show is fluffy for the most part, but includes social-emotional messages.  They also throw in the occasional animal fact, but it’s usually the obvious (e.g., cheetahs are fast). 

Potentially Problematic
Stork storyline could lead more inquisitive minds to ask questions about the birds and the bees, so come prepared for a response that works for your family.

Will parents like it?
Yes. It’s cute and fun to watch with your kids and it’s not chronological, so it’s easy to jump right into. 

Should They Watch It?
Laura: Absolutely

Kara: Yes

Side Conversations
The hosts (Laura mostly) were all over the place this week, so strap in, listeners!

Coffee is not getting Laura over the energy hump today. Kara reveals that she drinks the green tea leaf drink matcha instead of regular caffeinated coffee because coffee makers her jittery. Laura’s brother has been pushing butter coffee on her since after seeing Jeff Bridges drinking it on the show “The Old Man.” 

Remember 2003 American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken? Clay Aiken’s rabid fans, “The Claymates,” attacked Kara after a photo of her and Clay turned up online after she interviewed him. The jealous Claymates nicknamed Kara “Peach Perky Boobs,” because she was wearing a peach shirt in the photo and harassed her. 

Fun fact: in many cultures at different times in history, storks have had positive associations with fertility and reproduction. Everywhere from Greece to ancient Egypt to Europe. 

 Kara and Laura are looking to crowdsource a name for their listeners. If you have any suggestions, please contact us at [email protected] or let us know on instagram. 

 Daytime Emmy nomination or not, are these birds being exploited? Child labor violations! Is their pay equivalent to the quality of their work?

 Laura attempts to include Vanessa Williams lyrics into the show whenever she can, which has Kara rolling her eyes.

UP NEXT WEEK
Ducktales!

 Kara and Laura are looking to crowdsource a name for their listeners. If you have any suggestions, please contact us at [email protected] or let us know on instagram.