Creepy New Show On Nick Junior

[Buck-Beaver]

I haven't seen an episode of Lazytown yet, but it certainly sounds like it has good intentions and is a positive show. I think that there is good and bad kid's TV and you're absolutely right that if kids are going to watch something it's better they see a show that encourages them to be active like Animal Jam or Big Comfy Couch than one that doesn't.

You're also right that one half-hour of television isn't going to kill anybody, but the larger issue is that many young children watch much much more than 1/2 hour of television a day and that combined with a poor diet creates behavior patterns that left uncorrected eventually do kill people.

Parents should educate children, not TV shows. If there really are parents out there that don't understand the necessity of being active and having a healthy diet in this day and age their kids are in a lot of trouble.

I'm probably talking about issues that are a lot bigger than this little TV program, but if anyone here is a parent think about the motivations behind all these TV shows aimed at children. Do they educate kids? Sure, but not out of the goodness of their hearts. They want to make a ton of money in the process.

For example, what's kind of disturbing about Lazytown is that while it may indeed have positive values, that's not the show's primary motivation. LazyTown - like many children's entertainment properties - is first and foremost envisioned to be a universal licensing property.

Maybe I'm crazy, but some of the overzealous branding LazyTown has been involved with in Iceland is, well, kind of creepy. For proof I point you no further than this page on their site which details all the Lazytown related merchandise available. There's nothing wrong with making money of course and I don't see the harm in a few a few stuffed toys or bed sheets, but why does bottled water have to be marketed to young children? Does the world really need LazyTown branded vegtables?

Still think they haven't set out to wring every last buck they can out of this property? Read this.

It seems to me this show is less about being active and educating and more about making a lot of money for it's creators.

 

[GelflingWaldo]

but the larger issue is that many young children watch much much more than 1/2 hour of television a day

LazyTown tries to educate and motivate children to stop this habit and turn the TVoff rather than watching TV for hours.

Parents should educate children, not TV shows

They should, but the sad thing is a lot of them don't.

but why does bottled water have to be marketed to young children? Does the world really need LazyTown branded vegtables?

Sure LazyTown has a ton of items on the market. But they are aimed at the parent who buy this stuff anyway. A lot of parent buy bottled water. Why not put Lazytown on it and get some of money. The stuff is not overpriced. Sure it's a little overboard but not that crazy. It is just a TV show and a part of pop-culture. I don't think LazyTown is any worse than any other children's show (if anything it's just a little better).

 

[PaulyPuppets]

LAZYTOWN or Lazy Writing?

In my opinion, the problem with LAZYTOWN, is that it's just poorly written. It's constantly the same plot...... The kids play and the villain doesn't want them to. But it's never explained WHY it's important to keep active. One of the songs sung is all about "play(ing) every day..." and another says "having fun is what it's all about". To me, as a parent, these messages are misleading. Sounds like pretty irresponsible behaviour. How about "Feeling great is what it's all about" or "excercise every day" instead? Also, the hero, Sportacus, and the Jim Carey impersonating villain, Robby Rotten (But more so, the hero, Sportacus) have really thick Icelandic accents, and you can't understand what they're saying half the time. So even if they attempted to explain their actions, you'd need to re-cast them with American actors so you can make out what they're talking about. My little girl freaks out when I attempt to watch it. To her, it's just plain scary (sorry, supporters). I've sat through enough episodes to be familiar with the characters. I guess I'm just fascinated by the show. Look, I personally think the theme is an important one, but again, it's not translating properly into English. And I completely disagree with anyone who thinks the Lazy Town puppets are Muppet-like. They're two completely different types of puppets. Any show for kids which promotes a healthy lifestyle is important. But when the point is lost, what IS the point? I think the producers need to re-cast some Lazy Town actors. Although I believe the hero, Sportacus, is played by the creator of the show, and may even BE one of the producers. He needs to realize that he might need a new performer to play his role, in the American market. Or perhaps they should dubb in a better speaking voice for his character and for Robby Rotten, ...and definitely hire new writers and composer(s)​

 

[PaulyPuppets]

Interesting: Show once was ALL puppets

This is kind of interesting. I found the site of the folks who built the puppets for the original LAZYTOWN series in Iceland. What I found interesting is that ALL of the characters were puppets in that version. In other words, no live actors. There is a Sportacus puppet, a Stephany puppet, a Robby puppet, and several other characters not on the American version. They actually look kind of cool, and I wonder why it was changed for the American market. The producers would have saved a heck of a lot of money. All they would of had to do was dubb in English dialogue and songs. Then again, that's easy to say for someone who doesn't know the real circumstances. But even if they kept the ALL puppet concept, I still feel at the very least, that the writing needs to improve.​

Here's the URL so you can see the original puppets> http://www.witpuppets.com/puppets.html

 

[Iokitek]

Check out the movie where they try to make the animatronic "muppet" walk. It's just too funny

 

[buckshot]

I've always been baffled by TV producers attempting to make kids more active through TV shows. If they really want children to get more exercise and be more active perhaps making a TV show is the wrong approach.

So true.

 

[christyb]

Active or not. The show is kinda creepy. My little sister loves it though. So they got something right.

 

[CensoredAlso]

This is an old thread, but I just wanted to say I really liked Lazy Town, lol. There is a need to encourage kids to be active, get away from the TV and video games. The kids are watching TV already, they might as well hear a good message. And the guy who plays the villian is hilarious. Lol I know it's the same story every episode, but I'm finding now that a lot of shows I loved as a kid are the same way. When you're a kid, you don't notice as much.

The puppets are kinda creepy, lol. But their characters are interesting.

 

[spcglider]

I noticed this show long ago and was too disturbed by it to keep watching. I just hoped it would go away. Evidently not.

The same puppet building technology as they used on JHH and on Ghost of Faffner Hall.

There's something creepy about seeing characters that are so fleshy and plastick-y. They remind me of the old Star Trek episode "Shore Leave"... where Doctor McCoy is "killed" by a knight on horseback, but when they bring down the knight and open his visor, his face is all plastick-y and gross just like the puppets here. And his eyes look just as fake.

What makes stuff creepy (and I mean truly CREEPY) is when it IS CREEPY, but they don't intend it to be!

-G