I was planning to get that for my daughter last year (she's 4 1/2 now, perhaps too old for it?) - I suppose if I do, my son (2) will be able to watch it. How old are yours?

Our two watch telly in the morning, before school/childminder; it's usually bloody Dora. We used to get BBC Prime, so there would be a couple of good shows (Balamory, Yoho Ahoy, Abercrombie etc etc) as well as some appalling bollocks.

I'd agree that it's for 2s and under really. Item can't see the appeal, which is annoying, because she accepts the Tweenies or Dora with their much inferior aesthetics - simply because they are aimed at her level. I'm sad to notice that Peppa Pig is on its way out: that's one I really enjoyed along with her. Long may Charlie and Lola reign.

8.15am Mon-Fri on Channel 5, by the looks of things. We liked it so much we bought every episode on DVD (I say we; this is the sort of thing my husband does, in fact) and it has seen us through a good few meal preparation times and cheered her up during chicken pox, as well.

Bring back the Rubbadubbers. Ar,ar, Arrr!

Ooh, I've touched a nerve there. A moity big one.

One thing about having children - it turns you into a big, giant, emotional wuss. You weep at *everything* because somehow, life has become that much more precious and tender.

I distinctly remember welling up at a McDonald's commercial where the little boy feels left out after his new baby sister is born and so his Dad takes him out for McDonalds and then the little boy wants to bring some french fries home to the baby sister...pathetic.

And it gets worse. Much, much worse. ;-)

Oh...things are just beginning. You think that when they get older, you'll become LESS emotional? Not a chance.

My beautiful 21-year old daughter came to visit me here in the UK last spring and when I saw her come out the door from customs, I burst into tears. "Aww...Mommy," she said.

But you know...it's great. Its great to feel that much connection and love. Too much hate and cynicism in the world. Bring on the tender tears!

our little girl is only 7 weeks and yet somehow I already know about and enjoy Iggle Piggle, Peppa Pig and Charlie and Lola !

PS I love the juxtaposition of you writing about gentle kids TV whilst lisetning to Boris' Smile !!

Clive Robot

I saw his Hamlet at Sunderland Empire in 1978 you know

Well really - you shouldn't have been looking!

And having just watched the end titles on YouTube, I welled up as well and I don't even have kids to blame for making me tired!!

That article you linked to is totally right as well. There are nods to adult nostalgia all the way through - perhaps these are to engage the parents in the way other programmes do with the usual knowing gags etc. I watched a whole episode out of curiosity and saw echoes of Trumpton, the Woodentops, the Herb Garden and H R Pufnstuf.

My favourite character was Makkapakka - is he a hit with the kids?

The ending is beautiful; I think Iggle Piggle in the boat represents his finally having gone to sleep in the night garden itself - assuming there are dreams within dreams based on the opening credits (although I may be reading too much into it ;-) ).

It is the best new pre-school show of recent years (my eldest started school 2 weeks ago so we've watched a fair bit of CBeebies during that time).

Well, this is the best television show in Europe, clearly: the result of having unlimited freedom and money (the sales of Tellytubbies meant its creators had carte blanche). I've been so unobservant that I did not realise it was La Jacobi who was doing the voice. He surely has a warmly sympathetic place in all the hearts of the I Clavdivs generation. For some perverse reasons (perhaps because the scenario itself is actually perverse) I imagined a scene in the Dennis Potter/Mickey Spillane/Dennis Hopper/Nu Batman vein in which a crazed killer sings "Yes My Name is Iggle Piggle" before committing an unspeakable crime. It'll come.
But the frankly terrific ending in which the lost blue soul goes forth for ever upon the river Lethe - man! a stroke of genius in a surrealistic classic. Bright young things all over the world would surely want to work for The Simpsons or the Night Garden team.
Most of the really interesting sound design is happening in kids' telly, I think. EB
Rubberdubbers, meantime, is shit of the first order. There are other offenders, as you know. Poisonous crap of all sorts. I particularly hate the Pixar "Cars" movie, Barney, Disney's godawful and sacreligious Winny the Pooh with its hillbilly cretin characterisation (of the kind even Bud Abbott would have puked at), numberless other tedious drains on the soul. Monsters Inc is great. Peppa Pig is existential philosophy dressed up as a kids' cartoon. Most of these things are terrifying.
(On the radio as I write: preview of Goblin Market... Isn't James Naughtie awful? His reports from America, like a schoolboy's homage to Alastair Cooke, knowing where AC was knowledgeable, sure do stick in the craw.)
Talking of Lethe, I have an episode of Saturday Night Fry (R4, 1988) you must hear, in which Stephen Fry does a Jim'll Fix It style feature whereby he tries to rescue a correspondent's father from the afterlife. With hilarious results, as they say.
Seen in Lisbon: three hundred foot advertising hoarding featuring warts and all Hugh Lawrie advertising soda water.