Brennan, my almost five year old son, for whatever reason has discovered and fallen in love with Strawberry Shortcake. Watching him enjoying movies and TV shows that I loved as a child has been so much fun, however, I have a big bone to pick with all of these updated characters.
Let's look at the Strawberry Shortcake that I knew and loved. I loved her so much that I bought my mom a Strawberry Shortcake video tape for her birthday when I was four years old. (Okay when I say, "I bought" I meant my dad bought.) Now, she's "updated" and, well, really pretty! What about the younger looking Strawberry who was more like me as I was a child? I don't have any qualms with bringing back classic TV characters but why do we have to update them?
We have everything from Littlest Pet Shop (one of my sister's favorites) to the ever changing and popular Barbie. These characters are brilliant but in order for them to sustain popularity with today's kids perhaps they need a new look? Or maybe the new look is geared towards us, the parents, the keepers of those dollars? Whatever the case, there's one character that hasn't seemed to make a comeback in a new updated version and I have to admit that I'm happy about that. Who is it? It's my favorite, Rainbow Brite. She hasn't seemed to attract the attention of modern day toy makers and I'm more than okay with that. Look at her? She's so sweet! I've seen some "updated" versions of her and I don't know, she's way too grown up for my taste. Oh and don't even get me started on the horror that is Pluto, the star, not the planet.
We haven’t gotten into a lot of character stuff yet as my son is only 17 months old, but I have to admit I don’t hate today’s Sesame Street!
I love the vintage look of all my favorites!!
I’m so glad my little one is still too young for TV so I can minimize my exposure to this stuff (and hers, of course, but it irks me too much!)
Tv Producers always seem to update characters so that children now a days will accept the way they look b/c it’s the image that society has put out there. Sadly even childrens cartoon characters get a “face lift”.
What bothers me about the updating is that they’re doing it in such a gender-role way. Strawberry was like a doll – now she’s pretty.. pretty hair, pretty clothes, pretty voice, very girly, etc. Same with the Ponies. PONIES. Equal with that is the fact that they’re just getting more and more obnoxious. Louder! Brighter! More aggressive! More flashes! More colour! More attitude! The focus is less on learning lessons and having fun – a la He-Man and more and more teaches that you get rewarded for bad behaviour.
(He-Man was a favourite of mine – it has been updated. Terribly.)
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