Jonas Leupe on Unsplash
s there something that you like that is way out of your target demographic?
One of my (not-so) great traits is that I’m willing to watch anything. If someone on Discord tells me to watch an anime about a giraffe running some sort of screwed-up drama camp with clear yuri undertones, then I’m gonna watch it, or if my friend tells me to watch the Dark Knight trilogy for the 60th time, then yeah, I’ll go watch it. But, leave me unattended with a burning curiosity about different types of media, and I might end up going insane with what I watch.
You know how sometimes you go back to watch an old childhood show of yours just as a remembrance of nostalgia of sorts? It’s nothing harmful, just one of those “time to look back!” type deals that happen once in a while, or some sort of irony-tinged thing you’ll do.
That’s exactly me, but remove any sort of irony and one-time deals.
Case in point: Disney’s Alice’s Wonderland Bakery.
Last year, Disney+ led me on some sort of rabbit hole (pun intended) and somehow, I ended up watching the original Alice In Wonderland movie. Great film, but then I stumbled upon this show afterwards and was curious. They made a reboot/sequel/spinoff of the movie for a really young target demographic that is way beyond my own? I was curious that day, so then I pressed on the first episode…
And was delightfully surprised. I mean, it’s got everything I generally dislike about shows, especially kids shows, nowadays. It has cutesy CGI, it’s a reboot/sequel/spin-off of a franchise that doesn’t need more projects, it’s part-musical, it’s clearly a merchandise shilling operation…
In the end, I was quite captivated by its surprisingly great animation, talented voice cast, catchy songs, and respect to the source material. The show itself is an underrated gem. Even for an adult, you may find some genuine enjoyment in this show.
Oh right, this is a baby show.
Still, I was thoroughly impressed by this little show for little children; I’d even say it was my favorite Disney project of 2022, which is really weird.
Hey, if you think me raving about an Alice In Wonderland-centric preschool show that gets snubbed at the Emmys is kinda stupid (it is), then you should ask our Australian friends about the absolute juggernaut that is…
BLUEY.
We’ve all heard about this show. It’s the newest Peppa Pig, but unlike the British Piggy, Bluey is… actually really good. Even some parents enjoy watching the show by themselves without their kids, and loving it!
What sets Bluey apart though is its handling of certain themes and character traits, like ADHD, miscarriages, death, just to name a few. A lot of parents praise Bluey’s nuanced handling of these topics, and I have to agree.
In one episode, Onesies, Bluey wonders why her auntie Brandy, who makes an appearance in the episode, doesn’t show up often. There’s a touching scene where Bluey’s mother, Chili, discusses why that’s the case.
It’s implied that Brandy has fertility problems, though instead of outright telling Bluey that Brandy has these problems, the dialogue is much more nuanced, almost put into a way for a kid to understand but also not understand at the same time.
Bluey: “Why can’t she just have the things she wants?”
Chili: “Because it’s not meant to be.”
It’s surprisingly mature stuff for kids’ media, but it just goes to show how much love and care goes into making Bluey, and in turn, why this show is so beloved. And the accompanying visuals… it strikes a chord.
Sure, curiosity can kill a cat, but even so, curiosity can lead you to unexpected places. Especially when viewing media that is beyond your target demographic, you may sometimes end up finding gold like Alice’s Wonderland Bakery or Bluey. This is not a call to action to watch all kids’ media (I still think some of those media is actual slop), but leaving an open mind and learning from unexpected places can offer you some beautiful insight in even your own life.
And besides, they say to try things with an open mind, right?