Wednesday, March 7, 2012

On the Parting of Moose and Zee

So yesterday I was shocked to learn that Moose and Zee are no longer "hosting" NickJr.
Some of you may not know what I am talking about, some of you may not care. I am just a little taken aback by the news, although I am not actually sure which side of the fence I fall on.

Were Moose and Zee recognizable characters that the Ladies enjoyed? Yes.

Were they a little bit repetitive and kind of annoying? Also yes.

Clearly, I haven't been keeping up on my NickJr, this is due to a combination of things:

1. I am out of the house most of the day
2. I have been trying to limit TV time when I get home and on weekends
3. The Ladies have been watching a lot of Disney Channel
4. I have cultivated and developed a "deaf ear" to children's programming over the last few years. Yes, I still wake in the middle of the night singing the theme song to "Phineas and Ferb" and the Fresh Beats never fail to make an appearance in my morning shower, but I have also been able to tune out these shows as background noise. Mostly because I have seen (or heard) them all like 300 times.

I have become so good at tuning it out that I'd like to think I now know what it is like to be my husband when I am trying to talk to him.

I'd also like to think that Moose and Zee have made a bit of a lasting impression on me. I dare say I will still be singing "I Don't like Candy Corn" come Halloween, even though, in my heart of hearts, I love candy corn, until that one piece takes you over the edge from enjoyment to possible puking. And who can forget when Zee gets Moose the candy cane for Christmas? Just so heartwarming and nauseatingly repetitive at the same time.

Now I can't stop singing any of these songs.

I tried googling the reason they were "terminated" but couldn't find anything. There is a petition out there to bring them back though. Also, I probably spent way too much time on the NickJr site. So much so that I am thinking about getting the new Fresh Beat album and I am pleased to learn that there is a Barbie in A Mermaid Tale 2 out. Oh, Merliah how I have missed you so.

So, anyway, I get home from work last night and even though the TV isn't on and the Ladies are perfectly occupied with something else, I decide we should put on NickJr so that I can see how big of a difference this change has made.

I approach the Ladies with a tone of seriousness:

Me: Ladies, Moose and Zee aren't on NickJr anymore. (I like to imagine I am portraying a sympathetic face and seem open to discussion here. I want them to express themselves in case they are concerned.)

The Lady: I hate Moose and Zee.

Me: Um, what? (and then something about how we shouldn't use the word hate, etc. . .)

Me: Why don't you like Moose and Zee?

The Lady: Well, I like Zee.

Me: Why not Moose?

The Lady: Because he always thinks he's our teacher.

Great.

Congratulations NickJr in your attempt to teach my child with your cute animals and their songs that promote learning, you have created some sort of didactic, patronizing Moose who the Lady hates.

Kudos to kicking him to the curb. . . however replacing them with songs from other shows is kind of lame and there is only so much Diego I can take.

In other NickJr news. . . (yes, I know I should stop now) but as I was leaving for work this morning and trying to tiptoe around the Little Lady who once again was sleeping on the couch in the living room, I heard her roll over and say, "Laids, it's time for the Fresh Beats." She was totally asleep.

Oh NickJr it is a fine line we walk together. On one hand, I would like to give you a five minute frencher for occupying the Ladies while I try to get some things done around the house, on the other hand I would like to kick you where it counts for your insistence on playing the same shows over and over and for creating the haunting sounds of the Fresh Beat Band.

And Moose and Zee? I hope you find what you are looking for on this journey we call life. Here's to hoping you finally make it to Frisco the fire-ant's birthday party.

1 comment:

  1. We're going on a trip and the song about fall were the best. There lessons were annoying but my daughter and I loved the songs.

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