It’s taken the world by storm: A cartoon about a six-year-old puppy named Bluey, her sister, Bingo, and family. Five years on from the first screening ofas “a balm for child-free, stressed adults”, which likely appeals because “it’s a wholesome and often funny show grounded in a deep appreciation for self-kindness”.Children’s television in Australia has changed a lot in the past few decades, but about 50 years ago, another animal was centre stage.
So how does the back catalogue of popular kids’ shows made locally stack up? Are there any old shows that wouldn’t work now? Two blokes showing how science worked on“Some of those magazine-style shows, the format possibly looks a bit dated and children might think presenters of old are talking down to them, but then again, with all of those formats, you update them,” Buckland says.
“There are great things about our contemporary standards and values, but sometimes perhaps we’re a little bit too careful.”of children’s television because it was on air somewhere in the world every day. It’s been the gift that keeps on giving.”would work equally well now. “It was really sticky for kids because the characters were so well-drawn, as was the drama between all the characters,” she says..
These days, those making kids’ programs are better at dealing with and confronting big, serious issues. She cites the Emmy award-winning ABC show,as an example: the story of a transgender girl and her experiences at high school. “In that regard, that is quite groundbreaking ... people more willing to confront grief and other scary issues in children’s television. It’s sort of a yin and a yang thing and it goes through cycles,” Buckland says.