Amanda Chen – ‘Wild Kratts’
Growing up, senior Amanda Chen’s main TV network was PBS Kids, which her parents encouraged her to watch for its educational programming. Out of all the shows on the network, she gravitated most toward the fast-paced adventures of “Wild Kratts.”
The animated series follows zoologist brothers Chris and Martin Kratt as they learn about animals with futuristic technology, most notably Creature Power Suits, which grant animal abilities and the Minaturizer for shrinking. According to Chen, when she comes across information about wildlife while traveling, she notices how she can often corroborate what she learned from “Wild Kratts” with her experiences.
“One episode I recently recalled is this orb weaver spider episode where the fashion villain tried to steal all spiders’ silk to make clothing,” Chen said. “The main characters stated facts, like, ‘These are some of the strongest webs on Earth, and they can catch birds for the spiders to eat.’ I just recently remembered it because I’m going to Taiwan over the summer, and I was doing some research about it and saw that they have a lot of orb weaver spiders over there.”
Beyond the series’ educational aspect, Chen also appreciated its characters’ personalities. She explains that the show made each character distinct enough that viewers could connect with them for different reasons. She particularly enjoyed the four recurring villains Zach Varmitech, Donita Donata, Gaston Gourmand and Paisley Paver.
“One of the villains was a tech guy who would chop down nature and take from nature for his own inventions and technology, and it’s something that even happens to this day for technological advancement,” Chen said. “We also take from nature, and that reminds me of him and how they made that one of the main focuses of the show.”
Shawn Voigt – ‘Hey Arnold!’
Guided Studies and Study Buddies coordinator Shawn Voigt grew up watching Nickelodeon, with one of the most memorable shows being “Hey Arnold!” The series follows Arnold, a young boy navigating life in a city, alongside school, friendships and family relationships. According to Voigt, the show stood out because of its oddness, which he sees as a defining feature of many Nickelodeon shows.
“It wasn’t typical in the family dynamics,” Voigt said. “I liked the main character, Arnold, who lived in a boarding house with his grandparents, who were very quirky. I also liked Arnold’s best friend, Gerald. He was levelheaded but fun, and he also had a pet pig named Amber. And, you know, it wasn’t a dog. It was a pig.”
Voigt says the show remains nostalgic for him and that he hopes to revisit it in the future, both for himself and possibly for his son when he gets older. He is also interested in seeing whether the show compares to children’s shows released today.
“‘Hey Arnold!’ holds the softest part of my heart because it just kept it real,” Voigt said. “It gave real lessons with its episodes and explored different emotions in a lighthearted manner. Even if it was Arnold trying to find his parents or something heavy like that, the show made it more digestible and entertaining for a kid. It’s a lot of talent to be able to do that.”
“SportsCenter” was another show Voigt watched frequently. He notes that while he enjoyed the program growing up, he is disappointed with its recent direction, believing it now focuses more on attracting views and profit with clickbait, prioritizing virality instead of providing substantial sports analysis. He hopes that shows like “Hey Arnold!” do not follow a similar path.
“It just dilutes the product,” Voigt said. “It would go against their essence. It would just ruin my appreciation of how cute and mindful the stories were. It totally just ruins your memory of it when it was good and substantial, not just trying to make money.”
Alice Tie – ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’
Freshman Alice Tie first discovered “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” through YouTube videos of people recreating the show’s characters with Play-Doh. Curious, she decided to watch the series and quickly grew attached to it. The animated show follows a group of six magical ponies as they navigate friendships, conflicts and everyday life together.
Out of the main characters, Tie says she especially liked Rainbow Dash for her energetic personality and Rarity for her sassy, queen-like attitude. Beyond the main series, she also used to watch the franchise’s “My Little Pony: Equestria Girls” movies and particularly enjoyed the animated musical “Rainbow Rocks.” Tie says she believes she would still enjoy the franchise if she rewatched it today.
“I might think it’s a little more childish, but I probably will still find it interesting, because ‘My Little Pony’ is still entertaining to me,” Tie said. “I think I honestly will view my childhood shows the same, but just in a more mature way, because even though I grew up, I still resonate with them. They bring out my inner child.”
Due to the franchise’s popularity, Tie says the show also helped her connect with others who grew up watching it. She also adds that the relationships and lessons in the series taught her the importance of acknowledging different perspectives and viewpoints on life.
“‘My Little Pony’ was about the power of friendship, and that motto stuck with me,” Tie said. “I learned that friendship is important, and even though it’s a little cliché, it’s still kind of heartwarming in a way. The group of six was all tightly knit together, and I kind of just grew up with them.”
