When the Teletubbies first hit the airwaves, they caused a bit of a stir. With programming calculated especially to appeal to the very young, to some, they were refreshingly different. To others, they were a curse somewhat akin to the plagues Moses sent down upon Ancient Egypt. Children everywhere gobbled them up.
Of course, then came the scandal. “The purple Teletubby is gay!” screamed headlines. Okay, he carried a purse and fought the little red Teletubby for the tutu. He’s purple (and we all know that only gay people like purple) and his antenna is a triangle (a very gay shape) But does that make him gay? Heated debates raged, interstates closed down, nuclear warheads were armed – well, maybe not. But it was a pretty hot topic there for a while.
And you know what? To those who found the show refreshing, it was still refreshing. Those who hated it still hated it, and the children still gobbled it up. As nearly as I can tell, the scandal didn’t hurt the show at all.
The premise: Four little alien-looking creatures named Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-laa, and Po pop up out of their underground house every morning and wander around a nice green meadow, talking unintelligibly to the cute baby face in the sun and fighting over tutus. About halfway through the show, a little film will show on one of their stomachs, generally depicting an outing or a skill that a child has learned. After seeing the film, the Teletubbies chant, “Again! Again!” and so once again, the film is inflicted . . . I mean, shown to us. That is essentially the entire show. I have been unable to detect any educational or social value in it at all, and it rates very high on the bejeebers meter.
I have to admit, I am somewhat prejudiced in my feelings toward this show. We lived in a basement apartment when I became pregnant with our second child, and for some reason, at 10:30 my morning sickness would be the absolute worst. I would put my daughter in front of the TV and lay down on the couch, trying to sleep through the sickness. Teletubbies was the only show we could get at that time, due to the poor TV reception in that basement. To this day, I can’t see a Teletubby without getting sick to my stomach. But then again, I understand a lot of people feel that way.
But if you don’t mind the show, please don’t let my hardheartedness bother you. We all have different tastes in programming and you can watch Teletubbies if you so desire. I probably won’t come visit you while it’s on, though.
Tristi’s Score: 3 for Education, 3 for Entertainment, and the Parental Annoyance Factor is 9.
