Your Thoughts: Sid the Science Kid

Phillip

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Messages
8,247
Reaction score
3,401
Here’s a reminder that Henson’s new family series, “Sid the Science Kid” debuts tomorrow on PBS nationwide. Check your local channel for times in your area.

After you see the new series, post here and let us know what you think. Here's a preview of “Sid the Science Kid” from earlier in the year.

http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2008/052408.shtml
 

Drtooth

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2002
Messages
31,718
Reaction score
6,707
Well, I have yet to see much of it, since I still have no idea when it airs around me (though I got a hunch)... but I will say this.

I don't know why... but I saw the commercial preview for it... and when he said "Banana? Why'd you have to go an' get all brown an' mushy?" I fell backwards in my chair and howled with laughter.

Maybe it was just the way he said it... but it struck my odd sense of humor...
 

Erine81981

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Messages
10,559
Reaction score
277
I really enjoyed the first epiosde. I was half asleep when i watched it being that stayed up late and slept half the day and all but i recorded it and really enjoyed it. Can't wait to watch the newest one.

I also found out that Mr. Rogers isn't showing because Sid shows at 12 now and 8:30 in the moring. Weird but at least it's another Henson related show. Thanks again Henson for putting out a show for our younger viewers and us the parents or uncles who watch it with them.
 

GSmiley2007

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2007
Messages
181
Reaction score
19
I love it. Especially when it comes to Sid and his friends (my favorite of his friends might either be Gerald or Gabriela because they are both energetic and fun). And the fact that they do a week's worth of episodes regarding a certain theme is pretty much like how Mr. Rogers used to handle it.

BTW, I'm wondering-- when a Friday show ends for StSK, do they show teasers for next week's episodes? Also, I wonder what the feelings will be for Sid and his friends should we make emoticons out of them? ;-)
 

stephenjlizard

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Messages
773
Reaction score
16
I thought StSK was very well done, and I think it'll be extremely effective in helping preschoolers with science readiness! Everything was done just right, this was a strong start. I'm personally also glad to see Henson have another high-profile children's series on the air.
 

Erine81981

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Messages
10,559
Reaction score
277
Episode 2 The Rolie Polie

I'm enjoy all the episode so far. I missed episode 3 today for some reason my DVR didn't record it but i'll get to see it again when it airs next Saturday morning. If you did miss episodes 1 and 2 they will be showing Episode 1 on Saturday and Episode 2 Sunday. So be sure to catch them if you missed them.
 

tutter_fan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2003
Messages
1,852
Reaction score
362
Funny show! I could imagine how humorous this show can be, and is!
 

Ilikemuppets

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Messages
15,138
Reaction score
25
I saw the first episode and it's a pretty good show from what I can tell!
 

dwmckim

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2002
Messages
2,874
Reaction score
848
(Forewarning: Long post here and i'm trying to rapidly get the various thought i've had over the last week and a half all out here, so be prepared for spelling errors and typos!)

Okay, when i first tuned in, it was more out of loyalty to JHC more than excitement, not knowing what to expect and figuring it would probably be good but most likely something i could ultimately take or leave...

However it wasn't too long before i could say i am totally in love with this show - it ROCKS and is a totally worthy addition to the Jim Henson banner.

No big discussion here on computer animation vs puppetry vs the Hensons' technology of merging the two...that's the thing that i think is dominating too much discussion about the show in other places but no one seems to be looking at the quality of the show beyond that and this show has so much awesome stuff going for it - in the best tradition of Sesame Street (at its classic best) and Fraggle Rock, it makes learning FUN and it's not heavyhanded - 30-something me loves watching this show and i totally know that child d.w. would totally groove on this show and it would be a beloved favorite!

Like the best of Henson productions, the characters (and the performers behind them) are the backbone of the show. They're all well-developed with lots of nuance beyond architypes with even the parents (who don't get as much screentime as the kids and teacher) well-defined than just the prerequisite minimum requirements - they're smart in their own right (not stooges for the children) but aren't afraid to admit when a question Sid has might be better asked to their teacher if they (a) don't actually know how to answer the question or (b) want to encourage Sid to explore the answer for himself. While discussion the parents i think it's great that the designs subtlely suggest that Sid is from a mixed-race family. I wasn't too crazy about Sid's final design, but after realizing that he would be a mixed offspring, i appreciate it more. They actually did a good job with the color scheme of the characters (for the most part) taken a little bit of a Simpson-esque cue of making the basic hue yellow but still with hints of different races (with Gerald's pinkness more evocutive of the ruddy/lightskinned redhead) and with Susie the teacher being hispanic and Sid's mother most likely African American, but it doesn't hit you over the head...the multiculturalism is more subliminal and like the original Sesame Street Muppets are a great example of using different colored hues to represent diversity with some more abstract (orange Ernie/yellow Bert) and some more representative (Roosevelt Franklin) of a particular background. The only thing that really kind of sticks out and bugs me is they made Sid's father's nose too red...if this was a more standard look to the rest of the characters (again thinking of Ernie and Bert's noses compared to their skin color) it probably wouldn't matter but otherwise the characters' noses are pretty close to the rest of their coloring, and so it sticks out and actually has the effect of making him look drunk or alchoholic!

Getting back to the characters, they're all so engaging and all the kids seem like people i would totally want to be friends with if i was a kid and would probably do a lot of pretending or fantasizing of going to their school and hanging out with them...especially since not only are the kids a lot of fun but the school and teacher (how way-cool is her belt?) are all way too cool again making child d.w. wish he could go there himself and have Susie as my teacher. Not sure which grade/age group it's representing, but it seems like either a nursery school if one was to think of the characters as younger or if one thought of them as older, it kind of comes across as a special school for gifted children, in between the small class size (4 kids), close teacher/student relationship, generally inquistive/intelligent and talented each-in-their-own-way kids, sitting on mats on the rug or having discussions outside, the "Super Fab Lab" and being encouraged to explore and keep journals...man oh man again child d.w. wants to dive through the set and join them all!

The whole show itself in and outside of the school setting makes learning fun, it doesn't talk down to kids, and depending on the age group watching actually introduces some advanced concepts and topics. In so many ways, the show reminds me of classic Sesame before it became so curriculum-controlled, politically correct, dumbed down, and more aimed at toddler viewers than preschoolers and also the adults watching with them...how appropriate that the show is the latest major Henson project and is on PBS (and is in many ways based around a well researched and controlled curriculum but doesn't feel like it cause it's all so entertaining)

Oh and by the way remember how i keep saying how i child d.w. would totally want to be a part of the world they created but it would REALLY get me hooked on the idea of carrying around a Sid style microphone and wanting to go around "hosting" my own show playing off of my stuffed animals, friends, family, neighbors, birds in the trees etc. Henson would be missing out on a major marketing opportunity if they didn't put out Sid style toy microphones out there! (Not only a money-maker but a toy that encourages creative play)

Of course one can't heap such praise on the characters without giving a major shout-out to the very talented performers who bring them to life. Many of the people involved have been known to Hensonites for awhile now but even though they're been doing a lot for the company between Puppet Up! the newer projects like Scrumps, other digital puppetry projects, Sam Plenty, etc etc... as far as the real "high profile" projects, they've still mainly been on what i would call the "third tier of Muppet Performers" (first tier being the vets or frequent stars like Steve, Dave, Kevin, Bill, even Eric Jacobson; second tier being the supporting puppeteers...maybe they get lines/characters, other times they're still right-handing, filling out the crowds like David Rudman, Joey Mazzarino, Camille Bonora)...so it's nice to see them basically being the stars of such a major high profile project and they really shine. There are those who really don't like the "Henson alternative" projects like Puppet Up but something like Sid shows the results that the whole idea of doing puppet improvs was initially meant to accomplish - building creativity/performance skills/comaradery/character building skills - and one really sees how tight this set of performers have become. Drew Massey carries the show well and his earned his stripes as a lead while i have to credit Julianne B and Victor Yerrid for their work with Meg and Gerald who are my personal favorites (hard to pick between them...but i think between the performance and the design, Gerald would be my favorite...kind of in the way that between the voicing and the "life" and "energy" the animators gave Baby Animal in Muppet Babies that always made me relish his screen time, Gerald is the same way - total scene-stealer - check out that expression when he looks at the viewer at the end of the show when they're promoting the website!)

The only real kind of nit-pick is that some of the moments like the song they do when Sid comes to school comes across more as a cheap attempt to recycle animation more than a sincere desire to create a classic moment that kids look forward to every episode. But at least other recurring segments like Susie Sings have a different intro each episode where they could have done a "repeated animation" thing there...and for the most part the clip-heavy Friday review shows seem more like a genuine review done for educational purposes than a money-saving device (though some moments like using a repeated "Big Idea" at the end was overdoing it a bit...that part could have been an original bit.)

All in all, this show is an absolute winner that is going to win major love from the kid viewers, their teachers, their adult chaperones, and one of the toughest audiences to please...the Henson fans! :wink:
 

GelflingWaldo

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
1,553
Reaction score
9
Great review D.W. -- I've been meaning to take some time to collect/share my toughts, but you basically said everything I've been thinking/feeling.

Aside from the tech (which is a great achievement), the characters (and performances of them) are wonderfull! I really like these characters and can't wait to see what they're up to. The kids really feel like 5-year-olds. Overall it is an A+ production with great characters at the core!

Drew, Julianne, Victor and Alice are a great rising performance team --I'm glad Henson is nurturing and using their puppetry and performing talents here. The performers are great on this show and I'm happy to see that this team is also being featured in other upcoming projects -- including the Skrumps, Pajanimals, and Puppet Up! among others.

For the first major HDPS production, Henson has really set the bar high (both creatively and technically). I can't wait to see what they come up with next.
 
Top