The show would frustrate me whenever characters who meant well would get in trouble for something they didn't think about, because I had to deal with that all the time as a barely-lived child. I still watched the show because I liked the characters, but later on, I did appreciate how it made me think outside the box in terms of being a nice person. For instance, preschool taught me that you needed to say "please" if you want something, while Puzzle Place taught me that you shouldn't expect others to do what you want just because you said "please".
Wow, it's amazing to me that just reading your comment can still prompt a very vague memory of the episode that was from. I can vaguely remember a character saying "but I said 'please'".
I'm taking a class on Germany fairlytales, and we were talking about the psychological effects fairytales have on kids this week. Me and the other US student talked about how kid shows to a point were similar w/ regards to how the traditional, non disneyfied fairytales effect children at the psychological level. I do agree w/ what you your take away from this show because mine was the same. This is kinda why I'm not a big fan of how much shielding is being done in childrens media/entertainment to avoid triggering them today. Alot of colleges are seeing the ramifications of this play out now unfortunately (see r/Professors for detials). There seems to be an influx of young adults that don't know how to process/or deal with the inconveniences and negative aspects of life. They think they can just complain and wear factually down in order to get their way.
Okay, extra large kudos on the handling of Ben putting Jodie's menorah on the Christmas tree. It's one thing to try to show kids that they should be inclusive of other cultures, but it's a step above that to go "Sometimes you attempts at making people feel included will end up upsetting them, and you have to take that seriously and not just assume that it *should* be okay just because you had good intentions."
Someone else mentioned the shows use of good intentions vs results of good intentions and I think this is a really good example of that. Its kind of like how some people now are way overly zealous with inclusiveness that they start to come off as really condescending to the people they're trying to include.
Its good to teach kids that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you should learn from them. Too many people grow up with this anxiety about being wrong or being seen as stupid for making a mistake and thats something that can easily develop into anger when its pointed out.
Also actually acknowledging that there's a possibility that the adults won't do anything. So many kid's show just stop at 'tell an adult/teacher/etc' and ignore the fact that they might not care, or even be a major part of the abuse in the first place.
@@sarahsims6164 Agreed. Any bullying or unpleasant[in a harmful way] attention that hurts someone shouldn't be treated with "Oh they must liiIIiiike you. ♡♡♡" It's stupid, condescending, and ultimately unhelpful. Real help is needed. Even if it actually managed to be the source, that wouldn't change or stop what's been happening.
its embarrassing that parents tell their kids that. even mine. but this kid was KNOWN to bully everyone, so it doesnt make any sense. am i suppose to take abuse and translate it into love or something? i hope that becomes a thing of the past and parents start telling the truth
It frustrates me that all these first rate shows that cost millions to produce somehow end up losing half their episodes to time. I hope they are recovered someday.
@@goeyguts Oh, hell, no. Considering how long digital media's been around and the pains people have taken to ensure the preservation of other media of all ages... It's just been sabotaged; it's so forward and an advancement of a world so peaceable that they're convinced that if they allowed a record of it to be retained, there would be no room for the rest of what they're creating to grow, nevermind what it means for the future creative prospects for everyone else.
I happened to be an 8-year-old living in Southern California with a rough case of strep throat when this show premiered. I was a little too old for it, but sick kids without cable in the 90s were pretty accustomed to settling for the PBS Kids lineup, so I remember it fondly. Learning about the history of why the show even came into existence is incredibly interesting as well, especially in light of our current sociopolitical climate. Thanks for the great episode!
"They often featured conflicts on a personal level" Oh, I guess the writers must've tiptoed around more serious and blatant racism adults can display sometimes- "In another episode Leon is invited to Jimmy's Birthday party, but Jimmy's mother does not want him to come" *Spits out water*
The lesson being, "sometimes you may have a better moral compass than the adults", an intense but necessary one. You kind of feel bad for writers who have the unenviable task of insulting kids from unnecessary trauma and keeping parent from raising a hew and cry about radicalism, while preparing them for a world that is traumatic and not as able to break their fall as these fuzzy TV shows are. Kids shows should probably get more rigorous adult analysis after the fact. They say a lot about how ideas become acceptable and mainstream. The care and what it was showing too often gets washed away when the shows do.
@@hydro7373 It promoted racism when people had a problem with white actors playing non white FiCTIONAL puppet characters. Try again...Racism is racism no matter what. Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be racist.
This was such a good, gentle, very real show. It breaks my heart that episodes have been lost and that the rights are such a mess that they can't be released. It was really just so shockingly good and ahead of its time.
I vividly remember the episode where they briefly meet Earth Wind and Fire, which lead me to ask my dad to learn more about classic rock - this lead to my lifelong love of music that we both share.
This show had a personal impact on me as a kid, Kiki's character in particular. I grew up with a speech impediment and the issues her character explained about being harassed for her accent was the closest example I had to seeing my own issues being represented on TV as a kid. I loved this show, I wish I could remember it better than I do now
Wait a second…. I just got the show’s whole puzzle motif! It’s because every puzzle piece is different and unique but they all fit together just like the main cast (and the kids at home). That’s the whole theme of the show! After 25 years I just got that….
What came to mind was that intercultural interaction can be a puzzle sometimes. This is a positive thing in that instead of representing it as something dangerous on the one hand, or as something simple and unimportant, it acknowledges challenges while also presenting it as something that can be "solved" with cooperation. Much like in the Christmas one.
Aside from that (and forgive me if this is painfully obvious but it needs said as it's relevant,) I thought that since it's called "The Puzzle Place" and it's about learning different aspects of how to live, the learning process is also a puzzle.
@@rubydoodles6381 thank you omg people are so stupid. I literally dont even know how people think a mental disability is supposed to change your appearance
When I was a kid, I loved this show because I saw a Jewish kid being represented, furthermore, she spoke about very real situations. I loved that the show gave kids real, subtle examples of prejudice and how to have a respectful conversation about race/identity. While many 90's shows embraced multiculturalism, I think The Puzzle Place was one of the few that hit the mark.
As a another Jewish kid who loved this show growing up, I really connected to the Holiday episode where Ben learns about Hanukah and how Jody was made fun of for her last name. I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area and went to public school with an almost entirely Christian kid background. I was often bullied for being Jewish and often made fun of for my very ethnic sounding last name. Around Christmas time each year, all of the activity sheets and drawings kids made for each other left Hanukah as an aftermath or worse, just a dusty, old menorah hiding underneath the Christmas tree behind the presents. While many of my friends wanted to include me in their festivities, they thought it was just completely fine to just shove Hanukah into their Christmas. Well-meaning of course, but it was only The Puzzle Place that really showed how Judaism (and all other cultures) should be respected and celebrated on their own merit, not assimilated into a conformist majority. I'll never forget what The Puzzle Place did that no other kids shows back then (save for Arthur) did with respecting and celebrating other's cultures.
@@geckoguy4141 there was a Canadian cartoon that did that too. But it was before my time. Mom told me about it once. And growing up people just associated Hanukkah and Kwanzaa with the Christmas time like they knew it was separate from Christmas but also similar? I don’t know, I don’t remember anyone being made fun of being Jewish or any last name even ones that seemed unpronounceable
@@geckoguy4141 If you knew your history you'd know Hanukah was a lesser holiday barely practiced literally until American jewish societies noticed that Christmas was a massive cultural boost to Christians. Unironically Passover was the bigger Jewish Holiday.
There should be a Defunct TV episode that starts 30,000 years ago with some of the first evidence of stories in caves and keeps narrowing down to whatever Childrens Show he's talking about
That would be interesting for an April Fool's Day episode. Could be about something like an obscure series of shorts there is very little information on. Or a non-existent show like Candle Cove.
"The Tiananmen Square protests resulted in many deaths, as well as mass censorship and a strengthening of the grip that communism held over China." *5 minutes later...* "So anyways, Sagwa the Chinese Cat premiered in 2001 on PBS."
@@klonekomet I mean, a Sagwa episode could start with something about ancient Chinese history and legends. Edit: I noticed your edit. Maybe that would fit. Also, it was called Sagwa The Chinese Siamese Cat.
I was watching this show as a kid when my dad walked in and saw a male character discuss feeling sad. He immediately changed the channel, saying he didn't want me watching "that kind of garbage". It took me a long time to figure out what he meant by that. There was an attitude of "you can express joy or nothing, so don't even learn about anything else." I'm so happy to see the newer generations not tolerating that crap, in part thanks to growing up with shows like this one.
"Express joy or nothing. Make sure to drown your sorrows in alcohol, where the sorrows swim. And if that don't work, smoke that cigarette. Not that any of this actually works at all, and I pay no attention to the fact that even Jesus wept under sorrow of the death of Lazarus, pre-resurrection."
You know what, there *may* be _half_ a point to what he said, *if* he meant this: "don't toss your treasures to mockers who don't understand, who will rip you to shreds for sharing them." It depends on who's being communicated with. But, I kinda doubt he meant that. If he meant this at all, he didn't say it in a very good way.
I always think of him as Magellan from Eureka's Castle since Bear in the Big Blue House came toward the tail end of my children's show watching says haha.
I think Sinbad implied that “Option D” was Sinbad coming to whoop some ass, lol. Great video as always! Truly groundbreaking TV for its time. We could use some of this unity today.
He wouldn't have to whoop ass. Kid bullies fold before adults remarkably fast. I once ran into one in the wild who not only folded before me politely requesting he move out of the way of a zoo display so I could take a picture for my zoology class, he barked at his classmates to also move out of the way like he was the first mate of the ship and I was the captain.
@@joeygreen8091 And sometimes there is a difference between what is right and what is easy. This instance is one of those cases - sure, it might be "easier" to beat children, but it isn't right to beat children, because that can be psychologically damaging in the long run. Whereas parents who don't beat their kids but instead try to understand them can form friendships that last into adulthood, and those kids will be more likely to be happy to take care of their parents when THEY need it (if they are able to, and if not they'd still be more willing to visit or talk to said parents than those who were beaten).
There were so many episodes of The Puzzle Place that, even as a kid, got me right in the feels (like the one where Skye brings a family heirloom and loses it). I specifically remember one where Julie brings Chinese mooncakes to share and I told my grandma I wanted to try one. Being Mexican American and only shopping in Hispanic supermarkets, we searched for months and no dice. To this day, I've always been curious about what Chinese mooncakes taste like, just because I saw them on an episode of The Puzzle Place.
Not sure what your grocery stores are like where you live, but had you been a kid today you and your grandma would have almost certainly found mooncakes. Pretty much all of our Asian food stores also sell Mexican candy and other goods. Even the Victory Hmong across the street from my work sells spicy tamarind pops by the checkout counter, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Mexican groceries also sold Pocky by now.
This is the first time I have ever seen another living soul recognize the existence of The Puzzle Place. Even when it aired its name was never spoken and I felt all alone in the universe for having watched... I don't know, three or four episode probably? This and Chicken Minute are up there for shows I have never heard others acknowledge.
I don't know what I was expecting to find when clicking a video about "The Puzzle Place", but police brutality and racism on the first ten seconds definitely wasn't it. God, I love this channel.
Dude I literally had to recheck the title because I watch so much related to police brutality already that I was like "wait I was trying to destress, did I click on the wrong video???"
As a person who’s parents are divorced, I like how they represent Jody like that , because my parents divorced when me and my brother were only toddlers , and I primarily am living with my mom, it also warms my heart to see this show because my dad remembers watching this show and I found this to be fun and cute
Heh recall seeing it on pbs; however, by then I was a teenager so wasn't as interested. Early childhood was more the Muppet Theater, Sesame Street, and Reading Rainbow. Also saw Star Trek so seeing Levar Burton in both shows was a little weird early on.
Same! Before watching the video I remembered the title and had a vague recollection of the human puppets but what I remembered most clearly was Sizzle and Nuzzle since I still have the plush toys of them from when I was small.
You could also say cable TV had more kid friendly channels back then that would make for not knowing about the show. I raised my kids on PBS and Puzzle Place was a favorite. It would be nice if there was a reboot of the show with new characters added.
My husband was watching a few episodes a few months ago out of nostalgia. I had never seen it. Blew me away how thoughtful and careful it addressed its messages and morals. It's a shame it never really took off. I feel like we could really use a show of its caliber for kids today.
They really did do a great job of navigating the issues. They didn't just have this attitude of "ignore it and it'll go away" or trying to make an analog solution. Mad props to the writers. They were real allies.
Growing up in the 90s as a mixed race kid, I LOVED the Puzzle Place! It talked about a lot of topics I related to and the characters were so fun. I wish we had more shows like this now, especially in the current climate. Thanks for covering it, Kevin! Edit: that’s crazy that the merch line failed! I had the Kiki doll and a Nuzzle and Sizzle, as well as the backpack when I started school. My sister had Julie and Nuzzle and Sizzle. Pretty sure we each had a sweater, too. My best friend had the Jodie doll. It makes sense why it failed; it just seems weird when I look back 😂
Arthur is ending? 😰 That makes me feel so sad and happy at the same time. It was one of my favorite PBS kids shows to watch as a kid, and had so many great moments and characters. However, I feel like ending it is a good choice. I don’t care for its newer flash animation at all, plus its cancellation teaches everyone, young and old, that everything has to come to a complete stop at some point (which is something the stupid teams behind The Simpsons and Spongebob should sit down and learn). Arthur ran for a quarter of a century!
I LOVE the puppet craftsmanship in this show! It all looks so sleek, and the blinking eye mechanisms make them all the more immersive. Super great stuff, props to all the puppet builders! And from what I’ve seen from clips, each character seems to have a rod puppet and a live hands puppet that’s used interchangeably between scenes, which is cool too
I remember this show. I remember a coloring book my dad got for me and my older brother. Didn't think I would see this again. Great job on the episode. Brings back memories.
I really enjoyed this show as a child and looking back, I really adore it. It was on this show that I learned about Kwanzaa and convinced my mom to start celebrating it in our house. I’m so grateful to have been exposed to this show while I was so young.
@@hazyhalfmoon what’s the difference between a cult and a religion? Well in a couple hundred years it will be a tradition. I mean who cares why does it bother you so much?
Kevin, thank you. Thank you so very much for covering one of my absolute favorite shows from my childhood. I legit recognized over half the clips used here, from episodes I remember watching. This show taught me so much about important and difficult topics, on a level this sheltered, fraidy-cat 8-9 year-old could handle. I'll forever be grateful to have caught it on TV. The "Ben hates his glasses" ep is one I actually have taped. Being a glasses wearer myself, I'd call it serendipity. Though my favorite character was always, and always will be, Skye. Much love from this small piece of land across the ocean, Portugal.
Even though I forgot everything else, I vividly remember the episode where they compromised what type of pizza they should have by putting toppings each of them wanted on different slices.
I remember that, but criticizing it as a kid because I knew how various flavors bleed over from one slice to another. The doughnut episode is the one I could never forget.
My siblings and I loved this show. Growing up in small town USA in the 90s, we didn't have exposure to a lot of diversity. I think this show did exactly what it intended: spread multicultural understanding and taught problem solving. We got some of the merch including soundtracks, and we used to listen to them on roadtrips every weekend for years. Those songs still stick with me, especially the one about anticipating problems before they get out of control and also Kiki's incredible song about being on her own. "I'm alone, but I'm not lonely 'cause I've got me, the one and only!" As an small introvert, the song was my anthem! I wish I could find and play the songs for my nieces, nephews, and students. Thank you for sharing the background of one of my favorite children's programs.
Request: "DefuncTV: The History of Shining Time Station" I'd like to see this specifically because Shining Time Station was the show that introduced Thomas the Tank Engine to North American audiences. Memorable characters from the station scenes included Stacy Jones, Mr. Conductor, Schemer, and the Jukebox Band. Sadly, Shining Time Station is unlikely to get a DVD release due to copyright issues with the Thomas segments in particular, but every episode of the show can be found on TH-cam.
Revisiting shows like Arthur, The Puzzle Place, and Hey Arnold or book series like The Babysitters Club and American Girl as an adult have convinced me that I’ve partially been shaped into the caring person that I am as a direct result of consuming so much media that taught me how to be kind to others and I’m so incredibly grateful for that. I hope that when I have children I’m able to fill their lives with content that helps them grow into the best possible versions of themselves.
Whenever I trip over my cats or dog, I think of the episode when (Julie I think it was) ran over Sizzle because she was in a hurry and quickly said "sorry" without meaning it, and how she later realized it really hurt Sizzles feelings. I always take a moment to give my animals a pet and proper apology because of this show. However, I also thought this show didnt actually exist because I never seen or heard anything about it aside from my childhood memory. I'm glad thats not the case.
Same here! Wishbone was part of a poll that the channel held sometime last year, so it might possibly be an episode sometime in the next few months, as several other episodes were part of that poll as well. I hope they do The Magic School Bus at some point as well!
@@lisah8438 Wasn't the health problem that he eventually died from related to the 1993 attack? I remember hearing that was the case but I am not sure if it was true or not.
I'm so happy I found this channel. I grew up watch PBS at my grandmas house (no cable.) This was one of my favorite shows! My heart feels full watching this
10 seconds in: Well...this is not how I expected this episode to start. I loved this one quite a bit as a kid! I think this show was the first time I heard mention of holidays like Ramadan in my extremely Catholic bubble. Thanks again for digging up another gem.
For the longest time, I’ve had a vivid memory of watching the Lunar New Year episode of this show and had no idea what it was from. I just remembered watching a show with puppets where I learned so much about the world through its diverse cast of characters. Now, I know it was called The Puzzle Place! Thanks for covering this!
Gods above few things infuriate me more than finding out things like this have become "lost" due to things like rights issues or people not knowing who should get paid for it....this is why we can't trust companies to preserve media.
@@jamarsh09 I tried reaching out to KCET a few years ago to ask if they had it as I wanted to write a paper for a Children's Media Film class. They replied that I would have to pay a fee for them to search if master copies exist. It seemed they weren't even sure who owned the rights. Maybe I should reach out to the Lancits. I found out that Larry Lancit was fraternity brothers with my late father at UF.
@Will N I'm not an expert on rights. I actually live in Atlanta, so maybe I should ask PBS Atlanta, although it makes no sense to me why they would own all of them.
@Will N Interesting. Did you say that someone specifically mentioned that PBS Atlanta might own the rights to Puzzle Place or just to most non-HiT/ WGBH/ WQED/ Houghton Mifflin shows? How many years ago did that somebody mention it?
dude i used to watch this show and NEVER knew jody was lithuanian! my family is lithuanian and it's always a thrill to see/hear our heritage represented in mainstream media.
i dont see anyone mentioning this but the native representation just looks really cute!!!! I've never seen native representation in kids media before that wasn't just like the thanksgiving episode!!! im not native it was just something fun to point out! it would be cool if they reboot the series and see the modern take on it :)
I thought his puppet was cute as a kid. And you make a good point. Now that I think about it, I haven't really either. Or maybe just a superhero character whose powers are strongly tied to them being native.
In Canada we had a show called Tipi Tales that was all native puppets. Unfortunately they all looked kinda creepy. And it didn't come out until I was in college. I usually quickly changed the channel if it came on because I was stoned and they freaked me out.
There's this show called Molly Denali that has an indigenous main character! There's also this one show that's in the works right now with indigenous actors, and animators n the such etc. Although i don't remember what it's called. I've just seen lots of natives on Twitter talking about it and asking for workers n stuff. Honestly native representation is scarce in every kind of genre, you usually only see us in westerns or stories about colonialism (ex: pocahontas) Oh! Just remembered...have u ever heard of Gargoyles? Elisa is native! I don't remember her tribe tho and whether it went into detail about that part of her. There's also Joshua Strongbear in Atlantis!! He's afro-native which is representation we need in both native media and..."general" media. I just think it's pretty cool
The Rez is a great show with Canadian-Native Americans right on the American/Canadian border living on a reservation. Lots of great movies based on Sherman Alexie books (an awesome Native author) such as Smoke Signals and Dance Me Outside have wonderful Native actors and actresses. I liked the representation in this show because my grandmother was the only representation of Natives I ever truly had in real life and she's half native and never lived around people of the same culture as her. So, I always try to keep track of any and all Native media I can find.
Sad to hear that most of the episodes are lost, I loved the show as a kid. The episodes mentioned in this video I remember, there was another where the kids want to put on a Sleeping Beauty play based on a picture book they have. But since Ben and Julie are the same skin color as Beauty and the Prince in their book, they have to be them which makes everyone feel left out. There were other puppet shows in the 90s that I remember, but are probably lost too. There's Kino's Storytime and Jim Henson's Animal Show.
The master recordings are lost, as such, VHS and DVD issues could never be made or re-aired. However that doesn't mean there isn't VHS tapes out there that parents taped for their kids off TV.
Wow, that's disappointing. I thought that this show, *made in the 1990s,* would still have its master tapes. Looks like even the 90s ended up with lost media, though, like the 1930s. _I'm still waiting if there are still any of those lost Charlie Chan movies, BTW._
I remember watching this show though I wasn't exactly part of it's "Target Audience" as I was in my mid-20's . I just liked how inclusive it was (for it's time anyway..) & found it both charming & non-preachy.
Finally! I've been waiting for this one!!!!😭 My favorite memory was watching this show with my Mom. She even made me a Kiki Birthday Cake. She knew she was my favorite since Kiki was also from San Antonio and spoke spanish. 😂 Good Memories. 💛
This is the kind of show we need now. Not just supporting 1 race, one type of ability or culture, but for cooperation and to appreciate the best in everyone so we can be a better world.
Am I the only one who was completely taken by surprise at how "feel-good" this video turned out to be? Admittedly, I got worried and expected trouble at the mentions of lacking and deeply needed funding for the continued production of The Puzzle Works/Place. All I can gather is that I have grown so used to expecting the worst in coverage of similar subject matters for some reason. And I'm so so glad that I was actually pleasantly surprised by the upbeat, and inspiring message that I was met with instead. Another job so well done. Thank you again.
When I was little my parents never let me watch this show. My grandma thought the native American kid would teach me vudoo and evil spirit stuff. As an adult I cannot comprehend what they were thinking.
Dang! Some parents are jerks when it comes to The Puzzle Place. "Let those puppet kids do their jobs, you guys and quit being such KARENS!!!" That's what I would say.
@@sailormoonlover9474 my mom was the same way questioning if Puzzle Place was "educational". BTW I was crazy for Sailor Moon too and mom banned it due to witchcraft😥
As an actual White Mountain Apache, like Sky, I find this funny. Most Apaches, and Native Americans in Arizona, are some form of Christian. Some so much so that they don't even practice traditional dance and ceremony and see it as of the devil. 😅
This was one of my favorite shows. I never knew the original name of the police was “piece police” because in Brazil it was translated as “polícia da paz” (literally “peace police”). Makes a lot of sense. Thank you for this video! Please do Allegra’s Window / Eureeka’s Castle!
I vaguely remember this show from my childhood, and feeling weirded out by the puppet characters having family members who were actual humans. Like...they can't all be humans! What are the puppets supposed to be? Broke my little kid brain.
I think makers of shows for children often underestimate how seriously kids can scrutinize and question the lore and internal logic of what they watch lmao. It's aimed at a pretty older demographic, but for example I remember early-teenage myself being super upset by the living puppet in the show Victorious. Nobody ever questioned it being alive and talking and it made me so mad hahahaha
Same - even when it's a show I wasn't the age to watch, these are always super interesting and well made. I'm pretty sure this is the only channel I get notifications for, and whenever one pops up, I drop whatever else I was watching or listening to.
It’s the same way that Reading Rainbow was created to address summer literacy drain, Square One Television to fight the math crisis, and The Magic School Bus to create interest in science for girls and minorities.
I was an adult at the time the Puzzle Place first aired.... No kids, but I never missed it. I miss it now. Imagine if it tackled some of the issues kids face today. I also never miss episodes of Defunctland .... Thank you for keeping our memories alive. 💖
It's amazing to me that there was pushback against this show. Like, "No, showing that all these different people are human is bad" or "Caring for other people's feelings is bad." It's because of shows like these (and my parents) that my friend circle is so diverse and I travel the world, living in and learning about other cultures. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The other option could have been staying at home and only talking to people just like me. And I love me, but that'd get boring after a while, like being in solitary confinement or something.
Yeah I couldn't believe that this got push back for being "politically correct" these people want tv shows to ONLY have white able-bodied people in it. MAYBE one token minority character. But look at all the positive comments in this video!!!! Clearly there where kids who needed representation
Nobody was saying that we shouldn’t all get along and treat each other as equals, the issue was that public funding was going towards something that could have easily been used to point fingers, cause more harm than good if handled poorly, or push an agenda.
I LOVED this show as a kid. It’s themes were woven into the show so seamlessly that they never felt forced or contrived. One weird memory though: I remember one episode that featured Jody with long, straight hair (as opposed to her usual curls), and the story had something to do with superhero pigeons (I remember thinking it was a spoof of the teenage mutant ninja turtles). It always stood out for me because of the different character design that I only ever saw in that one episode. In retrospect I thought maybe that was the pilot but that doesn’t seem to be the case based on this video. Any ideas as to the story there?
Did the characters ever address the change in appearance? My only guess is that there's a lot of pressure put on people with curly hair to straighten it so it looks "normal" so if her hair was a focal point of the show, maybe the lesson was centered around that? Otherwise I'm out of ideas lol
Oh my god thank you! I've brought this show up to multiple people my age and they look at me like I'm crazy. Good to know not only did it exist, it had a good message. I remember having a crush on Skye as a kid.
This show was my JAM for a little bit growing up. It’s so weird what I un-learned growing older and callous, this show has better conflict resolution and character writing than actual TV. I had a VHS of the wheelchair one as a kid, and any time I asked people in my later years about this show, no one could tell me what it was called, but everyone remembered it. I even had the house pictured and brought a little plastic Leon with me places. Thanks for the always killer content, defunct!
This show was so good. Kind of wish it would get remastered and released on DVD and Blu-ray. Probably never going to happen, but I would love it so much.
If more episodes of DefuncTV hopefully get released, I hope these shows get covered: -Goosebumps -Beakman's World -The Doodlebops -The Adventures of Pete & Pete -Wishbone -Ghostwriter -Unbeatable Banzuke
I clicked so fast when I saw the thumbnail. One of my first core memories is from this show, so seeing these puppets again really got the neurons going, lol. It makes me sad to hear that so much of it is lost media… I hope the episode I remember is still out there. It’s the reason I love honey cruller donuts so much, lol. I remember Leon thought it was weird to have them as his favorite donut. I also remember the dog and the cat comparing how they hold their tails.
When you dropped this, I had a rush of nostalgia. I watched this show a ton at my friends house as we waited to go to school. The christmas ep, the one episode with the robot saying ridiculous all the time, kiki finding her singing voice, skye getting the guitar and figuring out how to play it, the ep where they all have a slumber party and figure out they all get to sleep differently.......and some subplot with the pets doing some basket ball related thing, I just remember them wearing tennis shoes.
As a Non American I’ve never heard of this show. But it genuinely sounds so incredible like so ahead of it’s time and maybe this is why younger generations are growing up to be so welcoming and loving of differing races and sexes and all that. Cause when you’re raised with very “old school” views of people then of course you yourself are gonna turn out bad but being taught just simple things like “humans are all the same” that’s enough to make this world a better place.
Now it's swinging the other way, though, and some schools are teaching white children to self-loathe just because they weren't born a more diverse race. So I can't say the younger generation is quite safe from regression.
When whiteness is put on pedestal in terms of beauty and how whites are perceived by society I generally do not feel sorry for them especially when many hold a superiority complex when they just roll in mediocrity.
I was obsessed with the Puzzle Place back when I was a kid. I still have my 20 year old Sizzle and Nuzzle plush toys. I shipped them pretty hard back before I knew what that was...
I give up the internet for a month and I miss out on this gem?! Ahhhh! Kevin, I just want you to know that you got me through my mental health struggles and the pandemic. Your videos really help my anxiety. Thank you for being you and I hope you have a reason to smile 😊
I abso-fricken-lutely love your channel. Every episode you put out of Defunctland and DefunctTV is some of my very favorite entertainment. Thanks for making 'em, I'll watch this channel as long as you keep making these quality series.
This show was such a huge part of my childhood and I know so few people who remember it. This was my mom’s go-to show to put on tv for me when I was little because she felt it taught the best messages of any show on tv at the time.
I loved “The Puzzle Place”. It was one of several PBS shows I watched regularly when I was a kid. I even owned some of the merchandise, including dolls of all six characters and Nuzzle and Sizzle, finger puppets, a board game, a backpack (which I actually located a few months ago while helping clean out my childhood home) and a direct-to-VHS special. Fun fact: Kiki was the only character who had different regular outfits (she alternated between a patterned shirt and orange overalls-like dress, and a yellow shirt and orange jacket/skirt combo, but always wore a bolo tie), which was a departure from many kids’ TV shows featuring human or anthropomorphic puppets, who (like cartoon characters) always wore the same day clothes in every episode.
I remember watching this show when I was younger and I really enjoyed it. I think I liked it because it had a lot of diversity and I never felt it was forced at me. It was just a bunch of different "kids" talking about their lives. It's a shame it had such a hard time going because it had potential.
I had forgotten about this show, but I instantly remembered it when I saw the thumbnail. I loved it as a kid, but not when Julie sang lol. I used to cover my ears every time.
The Puzzle Place was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. I used to watch a lot of other PBS shows too like Lamb Chop's Play-Along, The Big Comfy Couch, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Zoom, and Arthur. This video brought back a lot of good childhood memories, thank you!
Mannnn... I haven't thought about the Puzzle Works pilots in forever. Feels really good knowing that they made their way around to some of the top children's show researchers on the internet. Keep up the great work y'all do!
Great episode! The timing of me watching this was comforting for me because I've been feeling self conscious about my body today and seeing these cool puppet kids be so kind to each other lifted my mood. It's a shame parts of this show are lost. It seems really sweet and wholesome, I wish I'd gotten to see it when I was little.
I always appreciate you going the extra mile to set the stage/give context to the era and show before diving into the show itself. Feels extra immersive.
"Dancing Dragon" from the Chinese New Year episode is still one of my favorite songs. It popped into my head a few months ago & I had to revisit The Puzzle Place on TH-cam (thankfully it hadn't been removed due to copyright, etc) Never knew why this show just disappeared. Thanks for this detailed retrospective, DefunctTV
This episode made me tear up. It takes me back to elementary school. My favorite teacher turned it on during our free time. It's sad because this entire episode is still completely relevant. This episode is sweet but sad.
I just knew something good was going to happen today. My favorite channel on TH-cam is back with another video. 🤩 Best wishes to Kevin and the Defunctland crew!
me: "I'll just watch this cute video about puppets, that'll help keep my anxiety down."
Kevin: " On april 29th, 1992..."
Underrated comment
I don't get it.
@@TyrekeCorrea It's a video about puppets that opens with police brutality. They were expecting something lighthearted
@@_PinkiePie. Oh.
I have to wonder how that came into being.
Lmaooo facts
The show would frustrate me whenever characters who meant well would get in trouble for something they didn't think about, because I had to deal with that all the time as a barely-lived child. I still watched the show because I liked the characters, but later on, I did appreciate how it made me think outside the box in terms of being a nice person. For instance, preschool taught me that you needed to say "please" if you want something, while Puzzle Place taught me that you shouldn't expect others to do what you want just because you said "please".
That's another great layer most people wouldn't consider.
That's one thing I like about it now. It shows that even well-meaning "allies" can still do things wrong because they want to act like saviors.
Wow, it's amazing to me that just reading your comment can still prompt a very vague memory of the episode that was from. I can vaguely remember a character saying "but I said 'please'".
I'm taking a class on Germany fairlytales, and we were talking about the psychological effects fairytales have on kids this week. Me and the other US student talked about how kid shows to a point were similar w/ regards to how the traditional, non disneyfied fairytales effect children at the psychological level. I do agree w/ what you your take away from this show because mine was the same.
This is kinda why I'm not a big fan of how much shielding is being done in childrens media/entertainment to avoid triggering them today. Alot of colleges are seeing the ramifications of this play out now unfortunately (see r/Professors for detials). There seems to be an influx of young adults that don't know how to process/or deal with the inconveniences and negative aspects of life. They think they can just complain and wear factually down in order to get their way.
400th like
Okay, extra large kudos on the handling of Ben putting Jodie's menorah on the Christmas tree. It's one thing to try to show kids that they should be inclusive of other cultures, but it's a step above that to go "Sometimes you attempts at making people feel included will end up upsetting them, and you have to take that seriously and not just assume that it *should* be okay just because you had good intentions."
Yeah I really like that too cause it's a beru important lesson
Fucking jew
Someone else mentioned the shows use of good intentions vs results of good intentions and I think this is a really good example of that. Its kind of like how some people now are way overly zealous with inclusiveness that they start to come off as really condescending to the people they're trying to include.
Its good to teach kids that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you should learn from them. Too many people grow up with this anxiety about being wrong or being seen as stupid for making a mistake and thats something that can easily develop into anger when its pointed out.
It’s basically the same moral as “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, come to think of it.
Shoutout to the " *Boy Bullies Girl* " storyline not ending in "He must just like you."
So many kids shows do that. It's often not reality.
Man I like how this show doesn't gary sue or sugar coat every character.
Don't forget the vice versa, either one's stupid.
Also actually acknowledging that there's a possibility that the adults won't do anything. So many kid's show just stop at 'tell an adult/teacher/etc' and ignore the fact that they might not care, or even be a major part of the abuse in the first place.
@@sarahsims6164 Agreed. Any bullying or unpleasant[in a harmful way] attention that hurts someone shouldn't be treated with "Oh they must liiIIiiike you. ♡♡♡"
It's stupid, condescending, and ultimately unhelpful.
Real help is needed. Even if it actually managed to be the source, that wouldn't change or stop what's been happening.
its embarrassing that parents tell their kids that. even mine. but this kid was KNOWN to bully everyone, so it doesnt make any sense. am i suppose to take abuse and translate it into love or something?
i hope that becomes a thing of the past and parents start telling the truth
It frustrates me that all these first rate shows that cost millions to produce somehow end up losing half their episodes to time. I hope they are recovered someday.
What frustrates me is that they're lost, and somehow, no one seems to know why.
@@TyrekeCorrea it's probably just because of the extra effort and money it took to take the time to record it onto a physical object
@@goeyguts Oh, hell, no. Considering how long digital media's been around and the pains people have taken to ensure the preservation of other media of all ages...
It's just been sabotaged; it's so forward and an advancement of a world so peaceable that they're convinced that if they allowed a record of it to be retained, there would be no room for the rest of what they're creating to grow, nevermind what it means for the future creative prospects for everyone else.
I dont think this show is first rate.
@@sirrealism7300 ok
I happened to be an 8-year-old living in Southern California with a rough case of strep throat when this show premiered. I was a little too old for it, but sick kids without cable in the 90s were pretty accustomed to settling for the PBS Kids lineup, so I remember it fondly. Learning about the history of why the show even came into existence is incredibly interesting as well, especially in light of our current sociopolitical climate. Thanks for the great episode!
Your line about sick kids without cable is so true xD But I don't think you can be too old for a show if you like it
"They often featured conflicts on a personal level"
Oh, I guess the writers must've tiptoed around more serious and blatant racism adults can display sometimes-
"In another episode Leon is invited to Jimmy's Birthday party, but Jimmy's mother does not want him to come"
*Spits out water*
Mustve been in Mississippi
@Mr. Miyagi this show was litterally made to combat racism but go off
The lesson being, "sometimes you may have a better moral compass than the adults", an intense but necessary one. You kind of feel bad for writers who have the unenviable task of insulting kids from unnecessary trauma and keeping parent from raising a hew and cry about radicalism, while preparing them for a world that is traumatic and not as able to break their fall as these fuzzy TV shows are. Kids shows should probably get more rigorous adult analysis after the fact. They say a lot about how ideas become acceptable and mainstream. The care and what it was showing too often gets washed away when the shows do.
@Mr. Miyagi th-cam.com/video/6JUQCyx58Ik/w-d-xo.html
@@hydro7373 It promoted racism when people had a problem with white actors playing non white FiCTIONAL puppet characters. Try again...Racism is racism no matter what. Anyone can be a victim and anyone can be racist.
This was such a good, gentle, very real show. It breaks my heart that episodes have been lost and that the rights are such a mess that they can't be released. It was really just so shockingly good and ahead of its time.
I vividly remember the episode where they briefly meet Earth Wind and Fire, which lead me to ask my dad to learn more about classic rock - this lead to my lifelong love of music that we both share.
You don't mean Red Thunder do you?
This show had a personal impact on me as a kid, Kiki's character in particular. I grew up with a speech impediment and the issues her character explained about being harassed for her accent was the closest example I had to seeing my own issues being represented on TV as a kid. I loved this show, I wish I could remember it better than I do now
Well there is speech therapy, so it's not a big deal. But you can't change the color of your skin. Unless you're Michael Jackson. Heee heeeee.
@@joeybaseball7352 why did u comment this?
@@joeybaseball7352 I don't think speech therapy does what you think it does.
@@minty111 I don't think you do
@@zyuukii because Michael Jackson changed his skin color. Heee Heeeeeee
"oh boy a new defunctland about a wacky comedic puppet show I wonder how this will start"
*Rodney King riots*
*_oh_*
Sesame Street in 2021: Hey everyone! We have our very first Asian American puppet!
The Puzzle Place in 1994: Am I a joke to you?
so true
Ji-Young.
Wait...They had races in Sesame street?
I'm confused now
Exactly 🎉😂
Yes because the Asian character was cast by a white woman
Dang first Comfy Couch, then Ruff Ruffman, and now this. The only kids channel I ever had was PBS, so you're really delving into my childhood.
Lol agreed man I honestly really would love too see this dude talk about or resemble Kids WB, One Saturday Morning and Fox Kids.
And soon Arthur will join
Lol then it it will probably be Oswald the Octopus next.... ❤️🥺
@@YakkoWarnerTower Oswald ain’t PBS.
Same here! We could never afford cable, so it was mostly PBS and the library for us.
Wait a second…. I just got the show’s whole puzzle motif! It’s because every puzzle piece is different and unique but they all fit together just like the main cast (and the kids at home). That’s the whole theme of the show!
After 25 years I just got that….
I just kind of associated it with the autistic-looking puppets.
What came to mind was that intercultural interaction can be a puzzle sometimes. This is a positive thing in that instead of representing it as something dangerous on the one hand, or as something simple and unimportant, it acknowledges challenges while also presenting it as something that can be "solved" with cooperation. Much like in the Christmas one.
Aside from that (and forgive me if this is painfully obvious but it needs said as it's relevant,) I thought that since it's called "The Puzzle Place" and it's about learning different aspects of how to live, the learning process is also a puzzle.
@@UnprofessionalProfessor get out of here with that. there’s no such thing as “autistic-looking”.
@@rubydoodles6381 thank you omg people are so stupid. I literally dont even know how people think a mental disability is supposed to change your appearance
When I was a kid, I loved this show because I saw a Jewish kid being represented, furthermore, she spoke about very real situations. I loved that the show gave kids real, subtle examples of prejudice and how to have a respectful conversation about race/identity. While many 90's shows embraced multiculturalism, I think The Puzzle Place was one of the few that hit the mark.
o please like you even noticed when you were a kid
And honestly know puzzle place was the opposite
And cringey about it
As a another Jewish kid who loved this show growing up, I really connected to the Holiday episode where Ben learns about Hanukah and how Jody was made fun of for her last name. I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area and went to public school with an almost entirely Christian kid background. I was often bullied for being Jewish and often made fun of for my very ethnic sounding last name. Around Christmas time each year, all of the activity sheets and drawings kids made for each other left Hanukah as an aftermath or worse, just a dusty, old menorah hiding underneath the Christmas tree behind the presents. While many of my friends wanted to include me in their festivities, they thought it was just completely fine to just shove Hanukah into their Christmas. Well-meaning of course, but it was only The Puzzle Place that really showed how Judaism (and all other cultures) should be respected and celebrated on their own merit, not assimilated into a conformist majority.
I'll never forget what The Puzzle Place did that no other kids shows back then (save for Arthur) did with respecting and celebrating other's cultures.
@@geckoguy4141 there was a Canadian cartoon that did that too. But it was before my time. Mom told me about it once. And growing up people just associated Hanukkah and Kwanzaa with the Christmas time like they knew it was separate from Christmas but also similar? I don’t know, I don’t remember anyone being made fun of being Jewish or any last name even ones that seemed unpronounceable
Yeah man, are never represented in Hollywood.
@@geckoguy4141 If you knew your history you'd know Hanukah was a lesser holiday barely practiced literally until American jewish societies noticed that Christmas was a massive cultural boost to Christians. Unironically Passover was the bigger Jewish Holiday.
There should be a Defunct TV episode that starts 30,000 years ago with some of the first evidence of stories in caves and keeps narrowing down to whatever Childrens Show he's talking about
That would be interesting for an April Fool's Day episode. Could be about something like an obscure series of shorts there is very little information on. Or a non-existent show like Candle Cove.
Replying so this comment gets more traction.
Lol that would be the most self aware episode ever ngl.
"The Tiananmen Square protests resulted in many deaths, as well as mass censorship and a strengthening of the grip that communism held over China."
*5 minutes later...*
"So anyways, Sagwa the Chinese Cat premiered in 2001 on PBS."
@@klonekomet I mean, a Sagwa episode could start with something about ancient Chinese history and legends.
Edit: I noticed your edit. Maybe that would fit. Also, it was called Sagwa The Chinese Siamese Cat.
I was watching this show as a kid when my dad walked in and saw a male character discuss feeling sad. He immediately changed the channel, saying he didn't want me watching "that kind of garbage". It took me a long time to figure out what he meant by that. There was an attitude of "you can express joy or nothing, so don't even learn about anything else." I'm so happy to see the newer generations not tolerating that crap, in part thanks to growing up with shows like this one.
Ikr? Some people can fight it all they want, but things *are* changing slowly but surely
"Express joy or nothing. Make sure to drown your sorrows in alcohol, where the sorrows swim. And if that don't work, smoke that cigarette. Not that any of this actually works at all, and I pay no attention to the fact that even Jesus wept under sorrow of the death of Lazarus, pre-resurrection."
I have a hard time even comprehending that happening
You know what, there *may* be _half_ a point to what he said, *if* he meant this: "don't toss your treasures to mockers who don't understand, who will rip you to shreds for sharing them." It depends on who's being communicated with. But, I kinda doubt he meant that. If he meant this at all, he didn't say it in a very good way.
@@KeybladeMasterAndy What do you mean?
The moment I heard the voice of Leon, I knew instantly it was Noel. He’s got such a distinct voice. Plus, it’s hard not to hear Bear when he talks.
I always think of him as Magellan from Eureka's Castle since Bear in the Big Blue House came toward the tail end of my children's show watching says haha.
Leon is just Noel but backwards
He was Leon before he was Bear.
I hear Scooter from the Muppet Show, plain as day.
@@bobbob465 It couldn't be him. Richard Hunt had died, David Rudman hadn't picked him up yet, and neither was involved in the production of this show.
Wow, didn’t expect this episode to open with the Rodney King trials!
no roof korean mention
I thought I clicked on the wrong video for a second lol
Ikr
#Metoo
I know right?
I think Sinbad implied that “Option D” was Sinbad coming to whoop some ass, lol. Great video as always! Truly groundbreaking TV for its time. We could use some of this unity today.
He wouldn't have to whoop ass. Kid bullies fold before adults remarkably fast. I once ran into one in the wild who not only folded before me politely requesting he move out of the way of a zoo display so I could take a picture for my zoology class, he barked at his classmates to also move out of the way like he was the first mate of the ship and I was the captain.
"Implied"?
@@lsmmoore1 sometimes the easiest solution is for adults to beat the shit out of children
@@joeygreen8091 And sometimes there is a difference between what is right and what is easy. This instance is one of those cases - sure, it might be "easier" to beat children, but it isn't right to beat children, because that can be psychologically damaging in the long run. Whereas parents who don't beat their kids but instead try to understand them can form friendships that last into adulthood, and those kids will be more likely to be happy to take care of their parents when THEY need it (if they are able to, and if not they'd still be more willing to visit or talk to said parents than those who were beaten).
@@lsmmoore1 well my philosophy has always has been if they disobey suplex the child away
There were so many episodes of The Puzzle Place that, even as a kid, got me right in the feels (like the one where Skye brings a family heirloom and loses it). I specifically remember one where Julie brings Chinese mooncakes to share and I told my grandma I wanted to try one. Being Mexican American and only shopping in Hispanic supermarkets, we searched for months and no dice. To this day, I've always been curious about what Chinese mooncakes taste like, just because I saw them on an episode of The Puzzle Place.
Not sure what your grocery stores are like where you live, but had you been a kid today you and your grandma would have almost certainly found mooncakes. Pretty much all of our Asian food stores also sell Mexican candy and other goods. Even the Victory Hmong across the street from my work sells spicy tamarind pops by the checkout counter, and I wouldn't be surprised if the Mexican groceries also sold Pocky by now.
try an asian marketplace around the lunar new year, sometimes they can be pricey but i do see them around
Somehow this is the one episode I remember the best too, for the very same reason!
I've had them. They're OK. A bit thick and mild tasting but one nice thing is they have a massive variety of flavours.
If you find mooncakes at an asian grocer, i suggest pairing them with oolong tea! they're pretty rich on their own
Please don’t ever change the DefunctTV theme song, it’s straight jammies.
Agreed
@Sheldon you're just disagreeing in the replies with all the comments on this video. I've seen you.
"Jammies" that's so cute lol😂
@Sheldon Your face is cringewrothy
English might help you
Wow both a Defunctland and Yesterworld video in the same hour, hell yeah
exactly my thought
@Sheldon then why are you here?
RIGHT?? sorry yesterworld ... i wnated to learn about this first
@@endertronicinc.7463 I think he's a troll. He's LARPing as sheldon from big bang theory
@Sheldon bAzinGa
This is the first time I have ever seen another living soul recognize the existence of The Puzzle Place. Even when it aired its name was never spoken and I felt all alone in the universe for having watched... I don't know, three or four episode probably?
This and Chicken Minute are up there for shows I have never heard others acknowledge.
This right here!
I don't know what I was expecting to find when clicking a video about "The Puzzle Place", but police brutality and racism on the first ten seconds definitely wasn't it.
God, I love this channel.
me too!
Dude I literally had to recheck the title because I watch so much related to police brutality already that I was like "wait I was trying to destress, did I click on the wrong video???"
Came out of the gate swinging
If only I had an option four, where I could call Sinbad and everything works out.
i like to think that option four meant "call sinbad and he'll kick the bully's ass for you".XD
As a person who’s parents are divorced, I like how they represent Jody like that , because my parents divorced when me and my brother were only toddlers , and I primarily am living with my mom, it also warms my heart to see this show because my dad remembers watching this show and I found this to be fun and cute
Every single time I bring this show up, absolutely NO ONE knows what it is! Thank you for proving I wasn't hallucinating.
Heh recall seeing it on pbs; however, by then I was a teenager so wasn't as interested. Early childhood was more the Muppet Theater, Sesame Street, and Reading Rainbow. Also saw Star Trek so seeing Levar Burton in both shows was a little weird early on.
Same!
Before watching the video I remembered the title and had a vague recollection of the human puppets but what I remembered most clearly was Sizzle and Nuzzle since I still have the plush toys of them from when I was small.
Same here! I was also home from school sick for 2 weeks when the show premiered, so part of me was like, "Was that a weird fever dream...?" XD
You could also say cable TV had more kid friendly channels back then that would make for not knowing about the show. I raised my kids on PBS and Puzzle Place was a favorite. It would be nice if there was a reboot of the show with new characters added.
The Puzzle Place, we’re going to The Puzzle Place
My husband was watching a few episodes a few months ago out of nostalgia. I had never seen it. Blew me away how thoughtful and careful it addressed its messages and morals. It's a shame it never really took off. I feel like we could really use a show of its caliber for kids today.
Amen to that.
They really did do a great job of navigating the issues. They didn't just have this attitude of "ignore it and it'll go away" or trying to make an analog solution. Mad props to the writers. They were real allies.
where was you able to find it? i’d love to show it to my kid 😊
@@Splitter4416 thank you!!
@matt alan yeah that’s what i figured. happy to find at least a couple!
Growing up in the 90s as a mixed race kid, I LOVED the Puzzle Place! It talked about a lot of topics I related to and the characters were so fun. I wish we had more shows like this now, especially in the current climate. Thanks for covering it, Kevin!
Edit: that’s crazy that the merch line failed! I had the Kiki doll and a Nuzzle and Sizzle, as well as the backpack when I started school. My sister had Julie and Nuzzle and Sizzle. Pretty sure we each had a sweater, too. My best friend had the Jodie doll. It makes sense why it failed; it just seems weird when I look back 😂
Request: DefunctTV: The History of Arthur.
Arthur would be ending next year so this is could be the perfect tribute to this amazing show.
Arthur is ending? 😰
That makes me feel so sad and happy at the same time. It was one of my favorite PBS kids shows to watch as a kid, and had so many great moments and characters.
However, I feel like ending it is a good choice. I don’t care for its newer flash animation at all, plus its cancellation teaches everyone, young and old, that everything has to come to a complete stop at some point (which is something the stupid teams behind The Simpsons and Spongebob should sit down and learn). Arthur ran for a quarter of a century!
The Show will still be still reairing for years to come.
@@kirbmaniahomeentertainment7963 so? it's called re-runs. does not even change the fact that the show ended production.
I loved The Puzzle Place when I was a kid. I remember when the characters came to the mall, my parents took me to the event. All the nostalgia!
Me too
Same here I use like watching the Puzzle Place when a kid but then once I forget about till 3 or 2 years later.
It was my 2nd grade lunch box lol
I had halformed memories of the Puzzle Place, the most I could've remembered where those moustached crayon people.
@Alexandra Williams you know what, that’s ok. There are things from the 90s that are not nostalgic to me but it meant something to someone.
I LOVE the puppet craftsmanship in this show! It all looks so sleek, and the blinking eye mechanisms make them all the more immersive. Super great stuff, props to all the puppet builders! And from what I’ve seen from clips, each character seems to have a rod puppet and a live hands puppet that’s used interchangeably between scenes, which is cool too
I remember this show. I remember a coloring book my dad got for me and my older brother. Didn't think I would see this again. Great job on the episode. Brings back memories.
When we getting the history of reading rainbow? Now that is a topic for you man.
I wouldn’t really classify reading rainbow as a “defunct” television show.
True but him covering it would be so good!!
Oh my gosh I loved Reading Rainbow!!!
I loved reading rainbow as a kid.
Is this because Levar Burton just hosted Jeopardy for a week?
I really enjoyed this show as a child and looking back, I really adore it. It was on this show that I learned about Kwanzaa and convinced my mom to start celebrating it in our house. I’m so grateful to have been exposed to this show while I was so young.
Kwanzaa isn’t a real holiday.
@@hazyhalfmoon die alone
@@hazyhalfmoon all holidays are made up
@@hazyhalfmoon you could say that about Almost anything
@@hazyhalfmoon what’s the difference between a cult and a religion? Well in a couple hundred years it will be a tradition. I mean who cares why does it bother you so much?
Me when Ben put the Menorah on the Christmas tree: He a little confused, but he got the spirit.
I completely forgot how this show addressed intercultural puzzle solving and making mistakes without feeling the need to point fingers or rank anyone.
always an improvement to the day when there's a new Defunctland video to watch.
Kevin, thank you. Thank you so very much for covering one of my absolute favorite shows from my childhood. I legit recognized over half the clips used here, from episodes I remember watching. This show taught me so much about important and difficult topics, on a level this sheltered, fraidy-cat 8-9 year-old could handle. I'll forever be grateful to have caught it on TV.
The "Ben hates his glasses" ep is one I actually have taped. Being a glasses wearer myself, I'd call it serendipity. Though my favorite character was always, and always will be, Skye.
Much love from this small piece of land across the ocean, Portugal.
Skye is and always will be my favorite too!! He was so cool!
This show seems like a great outlet for kids who feel left out.
Even though I forgot everything else, I vividly remember the episode where they compromised what type of pizza they should have by putting toppings each of them wanted on different slices.
I vividly remember the horror of an episode where the Puzzle Place/PuzzleWorks was being slowly dissassembled and taken away.
I remember that, but criticizing it as a kid because I knew how various flavors bleed over from one slice to another.
The doughnut episode is the one I could never forget.
@@RoninCatholic Someone else remembers the donut episode, wow!! That’s the only one I remember!
THAT IS THE ONLY EPISODE I REMEMBERED TOO!! That pizza must have left an impression on us haha
You could've learned about PIE CHARTS!
My siblings and I loved this show. Growing up in small town USA in the 90s, we didn't have exposure to a lot of diversity. I think this show did exactly what it intended: spread multicultural understanding and taught problem solving. We got some of the merch including soundtracks, and we used to listen to them on roadtrips every weekend for years. Those songs still stick with me, especially the one about anticipating problems before they get out of control and also Kiki's incredible song about being on her own. "I'm alone, but I'm not lonely 'cause I've got me, the one and only!" As an small introvert, the song was my anthem! I wish I could find and play the songs for my nieces, nephews, and students. Thank you for sharing the background of one of my favorite children's programs.
This show was truly underrated, it’s a shame that it’s lost media!
Agree. So sad. I wish there was a way to find these remaining episodes.
@@tyeishaleisure there should be someone who has the show archived
Agreed man this show was so witty, and self aware for a preschool tv show.
Some can be found here on TH-cam!
Well, it might not be lost forever
Request: "DefuncTV: The History of Shining Time Station"
I'd like to see this specifically because Shining Time Station was the show that introduced Thomas the Tank Engine to North American audiences. Memorable characters from the station scenes included Stacy Jones, Mr. Conductor, Schemer, and the Jukebox Band. Sadly, Shining Time Station is unlikely to get a DVD release due to copyright issues with the Thomas segments in particular, but every episode of the show can be found on TH-cam.
Yes!! I can really remember the jukebox band, and finding out the little conductor was Ringo Star lol
I still have some of STS on VHS proper and a few specials including the Thanksgiving special with Billy, and the soapbox derby special.
You can find Thomas and the Magic Railroad on DVD and streaming as well. It's the STS movie from 2000.
Oh yessir I really loved Shining Time Station as a kid it was such a witty, hilarious and welcoming show.
Ooh, that's a good choice!
Revisiting shows like Arthur, The Puzzle Place, and Hey Arnold or book series like The Babysitters Club and American Girl as an adult have convinced me that I’ve partially been shaped into the caring person that I am as a direct result of consuming so much media that taught me how to be kind to others and I’m so incredibly grateful for that. I hope that when I have children I’m able to fill their lives with content that helps them grow into the best possible versions of themselves.
Why are puppets so in touch with their feelings?
They're felt!
I'll see myself out, thanks
I enjoyed the pun.
Rimshot: B'dum-tiss!
The exit's over there --->
eeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
Always nice to see a good pun.
The Magic School Bus: "C A R L O S!"
Could you do an episode on the Magic School Bus? That show was such a huge part of my childhood, and actually might be why I'm a scientist today.
Thoughts on the remake/sequel from a few years back?
YES!! My favorite cartoon when I was in kindergarten and still one that I like to revisit as an adult!
What kind of scientist are you?
@@Supasmartguy Scientologist
@@joeygreen8091 very funny.
Whenever I trip over my cats or dog, I think of the episode when (Julie I think it was) ran over Sizzle because she was in a hurry and quickly said "sorry" without meaning it, and how she later realized it really hurt Sizzles feelings.
I always take a moment to give my animals a pet and proper apology because of this show. However, I also thought this show didnt actually exist because I never seen or heard anything about it aside from my childhood memory.
I'm glad thats not the case.
I loved this show as a kid. A suggestion, please do Wishbone! That was my absolute favorite!
This channel should also review the adventures of Dudley the dragon
Oh man I just seriously adored"Wishbone" when I was a kid lol you're making me wanna sing the intro now.
Same here! Wishbone was part of a poll that the channel held sometime last year, so it might possibly be an episode sometime in the next few months, as several other episodes were part of that poll as well. I hope they do The Magic School Bus at some point as well!
WHAT A GOOD SUGGESTION!
Instantly had the songnplay in my head.
"What's the story, Wishbone?"
Wow, I literally never would have assumed Rodney King’s beating and the L.A. riots were somehow connected to a PBS children’s show, but here we are…..
Rodney King didn't die after he was beaten. He survived dude. He didn't die until around 2010 from a health problem.
@@lisah8438 Sorry, my mistake. I’ll fix what I originally said.
@@lisah8438 Wasn't the health problem that he eventually died from related to the 1993 attack? I remember hearing that was the case but I am not sure if it was true or not.
@@lisah8438 RIP rodney
@@angelmarie2 he drowned in his swimming pool
I'm so happy I found this channel. I grew up watch PBS at my grandmas house (no cable.) This was one of my favorite shows! My heart feels full watching this
10 seconds in: Well...this is not how I expected this episode to start.
I loved this one quite a bit as a kid! I think this show was the first time I heard mention of holidays like Ramadan in my extremely Catholic bubble. Thanks again for digging up another gem.
For the longest time, I’ve had a vivid memory of watching the Lunar New Year episode of this show and had no idea what it was from. I just remembered watching a show with puppets where I learned so much about the world through its diverse cast of characters. Now, I know it was called The Puzzle Place! Thanks for covering this!
Gods above few things infuriate me more than finding out things like this have become "lost" due to things like rights issues or people not knowing who should get paid for it....this is why we can't trust companies to preserve media.
At least there is someone to upload it online for all of us to see for free
@@jamarsh09 I tried reaching out to KCET a few years ago to ask if they had it as I wanted to write a paper for a Children's Media Film class. They replied that I would have to pay a fee for them to search if master copies exist. It seemed they weren't even sure who owned the rights. Maybe I should reach out to the Lancits. I found out that Larry Lancit was fraternity brothers with my late father at UF.
@Will N I'm not an expert on rights. I actually live in Atlanta, so maybe I should ask PBS Atlanta, although it makes no sense to me why they would own all of them.
@Will N Interesting. Did you say that someone specifically mentioned that PBS Atlanta might own the rights to Puzzle Place or just to most non-HiT/ WGBH/ WQED/ Houghton Mifflin shows? How many years ago did that somebody mention it?
@Will N I'll see what I can find out.
"HOW COULD YOU PUT MY MENORAH ON THE CHRISTMAS TREE!!!???” I loled
Because Ben has real hands!
Reminded me of Community.
Puzzle Place talking about cultural appropriation way back in late 1990s. Good for them
@@sorceress1986 Ha!
@@augustp7543 Does THAT really count as cultural appropriation?
dude i used to watch this show and NEVER knew jody was lithuanian! my family is lithuanian and it's always a thrill to see/hear our heritage represented in mainstream media.
i dont see anyone mentioning this but the native representation just looks really cute!!!! I've never seen native representation in kids media before that wasn't just like the thanksgiving episode!!! im not native it was just something fun to point out! it would be cool if they reboot the series and see the modern take on it :)
I thought his puppet was cute as a kid. And you make a good point. Now that I think about it, I haven't really either. Or maybe just a superhero character whose powers are strongly tied to them being native.
Pepper Ann also did a good episode about Native stereotypes and cultural appropriation. It’s called “Dances with Ignorance” if anyone’s interested :)
In Canada we had a show called Tipi Tales that was all native puppets. Unfortunately they all looked kinda creepy. And it didn't come out until I was in college. I usually quickly changed the channel if it came on because I was stoned and they freaked me out.
There's this show called Molly Denali that has an indigenous main character! There's also this one show that's in the works right now with indigenous actors, and animators n the such etc. Although i don't remember what it's called. I've just seen lots of natives on Twitter talking about it and asking for workers n stuff.
Honestly native representation is scarce in every kind of genre, you usually only see us in westerns or stories about colonialism (ex: pocahontas)
Oh! Just remembered...have u ever heard of Gargoyles? Elisa is native! I don't remember her tribe tho and whether it went into detail about that part of her. There's also Joshua Strongbear in Atlantis!! He's afro-native which is representation we need in both native media and..."general" media. I just think it's pretty cool
The Rez is a great show with Canadian-Native Americans right on the American/Canadian border living on a reservation. Lots of great movies based on Sherman Alexie books (an awesome Native author) such as Smoke Signals and Dance Me Outside have wonderful Native actors and actresses. I liked the representation in this show because my grandmother was the only representation of Natives I ever truly had in real life and she's half native and never lived around people of the same culture as her. So, I always try to keep track of any and all Native media I can find.
Sad to hear that most of the episodes are lost, I loved the show as a kid. The episodes mentioned in this video I remember, there was another where the kids want to put on a Sleeping Beauty play based on a picture book they have. But since Ben and Julie are the same skin color as Beauty and the Prince in their book, they have to be them which makes everyone feel left out. There were other puppet shows in the 90s that I remember, but are probably lost too. There's Kino's Storytime and Jim Henson's Animal Show.
The master recordings are lost, as such, VHS and DVD issues could never
be made or re-aired. However that doesn't mean there isn't VHS tapes out
there that parents taped for their kids off TV.
That’s interesting since they don’t have any page on the Lost Media Wiki
Oh right I know that episode I was planning to upload it
Wow, that's disappointing. I thought that this show, *made in the 1990s,* would still have its master tapes. Looks like even the 90s ended up with lost media, though, like the 1930s. _I'm still waiting if there are still any of those lost Charlie Chan movies, BTW._
I remember the Sleeping Beauty episode! It's probably the one I remember best.
I remember watching this show though I wasn't exactly part of it's "Target Audience" as I was in my mid-20's . I just liked how inclusive it was (for it's time anyway..) & found it both charming & non-preachy.
Finally! I've been waiting for this one!!!!😭 My favorite memory was watching this show with my Mom. She even made me a Kiki Birthday Cake. She knew she was my favorite since Kiki was also from San Antonio and spoke spanish. 😂 Good Memories. 💛
This is the kind of show we need now. Not just supporting 1 race, one type of ability or culture, but for cooperation and to appreciate the best in everyone so we can be a better world.
Am I the only one who was completely taken by surprise at how "feel-good" this video turned out to be? Admittedly, I got worried and expected trouble at the mentions of lacking and deeply needed funding for the continued production of The Puzzle Works/Place. All I can gather is that I have grown so used to expecting the worst in coverage of similar subject matters for some reason. And I'm so so glad that I was actually pleasantly surprised by the upbeat, and inspiring message that I was met with instead. Another job so well done. Thank you again.
When I was little my parents never let me watch this show. My grandma thought the native American kid would teach me vudoo and evil spirit stuff. As an adult I cannot comprehend what they were thinking.
Dang! Some parents are jerks when it comes to The Puzzle Place. "Let those puppet kids do their jobs, you guys and quit being such KARENS!!!" That's what I would say.
Yeah my conservative Christian mom was realllyyyy apprehensive about Skye and also didn't like the Christmas episode 🙄
@@sailormoonlover9474 my mom was the same way questioning if Puzzle Place was "educational". BTW I was crazy for Sailor Moon too and mom banned it due to witchcraft😥
As an actual White Mountain Apache, like Sky, I find this funny. Most Apaches, and Native Americans in Arizona, are some form of Christian. Some so much so that they don't even practice traditional dance and ceremony and see it as of the devil. 😅
This was one of my favorite shows. I never knew the original name of the police was “piece police” because in Brazil it was translated as “polícia da paz” (literally “peace police”). Makes a lot of sense. Thank you for this video! Please do Allegra’s Window / Eureeka’s Castle!
I definitely would like to see an episode of DefunctTV about Allegra’s Window and Eureeka’s Castle
@@kyliethelittlecouragegirl94 They did Gullah Gullah Island, why not those two shows?
I vaguely remember this show from my childhood, and feeling weirded out by the puppet characters having family members who were actual humans. Like...they can't all be humans! What are the puppets supposed to be? Broke my little kid brain.
Muppets '11, anyone?
I think makers of shows for children often underestimate how seriously kids can scrutinize and question the lore and internal logic of what they watch lmao. It's aimed at a pretty older demographic, but for example I remember early-teenage myself being super upset by the living puppet in the show Victorious. Nobody ever questioned it being alive and talking and it made me so mad hahahaha
They’re just human muppet hybrids, it’s that simple.
I love the range of shows you cover! I always have to drop whatever I’m doing to watch these. It’s some of my favorite content on the site :)
Same - even when it's a show I wasn't the age to watch, these are always super interesting and well made. I'm pretty sure this is the only channel I get notifications for, and whenever one pops up, I drop whatever else I was watching or listening to.
Oh boy, time to watch DefunctTV! Can't wait to see what heartwarming setup there'll be to this--
(Starts with the LA Riots)
I'm sorry WHAT
It’s the same way that Reading Rainbow was created to address summer literacy drain, Square One Television to fight the math crisis, and The Magic School Bus to create interest in science for girls and minorities.
I was an adult at the time the Puzzle Place first aired.... No kids, but I never missed it. I miss it now. Imagine if it tackled some of the issues kids face today.
I also never miss episodes of Defunctland .... Thank you for keeping our memories alive. 💖
It's amazing to me that there was pushback against this show. Like, "No, showing that all these different people are human is bad" or "Caring for other people's feelings is bad." It's because of shows like these (and my parents) that my friend circle is so diverse and I travel the world, living in and learning about other cultures. And I wouldn't have it any other way. The other option could have been staying at home and only talking to people just like me. And I love me, but that'd get boring after a while, like being in solitary confinement or something.
Yeah I couldn't believe that this got push back for being "politically correct" these people want tv shows to ONLY have white able-bodied people in it. MAYBE one token minority character.
But look at all the positive comments in this video!!!! Clearly there where kids who needed representation
Nobody was saying that we shouldn’t all get along and treat each other as equals, the issue was that public funding was going towards something that could have easily been used to point fingers, cause more harm than good if handled poorly, or push an agenda.
@@TBustah Any parent who thinks inclusivity and acceptance shouldn't be taught to their kids isn't fit to raise kids at all.
I LOVED this show as a kid. It’s themes were woven into the show so seamlessly that they never felt forced or contrived. One weird memory though: I remember one episode that featured Jody with long, straight hair (as opposed to her usual curls), and the story had something to do with superhero pigeons (I remember thinking it was a spoof of the teenage mutant ninja turtles). It always stood out for me because of the different character design that I only ever saw in that one episode. In retrospect I thought maybe that was the pilot but that doesn’t seem to be the case based on this video. Any ideas as to the story there?
Did the characters ever address the change in appearance? My only guess is that there's a lot of pressure put on people with curly hair to straighten it so it looks "normal" so if her hair was a focal point of the show, maybe the lesson was centered around that? Otherwise I'm out of ideas lol
This sounds like such a nice show! Its sad to hear half of its been lost. A show such as this doesnt deserve to be lost like it has been
I have been. Losing my mind. Trying to remember the puppet show with the puppet named Ben. For 4 years.
I remember this show! Their episode on racism was probably my first introduction to the concept in any media. That was a powerful one.
Oh my god thank you! I've brought this show up to multiple people my age and they look at me like I'm crazy. Good to know not only did it exist, it had a good message. I remember having a crush on Skye as a kid.
This show was my JAM for a little bit growing up. It’s so weird what I un-learned growing older and callous, this show has better conflict resolution and character writing than actual TV. I had a VHS of the wheelchair one as a kid, and any time I asked people in my later years about this show, no one could tell me what it was called, but everyone remembered it. I even had the house pictured and brought a little plastic Leon with me places. Thanks for the always killer content, defunct!
This show was so good. Kind of wish it would get remastered and released on DVD and Blu-ray. Probably never going to happen, but I would love it so much.
If more episodes of DefuncTV hopefully get released, I hope these shows get covered:
-Goosebumps
-Beakman's World
-The Doodlebops
-The Adventures of Pete & Pete
-Wishbone
-Ghostwriter
-Unbeatable Banzuke
I think pingu,
Ghostwriter, now THERE was a show that was a bit out there, low budget, bit strangely captivating.
I clicked so fast when I saw the thumbnail. One of my first core memories is from this show, so seeing these puppets again really got the neurons going, lol.
It makes me sad to hear that so much of it is lost media… I hope the episode I remember is still out there.
It’s the reason I love honey cruller donuts so much, lol. I remember Leon thought it was weird to have them as his favorite donut.
I also remember the dog and the cat comparing how they hold their tails.
Even I learned things about that series that I didn't know - and I was there! Great work, Defunctland!
Cool to hear. You did a great job on this and many other shows.
Always neat when those who were there watch videos like this.
When you dropped this, I had a rush of nostalgia. I watched this show a ton at my friends house as we waited to go to school. The christmas ep, the one episode with the robot saying ridiculous all the time, kiki finding her singing voice, skye getting the guitar and figuring out how to play it, the ep where they all have a slumber party and figure out they all get to sleep differently.......and some subplot with the pets doing some basket ball related thing, I just remember them wearing tennis shoes.
Oh my god, I've been trying to remember the name of this show for YEARS! My recollection was so vague, but I knew the puppets the second I saw them!
Lol I once forget about this show was back in the 00s but then 2 years ago this show and the characters randomly just popped up in my mind.
Great episode. I was in my mid to late 20’s when this show came out, but I used to come across it from time to time while channel surfing.
As a Non American I’ve never heard of this show. But it genuinely sounds so incredible like so ahead of it’s time and maybe this is why younger generations are growing up to be so welcoming and loving of differing races and sexes and all that. Cause when you’re raised with very “old school” views of people then of course you yourself are gonna turn out bad but being taught just simple things like “humans are all the same” that’s enough to make this world a better place.
Now it's swinging the other way, though, and some schools are teaching white children to self-loathe just because they weren't born a more diverse race. So I can't say the younger generation is quite safe from regression.
@@2goodsharks that does not happen
@@dogatemybrain Might want to check again. There's an elite NYC school encouraging white guilt.
@@dogatemybrain
I bet you are not white.
When whiteness is put on pedestal in terms of beauty and how whites are perceived by society I generally do not feel sorry for them especially when many hold a superiority complex when they just roll in mediocrity.
I love this channel brings back all my childhood memories. We had some amazing shows in the 90s
This channel is such a fabulous throwback to a lotta of our childhood 90's and 00s shows.
I was obsessed with the Puzzle Place back when I was a kid. I still have my 20 year old Sizzle and Nuzzle plush toys.
I shipped them pretty hard back before I knew what that was...
I give up the internet for a month and I miss out on this gem?! Ahhhh! Kevin, I just want you to know that you got me through my mental health struggles and the pandemic. Your videos really help my anxiety. Thank you for being you and I hope you have a reason to smile 😊
I abso-fricken-lutely love your channel. Every episode you put out of Defunctland and DefunctTV is some of my very favorite entertainment. Thanks for making 'em, I'll watch this channel as long as you keep making these quality series.
This show was such a huge part of my childhood and I know so few people who remember it. This was my mom’s go-to show to put on tv for me when I was little because she felt it taught the best messages of any show on tv at the time.
I loved “The Puzzle Place”. It was one of several PBS shows I watched regularly when I was a kid. I even owned some of the merchandise, including dolls of all six characters and Nuzzle and Sizzle, finger puppets, a board game, a backpack (which I actually located a few months ago while helping clean out my childhood home) and a direct-to-VHS special.
Fun fact: Kiki was the only character who had different regular outfits (she alternated between a patterned shirt and orange overalls-like dress, and a yellow shirt and orange jacket/skirt combo, but always wore a bolo tie), which was a departure from many kids’ TV shows featuring human or anthropomorphic puppets, who (like cartoon characters) always wore the same day clothes in every episode.
I remember watching this show when I was younger and I really enjoyed it. I think I liked it because it had a lot of diversity and I never felt it was forced at me. It was just a bunch of different "kids" talking about their lives. It's a shame it had such a hard time going because it had potential.
I had forgotten about this show, but I instantly remembered it when I saw the thumbnail. I loved it as a kid, but not when Julie sang lol. I used to cover my ears every time.
The Puzzle Place was one of my favorite shows when I was a kid. I used to watch a lot of other PBS shows too like Lamb Chop's Play-Along, The Big Comfy Couch, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Zoom, and Arthur. This video brought back a lot of good childhood memories, thank you!
Mannnn... I haven't thought about the Puzzle Works pilots in forever. Feels really good knowing that they made their way around to some of the top children's show researchers on the internet. Keep up the great work y'all do!
Great episode! The timing of me watching this was comforting for me because I've been feeling self conscious about my body today and seeing these cool puppet kids be so kind to each other lifted my mood. It's a shame parts of this show are lost. It seems really sweet and wholesome, I wish I'd gotten to see it when I was little.
I always appreciate you going the extra mile to set the stage/give context to the era and show before diving into the show itself. Feels extra immersive.
"Oh boy, a new DefunctTV episode!"
-episode immediately starts with the Rodney King trial
".... Lord knows where this is going."
*oh*
"Dancing Dragon" from the Chinese New Year episode is still one of my favorite songs. It popped into my head a few months ago & I had to revisit The Puzzle Place on TH-cam (thankfully it hadn't been removed due to copyright, etc) Never knew why this show just disappeared. Thanks for this detailed retrospective, DefunctTV
This episode made me tear up. It takes me back to elementary school. My favorite teacher turned it on during our free time. It's sad because this entire episode is still completely relevant. This episode is sweet but sad.
I just knew something good was going to happen today. My favorite channel on TH-cam is back with another video. 🤩 Best wishes to Kevin and the Defunctland crew!
I got excited when I saw this. I love watching these videos, especially when I can learn more about my childhood television programs.