What a bunch of crap. Keith and I watched the Disney channel for an hour today from 5:00 to 6:00 pm. That time frame contained three different shows, Phineas and Ferb, Shaun the Sheep and Good Luck Charlie.

Phineas and Ferb is a cartoon about a family with two genius level sons, a pet platypus who fights crime and a plain sister. The 25 minute segment was broken up into two episodes. The first involving a father daughter picnic/competition. The genius sons built a blimp to view said event. The family pet platypus battles his nemesis for some unknown reason. The second episode centers on the sister babysitting her crush's little sister, who teaches her how to manipulate her two genius brothers. Meanwhile the brothers are using a broken sprinkler to make a water slide resembling Niagara Nalls. I actually really liked this cartoon. I liked how the writers blended mischief and science. There were several fun facts written into all the scenes. It was nice to see science being promoted.

Shaun the Sheep faked me out big time. The cartoon as all the appearances of being just like Wallace and Gromit, a favorite of Keith's. Other than the clay-mation style and the obviously British grubulub it is not anywhere near as cool. There is no dialogue, just accented grunts and grumbles and the story was stupid. I should mention that the cartoon was 5 minutes long, so maybe I should forgive the stupid story.


Good Luck Charlie was a waste of a good half hour. I plan to write the Disney Channel and ask for my thirty minutes back! The story centers on a girl filming life and dispensing advice for her baby sister. I thought it was an interesting premise. The execution however is awful. The acting, the writing, everything about it was terrible. I was disappointed to see even the adult actors butchering their simple script. Yes, they are acting in a kids show, but last I check kids aren't stupid. I found the whole idea of over acting in order to act down to kids ridiculously condescending.

I am of the beginning era generation for the Disney Channel. I was born the same year Disney Channel was created, 1983. I watched KIDS Incorporated, Rescue Rangers, Mickey Mouse Club (the Aguilara-Timberlake years), Gummi Bears, Darkwing Duck and so many more. I can still sing, upon request the theme songs to most of the Disney afternoon line-up. Don't believe me? Ask me sometime. I wish I had seen that same spark of fun in the Disney Channel of today as I did when I was 6. Maybe you do really lose a little magic when you grow up. But seriously, today's Disney Channel sucks.