| As aunt of a preschooler and an aspiring | | | | kittens, his friends help him. Why, |
| voiceover actress (I knew all those | | | | when he gets stuck, can't they help him |
| hours of watching Bugs Bunny would come | | | | back down? Ahem...when was the last |
| in handy), I know all the kids' shows as | | | | time you tripped and panicked? You need |
| well as every kids' DVD out there. My | | | | help in your own life every day without |
| TV Critic column will be a regular | | | | thinking about it. |
| family-fare guide to Kids' TV. | | | | The beauty of "Higglytown Heroes" is |
| In my opinion, there's no better way | | | | that it celebrates working together, |
| celebrities can recoup their outrageous | | | | "having fun together," and the Higgly |
| salaries than entertaining and sometimes | | | | Kids as well as their families never |
| educating kids. And They Might Be | | | | take for granted the Heroes in their |
| Giants get the "cooler than Elvis" vote | | | | lives. The Electrician (Lance Bass) |
| for singing the theme song to one of | | | | gets invited to share in the "Higgly |
| Playhouse Disney's newest hits, | | | | Monsters" TV party after repairing the |
| "Higglytown Heroes." | | | | circuitry for Kip's house. The Fire |
| For those of you not familiar with all | | | | Fighter (Donald Faison) who gets Kip out |
| things Higgly (an adjective used as much | | | | of the tree shares in a birthday party |
| as "Smurfy" but not, thank Higgles, as a | | | | for the neighborhood cat. How many of |
| verb), the series centers on a small | | | | us go out of our way to thank the people |
| town and four tots named Eubie, Kip, and | | | | who make our lives easier? Sometimes we |
| siblings Wayne and Twinkle. Think | | | | forget to see them as people with needs |
| "South Park" with better art and no foul | | | | and feelings. |
| mouths. The strongest language is, "Aw, | | | | We even forget to see our own families |
| pickles," usually uttered by Twinkle | | | | as heroes. Kip's Grandmama (voice of |
| (pinker than Trista Rehn Sutter!) after | | | | Betty White) knits the kids sweaters. |
| her fanciful ideas for solving the kids' | | | | Kip's Mom acts like the soul of '50s |
| dilemmas get gently punctured by Fran, a | | | | domesticity, but gets rewarded when Kip |
| friendly squirrel voiced by Edie | | | | and his friends make her a get-well |
| McClurg. | | | | card. Wayne's Mom shows the kids a |
| In each two-episode half-hour show, the | | | | caterpillar and drives them to the |
| Higgly Kids experience common, innocent | | | | beach. |
| childhood events such as finding a | | | | Interestingly, Higgly families aren't |
| caterpillar, hosting a television party | | | | always nuclear families, something |
| for the Happy Hairy Higgly Monster | | | | Disney portrays as normal without |
| Primetime Special, losing a tooth, Kip's | | | | calling attention to it. Kip's family |
| Grandpa locked in the bathroom, or | | | | is the closest, with twin sisters, a |
| caring for an unhappy bird. The kids | | | | baby sister, a mom and dad (who operates |
| try to solve their problems, guided by | | | | a hot dog cart), and two grandparents |
| Fran who is the voice of reason, helped | | | | who either live in Kip's large house or |
| by their loving families and the | | | | visit constantly. Twinkle and Wayne's |
| ever-enthusiastic oddly Bill and Ted-ish | | | | mom seems to be a single parent |
| Pizza Guy...plus someone special. Then | | | | (although all are African-American, no |
| comes the inevitable song... | | | | one has screamed racism yet), and Eubie |
| "Someone special, who could it be? | | | | is apparently being raised by his |
| This job's too big for you and me. | | | | Southern-accented Aunt Millie and Uncle |
| We need some help! | | | | Zooter, with visits from his |
| But never fear-o, | | | | Southern-accented Grandpop (a farmer). |
| It looks like a job for a...Higglytown | | | | In many ways, Higglytown is idealized. |
| Hero! | | | | No one really seems to worry about jobs, |
| A Higglytown Hero!" | | | | money or status. People go to the |
| Some of the heroes are natural choices, | | | | library, and a Librarian is a Higglytown |
| especially after September 11: Police | | | | Hero! The kids "work real hard" and |
| Woman, Firefighter, etc. But how many | | | | take responsibility (gasp) by thinking |
| of us think of sanitation workers, | | | | up ways to help themselves and their |
| electricians, plumbers, gardeners, mail | | | | families, and in each episode there are |
| carriers (voiced by Kathie Lee Gifford) | | | | little moral lessons and advice (take |
| and farmers as heroes? Or a telephone | | | | care of your pets, don't use too much |
| operator (voiced by Cyndi Lauper)? | | | | electricity, make someone smile) to show |
| Although the heroes have celebrity | | | | the kids how they can grow up to |
| voices, the Higgly Kids discover that | | | | be...Higglytown Heroes! |
| the real stars all around them are the | | | | Cynics and naysayers will deride this as |
| people who solve problems every day. | | | | kiddie pablum. I call it a refreshing |
| Some of the dilemmas get a little | | | | dose of reality and a tribute to the |
| ridiculous from an adult perspective. | | | | heroes all around us. The Disney |
| For example, when Kip climbs a tree to | | | | animators are Higglytown Heroes for |
| save a beloved neighborhood cat and her | | | | creating this show. |