Adventures in guilty pleasures
Is there any shame in being a twenty-something college student who watches PBS children’s programming, and specifically “Curious George,” with some frequency? Sure, plenty. First off, it means that at 5 p.m., Mountain Standard Time, I’m doing nothing of any value whatsoever.
Is there any shame in being a twenty-something college student who watches PBS children’s programming, and specifically “Curious George,” with some frequency? Sure, plenty. First off, it means that at 5 p.m., Mountain Standard Time, I’m doing nothing of any value whatsoever. Secondly, I never even read the books, so my affection for the show cannot by justified by nostalgia. Third, it’s television FOR CHILDREN FIVE AND UNDER, for heaven’s sake.
But I’m not too proud to watch a show intended for the preschool crowd. Now, I’m not going to claim that the show is entertaining, because it really isn’t. But it is endearing. There is just something so irresistible about the emotive chatter of the titular monkey and the harmless mischief he wreaks as he embarks on his innocuous, 15 minute-long adventures. It’s just so … cute.
While other favorite shows like “Arrested Development” make life seem more livable in an, I’m-glad-my-life’s-not-like-that, sort of way, “Curious George,” like cotton candy, is simply a light and joyous diversion.
Did I mention that William H. Macy narrated the first season? That ought to count for something, right? If, when watching the show, you are still unconvinced, just think of “Fargo” and how glad you are that your life isn’t like that.