Finding Oz

We recently watched a Star Trek Deep Space Nine episode in which the main character was "disabled." Technically, all disability and disease has been eradicated at this point in the future. This woman is native to a planet with very low gravity which makes it very physically exhausting to get around in normal gravity. I know how she feels, Damn Gravity! Seriously, I love the idea that a low gravity planet exists! I would love to go there. When I was a little girl I always wished I could live underwater.

So, this capable young woman finds the station's doctor smitten with her and of course he has a plan to fix her. Collective groan from my disabled readers. Although not as overdone or ridiculous the sitcom stand by of meeting a girl you like and then finding out she's (gasp!) disabled and having angst about perusing her, this plot's been done. My favorite example of this plot is actually a subplot in The Poisonwood Bible. A book that when presented to me as a gift bore the inscription "Can't wait to see you play Ada in the movie." Ada's is the disabled character who falls for a neurologist. Her doctor succeeds in "fixing" her and then one of my favorite audition monologues ensues. The gist is that she's not sure who she is anymore and how arrogant the able-bodied are always trying to "fix" people.

In Star Trek's version the doctor falls for her before he tries to fix her unlike the the asshole in the book. Other than that it's fairly similar. She undergoes the first round of treatment and experiences euphoria at her temporary change. Then she feels all the discomfort that goes hand and hand with a major change to your physicality and she starts to doubt herself. I emphasized with her struggle. She is already a strong beautiful woman who's struggles have made who she is, in her case a Star Fleet officer. In her situation though there is the added element of never being able to return to her home planet for any length of time once the changes are permanent. Another character compares her to the Little Mermaid which is funny after my underwater comparison, but completely apt. All the sacrifice and pain to be other than you are (each step is like walking on broken glass in the original fairy tale)and you can never go home.

I enjoyed the episode other than a fleeting moment or two of yelling at the screen. I understood her. I, like her have never asked to be "fixed", but there were some moving moments related to this in Oz the Great and Powerful (not spoilers). As he's performing magic tricks a wheelchair bound girl in the audience asks him to make her walk. He refuses, apologizes and flees the theater. At that early point in the film I was attempting to roll my eyes at the cliche, but his reaction to it was so human, I couldn't. Later, in Oz, he meets a little China doll whose legs have broken off. He produces super glue and that girl does walk. Again, I wanted to roll my eyes, but it was so real (feelings not circumstances) I couldn't. It is a shallow victory because she has her legs, but she's lost everyone she loved.

The china doll was a character I could relate to. Only her body was fragile, everything else about her was tough. She was braver and more resilient than most. She becomes an important part of the group, but the Star Trek character like so many disabled TV characters leaves the show after one episode. I think the it would have been fascinating if the doctor had married her. Than they would have had to navigate being military, living in space and her unique physicality. On top of which the doctor would allows be trying to fix her and it would cause all kinds of tension.

I'm not saying I would watch a show because it had a disabled character. I'm just saying we have lives and adventures too. It would be nice if television used disabled characters to further interesting plot lines and complicate character relationships rather than as token minorities for "movie of the week" style writing.

Behind the Toddler Toons...Scandalous

Oh, how children's programming engages the adult mind. When you're a parent you find yourself watching kids TV after they've fallen asleep or left the room. I know I'm not the only one who's looked over at other adult in the room and said "Why are we still watching this?"

I do actually enjoy watching these shows with Riley sometimes, but they bring up some things - for example, "Word World".

"Word World" is bright, colorful and educational, what’s not to like? The characters are animals made up of their letters. When they put letters together to "build a word" they turn into the object they spell. If they spell c-a-k-e those 4 letters turn into a cake. If something happens like a gust of wind the cake becomes 4 letters again. Here's my question, can the characters themselves be pulled into piles of letters? Is there murder in Word World?

On one episode, Duck (not the brightest crayon in the box) accidentally makes a "fox" and I was really worried he'd pull the fox apart to keep searching for the word he actually wanted to make instead. He didn't pull him apart on camera, but "fox" was never seen again after that episode. Fishy stuff. While I'm on the subject of this show, why is it that all the animals talk except Dog? At first I thought it was because he was a domesticated pet, but then there was an episode with Cat who does talk (and hold down a full time job). Not Cool. Also, I don't think Noah would have much to do in their world as there appears to be only one of each animal. I wonder if there’s inter-species dating.

"Kelly always has exactly what I need!" - Handy Manny.

I have also spent more time than I care to admit pondering our dear friend, Handy Manny. I am probably just as big a fan of this show as Riley is. Again, it's bright, colorful, and educational. I also enjoy the diversity on the show not just ethnically, but also the handful of disabled characters.

When I was a kid if there was a character in a wheelchair they made a huge deal about it. Handy Manny is the second show I’ve ever seen with a disabled character that isn't just around for one episode so the protagonist can work through their issues about people who are "different". The first one was Doug. Anybody else recall that Patty Mayonnaise's dad was in a wheelchair? He was. There was no tear jerker episode where Doug contemplated whether he could date Patty because her dad was different, he just was.

I digress, in the grand tradition of Mark Summers and Robin (nudge, nudge. You know what I'm talking about) Manny and Kelly have some palpable sexual tension. I guess having 8 constant talking tool companions isn't exactly romantic. Speaking of the tools does Pat the hammer strike anyone else as the dumb gringo? Maybe it's an overreaction, but occasionally he feels like a comment on dumb Americans. Also, does anyone else feel like Mr. Lopart's got some kind of secret life? Drag queen? Circus performer? Investment banker?

Let's talk Nick Jr shows for a minute. Keep in mind I wouldn't have time to consider these shows if I didn't watch and enjoy them. Here's one, all these baby animals that get into trouble on Wonder Pets, where are their parents? I mean why aren’t their parents pulling them out of the quicksand or whatever? Better yet why aren't their parents keeping track of them so they don't get into trouble in the first place. I have two words for the neglectful parents from Wonder Pets: Animal Control!

Am I the only one who enjoys Blue’s Clues, but can't stand Joe? I really, really dislike him. Partially because the shoes were too big to fill. No one can replace Steve. Steve was incredible. He was sincere and it came easy to him. Joe does what my teacher in college used to call it "faking the funk". Joe is always faking the funk. I never let Riley watch the Joe episodes I always search the On-demand for Steve episodes. I will say that my preference for Steve led me to do a little internet research. Steve Burns is quite a hottie and I enjoy his sense of humor. I wish him well. I also wish they would cancel Blue’s Clues and make more episodes of Jack's Big Music Show instead.

Here's something else that bothers me, there are 5 Backyardigans. However if you miss the opening credits you'd never know it. It's more like 4 and an alternate. There's Uniqua, Tasha, Pablo, Tyrone and sometimes Austin. It seems to me they are never all 5 in an episode together. Maybe I haven't seen enough of the show, but Austin is almost never involved. I was stunned that there were 5 because of this 4 characters per episode rule. Maybe the voice actors are underage and have a maximum of hours they can work. OR maybe Austin has a substance abuse problem...hmmm..

Austin and Uniqua behind bars