The whojamiflips and the whatsisnames on the tellymathingy! (In the Night Garden)

Member Name: pmcds

Product:	In the Night Garden
Date:	02/10/08 (81 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Entertaining for kids

Disadvantages: Weird

Years back, in the 1990s I think, when the Teletubbies first hit our screens, instant horror came about due to the thoroughly weird nature of the programme. But kids loved it! And it turned out to be quite educational, too. However, no one could be prepared for the strange advent that is In The Night Garden, a popular kids TV programme (and subsequently, books and toys), which features even stranger characters with even weirder names than those of the Teletubbies.

The programme features three main characters, strange, jelly bean like characters named Macca Pacca, Iggle Piggle, and Upsy Daisy. Now, then, Macca Pacca pushes round a trolley called an Og Pog, and Iggle Piggle sleeps on a boat, which he loses all the time. Upsy Daisy is a hyperactive 'girl', while the other two are 'boys'. They all like riding on the Ninky Nonk (a train) and going to visit the Tombliboos (3 characters with an obsession for putting on their trousers) and the Pontipines (10 people living in one house).

Each episode features more or less all of these characters, with some others who feature on a less regular basis, and, if you can get past the surreal nature of the programme, and put yourself in the position of a child for a moment, it's highly entertaining!

There has been lots of talk about kids' cartoons and drugs having links, with rumours of older people's favourite Mr Benn and The Magic Roundabout being written when the creators and/or writers were 'under the influence', and much has been suggested about the mental state of the creators of this programme, too.

But if you look closely, what you see is a clever TV series which shows routine, counting, pronounciation, colours, and promotes sharing, being friendly and neighbourly, and the acceptance of someone no matter what they look like or how they are. In effect, it teaches our kids (subliminally, I'll submit) to fit into society. Granted, there are probably less strange ways of doing so, and I haven't a clue how they came up with the names for half of the characters, but it's entertaining for kids.

In The Night Garden airs on CBeebies, which is channel 614 on Sky. It's on for just under half an hour, and airs a few times a day. The episodes do get repeated, so don't be surprised if you see one that has definitely been on before. I find it a useful one to put on just before 7pm to get my son ready for bed: the programme usually finishes with them all settling down for the night and reading a book to clam them and send them off to sleep, so it's quite helpful in that respect.

Ultimately, it's fun, and although I still can't quite get my head round it, my son likes it and it does have some educational qualities. A good programme, but not the best.

Summary: Fun show for kids which is handy at bedtime