While I never had any similarities between Arthur's life and mine, there was always something about the show that felt both deeply relatable, and on some level familiar. It was also a little odd finding out that I was around for only 3 or so years before it existed. Makes you feel old.
Mr. Rogers, the original Sesame Street, Zoom for me. My mom was a big PBS enthusiast. Didn't get to watch the "regular" TV, even the kids shows, until I was older, which was something of a problem as I could not relate to many of the things kids at school would talk about.
One thing I’ve noticed is the people I know that watched PBS as kids have a generally less cynical outlook on life than those that didn’t. It’s a weird, unscientific observation I’ve made but I think watching characters that are role models like Mr Rogers and aren’t paragons of stupidity like Ren and Stimpy or Spongebob might be part of the reason why.
Regardless, I’m thankful that I only watched PBS (and TV Land and History Channel).
Mr. Rogers and other PBS childrens' shows are meant to be educational. Ren and Stimpy, Spongebob, etc - aside from being intended for an older demographic - are meant to be entertaining.
Of course part of the education that good childrens' programs instill is self-esteem and empathy - to find value in yourself and others.
Values the sociopathic, nihilistic world of adulthood will then try to twist and mock and beat out of them for the rest of their lives.
