Life Re: Flippin’ Like a Pancake, Poppin’ Like a Cork
posted by on May 3 at 15:29 PM
Brad’s post about The Banana Splits inspired me to find the long-lost intro from Pinwheel, a show I watched as a kid on Nickelodeon (originally called the Pinwheel network.) Never has an intro to a children’s show been more forlorn, wistful, creepy, and sad—from the scary mime at the beginning to the badly animated puppets to the washed-out colors and ghostlike children’s singing. It gets in my head every now and again.
My god, I had completely forgotten about that show.
But I'll see you your theme and raise you a Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings theme. It always inspired this feeling of loneliness in me whenever I heard it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvssomC2zVs&mode=related&search=
I'm with you, Erica. The final, melancholy "pinwheel" is so uncertain and sad. The only real antidote to that sadness can be found watching "Sisters and Brothers" from Free to Be You and Me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ5fd8__U4A
It's pure joy, possibly best dance sequence ever filmed in Central Park, and definitely some of the best hairdos in the history of hair.
Holy childhood flashback.
I remember when my family first got cable. My Mom turned on Nickelodeon and Pinwheel was on. I loved Sesame Street so this was right up my alley. I remember being transfixed by the show and thinking cable was the best thing ever.
Today, I'm not so sure.
Thanks, Betsey! Watching all those Free to Be put me in a good mood, except that it was a long time ago and the times have sure changed...
Not half as cool as The Electric Company...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WdqTzpZUEcY&mode=related&search=
But the one that is really seared in my brain in The New Zoo Review
http://youtube.com/watch?v=e18_KL8PUYM&mode=related&search=
If only this segment had made it past network, it might have saved me a lot of time. Now that I think about it, I think I always kind of wondered...
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Idmbd2qnVv4
And of course the hands down best of all time ever…
Because, of course, you can’t do a little because you can’t do enough…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=JA3FFT54Ehs&mode=related&search=
…and I could always totally identify with Sigmund, and really wanted to be “friends” with Johnny & Scott…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KmoYJogmieY&mode=related&search=
Holey fuck… How did I ever forget about these fairies? I think they must have been my first positive role models… (and Benita Bizarre totally worked it)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xvUvC2dDKWA&mode=related&search=
Oh… and don’t forget Charles Nelson Riley (oh, and “Mark” was kinda hot)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MOyG9WN9udI&mode=related&search=
Okay. I’m done now. (I can’t believe that all this stuff lives on still)
This is actually the ending, not the intro... in this, everyone is going to bed. i'm not sure if that context really changes anything though.
I'd forgotten how forlorn the song was. And #2, you're right - that last "pinwheel" sung is just so not right.
What about the Great Space Coaster???
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Dddm5bQeKvg
Where's Gary Gnu? No Gnews is good gnews!
Holy cow. The Bugaloos! Hands down my favorite show from when I was three... or four... And I had a huge, HUGE crush on Joy! Seriously, what business does a four-year-old have having a crush on a much-older girl? And why did the scene with Joy tied to Benita's turntable forever stick in my mind the way it did?
http://www.bugaloos.com/joy17.html
That was my favorite show! No wonder my sister used to roll her eyes whenever it came on!!
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