Check out this list of the best Australian children's TV shows you can’t deny it - the post-school 3.30pm to 5pm afternoon slot remains one of childhood’s most precious times.
Free reign over the television at last — no news, no Dateline, no Foreign Correspondent. At 5.01pm, dad would holler “square eyes” at the top of his voice as he trounced home from work and reality would rear its head. Nonetheless, you had your 90 minutes to shine. To commemorate this important period of our lives, here’s the every children’s TV show that stand out in all recollection.
Round the Twist
That infectious but wacky intro had young nippers involved right from the outset. The storyline was fun but had just enough oddity to keep kids thinking while the devious Harold Gribble provided enough antagonist flair to keep the Twists guessing in their cosy lighthouse fortress.
Li’l Elvis and the Truckstoppers
Li’l Elvis was my idol. The alleged son of Elvis Presley, Li’l Elvis carried all the attributes — swagger, charm and music inimitability. Forming his own band the Truckstoppers, Li’l Elvis lets his imagination fly with the help of his clumsy foster parents, Grace and Len. Nothing’s perfect however, and bombastic businessman W.C. Moore attempts to commercially exploit the Truckstoppers to no avail.
Johnson and Friends
Johnson and Friends incorporated a head-scratching collection of characters. The scriptwriters must’ve been on some sort of psychedelic trip when they imagined the lucrative combination of a furry elephant, robot, hot water bottle, Tonka truck and accordion. It was so quirky it worked and the playful colour mixes were hospitable to the child’s eye.
Magic Mountain
A more natural conglomeration of characters came together for Magic Mountain — a lion, tortoise, panda and dragon shared a relatively simple life with mischief, trickery and laughter a plenty. Targeted at 2-5 year olds but proudly watched long after nappies were a non-factor, Magic Mountain was a child’s perfect introduction to friendship and humour.
Plasmo
Plasmo would only extend as long as one season and 13 episodes yet it was so memorable. The lead character: a lost polybob trying to find his parents. Brucho, the clumsy ninja turtle-looking space mechanic, and alien mercenary, Coredor, joined him. A show bearing short five minute episodes only incorporated two other characters.
A*mazing
A*mazing’s creators thought it would be wise to install an asterisk between the ‘a’ and ‘m’ to create greater vocal leverage between letters. My face tight cringing — I say yes, yes and yes and the game show backed up its marvellous title. This was every child’s competitive jungle gym warfare put into a legitimate competition. Kids chanted in the background like it was swimming sports day and a budding James Cherry topped it off with astute play-by-play commentary.
The Ferals
Despite having one of the single worst intros, The Ferals was a curious trial of backyard tomfoolery. Earning their name for their rascal status, the Ferals included Rattus the rat, feral cat Modigliana, rabbit Mixy and feral dog Derryn. Fraught with threat of extermination from an angry landlord, the pests were unperturbed, continuing to cause mischief and mayhem wherever they went.
The Genie from Down Under
A classic for adolescent parties, The Genie from Down Under invokes nostalgia because it propelled a longing fascination from our childhood — genies. Genies were a game-changer in any narrative, capable of radicalising the plot direction with any fowl swoop and as clumsy British wanderluster, Penelope, tries to restrain her two genies, Bruce and Baz, it’s cause for comedy.
Silversun
Never judge a children’s TV series by its tenure. A mere two seasons and the great Silversun enjoyed re-run after re-run from 2004 until 2009. Set in the year 2052, it was a trailblazer for our intergalactic imaginations. The Star Runner and ship crew are foraging for a home at the Silver Sun but it was more difficult than first thought and the cast are overcome by a number of hurdles in their crusade.
Pick Your Face
As disgusting as it was entertaining, Pick Your Face saw contestants yank lifelike snot fragments from taxidermy-sized hanging noses. Each shrapnel was a clue to a celebrity — keys attached to a piano revealed Keanu Reeves while a German beer glass uncovered Goosebumps author R.L Stine. This was goofy, whacky and often turned us off dinner to mum’s disgrace.
The Book Place
When you weren’t consumed by Play School, The Book Place was an able alternative for those with dreams of being spelling king. Endless storytelling and adventure was chauffeured by the Bookworm, a naïve page-forager who’s imagination was unrestrained to the amusement of child spectators. Who thought learning could be so much fun?
Lift Off
One of memory’s most thematically dense kid’s TV shows, Lift Off was based on the philosophies of Harvard University psychologist Howard Garner. Realistic life scenarios were thrown at human and puppet characters alike, fostering social, psychological and emotional enlightenment. Lift Off inspired children to be daring and rebellious before it encouraged them to be kind.
Ship to Shore
Those little rascals. Ship to Shore flipped the adult-kid hierarchy on its head and if you’re picturing grown-ups slipping on bananas, being spun in circles and banging their heads on annoyingly placed objects, you’re on the right track. TV shows of the early 1990s prided themselves on pumping out exorbitant numbers and Ship to Shore was no different — three seasons and 78 episodes.
Blue Water High
‘Damn, wish I could surf.’ — Blue Water High generated jealousy in its young viewership. The cast was so cool and had fun, all the time. A summer holiday down at the beach was spent simulating these admired characters — whether you were mustering the courage to talk to a guy or girl, or getting the board out and riding the swell, this show inspired the masses.
