I feel ashamed that I loved this so much as a kid...

TheLittleSongbird

When I was a little girl, I loved Barney and Friends and never missed it. Then I never understood why my parents hated it so much. Seeing Barney and Friends again from an 18 year old perspective, I do feel sorry for my parents. My summary may be a little harsh, but I feel ashamed for loving this show. I do think though this is a perfect example of something you grow out of when you get older. Kids might like it, like I did, but now I find it too annoying and childish for my tastes.

First and foremost, the characters are very annoying and obnoxious now. I am not going to compare this to other shows or their characters, but characters like Rosie and Jim, Pingu and Big Bird are lovable characters and their respective shows are classics in my opinion. I may have liked Barney when I was little and I still remember the time when he was one of the attractions at Alton Towers, but now I see him as the annoying purple dinosaur he is, and to me his voice actor(s) sounds like he is high on something. Other than Barney, the most annoying character is Baby Bop. When I was little, I used to think she was adorable and huggable, but now she is probably the only character I consider more annoying than Barney, if that was actually possible. I even find Tutter from Bear in the Big Blue House much more adorable, and funny as well.

The music is incredibly repetitive and simplistic. I appreciate that the writers try to keep it simple, but like with Dora the Explorer they go overboard with the simplicity. The main theme song is merely a variation of Yankee Doodle complete with awful lyrics and out of tune singing, and the I love you, you love me song is the sort of song I have thought in a different light, in a bad way as well since seeing the show.

Then there is truly banal and childish writing, quite possibly the worst asset of the show. The writing alone made my parents wince with contempt because of the complete shallowness and banality of it all. Complete with repetitive story lines, next to no educational value(well to an adult), some of the cheapest effects for any children's show, blatant talking down to the audience and negative lessons such as stealing and cheating being okay. As a kid I loved the production values for their vibrancy and colour, but to an adult they are very tacky and unoriginal. I get the sense that Barney, BJ and Baby Bop are people dressed up in dinosaur suits and the scenery looks as though it is about to fall over any minute.

The voice acting is uninspired, and the kids sometimes act as though they don't know what they are supposed to be doing.

Any redeeming qualities? No not really... wait there's one. Stella the Storyteller. Probably the only character I can tolerate. Even as a young girl, I loved how pretty she was and her maternal attitude. And there you have Barney and Friends. I strongly dislike the show now, I loved it as a child, but now I hate how childish and simplistic it is. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I've heard it's worse. Maybe I'll check it out to give it the benefit of the doubt. 1/10 Bethany Cox

score 1/10

TheLittleSongbird 10 May 2010

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2247550/