PREP AND LANDING THE SNOWBALL PROTOCOL

Here's an early Christmas present for fans of the Prep & Landing animated shows ... a brand new holiday special is being released on Thanksgiving Day! My family LOVES the three previously released Prep & Landing Christmas specials about the funny hijinks of elves helping Santa and have been bummed that new ones haven't been released since the last one in 2011. Well now the wait is over!

The elves a returning in “Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol,” a brand-new Christmas special that will reach families everywhere across Disney+, Disney Channel, ABC and Freeform. Debuting Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, on Disney Channel at 7:00 p.m. EST/PST, and available the next day on Disney+, later in the season the elves will make their way to ABC and then to Freeform’s iconic “25 Days of Christmas” holiday programming event. 

Marking the franchise’s return after more than a decade, “Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol” is the fourth installment in a series of popular animated holiday specials featuring Christmas elves from an elite organization tasked with preparing homes worldwide for Santa’s arrival. The new special follows Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne, whose holiday mission goes awry, leaving Wayne convinced he’s in major trouble with Santa and accidentally revealing other merry mishaps. Magee, the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center Coordinator and lover of eggnog lattes, brings along her pet arctic seal pup Nog to the office — kicking off endless hijinks.

Original voice cast reuniting for the special include Dave Foley as Wayne, a world-weary but dedicated Prep & Landing elf, alongside Sarah Chalke as Magee, the ambitious and eggnog latte-obsessed Command Center Coordinator, and Derek Richardson as Lanny, Wayne’s loyal friend and ever-agreeable partner. They will be joined by new cast members Manny Jacinto as Renato, the most sought-after massage therapist and holistic healer in the North Pole; Dulcé Sloan as Janice, a clerk at the North Pole Post Office; and Danny Pudi as Chef Geoff, the master chef at the Fruitcake Factory. Rounding out the cast is Christopher Swindle as The Big Guy, a.k.a. Santa.

If you want to check out the previous specials “Prep & Landing” (2009), “Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa” (2010), and “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice” (2011) they are currently available to stream on Disney+. I am so GEEKED to see Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol!

BIG HERO 6 animated television series coming to DisneyXD cable channel in 2017

I can honestly say that Walt Disney Animation Studio's 2014 animated motion picture BIG HERO 6 is one of my son's favorite movies and he has anxiously been awaiting news about a possible sequel ever since we went to see it at the theater.  He has all the action figure toys representing the film's cast, has spent numerous hours playing as BIG HERO 6's primary characters Baymax and Hiro characters on the Disney Infinity video game, and has watched the movie over and over again more times than I can count on the dvd we've added to our home video library.  So I find myself with mixed news to share with the boy after receiving an announcement from Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer at Disney Channels Worldwide regarding the future of Big Hero 6 which has a bit of bad news but also plenty of good news for fans of the movie and its characters.

Starting with the bad news first -- it appears there won't be a sequel arriving in movie theaters for BIG HERO 6 in the foreseeable future and maybe not at all.  The good news though is that the adventures of Baymax, Hiro and their aspiring superhero team as the cable channel Disney XD has begun production on a BIG HERO 6 animated television series for kids, tweens and families based upon the Academy Award-winning movie which was based upon a Marvel comic book of the same name.

"Our colleagues at Walt Disney Animation Studios have created a brilliant world, inspired  by Marvel, with vivid, unique characters," Gary Marsh said in his announcement. "We are thrilled to have the opportunity to further develop these characters into a world class animated series -- full of fun, action and the kind of endearing storytelling that only Mark McCorkle, Bob Schooley  -- and Baymax -- can deliver."

Emmy Award-winning producers McCorkle and Schooley, creators and executive producers for the Disney Channel's globally successful "Kim Possible" series hope to create another popular hit as executive producers for the BIG HERO 6 animated series on DisneyXD.  Produced by Disney Television Animation, this new series picks up immediately following the events in the feature film, and continues the adventures and friendship of 14-year-old tech genius Hiro and his compassionate, cutting-edge robot Baymax. Alongside Hiro and Baymax on their journey are control freak Wasabi, scientist Honey Lemon, fanboy Fred and no-nonsense Go Go, who together form the legendary superhero team, Big Hero 6. As the new prodigy at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, Hiro now faces daunting academic challenges and the social trials of being the little man on campus. Off campus, the stakes are raised for the high-tech heroes as they must protect their city from an array of scientifically enhanced villains.

While my son is going to be bummed that there isn't a sequel coming to the movie theater, I'm pretty sure he is going to be delighted by this new television series and looking forward to being able to enjoy continuing adventures of the Big Hero 6 team.

Disney Channel Hosts Fall Fairy Festival

My daughter is a big fan of Tinker Bell but she doesn't identify the character from the Peter Pan story but rather from a series of straight to DVD movies that Disney has released over the last few years.  There are six Disney Fairies animated movies out, with a seventh being released on March 3, 2015, that feature the character Tinker Bell and her fairy friends from the land of Pixie Hollow.  This isn't the mean-spirited sprite as portrayed in Disney's 1953 animated film Peter Pan who really wasn't that nice but rather a kinder gentler likeable version that is easier for audience to embrace as a loveable character.  I have to say that not only does my daughter love watching these films, but our whole family finds them enjoyable to watch together with their top notch animation, excellent musical soundtracks, and interesting stories.  Any of these movies would be a great selection for a family movie night.

If you haven't seen the Disney Fairy movies or would like to see one or all of them again, you are in luck this week as they will all be shown on cable television.  The Disney Channel is hosting a Fall Fairy Festival from November 10-13, 2014 showing these movies in the evening throughout the week.

MONDAY - NOVEMBER 10 @ 8 PM: TINKER BELL (2008)
Young fairy Tinker Bell causes chaos in Pixie Hallow when she rejects her predestined occupation as a fixer of broken objects and tries to learn a new trade instead.

TUESDAY - NOVEMBER 11 @ 6:30 PM: THE PIRATE FAIRY (2014)
Tinker Bell and her friends go in search of a wayward fairy who fled Pixie Hollow and joined up with a band of scheming pirates led by the future Captain Hook.

TUESDAY - NOVEMBER 11 @ 8 PM: TINKER BELL & THE LOST TREASURE (2009)
Tinker Bell journeys to save a Pixie Dust Tree.

WEDNESDAY - NOVEMBER 12 @ 8 PM: THE GREAT FAIRY RESCUE (2010)
Tinker Bell and her fairy rival strive to keep secret from humans the very existence of fairies.

THURSDAY - NOVEMBER 13 @ 8PM:  SECRET OF THE WINGS (2012)
Tinker Bell and her friends venture into the winter woods to find the secret of fairy wings.

A sixth movie the Pixie Hollow Games (2013) isn't being broadcast as part of Disney Channel Fall Fairy Festival and a seventh movie Legend of the NeverBeast is coming out in 2015.

For more information regarding anything Disney Fairies related visit: www.fairies.disney.com

As we all know kids spend too much time watching television, so I'd encourage you to also check out a great line of comics published by PAPERCUTZ if your children appreciate Disney Fairies. This company has published graphic novel portrayals of many of the Disney Fairies movies plus other comic books containing brand new stories of unique adventures featuring Tinker Bell and her friends.  CLICK HERE for a preview of the PAPERCUTZ Disney Fairies collection.  We have a few of these graphic novels and my daughter cherishes them. They are very nice to take along on a trip, reading on a rainy day or bedtime stories. 

A Geek Daddy Blog gives a nod of approval to both the Disney Fairy animated movies and the PAPERCUTZ comic books as both are very well done family friendly entertainment options.

Watch Disney's Star Wars Rebels for FREE on iTunes

Disney debuted the newest edition to the Star Wars saga when it aired a one hour special last week on Disney Channel titled "Sparks of Rebellion" to launch its new animated television show titled REBELS.  Half-hour episodes of Rebels will then begin airing on the Disney XD cable channel each week on Mondays at 9pm ET/PT beginning October 13th.  Can't wait until October 13th to watch the show's first new episode "Droids in Distress" or don't have access to Disney XD on your cable lineup?  Then you may want to visit iTunes which is providing FREE downloads of "Droids in Distress" for a limited time to promote Star Wars: Rebels and its iTunes season download passes that are being sold for $29.99.  For the time being though the price for the season's first episode is listed as FREE and you can download it at no charge. 

Disney's Star Wars: Rebels television series is set 5 years before the original 1977 movie (Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) and fourteen years after the defeat of the Jedi Order and creation of the Empire (Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) in the Star Wars story timeline.  The show focuses on the crew of a space freighter called the Ghost that has banded together to tackle the Empire in an effort to spark a rebellion against it.  CLICK HERE for more details about Disney's Star Wars: Rebels from a previous A Geek Daddy blog post.

While this is a new television show it has many of the features that so many people love from the original trilogy of movies.  There is a focus on the force as a mysterious power (rather than some midi-cholorian over explanation from the prequel movies) with one of the last Jedi taking on a new youthful and rambunctious apprentice; a beat up freighter akin to the Millennium Falcon; a quirky droid named Chopper similar to R2D2 but yet with its own unique personality; and lots of storm troopers and TIE fighters that are the images people most identify with when characterizing "the Empire."  While Disney's Rebels takes a lot of cues from classic Star Wars cannon it also sets itself apart with new characters and locations.  The crew of the Ghost isn't made up of established Star Wars characters but rather are all brand new creations to give the series its own unique identity and the principal villain isn't the figure that is often the face of the Star Wars franchise, Darth Vader, but rather the newly introduced Inquisitor.

Rebels succeeds where the prequel movies failed in that it embraces the heritage and elements of the original movies that my generation loved but still has enough new twists and angles to make it interesting to younger audiences.  I watched the one hour Disney Channel movie with my children and we both enjoyed it but for different reasons.  I enjoyed it for the sense of magic and unknown the show returned to the power of the force, the Ralph McQuarrie inspired touches that the artistic team added to the show, the John Williams Star Wars musical score and seeing TIE fighters and star destroyers flying across a screen again.  Meanwhile my kids enjoyed the comedic elements of the show, loved the baby wookiee rescue scene, appreciated the rebellious youth character Ezra who they could relate to, and were excited to share in something with their dad they know I have a passion and appreciation for.  This show did a nice job of bringing together two generations to mutually enjoy a science fiction space opera together.  Disney has done a nice job with Star Wars: Rebels and this animated series get A Geek Daddy nod of approval.

CLICK HERE to download on  iTunes the #FREE "Droids in Distress" #Disney 's #StarWars Rebels episode.

Droids in Distress Episode Description

The crew of the Ghost intercepts a shipment of weapons intended for the Empire.  Along the way they also inadvertently pick up C-3PO and R2-D2 who are are  on a secret mission sent by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan to prevent the weapons from falling into Imperial hands.  Meanwhile the Ghost continues to be chased by Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau.  The story eventually wraps up with R2-D2 providing Organa with information about this motley crew of rebels that helps keep his faith in becoming one of the founders of the Alliance to Restore the Republic (aka The Rebel Alliance)

New STAR WARS television show debuts in October

 

A brand new Star Wars animated television show titled Rebels will be debuting in October.  Star Wars: Rebels is scheduled to premiere on October 3rd with a one hour special Star Wars: Rebels- Sparks of Rebellion on the Disney Channel.  Half hour episodes will than routinely air on Monday nights each week on the cable channel Disney XD beginning on October 13th.  The premise behind the tv series that is set 5 years before the original Star Wars move "A New Hope" is that a motley crew of a spaceship called the Ghost begins harassing the Empire in an effort to spark a rebellion.

In an attempt to recapture the vibe of the original trilogy of movies the artwork in this animated series will use the Star Wars concept art that was created by artist Ralph McQuarrie in the 1970s & 80s for inspiration.  One specific example of McQuarrie's impact on the show is the character of Zeb Orrelios.  The appearance of this alien who serves as the muscle for the Ghost's crew utilizes McQuarrie's original concept for Chewbacca to create the character.  I remember as a kid spending hours scouring through Ralph McQuarrie art books my aunt had given me and imagining all sorts of adventures inspired by those wonderful sketches; so I'm really looking forward to seeing his influence in Star Wars: Rebels.

Other characters in the show include:

Kanan Jarrus a survivor of the Empire's purge of the Jedi. After barely surviving Order 66 he went underground hiding in obscurity until discovered by the owner of the Ghost, Hera Syndulla.  He is now the leader of the Ghost's crew doing his best to inflict harm against the power of the Empire.

Hera Syndulla is the Twi'lek owner and pilot of the Ghost.

Sabine Wren is a Mandalorian warrior who is an expert in combat, weapons and explosives.  She fancies herself as an artist who loves to tag Imperial facilities with graffiti after an attack.

Ezra Bridger is a 14 year old pickpocket and con artist who the crew of the Ghost find living on an Outer Rim world.  Unknown to him one of the reasons he is able to get out of so many jams is that he is gifted with the ability to use the Force.

To help up the excitement for Rebels, Disney has released four short youtube videos to promote the excitement for this new series:

In “The Machine in the Ghost,” the rebels’ Ghost starship is under attack by a wave of TIE fighters. Hera pilots the craft, while Kanan tries to blast the Imperials from the Ghost’s gunner. While they do evade and shoot down several TIEs, it’s up to astromech droid Chopper to finish the job – even if he’s reluctant to do so.

 In “Art Attack,” Sabine sneaks into an Imperial compound, looking to create a diversion for her friends aboard the Ghost. Spotted by stormtroopers, she proves too quick to be captured – and leaves behind an explosive surprise.

 In “Not What You Think,”  Ezra finds a downed TIE fighter on the plains of Lothal. The young rebel opens the ship’s hatch -- pretending to help the ungrateful Imperial pilot -- and leaves with a few souvenirs.

In “Entanglement,” Zeb fails to meet with Kanan at a specified rendezvous point…and instead finds himself joyfully battling many, many stormtroopers.

 

For more information about Star Wars: Rebels CLICK HERE

 

 

Disney Channel's "Out of this World" Weekend

Friday, July 25th through Sunday the 27th will be "Out of this World" as the DISNEY CHANNEL features a weekend filled with SciFi themed programming.  The Disney Channel's "Out of this World" promo will be showcase the premiere of PHINEAS & FERB: STAR WARS and also feature a lineup of shows that feature scripts revolving around aliens, outer space and science fiction inspired topics.  You know I am going to be popping a big bowl of popcorn and watching these shows throughout that weekend with my kids!

PHINEAS & FERB: STAR WARS will be on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at 9pm and is a one hour television special that is a comedic mashup of the Disney Channels popular animated television show, Phineas and Ferb, with the Star Wars universe.  The story involves Phineas and Ferb living just one moisture farm over from a guy named Luke Skywalker on the planet Tatooine.  When R2-D2 and the Death Star plans inadvertently fall into THEIR landspeeder comedic adventures ensue.  Meanwhile chaos erupts on the Death Star when Perry the Rebelpus is trapped in carbonite while trying to stop Darthenshmirtz from using his new "Sith-inator."

Disney Channel will also be airing an episode of THE NEW YODA CHRONICLES during its "Out of this World" Weekend.  The NEW YODA CHRONICLES is in the middle of a new 5 episode arc in which it has already shown episodes 1 & 2 in May and June respectively.  I'm not sure if episode 3 is going to air during this weekend but based on the gap between the last 2 episodes it would fit.  There hasn't been a lot of info about the NEW YODA CHRONICLES tie in to the "Out of this World" promo - it is called "New" because the previous story arc ran on Cartoon Network and these "new" episodes which feature an imaginative and amusing combination of Star Wars characters and scenarios with LEGO building blocks - other than it is included in the trailer that the Disney Channel is currently airing to promote the event.  Hopefully they will show a brand new episode ... and wouldn't it be great if they showed the whole story arc up to now with all three episode during this themed weekend event.  That combined with PHINEAS & FERB: STAR WARS would be spectacular!

Here's a trailer for THE NEW YODA CHRONICLES: Episode 2 "Race for the Holocrons" which aired in the Disney Channel & DisneyXD (DisneyXD is aimed at tweens, teens & young adults and is considered a competitor with Cartoon Network - one of the reasons Disney pulled Yoda Chronicles and Star Wars: Clone Wars from that cable channel). 

As a long-time Star Wars fan, I have to say it is really nice that Disney has embraced the traditional trilogy and is pretty much ignoring the prequel movies since it took over the license.  You'll notice that the Phineas & Ferb special and The New Yoda Chronicles (plus the upcoming Star Wars: Rebels animated television series are all tied to the original Star Wars movies versus the prequels.  In fact from Disney's new Star Wars projects and marketing for the upcoming movie Episode VII you'd almost forget the Prequel movies ever existed.  Hopefully that is a strategy that will continue!

In addition to the Star Wars programming for Disney Channel's "Out of this World" Weekend, the network will also be showing a number of episodes of their own original series with scripts tied to this theme.

According to the Disney Channel the "Out of this World" lineup will also include:

Jessie “Spaced Out” 
Ravi’s birthday present from his parents is a trip to outer space with the rest of the Ross kids and Jessie. Their trip takes an unexpected turn when Ravi ends up not going.
Guest starring John Rubinstein as Ivan

Dog With A Blog “Pod People from Pasadena”
Avery learns she’s been selected to create a float for her town’s parade and is excited to spend some quality time with her father to build it. Meanwhile, Chloe watches a sci-fi movie that leads her to believe her family is being taken over by aliens and that the parade float they are constructing is really a spaceship.

Liv and Maddie “Space-Werewolf-A-Rooney”
To prove to the skeptics that she is meant to star in “Space Warewolves,” Liv agrees to do all her own stunts, not realizing exactly how complicated they are.
Guest starring Garry Marshall as Vic Defazerelli and Mimi Drew as Whitney

I Didn’t Do It “Earth Boys are Icky”
Delia is convinced boys on earth are too ordinary for her and creates a strange device, partly developed by NASA, to communicate with outer space and attract an extraterrestrial boyfriend. Meanwhile, Logan finds himself in an even weirder relationship when he discovers his new girlfriend Danica is the vice principal’s daughter.
Guest starring Savannah Lathem as Danica

 Austin & Ally “Eggs & Extraterrestrials”

When Dez, Trish and Austin convince Ally to attend the annual Zaliens Convention that’s being held in Miami, Trish and Dez happen to stumble upon real Zaliens and the foursome must devise a plan to survive.

Additionally, there will be a brand new episode of "Girl Meets World" running during this weekend promo but the only connection I see to the theme based on the script for that episode is the word "World" in the show's title?  All of the Disney Channel episodes mentioned in this post are rated G.

GIRL MEETS WORLD Sequels Popular 90s Sitcom on the Disney Channel

From 1993 – 2000 BOY MEETS WORLD was a fixture of ABC’s TGIF prime time line-up and the show has been popular over the last thirteen years as it has been syndicated for reruns.  The show chronicles the everyday events and life lessons of Cornelius “Cory” Mathews as the character, and the actor who plays him (Ben Savage) grows up from an elementary school aged student to a twenty-something college graduate who marries his high school sweet heart.  I never watched the show while it originally aired, but I have caught the reruns and have to admit that when I come across an episode while channel surfing next thing I know a two hour block of time has flown by and there I am with a smile on my face having enjoyed a good family-friendly sitcom which is something that you don’t see much on television anymore.

When I was growing up family sitcom was a popular format for shows with series like FAMILY TIES, GROWING PAINS, THE COSBY SHOWS, MR BELVEDERE, THE FACTS OF LIFE, THE FACTS OF LIFE, WHO’s THE BOSS and BOY MEETS WORLD.  More recently there has been show’s like HOME IMPROVEMENT and EVERYONE LOVES RAYMOND, and ACCORDING TO JIM that aired in the 2000’s but have all been off the air now for at least 5 years now.  Sitcoms like these brought families together to enjoy a laugh, see that everyone’s families had quirks proving we all aren’t so different from one another, and provided dramatic situations  that often served as teachable moments about societal and personal growth issues.  While MODERN FAMILY and THE MIDDLE may fall into the “family sitcom” category I struggle to come up with a list of show names for current programming that really fits into this niche.

There is a saying you can’t go home again and maybe these shows are just a nostalgic part of my youth, similar to how LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, MY THREE SONS, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, THE BRADY BUNCH & HAPPY DAYS might be thought fondly of by my parents.  That being said, I appears Disney has noticed the void in family themed sitcoms and is trying to bring people back home to the Mathews family.  On June 27^th the DISNEY CHANNEL will debut a new sitcom GIRL MEETS WORLD which is a spin-off of the original BOY MEETS WORLD.  Two actors who played primary roles in BOY MEETS WORLD, Ben Savage (Cory Mathews) and Danielle Fishel (Topanga Lawrence) are returning as a married couple in GIRL MEETS WORLD  dealing with raising a tween daughter named Riley (played by Rowan Blanchard).  In the first season of this new series we see that Cory has followed the path of his adversary/mentor/neighbor in BOY MEETS WORLD school teacher Mr. Feeney  and has become a teacher himself.  A teacher who is teaching classes at the middle school that his daughter is about to start attending.  The show will also focus on the relationship of Riley with her “best friend” Maya Hart (played by Sabrina Carpenter) who comes from a different background.  A similar dynamic to the Cory Mathews / Shawn Hunter storylines of the original series where Cory's friend Shawn was the rough kid from the "other side of the tracks".  Check out these trailers from GIRL MEETS WORLD:

You see a lot of similarities from the original series in this new version, Cory following in the footsteps of Mr. Feeney with an emphasis of scenes taking place at school, a new character named Farkle that seems like a rehash of the Minkus character from BOY MEETS WORLD, and a brother to Riley that has a lines that make him seem to be scripted to be like a young Ben Savage from the early years of the original show.  Hopefully the new show will be able to balance out connecting itself to the characteristics that made BOY MEETS WORLD a quality show while still giving GIRL MEETS WORLD its own life and approach to developing its plots and characters.  One thing that is different from the two shows though is definitely the opening theme songs.  GIRL MEETS WORLD follows the trend Disney has of developing its tween/teen actresses into musical performers.  Rowan Blanchard and Sabrina Carpenter perform the show’s opening.  Take a listen…what do you think?

I’m not overwhelmed by the trailers, but they don’t look horrible either. I’m also interested in seeing some of the cameos from past characters such as Minkus (Lee Norris)  and Shawn (Rider Strong) and if they are scripted into the show nicely or just thrown in to cater to the fans of the original show who may be watching with their children or grand children now [notice they also throw in a grandpa/grandma cameo].

Minkus returns

Shawn makes a cameo

So I’ll probably watch a few episodes with my kids and we’ll see what they think.  Maybe I’m just being nostalgic but I’m rooting for GIRL MEETS WORLD to be a hit on the Disney Channel.

DISNEY'S CABLE NETWORKS WILL HAVE A STAR WARS FOCUS ON MAY THE FOURTH

Disney is using what has become known as Star Wars Day (May the Fourth ... be with you) to premiere the first official trailer for its new animated television show STAR WARS: REBELS.  It will also be broadcasting the first LEGO STAR WARS: THE YODA CHRONICLES episode (a comedic look at the Star Wars Universe through the use of Lego building blocks ) to appear on the Disney cable network since the show was moved from Cartoon Network.

 

The now named LEGO STAR WARS: THE NEW YODA CHRONICLES will air on Disney XD on Sunday, May 4th (Star Wars Day) at 7pm ET/PT.  Disney XD is a cable channel with programming targeted to children and teens in the age range of 6 to 14 years old.  Disney also has cable channels Disney Channel, Disney Junior, ABC Family, Fusion, and the ESPN networks under its ownership.  During the May 4th showing of LEGO STAR WARS: THE NEW YODA CHRONICLES the trailer for the STAR WARS: REBELS animated series will be premiered.  Immediately following the NEW YODA CHRONICLES premiere of the REBELS trailer it will than be shown on Disney's other cable properties and online.

According to the STAR WARS: REBELS production team, this is the official synopsis for the new series:

Star Wars Rebels continues the epic tradition of the legendary Star Wars saga with all-new exciting, action-packed adventures. It is a dark time in the galaxy, as the evil Galactic Empire tightens its grip of power from world to world. As the series begins, Imperial forces have occupied a remote planet, ruling with an iron fist and ruining the lives of its people. The clever and motley crew of the starship Ghost is amongst a select few who are brave enough to stand against the Empire. Together, this ragtag group will face threatening new villains, encounter colorful adversaries, embark on thrilling adventures and become heroes with the power to ignite a rebellion.

STAR WARS: REBELS will debut with an hour long special this summer on the Disney Channel and half hour weekly episodes will air on Disney XD starting in the fall.

The YODA CHRONICLES though having a "new name" appear similar to the same format of the show that recently ran on Cartoon Network.  These are funny shows that are enjoyable for parents and kids to enjoy together.  The quips often have both me and my kids chuckling. If you have time this weekend, tune in to THE NEW YODA CHRONICLES and enjoy an extra special treat by getting a sneak peek at the new STAR WARS: REBELS animated series.

May the Fourth be with You!

THERE IS A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN

Disney Junior introduced a new animated show to join its popular kids focused television lineup on Friday the 13^th called SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST.  The follows the exploits of a calico cat, voiced by the singer Mandy Moore, who serves as the Sheriff of the frontier town of Nice & Friendly Corner using a magical lasso and cow-girl know how to keep the peace.  The show utilizes Wild West folklore and Country music to impart social skills and lessons for young children ages 2-7 encouraging them to be good friends and neighbors.

My 5 year old son was home sick from preschool and we watched the Friday the 13^th sneak peek preview airing on the Disney Channel together.  The episode focused on dealing with the issue of “being a good sport” when one of Callie’s sidekicks becomes the best horseshoe player in town he becomes an arrogant jerk so the Sheriff teaches him a lesson by graciously beating him at his own game.  While the show has a cute premise with the Sheriff, her deputies a cactus and a red robin, and a town full of characters that look like they were pulled from a Richard Scary book, it just didn’t capture my son’s attention.  It wasn’t that the show had a girl for a main character, because he loves to watch Disney’s newer cartoon brands Sophia the First and Doc McStuffins rather the content was a little more focused towards younger children.  I’d say that if he was a few years younger that he’d love this show, though the songs in it with their country twang just aren’t as catchy as those in Sophia and Doc, so while the age rating for SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST is 2-7 I’d probably say it is more geared for children 2-4 years old.  Both my 5 yr old twins feel the Disney Junior cartoon HENRY HUGGLEMONSTER is too immature for them as well, so if you have a younger child I’d recommend this and for kids that are 5 and older they may watch but not necessarily love this new cartoon. 

This is a quality production that shows DISNEY is committed to giving PBS KIDS dominancy in quality childhood programming a run for the money as they continue to produce and air programs like SHERIFF CALLIE which really is comparable to Dinosaur Train, Daniel Tiger, and Peg + Cat in catering to a 2-5 year old audience.  As a parent, I hope this “battle” will encourage both networks to continue to develop and expand new and interesting programs for children with safe age appropriate content and dependable education and social skill development content.

The Friday the 13th Sneak Peek Show EST air times are: 8:45 am , 2pm & 7:20pm

For more information, check out the show’s website:  http://disneyjunior.com/sheriff-callies-wild-west

SHERIFF CALLIE’S WILD WEST is scheduled to join JAKE AND THE NEVERLAND PIRATES, SOPHIA THE FIRST, DOC MCSTUFFINS &  HENRY HUGGLEMONSTER on DISNEY JUNIOR’S regular weekly lineup starting January 20, 2014.