Thanks to @abioborne for giving me the go ahead to take a break from campaigning, awareness raising and blogging on grief to rant on matters inconsequential.
Netflix is a blessing and a curse. It allows you to experience full seasons of TV shows without having to push a button. That is its triumph and its tragedy.
It’s been amazing being able to experience shows like Daredevil and Jessica Jones once the kids are safely in bed. What’s been less amazing is experiencing shows like Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig to the point where we can recite entire episodes from memory without even trying. Even with the following rant about Paw Patrol I will say this in its favour:
It’s not Max and Ruby.
Anyway, before being sucked into that rabbit hole (hah!) let’s concentrate on Paw Patrol.
We’ll start with the basic position of suspending our disbelief over a show involving talking puppies. After watching the show for many, many hours I started to notice how odd the set up was.
- Why do they entrust the safety of the town to a 10 year old? What does he have on them to command monopoly?
- Where does all the money come from for the equipment? Is it some sort of Batman deal?
- Why do the emergency services have recycling but no medic? Why is it only the pups that can talk?
- The slogan “no problem too big, no pup too small” makes no sense or chillingly suggests that there is no situation too dangerous that Ryder would not willingly risk the lives of puppies to try and solve.
“There is no emergency too great for me to bravely risk the lives of puppies! Go tiny clumsy one! Put out fire”
- Will Ryder ever tire of being at the beck and call of a town populated by people unable to solve the most basic problem without the assistance of vehicle driving puppies?
*Bleep* Ryder! The townsfolk are pathologically incapable of action without canine assistance! Can you help me with that?”
- What does the Mayor actually do apart from take part in ridiculous competitions and expend huge resources on such emergencies as a wet chicken?
- The most damning thing on the Mayor is when she refers to Chase as ‘that police
pup’ rather than his name. All for a chicken - Why does Pup-Pup Boogie only have one song (including the sequel!)?
@DiaryoftheDad has his own questions:
Why have they elected someone with a pet chicken as Mayor? Why do all the men sound like Bot from Team Umizoomi?!
… ‘just yelp for help’! Raises another question of why the people have to imitate animals in order to be saved
why are his only friends anthropomorphic dogs?
Do you have anything to add on our damning indictment of glorified toy commercials? Let it all out. This is a safe space.
Shoebox of Memories 
Totally with you on this; most kids’ TV shows raise baffling questions but Paw Patrol more than most! But, yes, it’s not Max and Ruby – it saddens me that people were paid for producing that!
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We sometimes pretend Max and Ruby is broken rather than suffer it to be on screen.
So much obsessive focus on table centrepieces. Also, where are the parents? Is there a sad backstory I’ve missed where the 7 year old bunny sister acts like a mum to her brother because she has no choice?
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Hahah, this is so funny and all very valid points. My son has just started to get into Paw Patrol, I won’t be letting him watch it on Netflix though, I made that mistake with Peppa Pig!xx p.s Jessica Jones is awesome! #TheList
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You are so right on all these points yet we still love watching it lol #thelist
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It’s not a terrible show, it’s just when you have to watch it so much you can’t help noticing these things.
When I get too stroppy I just remind myself that at least it’s not Max and Ruby *shudders*
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You don’t like Paw Patrol? I love it so much I’ve probably watched two hours worth already today… lol. I do like the mayor though we imitate her for hours after we’ve watched an episode and answer our phones in her voice or in goofys voice, because either is funny. Great post #thelist
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Maybe it’s like Frozen and it’s only after the 17th time you watch it that its secrets are revealed! Either that or the original voice acting is better than the UK dubbing.
It’s not a bad show once in a while but toddlers love repetition so it’s hard to get them to switch to something less awful.
It’s still better than the charmless soul withering dullness that is Max and Ruby so I’m grateful for Paw Patrol for that at least!
Thanks for commenting.
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As a fellow Paw Patrol loather, I think I’m going to need counselling after my children are reared and I can safely stop watching. What is it about this programme that they love? I love Ben and Holly or Peppa Pig – because they have something for adults too – humour, good script, a bit of plot. It’s on here right now. As always. SIGH! #effitfriday
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You have my sympathy. I get through it by picking it apart and always, always reminding myself it is not Max and Ruby. There is a special place in Hell for that show and all that made it.
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I can see from this weeks #effitfriday that Paw Patrol is a special kind of torture just for parents. It makes me glad to be the parent of grown children (we had Barney The Dinosaur, that was bad enough).
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I’ve never seen Paw Patrol thankfully! I really dislike most of the modern kids’ shows, so I’m glad my daughter has latched onto Rainbow instead, even if it does mean constantly humming Rod, Jane and Freddy wherever I go. 🙂 #effitfriday
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At the risk of sounding ancient, children’s tv programmes are nothing like they were when I was a kid. Back then there was an actual story, now they all seem to be various animals doing ridiculous things that aren’t funny and with very little point. I’ve only seen one or two episodes of Paw Patrol so I haven’t developed a massive loathing for it yet but there’s time!
Thanks for linking up to #effitfriday
Debbie
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I have seen every episode of the two available seasons of Paw Patrol probably 50 times. The scary part is my preschooler has too, yet continues to glue herself to the screen. Every kid I know absolutely adores it. It’s basically kid crack. What pisses me off the most about it is the fact that there is only one girl pup, and though she’s pretty badass, she kind of reminds me of the pink Power Ranger. Nobody liked the pink one. I know it’s probably supposed to be a boy show, but my daughter loves it and has already asked why there is only one girl puppy. Ah, shit.
Saw your post on #effitfriday as yours was the most viewed post the week before. Good job!
Tori
http://www.themamanurse.com
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Thank you! I’m not sure whether it’s a good thing that I haven’t had to see the second season! On one hand more variety on the other more Paw Patrol!
Thankfully Netflix is broken today so they are watching Frozen instead. It comes to something when that becomes a relief!
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I have a number of problems partaining to the logistics of the physical laws that govern the PAW Patrol universe:
1. Why is Ryder still 10? This is nothing short of a fountain of youth type of situation. In addition, Chase is still 3, and, having been born in 2010(since he turned 3 in 2013), Chase should be 10, and Ryder should be 18. This can’t be because of a time loop, because otherwise, they would experience the exact same events on the same day of each month every year after the time loop is put into effect.
2. The team cannot be getting their funding from the mayor. First of all, she’s very clearly incompetent, and does nothing to actually better the city politically, as she obviously has no idea what a political official, like a mayor such as herself, should know in order to keep her city running properly, so how could she possibly have any idea what kind of funds Ryder would need in order to keep the team fed and able to perform their rescue missions efficiently.
Fun Fact: Chase is 2.1 feet tall, and is half the height of his police truck. This puts his police truck at 4.2 feet tall, and is also 4.2 feet wide, and 8.4 feet long. This puts the dimensions of the police truck at 148.2 cubic feet in volume. This puts his truck’s weight (assuming that it’s made of steel, and steel being 489 lbs per cubic foot) at 72,458.1 lbs, or 36.3 tons.
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