| As aunt of a preschooler and an aspiring voiceover | | | | people who make our lives easier? Sometimes we |
| actress (I knew all those hours of watching Bugs | | | | forget to see them as people with needs and feelings. |
| Bunny would come in handy), I know all the kids' shows | | | | We even forget to see our own families as heroes. |
| as well as every kids' DVD out there. | | | | Kip's Grandmama (voice of "Golden Girl" Betty White, |
| In my opinion, there's no better way celebrities can | | | | with Rose Nylund-like hairdo) knits the kids sweaters. |
| recoup their outrageous salaries than entertaining and | | | | Kip's real-estate agent Mom, Bitty, acts like the soul of |
| sometimes educating kids. And They Might Be Giants | | | | '50s domesticity, but gets rewarded when Kip and his |
| get the "cooler than Elvis" vote for singing the theme | | | | friends make her a get-well card. Wayne's Mom, |
| song to one of Playhouse Disney's newest hits, | | | | Plunkie, shows the kids a caterpillar and drives them to |
| "Higglytown Heroes," which is also on their CD/DVD | | | | the beach, while Wayne and Twinkle's Uncle Lemmo |
| for kids, "Here Come the ABCs." | | | | cooks them breakfast at his diner and, in the |
| For those of you not familiar with all things Higgly (an | | | | Christmas special, drives Wayne and Twinkle about in |
| adjective used as much as "Smurfy" but not, thank | | | | his sleigh. |
| Higgles, as a verb), the series centers on a small town | | | | Interestingly, Higgly families aren't always nuclear |
| and four tots named Eubie, Kip, and siblings Wayne | | | | families, something Disney portrays as normal without |
| and Twinkle. Think "South Park" with better art and no | | | | calling attention to it. Kip's family is the proverbial |
| foul mouths. The strongest language is, "Aw, pickles," | | | | nuclear family, with twin sisters, a baby sister, a mom |
| usually uttered by Twinkle (pinker than Trista Rehn | | | | and dad, Fripp, (who operates a hot dog cart), and two |
| Sutter!) after her fanciful ideas for solving the kids' | | | | grandparents who either live in Kip's large house or visit |
| dilemmas get gently punctured by Fran, a friendly | | | | constantly. Twinkle and Wayne's mom seems to be a |
| squirrel voiced by Edie McClurg. | | | | single parent (although all are African-American, no one |
| In each two-episode half-hour show, the Higgly Kids | | | | has screamed racism yet), and Eubie is apparently |
| experience common, innocent childhood events such | | | | being raised by his Southern-accented Aunt Mellie and |
| as finding a caterpillar, hosting a television party for the | | | | Uncle Zooter, with visits from his Southern-accented |
| Happy Hairy Higgly Monster Primetime Special, losing a | | | | Grandpop Crank (a farmer). |
| tooth, Kip's Grandpa locked in the bathroom, or caring | | | | In many ways, Higglytown is idealized. No one really |
| for an unhappy bird. The kids try to solve their | | | | seems to worry about jobs, money or status. People |
| problems, guided by Fran who is the voice of reason, | | | | go to the library, and a Librarian is a Higglytown Hero! |
| helped by their loving families and the ever-enthusiastic | | | | The kids "work real hard" and take responsibility (gasp) |
| oddly Bill and Ted-ish Pizza Guy...plus someone special. | | | | by thinking up ways to help themselves and their |
| Then comes the inevitable song... | | | | families, and in each episode there are little moral |
| "Someone special, who could it be? | | | | lessons and advice (take care of your pets, don't use |
| This job's too big for you and me. | | | | too much electricity, make someone smile) to show |
| We need some help! | | | | the kids how they can grow up to be...Higglytown |
| But never fear-o, | | | | Heroes! |
| It looks like a job for a...Higglytown Hero! | | | | Cynics and naysayers will deride this as kiddie pablum. I |
| A Higglytown Hero!" | | | | call it a refreshing dose of reality and a tribute to the |
| Some of the heroes are natural choices, especially | | | | heroes all around us. The Disney animators are |
| after September 11: Police Woman, Firefighter, etc. But | | | | Higglytown Heroes for creating this show. |
| how many of us think of sanitation workers, | | | | Author's Note: After this review originally made the |
| electricians, plumbers, gardeners, mail carriers (voiced | | | | rounds on the Web, actor Rory Thost, who provides |
| by Kathie Lee Gifford) and farmers as heroes? Or a | | | | the voice of "Kip," was kind enough to be a |
| telephone operator (voiced by Cyndi Lauper)? | | | | "Higglytown Hero" and make my day by telling me |
| Although the heroes have celebrity voices, the Higgly | | | | how much he and the cast liked the review. For all of |
| Kids discover that the real stars all around them are | | | | those who think our kids are complete troublemakers, |
| the people who solve problems every day. | | | | young Master Rory Thost is thirteen: His showbiz |
| Some of the dilemmas get a little ridiculous from an | | | | career is already longer than mine! More importantly, in |
| adult perspective. For example, when Kip climbs a tree | | | | a world where bad behavior by celebrities is sadly the |
| to save a beloved neighborhood cat and her kittens, | | | | norm, this young man remains polite, mature, |
| his friends help him. Why, when he gets stuck, can't | | | | well-educated and well-grounded. |
| they help him back down? Ahem...when was the last | | | | Author's Note II: This series gets better and better. The |
| time you tripped and panicked? You need help in your | | | | continuity is even on a par with most primetime shows. |
| own life every day without thinking about it. | | | | Kip has adopted a dog named "Shadow," who makes |
| The beauty of "Higglytown Heroes" is that it | | | | guest appearances; we meet Fran's parents after |
| celebrates working together, "having fun together," and | | | | seeing them in the Christmas special; Eubie's Grandpop |
| the Higgly Kids as well as their families never take for | | | | becomes a Higglytown Hero; Eubie's bird Flappy |
| granted the Heroes in their lives. The Electrician (Lance | | | | makes appearances from time to time. The Firefighter |
| Bass) gets invited to share in the "Higgly Monsters" TV | | | | returns. The Electrician proposes to the Teacher, and |
| party after repairing the circuitry for Kip's house. The | | | | Pizza Guy and Fran get to be Higglytown Heroes! |
| Fire Fighter (Donald Faison) who gets Kip out of the | | | | Author's Note III: Disney has created Higglytown |
| tree shares in a birthday party for the neighborhood | | | | Heroes Toys. This series has, er, legs! |
| cat. How many of us go out of our way to thank the | | | | |