Friday, March 27, 2015

More Mature TV

Here is a continuation of TV that we try to follow in our household.  As you can see they are generally Scifi/Fantasy/Superhero based.

Arrow - Arrow follows billionaire playboy Oliver Queen, who, five years after being stranded on a hostile island, returns home to fight crime and corruption as a secret vigilante whose weapon of choice is a bow and arrow. Unlike in the comic books, Queen does not initially go by the alias "Green Arrow".  The series takes a realistic look at the Green Arrow character, as well as other characters from the DC Comics universe.  Arrow focuses on the humanity of Oliver Queen, and how he was changed by time spent shipwrecked on an island. Most episodes have flashback scenes to the five years in which Oliver was missing.

Supernatural - Supernatural is an American fantasy horror television series that follows two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, as they hunt demons, ghosts, monsters, and other supernatural beings in the world.  

The 100 - The series is set 97 years after a devastating nuclear war wiped out almost all life on Earth. The only known survivors are the residents of twelve space stations in Earth's orbit prior to the war. The space stations banded together to form a single massive station named "The Ark", where about 2,400 people live under the leadership of Chancellor Jaha.  Resources are scarce and all crimes, no matter their nature or severity, are punishable by ejection into space ("floating") unless the perpetrator is under 18 years of age.  After the Ark's life-support systems are found to be critically failing, 100 juvenile prisoners are declared "expendable" and sent to the surface in a last ditch attempt to determine if Earth is habitable again in a program called "The 100", for which the show is named.


The Flash - After witnessing his mother's supernatural murder and his father's wrongful conviction for the crime, Barry Allen is taken in by Detective Joe West and his family. Allen becomes a brilliant but socially awkward crime scene investigator for the Central City Police Department.  His obsession with his tragic past causes him to become an outcast among his peers; he investigates cold cases, paranormal occurrences, and cutting-edge scientific advancements that may shed light on his mother's murder. No one believes his description of the crime—that a ball of lightning with the face of a man invaded their home that night—and Allen is fiercely driven to vindicate himself and to clear his father's name. Fourteen years after his mother's death, an advanced particle accelerator malfunctions during its public unveiling, bathing the city center with a previously unknown form of radiation and creating a severe thunderstorm. Allen is struck by lightning from the storm and doused with chemicals in his lab. Awakening after a nine-month coma, he discovers he has the ability to move at superhuman speeds. Dr. Harrison Wells, the disgraced designer of the failed particle accelerator, describes Barry's special nature as "metahuman"; Allen soon discovers that he is not the only one who was changed by the radiation. Allen vows to use his gifts to protect Central City from the escalating violence of metahuman criminals. He is aided by a few close friends and associates who guard his secrets.

Gotham - A new recruit in the Gotham City Police Department, James Gordon, is paired with veteran detective Harvey Bullock to solve one of Gotham's highest-profile cases ever: the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne.  During his investigation, Gordon meets the Wayne's son Bruce, now in the care of his butler Alfred Pennyworth.  Meeting the younger Wayne further compels Gordon to catch the mysterious killer. Along the way, Gordon becomes involved with Gotham's Mafia families and associates including gangster Fish Mooney, Don Carmine Falcone, and Italian mob boss Salvatore Maroni.  Eventually, Gordon is forced to form an unlikely friendship with Bruce, one that will help shape the boy's future in becoming the Dark Knight.  

Sleepy Hollow - In 1781, Ichabod Crane, a soldier and spy in the Colonial Army on a mission for General George Washington, kills the Headless Horseman while at the same time the Horseman kills him. More than 230 years later, in the present-day, Ichabod rises from his grave after the Headless Horseman (revealed to be Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse), is summoned back from his watery grave by an unknown party; the resurrection of the one causes the other to also come back to life as a result of their blood mixing shortly after Crane decapitated the Headless Horseman on the field of battle.Police Lt. Abbie Mills begins investigating the Headless Horseman after he beheads Sheriff August Corbin, Mills' mentor and partner. Mills' investigation reveals the presence of two occult groups—one for good, the other evil—in Sleepy Hollow, both of which are concerned with the Four Horsemen and the associated apocalypse. The killing spree the Horseman embarks on causes Crane and Mills to team up, especially when they find out that they are destined to be the two witnesses, the only ones who can protect the world from the forces of Hell.  As Crane's worldview is from 18th century Colonial America, some friction can be expected between him and Abbie, and also between him and the people he must now work with. This is often a source of comic relief for the show, but also forces him to look at things differently and thus becomes a strength.The series is set in real-life Sleepy Hollow, New York, although it portrays the town as much larger than it actually is.

The Almighty Johnsons - The show follows a student named Axl Johnson, who on his 21st birthday discovers his family members are reincarnated Norse Gods.  The problem is, they do not have full control of their powers and it is up to Axl (the reincarnation of Odin) to restore them and ensure the family's survival by finding the reincarnation of Odin's wife, Frigg.  Matters are complicated by the presence of three Norse goddesses who are trying to find Frigg before the Johnsons do to prevent the restoration of the gods' powers (which would vault them above the goddesses), as well as an antagonistic reincarnation of Norse god Loki, and the appearance of a Maori deity pantheon toward the end of the second series.

Big Giant Swords - Big Giant Swords follows sword maker Michael "Irish Mike" Craughwell as he and his associates create custom over-sized swords from scratch for his clients. Episodes focus on the creation process of one or two commissioned weapons as the team attempts to complete them to the customer's satisfaction in a set time period.

Downton Abbey - The series is set in fictional Downton Abbey, a Yorkshire country house in Great Britain.  Downton Abbey is home and seat of the Earl and Countess of Grantham.  Each series (or season) follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family, their friends and servants during the reign of King George V.  The first series opens at the end of the Edwardian Era in 1912, when the family receives news of the heir's death aboard the Titanic.  It spans the two years before the Great War.  The second series covers 1916 to 1919, and the 2011 Christmas Special covered the 1919 Christmas period, ending in early 1920.  The third series picks up soon afterwards in 1920 through autumn of 1921.  The fourth series covers a six-month period between February and August 1922, while the 2013 Christmas special was set in summer 1923.  The fifth series covers the year 1924.

Outlander - In 1945, married World War II nurse Claire Beauchamp Randall finds herself transported back to Scotland in 1743, where she encounters civil war and the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser.

Da Vinci's Demons - The series explores the fictitious early life of Leonardo da Vinci during the Renaissance in Italy.  He is an eccentric genius who has struggled to deal with his inner demons and unruly imagination, as he yearns for acceptance from his estranged father. Their sometimes antagonistic relationship results in Leonardo's working for the House of Medici.  While there he becomes embroiled in a political scheme to control Florence, as he hunts for a spy who is revealing information to the Catholic Church and the Pazzi family.  He also begins an affair with Lucrezia Donati, Lorenzo de' Medici's mistress. The series depicts many of Leonardo's inventions and subsequent works as a military engineer for the Duke of Milan and the Borgias.  These events coincide with Leonardo's quest to uncover the Book of Leaves. He is guided by a mystic to unlock the hidden areas of his mind by accessing the Fountain of Memory, as he gets involved with a mysterious cult known as the Sons of Mithras.  They inform him that he has the power to not only see the future but to shape it.

Black Sails - Set roughly two decades before the events of Treasure Island and during the Golden Age of Piracy, the feared Captain Flint brings on a younger crew member as they fight for the survival of New Providence Island. According to the first episode, "In 1715, West Indies, the pirates of New Providence Island threaten maritime trade in the region. The laws of every civilized nation declare them hostis humani generis; enemies of all mankind. In response, the pirates adhere to a doctrine of their own....war against the world.  The plot focuses on the hunt for the Spanish treasure galleon Urca de Lima. 

The Royals - Helena is the matriarch of a fictional contemporary British royal family who must struggle with both common and atypical family dramas while in the public eye.

Mature Geek TV

Unfortunately with younger kids it might get hard to watch the shows that adults would like to watch so in our case we tend to be able to watch our shows via Comcast's DVR.  But here is a list of TV shows that my wife and I GEEK out about on a weekly basis throughout the year.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Phil Coulson, as he assembles a small, highly select group of Agents from the worldwide law-enforcement organization known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.  Coulson's team consists of Agent Grant Ward, highly trained in combat and espionage; Agent Melinda May, expert pilot and martial artist; Agent Leo Fitz, brilliant engineer; and Agent Jemma Simmons, genius bio-chemist. Joining them on their journey into mystery is new recruit and computer hacker, Skye.

Once Upon a Time -This is Fairy Tale Land. It's filled with magic, monsters and all of the characters we all know from stories growing up. It's real, and so are the people in it. But unlike the "happily ever after" you may have heard about, their stories continued, and The Evil Queen cast a Dark Curse over the land....  This is Storybrooke. It's a quiet, little, New England town filled with people who go about their everyday lives with no idea who they really are. The Queen's Curse has trapped them here and placed her in near-complete control. They have no real memories and no real hope.  Once Upon A Time is, at its core, a story about hope.

Resurrection - The people of Arcadia, Missouri are forever changed when their deceased loved ones suddenly start to reappear. An 8-year-old American boy, Jacob, wakes up alone in a rice paddy in a rural Chinese province with no idea how he got there. Details start to emerge when the boy, who calls himself Jacob, recalls that his hometown is Arcadia, and an Immigration agent, J. Martin Bellamy, takes him there. The home he claims as his own is occupied by a 60-year-old couple, Henry and Lucille Langston, who lost their son, Jacob, more than 30 years ago. While they look different, young Jacob recognizes them as his parents. Lucille is overjoyed at the seeming miracle of her son's reappearance. Henry is reluctant to accept that Jacob is back. Those closest to the family want answers, including Sheriff Fred Langston, whose wife Barbara drowned 30 years ago while trying to save Jacob, and Fred's daughter, Maggie, a local doctor.  Pastor Tom Hale seeks a spiritual reason for what's happening in his community. When things take an even more shocking turn, Maggie's life-long friend, Elaine Richards, finds herself drawn into Arcadia's growing mystery.



Marvel's Agent Carter - ABC presents its second action packed series from the creative minds at Marvel in Marvel's Agent Carter, inspired by the feature films Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger and Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, along with the short Marvel One-Shot: Agent Carter.  Years before Agent Phil Coulson and his S.H.I.E.L.D. team swore to protect those who cannot protect themselves from threats they cannot conceive, there was Agent Peggy Carter who pledged the same oath but lived in a different time when women weren't recognized as being as smart or as tough as their male counterparts.  But no one should ever underestimate Peggy.

Grimm - "Grimm" is a drama series inspired by the classic Grimm Brothers' Fairy Tales.  After Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt discovers he's descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as "Grimms."  He increasingly finds his responsibilities as a detective at odds with his new responsibilities as a Grimm.

Hannibal - Criminal profiler Will Graham is tasked by FBI agent Jack Crawford, the head of Behavioral Sciences, to help investigate the disappearances of eight young girls across Minnesota.  With the investigation weighing heavily on Graham, Crawford decides to have him supervised by psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, who, unbeknownst to them, is a serial killer himself. Graham and Crawford's team investigate several subsequent murders, while also trying to catch the Chesapeake Ripper.

Face Off - Face Off is an American reality television game show on the Syfy cable network in which a group of prosthetic makeup artists compete against each other to create prostheses such as those found in science fiction and horror films.  Actress McKenzie Westmore, a member of the Westmore family of makeup artists, serves as the show's host, with judges being Academy Award-winning makeup artist Ve Neill, and television and film makeup artist Glenn Hetrick.  Creature designer and director Patrick Tatopoulos served as judge for the first two seasons, but he was replaced by creature designer and concept artist Neville Page.  Industry figures and artists including Brian Grazer, Kevin Smith, Paul W.S. Anderson, Greg Nicotero, Doug Drexler, and Gale Anne Hurd have served as guest judges.  Each week, the artists face a "Spotlight Challenge" that tests their artistry and techniques to create a full makeup character to match a theme over the course of 3 days. The judges then have the opportunity to look at the makeups from afar and up close, and decide a series of top and bottom looks for the week. One artist will be deemed the winner, sometimes receiving a special bonus prize such as immunity from elimination or a cash reward, and one artist will be eliminated from the running for the grand prize. Some episodes also feature a "Foundation Challenge", a smaller challenge that introduces a new technique on a smaller scale, and the winner is awarded an advantage for that week's Spotlight Challenge, ranging from immunity from elimination to receiving a first choice of theme.

Defianice - Defiance is takes place in the future on a radically transformed Earth containing new species, some having arrived from space, many others the result of contamination by Votan terraforming technology, which has transformed native flora and fauna in unforeseen ways. As the series opens, Joshua Nolan works as the local sheriff, or Lawkeeper, for the town of Defiance, a community where humans and intelligent extraterrestrial species coexist. The show follows Nolan, his adopted alien daughter Irisa, and the town's new mayor, Amanda Rosewater.  The TV show is shown in conjunction with the MMORPG released under the same name. 

Doctor Who - Doctor Who depicts the adventures of The Doctor, a Time Lord.  He explores the universe in his T.A.R.D.I.S., a sentient time traveling space ship.  Its exterior appears as a blue British police box, which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired. Along with a succession of companions, the Doctor combats a variety of foes while working to save civilizations and help people in need.  Thirteen actors (including the War Doctor, John Hurt) have headlined the series as the Doctor. The transition from one actor to another, and the differing approach to the role that they bring, is written into the plot of the show as regeneration into a new incarnation, a life process of Time Lords through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and, to some extent, new personality, which occurs after sustaining injury which would be fatal to most other species. While each actor's portrayal differs, they are all intended to be aspects of the same character, and form part of the same storyline.  The time traveling nature of the plot means that on occasion, story arcs have involved different Doctors meeting each other.

Vikings - Vikings is inspired by the sagas of Viking Ragnar Lothbrok, one of the best-known mythological Norse heroes and notorious as the scourge of England and France.  It portrays Ragnar as a former farmer who rises to fame by successful raids into England, and eventually becomes King of Denmark, with the support of his family and fellow warriors: his brother Rollo, his son Bjorn, and his wives—the shieldmaiden Lagertha and the princess Aslaug.  

Sherlock


Constantine - Based on the wildly popular comic book series "Hellblazer" from DC Comics, seasoned demon hunter and master of the occult John Constantine (Matt Ryan, "Criminal Minds") is armed with a ferocious knowledge of the dark arts and a wickedly naughty wit. He fights the good fight - or at least he did. With his soul already damned to hell, he's decided to abandon his campaign against evil until a series of events thrusts him back into the fray, and he'll do whatever it takes to protect the innocent. With the balance of good and evil on the line‎, Constantine will use his skills to travel the country, find the supernatural terrors that threaten our world and send them back where they belong. After that, who knows... maybe there's hope for him and his soul after all.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Birthday Dinner

This past weekend, we went up to Allentown, PA to celebrate my birthday with my parents.  They wanted to take my family and I out to dinner and we found the place called Rodizio Grill.  It was a glorious restaurant, done extremely well.  The basis of this restaurant is an all-you-can-eat buffet of meat seasoned as if you were eating in Brazil.  It is called a Brazilian Steakhouse, or Churrascaria.  You start off with two choices of meals, whether you want to eat meat and the salad bar, or just eat the salad bar.  Of course, if you go to a restaurant like this, you are going to eat meat, otherwise, what's the point.  At Rodizio, you have choices from beef, chicken, fish (at some locations), pork, and lamb (at some locations).  Some of the delicious meat that was served there included:

- Maminha - Tri-tip sirloin steak
 Maminha
- Picanha - Top sirloin
 Picanha
- Bife Com Alho - Garlic rubbed sirloin
 Bife Com Alho
- Miolo da Paleta - Center cut
 Miolo da Paleta
- Assado - Brazilian style braised beef
 Assado
- Picanha com Parmesao - Top sirloin grilled with Parmesan Cheese
 Picanha com Parmesao
- Alcatra - Whole sirloin
 Alcatra
- Peru com Bacon - Turkey wrapped in bacon
 Peru Com Bacon
- Lombo com Queijo - Pork grilled with Parmesan Cheese and Bacon
 Lombo Com Queijo
- Presunto - Grilled Ham
 Presunto

Everything at the restaurant was amazingly cooked by their professional chefs, but my favorite was probably the Peru com Bacon, just because the turkey was so moist and the bacon on the outside had the perfect amount of crisp around the outside ring.  The only food that we had that we would tell you not to try would be the Assado, even though its description sounds delicious, was basically a beef stew that had too much water.

Another place to try if you like this type of eating would be Fogo de Chao, which can also be found in many different location.

Overall, we give Rodizio Grill a 4.5 stars out of 5 only because it is not very friendly for the picky child eater, unless they really like mashed potatoes.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Central PA Comic Con

Over this past weekend we went to our first Comic Convention for the 2015 convention season.  This convention was know as the Central PA Comic Con, located at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in York, PA.  For this convention only my wife and I went to the convention.  We knew going into this convention that it wasn't going to be a gigantic convention that we have been used to going to, but we knew that based on the website, we were going to at least be going to a well organized convention.  We only went to the convention for one day (Saturday) and it was well priced for the size and time necessary to go to the convention.  Since we paid online before the convention, it only cost us 10 dollars per person for the single day, which is actually not seen for most conventions anymore.

Like most conventions nowadays, they use some of their money and bring in guests to do panels and signings, and sometimes the guests themselves will be there selling their own goods.  Well at this convention, one guest in particular brought me into wanting to go there and that was because he was in one of my favorite TV shows running now on AMC, The Walking Dead.  His name is Theodus Crane, and even though he was only on the show for a short time as Big Tiny, he was still on the TV show.  Other guests for this convention included:

- Alex Saviuk - Green Lantern, Superman, Flash, Amazing Spider-man
- JG Herzler - Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Klingon General Martok
- Felix Silla - The Addams Family Cousin Itt
- Chris Campana
- Bryan J. Glass
- Katrina Henderson
- Ken Hunt - Batman, Daredevil
- Jamal Jones, Michael May, Laura Ojeda, Sarah Poet
- Anthony Spay - Escape from Wonderland
- Ben Steckler, Keith Williams
- Neil Vokes - Robotech, Vampirella
- Chris Yambar - The Simpsons
- Victoria Cosplay - cosplay

This convention when you walk around you can definitely see that it is not generally a normal convention with the normal convention goers.  This convention had a lot of families going around, even though there was a no strollers allowed rule.  There was still a lot of families with their little ones going around in cosplay. 

We only made two little purchases at this convention.  My wife purchased one of her missing Lois Lane comics and a small resin Tardis from the Doctor Who series that we are going to make into a magnet for our refrigerator.  I purchased a resin model kit from Arsenal Models that was a replica from Luke Skywalker and Han Solo's blaster from Return of the Jedi.  I will post pictures of the resin kit as i put it together.

Well there was our first review of the first convention we went to this year.  Hopefully, more will follow this year as we continue into the convention season.  Later this month we will have Zenkaikon out in Lancaster, PA and later we will have Steel City Con and Tekkoshocon out in Pittsburgh, PA.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Disney Kids TV

We started off with the shows on Nickelodeon and PBS and now as the title says, now its time for the children's TV of Walt Disney, or at least his amazing followers.

"Phineas and Ferb" - Phineas and Ferb is an American animated comedy-musical television series that follows Phineas Flynn and his British stepbrother Ferb Fletcher while on summer vacation. Every day, the boys embark on some grand new project, which annoys their controlling sister, Candace, who frequently tries to reveal their shenanigans to the boys' mother, Linda Flynn-Fletcher, and less frequently to their father, Lawrence Fletcher.  The series follows a standard plot system; running gags occur every episode, and the B-Plot almost always features Perry the Platypus working as a spy ("Agent P") for OWCA (the Organization Without a Cool Acronym), to defeat the latest scheme of Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, a mad scientist driven largely by a need to assert his evilness. Sometimes, other villains scoff at his level of evil. The two plots intersect at the end to erase all traces of the boys' project just before Candace can show it to their mother. This usually leaves Candace very frustrated.

"Star Wars Rebels" - Star Wars Rebels is an American 3D CGI animated television series produced by Lucasfilm and Lucasfilm Animation.  Set fourteen years after Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and five years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, Rebels takes place during an era when the Galactic Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy. Imperial forces are hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights while a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking form.

"Marvel's Avengers Assemble" - Avengers Assemble is an American animated television series, based on the fictional Marvel Comics superhero team, the Avengers.  The series is a replacement for The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.  It airs alongside Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H..  Additionally, it features a near-identical cast and crew with both shows, and shares continuity with them as part of the block.

"Marvel's Hulk and the Agents of Smash" - The story is told from the perspective of an online reality show created by Rick Jones, to foster public acceptance of the Hulk, as a hero and not a monster.  The "show" is filmed by robotic flying cameras that accompany the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. everywhere they go, resulting in humorous vignettes and visual gags throughout each episode.  Hulk, She-Hulk, Red Hulk, A-Bomb, and Skaar come together as the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. (the acronym later stands for Supreme Military Agency of Super Humans) to tackle threats that no other superheroes can face.

"Ultimate Spiderman" - Ultimate Spider-Man is an American animated television series based on the Spider-Man comics published by Marvel Comics, including some elements of Marvel's Ultimate line of books.

"The Avengers" - The Avenger: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! was an American animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers.  The series initially features a team based on the roster for the original Avengers, composed of Iron Man, Giant Man, Hulk, Thor, and the Wasp.  The team is later joined by Captain America, Black Panther, Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, and Vision.

"Doc McStuffins" - Doc McStuffins is an animated children's television series about a girl who can "fix" toys, with help from her stuffed animal friends.

"Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" - Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto star in the series, which focuses on interacting with the viewer to stimulate problem solving.  Each episode has the characters help children "solve a specific age-appropriate problem utilizing basic math skills, such as identifying shapes and counting through ten." The series uses "Disney Junior's 'whole child' curriculum of cognitive, social and creative learning opportunities."  Once the problem of the episode has been explained, Mickey invites viewers to join him at the Mousekadoer, a giant Mickey-head-shaped computer whose main function is to distribute the day's Mousekatools, a collection of objects needed to solve the day's problem, to Mickey. Once the tools have been shown to Mickey on the Mousekadoer screen, they are quickly downloaded to Toodles, a small, Mickey-head-shaped flying extension of the Mousekadoer. By calling, "Oh Toodles!" Mickey summons him to pop up from where he is hiding and fly up to the screen so the viewer can pick which tool Mickey needs for the current situation.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

More Kids TV Choices



Now that we went into the realm of Kids TV shows on Nickelodeon, here are the shows that we use to raise our children from the world of PBS.

"Sid the Science Kid" - Sid the Science Kid is an award-winning educational animated television series that uses comedy and music to promote exploration, discovery and science readiness among preschoolers. Sid the Science Kid features a practical in-school science curriculum and celebrates children’s natural curiosity about science in everyday life. Each episode of “Sid the Science Kid” focuses on a single scientific concept that is presented using Preschool Pathways to Science (PrePS©), a practical science readiness curriculum used in preschool classrooms that was created by cognitive researchers and preschool educators, incorporating lessons learned from developmental research as well as classroom experience.

"The Cat in the Hat" -  The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!TM is designed to spark a love of learning and an interest in science in preschool-aged children.  The TV series and online resources are designed to cultivate positive views about science and scientists among the next generation—the children who will become tomorrow’s citizens and innovators—and help families and teachers build communities of science explorers.  In each program, the Cat in the Hat and his friends Sally and Nick go on a science adventure such as shrinking to bee-size to explore a hive and discover how honey is made; flying with birds to discover how and why they migrate; diving inside flowers to find out more about the animals that depend on them to live; or taking a snowcat to the Arctic to explore freezing and melting. Guided by the Cat, the children figure things out by engaging in science inquiry. They ask questions, make observations, make predictions, plan investigations, collect data, make discoveries, and generate and discuss ideas about how the world works.  Each adventure revolves around a specific science concept such as bird migration or animal camouflage.
 
"Curious George" - Curious George is a 2-time Daytime Emmy® award-winning animated series based on the popular books by Margret and H.A. Rey. Aimed at preschool viewers (ages three to five), the goal of the series is to inspire children to explore science, engineering, and math in the world around them. And what better guide is there for this kind of exploration than the world's most curious monkey?  George lives to find new things to discover, touch, spill, and chew. Everything is new to George and worth investigating. Of course, in George's hands — all four of them — investigation often leads to unintended consequences! Throughout George's adventures, he encounters and models basic concepts in each of the three content areas. While remaining true to the look and feel of the beloved books, the daily series expands George's world to include a host of colorful new characters and locales. The CURIOUS GEORGE series also aims to show parents and caregivers how to foster the development of science and math literacy in children.

"Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood" - Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a new animated program for preschoolers ages 2 to 4 which builds on the pioneering PBS series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. This new series, for a new generation of children, tells its engaging stories about the life of a preschooler using musical strategies grounded in Fred Rogers’ landmark social-emotional curriculum. Through imagination, creativity and music, Daniel and his friends learn the key social skills necessary for school and for life.  Each episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood consists of two engaging stories that center on a common early learning theme such as dealing with disappointment. One of the key ingredients that sets the new series apart is its groundbreaking use of catchy, musical strategies that reinforce each theme and that preschoolers and parents will both sing – and use – together in their daily lives.  It all adds up to a powerful tool for parents: an entertaining and thoughtful guide for today’s families that integrates music, interactivity and a research-based curriculum.

"Dinosaur Train" - Dinosaur Train embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains, while encouraging basic scientific thinking skills as the audience learns about life science, natural history and paleontology. Young viewers can join Buddy and his adoptive Pteranodon family on a whimsical voyage through prehistoric jungles, swamps, volcanoes and oceans, as they unearth basic concepts in life science, natural history and paleontology. 
Dinosaur Train begins when Buddy is adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Pteranodon and brought to their nest to hatch at the same time as his new siblings, Tiny, Shiny and Don. Buddy and his new family have an insatiable desire to learn all about the different types of dinosaurs, so they board the wondrous Dinosaur Train, which allows them to travel and explore the world inhabited by these amazing creatures.  Departing from Pteranodon Station, the Dinosaur Train is a colorful locomotive, customized to accommodate all kinds of dinosaurs. Windows are perfect for the long-necked herbivores, and there’s plenty of head room in the Observation Car for the Giganotosaurus, giving all the species onboard a chance to check out the prehistoric world as they ride on the train. The Dinosaur Train has the ability to visit the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous worlds, while the Train’s Conductor, a knowledgeable Troodon, provides passengers with cool facts about dinosaurs along the way.

"Peg + Cat" - Peg + Cat is an animated math-based series for children ages 3-5 years old. The show follows the adorable, spirited Peg and her sidekick Cat as they embark on adventures, solve problems together, and learn foundational math concepts and skills.  They grapple with all kinds of loony, loopy obstacles, under intense time pressure.  They write out diagrams and charts on the graph paper that comprises their background.  They interact with one another in their own quirky, comical way.  And somehow, they always find a way to solve the math and save the day.  Peg + Cat will inspire preschoolers’ natural curiosity about math and help them develop new skills and strategies for solving problems creatively in their daily lives. 

"Super Why" - Super Why...to the rescue!  Welcome to SUPER WHY, a breakthrough preschool series designed to help kids ages 3 to 6 with the critical skills that they need to learn to read (and love to read!) as recommended by the National Reading Panel (alphabet skills, word families, spelling, comprehension and vocabulary). SUPER WHY makes reading an empowering adventure by using interactive literacy games that need YOU to play. SUPER WHY is an interactive reading adventure!  Storybrook Village is the home of your child's favorite fairytale characters. Immediately, you'll meet the four best friends who anchor each episode: Red, from Little Red Riding Hood; Pig from The Three Little Pigs, Princess from The Princess and The Pea, and Wyatt, the curious younger brother of Jack from Jack and The Beanstalk who discovers he has the power to fly inside books to find answers to his questions. Each of these characters is re-imagined as an everyday kid, not unlike your child's own friends: Red rides roller blades; Pig drives a trike; Princess loves tea parties and dress-up; and Wyatt is the group's natural leader.  Each episode starts with a preschool relatable problem.  In every episode, one of the friends encounters a problem with another Storybrook Village character. As in real life, the problems require preschool social skills to resolve. And that's when SUPER WHY gets super-powered! Wyatt calls his fairy tale friends to their secret clubhouse, named "The Book Club," where they transform themselves from mere mortals into literacy-powered super heroes: Alpha Pig with "Alphabet Power," Wonder Red with "Word Power," Princess Presto with "Spelling Power," Super Why with the "Power to Read," and your child-Super You, with the "Power to Help." The adventure begins as the Super Readers find out how famous fictional characters handled similar situations. This adventure inside a book helps the Super Readers figure out the answers to their own problems. Be prepared to hear: Super Why and the Super Readers.to the rescue!  The Super Readers can solve any obstacle with their literacy powers!
"Inside" each book the Super Readers lead the viewer on an engaging reading adventure. They talk to fictional characters from the story, play reading games and activities to overcome obstacles, search for Super Letters, and practice such key skills as letter identification, word decoding, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension. What's unique about this approach is that while kids are learning and practicing the ABC's of reading, they're also thinking about what they're reading, applying reasoning skills to see the story in a real-life context and experiencing books in a powerful new way. The episode ends with the characters modeling the behavior so kids can actually see the problem being fixed.

"Caillou" - Caillou is a 4-year-old boy who delights in the small wonders of the world around him, embellishing everything he sees with his rich imagination. Surrounded by his parents, his little sister, Rosie, his grandparents and friends his age, Caillou discovers the world and just can't wait to grow up! Everything around him is an excuse to embark on exciting adventures, learn new things and have fun. Whether he's at school, at home or in a park, Caillou finds opportunities for learning and growing everywhere!  Thanks to his vivid imagination, ordinary, everyday events quickly become exciting adventures where Caillou can play "make-believe".  In each adventure, Caillou discovers the big, wide world, experiences new things, shares his imaginary adventures with us and sometimes, even sings for his little viewers!

Kids TV Choices

Now with a family of 5 and three of them being children under the age of 10, it becomes hard to watch normal TV in the house.  With trying to raise our children in our image, we must figure out a way to introduce the "Geek" concept into their minds, that it isn't bad.  Most of the days in our house, the TV will be either turned on to Sprout, Nickelodeon, or PBS.

So for the kids we always tend to watch shows like Team Umizoomi, Paw Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Avatar, Legend of Korra, and Fairly Oddparents, just to name a few on the Nickelodeon Channel.  None of these are generally Geek, but we had to start our kids off easy before delving into some of the more outrageous TV shows that can be found here in America or even abroad the oceans.  So here is some information about these "Geek" children shows that can be used to get your children interested in modern day TV.

"Team Umizoomi" - Team Umizoomi is an animated live-action series on Nick Jr. It's located in the center of a wonderfully urban environment, where the streets are paved with origami, the sidewalks are swirled with color, and even the manhole covers have whimsical patterns embedded within. Team Umizoomi is made up of Milli, Geo, and Bot, who solve everyday problems with their Mighty Math Powers in order to keep Umi City running smoothly.

"Paw Patrol" - PAW Patrol is a CG, action-adventure preschool series starring a pack of six heroic puppies: Chase, Marshall, Rocky, Zuma, Rubble, and Skye, who are led by a tech-savvy 10-year-old boy named Ryder. With a unique blend of problem-solving skills, cool vehicles and lots of cute doggy humor, the PAW Patrol works together on high-stakes rescue missions to protect the Adventure Bay community.   

"TMNT" - Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, trained in the art of ninjutsu by a wise rat sensei they call Master Splinter. Is New York City ready for these radical reptile brothers?  With a sick sewer lair and tough friends like April O'Neil and Casey Jones, the Turtles are about to face evil more dangerous and pizza more delicious than anything they could have imagined.  Fighting villains like Shredder, the Kraang and loads of super-powerful mutants, Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey will become the heroes they were destined to be, and have loads of fun along the way!

"Avatar" - Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Only the Avatar was the master of all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless Fire Nation from conquering the world. But when the world needed him most, he disappeared. Until now... On the South Pole, a lone Water Tribe village struggles to survive. It's here that a young Waterbender named Katara and her warrior brother Sokka rescue a strange boy named Aang from a cavernous iceberg. Not only is Aang an Airbender--a race of people no one has seen in a century--but they soon discover that Aang is also the long lost Avatar. Now it's up to Katara and Sokka to make sure Aang faces his destiny to save the tribe--and himself.

"Legend of Korra" - Welcome to the world of The Avatar, where some humans have the power to manipulate earth, air, fire or water, and others will stop at nothing to take that power away. Able to bend all four elements, the Avatar must maintain peace.  Though Avatar Aang fought for balance between the four nations and successfully ended the Hundred Years War, Avatar Korra has plenty of new challenges ahead of her.  With new villains like the Red Lotus hot on her trail, Korra must focus on her element bending abilities to conquer all the evil threatening Earth. Was opening the portal between Spirit and Man a good idea?

"Fairly Oddparents" -  With an evil babysitter, a hyperactive dog, and off-the-wall parents, Timmy Turner is just your average boy navigating his way through childhood in his little town of Dimsdale. But while other kids are dealing with their parents, Timmy is busy managing The Fairly Oddparents.   When Timmy has a problem, all he has to do is turn to Cosmo and Wanda for some magical, mystical and totally outrageous solutions. With Fairy Godparents as wacky as Cosmo and Wanda (and as cute as Baby Poof), Timmy gets more "help" than he bargained for, and some awesome adventures too!