Top Ten Kids Shows – For the Last Decade
The musical sitcom Hanna Montana centers around a girl whose secret identity is that of a pop sensation. In the real world, Hanna Montana has become a pop industry. Not only does her show top our kids’ TV list, her giant girl fan base — from every single state in the nation — has pushed this show into the top 200 searches overall on Yahoo!. Don’t be surprised to see Hannah doppelgangers this Halloween, judging from the costume searches.
The brainchild of a marine biologist, Spongebob Squarepants has been dubbed as one of televisions’ greats, and the numbers bear it out. The Nicktoon animated series follows in the likes of Bugs Bunny, with its clever entendres that amuse adults and entertain unsuspecting kids. Voiced by comedian Tom Kenny, the huggable underwater filter feeder appeals to girls (55%) and boys (45%) alike from both landlocked and coastal areas.
Dora the Explorer has served double duty as an icon of intrepid girlhood and a bilingual Latina role model. That earns her wide appeal, spread out evenly from young’uns under 13 to people in their mid-40s. Her seven years of exploring haven’t tired her out either, as she’s keen to save mermaids in an environmentally conscious, primetime TV movie airing November 5. Does Spongebob know about this?
The departure of the Yellow Wiggle in December sparked a frenzy not seen since David Lee Roth left Van Halen. Despite Greg Page’s departure for health reasons, grateful parents still embrace the Australian band who has entertained the English-speaking pre-school set for 16 years. The Wiggles part of the Disney family, actually attracts fewer states in Search, but their fervent fans have pumped their buzz to fourth place on our list.
The TV mockumentary Naked Brothers Band spurred an advance Buzz frenzy, as pre-teen girls sought out news on siblings Nat and Alex Wolff. And no, there’s no nudity – origin myths say the name came from when they were preschoolers aspiring to rockdom, and apparently liked to run free. A favorite in urban areas, the brothers (reminiscent of the thin lines crossed by “The Partridge Family” and “The Monkees”) have recently released their CD.
Disney Channel’s formula of brotherhood and America’s eternal fascination with twins have led to the huge success of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The Sprouse brothers — who have been groomed by the savvy Olsen twins empire as their male brand-name alternative — star in this hotel sitcom. The show’s draw spills from the pre-teen crowd into the teen pool.
The departure from CBS to its exclusive Nick Jr. home hasn’t hurt the popularity of Backyardigans. Indeed, despite the move, the buzz has continued its steady, affection climb for main multi-hued menagerie: a penguin, moose, hippo, kangaroo, and an insect of uncertain breeding.
Another brother team, Drake and Josh accomplishes what no other show on this list has done: equal-opportunity appeal. Searches on Yahoo! are split down the middle between girls and guys. Perhaps that reflects the split appeal of ladies’ man Drake Bell and nerd sibling Josh Nichols. The Nickelodeon series finale aired in September, but its reruns will be in heavy rotations in the near future.
From the sister of a very famous celebrity to the star of Zoey 101 Jamie Lynn Spears has been pulled into the tabloid limelight due to her sister’s public behavior. Her searches on Yahoo! have spiked accordingly. Nevertheless, buzz for the Nickelodeon show remains consistent among the pre-teen and teen base, and Jamie Lynn herself is just doing what Zoey would do – be real and rally together the troops against the odds.
Who says nerds don’t get respect? Boys look up – and look online – for the Nickelodeon boy inventor, at a higher rate (36% vs. 64%). The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius which started with big-screen props back in 2001, is the only show on this list to engineer those kinds of numbers. That’s the kind of gumption that lands a show in the top 10 on Yahoo! Buzz.
Youth Tube
By Vera H-C Chan
Fri, October 26, 2007, 2:10 am PDT
Disney owns childhood. At least, the empire of juvenility rules in what kids watch. The latest to join its Disney Channel clan is “Wizards of Waverly Place” While the comedy of three wizards-in-training carries Potteresque overtones, the Magic Kingdom knows that the love for magic runs eternal in children’s imaginations.
The show, which debuted mid-October, has conjured up a 752% surge in searches. Still, “Wizards” has a ways to go before it reaches the popularity enjoyed by other kids’ programs. Big sister “Hannah Montana” currently commands a tenfold lead over “Wizards.” If the apprentices plot an ascendance, they’ll have to make a lot of other kids’ shows disappear.
Cast your eye upon the 20 most searched kids’ shows of the past 30 days.
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