Easiest question ever: Digimon.
Before you shun me for picking a kids show, let’s all be selfless for a second. If we’re honest, I think we can all agree we don’t need more good TV shows for adults.
No matter how much I miss King of Queens, How I Met Your Mother and Entourage, there’s plenty of great entertainment for us.
What really breaks my heart is that none of today’s TV shows for kids actually help them grow up. There’s no substance. Just re-runs of old classics for toddlers and, well…
When I was 10, afternoon TV taught me everything I needed to know about what it means to be 10. And then 11, and 12, and 13, until more adult shows took over around 16.
Out of all the shows I can remember, Digimon did that best.
- Each character had a unique and deep backstory, much more so than in Pokémon, for example. Tai was always trying to prove something, Matt struggled with his self-image, Sora was questioning everything, etc.
- The idea of parallel worlds is super relevant to high schoolers. Think about it. Half the time you live in your own little school universe, half the time you’re part of the adult world.
- Like in real life, problems were always caused by people, rarely the environment. One time Tai got too greedy, Mimi became too complacent, Izzy overthought his dilemma, etc.
Most importantly, Digimon taught me that while a great group of friends is everything, it’s okay for you to take a while to find your place in that group.
That’s why I think Digimon is the best kids show and that’s why I want it to come back.
Maybe that wish is not so selfless after all. Maybe I need to be a kid again. Maybe you do too.
And maybe this year, we can.
