Jump to content

Blue's Clues: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
corrected pronoun usage (from "his" to "her") in the third sentence of the first paragraph
Line 60: Line 60:


* Joe ([[Donovan Patton]]):
* Joe ([[Donovan Patton]]):
Joe is Steve's younger brother on the show. He was phased in as the new host in 2002, with a number of shows featuring both Joe and Steve (sometimes only Steve's voice).
Joe is Steve's younger brother on the show. He was phased in as the new host in 2002, with a number of shows featuring both Joe and Steve (sometimes only Steve's voice). On the show, Steve explained to the audience that he was going away for college.


* Kevin ([[Kevin Duala]]):
* Kevin ([[Kevin Duala]]):

Revision as of 09:34, 27 May 2007

File:BluePeriwinkle.jpg
Toys made in Blue and Periwinkle's image
File:Blues Clues.jpg
Blue's Clues logo

Blue's Clues is a show about a dog named Blue. It features live action superimposed on paper-cutout animation. The series follows a dog named Blue through her everyday life, providing small children with educational entertainment. The show airs on both Nick Jr. and Noggin. The show had aired on Nick Jr. on CBS until September 2006.

Format

File:Blues Clues Steve Burns.jpg
Blue's Clues invites children to play along.

From 1996 to 2002, Blue's owner was Steve, a non-animated character played by Steven Burns. When Burns chose to leave the show, the character Steve went off to college and his younger brother Joe (played by Donovan Patton) moved in to take care of Blue.

The game of Blue's Clues begins near the beginning of the episode, when the host asks Blue to go and fetch some water. Blue responds by jumping at the screen and marking it with a blue pawprint. Blue also has some problems along the way and that is why the host talks to the audience. The audience does not really respond, but it makes it better that way. The host, with the help of the audience (who are constantly spoken to and asked questions by the host, effectively breaking the fourth wall), then searches the house for Blue's three clues. Along the way, the host speaks with other residents of the house, often characters based on inanimate objects such as a side-table drawer, a shaker of salt, and a mailbox. After all three have been found, the host sits in his "thinking chair" and puts the three clues together to form a central image. This image is the answer to the host's original question, which goes along the lines of "What does Blue want to do today?" Blue's Clues also has lots of songs about every event, like "We Just Got a Letter".

The hosts use a few American Sign Language signs during the show, signing words like smart, help, or adventure and also thank you as they speak them. ASL is not used consistently enough to teach ASL to a child, but those who are already learning ASL may enjoy seeing a tiny modicum of sign in a mainstream program. 'Bold text'

Farewell Song

The original version of the Blue's Clues goodbye song (from 2002 to 2004) goes like this:

Now it's time for so long,
But we'll sing just one more song,
Thanks for doin' your part, you sure are smart,
You know with me and you
and *our friend Blue
We can do anything that we wanna do!

Today, the song goes like this:

Come on, won't you help me say so long?
Everybody sing the goodbye song
Ready...here we go!
Bye...bye bye
See ya later...sweet potato
Bye bye!
*When the show was hosted by Steve, the line was My Dog Blue.

Origin

Blue's Clues was created by a creative team led by Todd Kessler -- who was at the time a writer-director -- and producer at Nickelodeon and researcher Angela Santomero. Kessler and Santomero hired cut-out animator Traci Paige Johnson to collaborate on the pilot. (Johnson would eventually provide Blue's voice. A child voice actor filled in for part of season 2.)

Kessler had previously worked on the PBS children's show Sesame Street, and both he and Santomero hoped to build on and improve that model of educational programming. "We wanted to learn from Sesame Street and take it one step further," said Santomero.[1]

"I love Sesame Street," said Kessler. "But I always believed that kids didn't have short attention spans, that they could easily sit still for a half an hour."[2] While Sesame Street was originally organized around short, commercial-like segments, each Blue's Clues show is a single extended narrative.

"There was...a theoretical perspective at the time, based in part on Piaget, that a preschool child couldn't follow an extended narrative," according to Daniel Anderson, who helped develop Blue's Clues for Nickelodeon. In the early 1980s, however, research suggestive that narrative was in fact a crucial way that small children organized their experiences.[3]

The show also uses phrase repetition and a minimum of editing in an attempt to avoid confusing its young audience.[1]

Blue's Clues was extensively analyzed by Malcolm Gladwell in his bestselling book The Tipping Point. According to Gladwell, the show was carefully designed, using methods pioneered by Sesame Street, to encourage its educational messages to "stick" in a child's mind.

Blue's Room

In a 2004 Blue's Clues episode, "The Legend of the Blue Puppy", Blue talks as a puppet in a segment called "Blue's Room". "Blue's Room" has become a regular segment of the show, with several direct-to-video DVDs based around the concept. Some viewers have argued that Blue's speaking ability in "Blue's Room" negates the purpose of the "clues" she leaves to communicate in the regular show. [citation needed] Other viewers say that the pacing is much faster in this segment. [citation needed]

Actors

Hosts

Up until 2002, Steve Burns was the host of the show.

Joe is Steve's younger brother on the show. He was phased in as the new host in 2002, with a number of shows featuring both Joe and Steve (sometimes only Steve's voice). On the show, Steve explained to the audience that he was going away for college.

Kevin is the host of the UK version.

Duarte is the host of the Portuguese version.

Jaquavian is the host of the Djiboutian version.

Other actors

Animated characters

Note: Genders of characters are from the Nick Jr. FAQ.
  • Blue - a female, blue dog and namesake of the show. Does not speak except in Blue's Room. First appeared in "Snack Time."
  • Side Table Drawer - Female talking furniture that holds the clue notebook; first interacted directly with the host in "Steve Gets the Sniffles".
  • Slippery Soap - a talking male bar of soap; first appeared in "What Does Blue Need?"
  • Tickety - a talking female clock; first appeared in "What Time Is It for Blue?"
  • Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper - The French salt and pepper shakers. First appeared in "Snack Time."
  • Paprika and Cinnamon - Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper's children. Paprika, a girl, first appeared "Blue's News"; Cinnamon, a boy, debuted in "The Baby's Here".
  • Shovel and Pail - talking sandbox toys (Shovel is male and Pail is female); first appeared in "Story Time".
  • Mailbox - delivers the mail at mail time; first talked in "Mailbox's Birthday".
  • Magenta - Blue's best friend, a female dog; first appeared in "Blue's Story Time".
  • Periwinkle - the next-door neighbor, a talking male periwinkle cat; first appeared in "Blue's Big Mystery".
  • Miss Marigold - Blue's teacher; first appeared in "A Surprise Guest".
  • Green Puppy - Blue's female friend and classmate; first appeared in "Blue's Sad Day".
  • Orange Kitten - Blue's female friend and classmate; first appeared in "Blue's Sad Day".
  • Purple Kangaroo - Blue's male friend and classmate; first appeared in "Blue's Sad Day".
  • Turquoise - Blue's pet turtle; first appeared in "Blue's Birthday".
  • Polka Dots -A green dog with purple polka dots; first appeared in "Meet Polka Dots!"
  • The Felt Friends - characters who live in a world of colored felt shapes; two recurring Felt Friends are Freddy and Fifi, who first appeared in "Blue's Favorite Song".
  • Moona - A moon fairy who tells what time it is. She has a crescent-shaped body and crescent-shaped pigtails.
  • Horace - Steve's stuffed anteater; first appeared in "Blue's Big Pajama Party".
  • Boris - Joe's toy duck; first appeared in "Joe's First Day".
  • Sprinkles - Blue's baby brother; first appeared in "Meet Blue's Baby Brother".
  • Key - They open the case; first appeared in "Blue Talks".
  • Boo- ghost from the skidoo picture of a spooky house who appears only in the episodes "What is Blue Afraid Of?" and "Blue's Big Costume Party".

Movie

In 2000, a Blue's Clues movie called Blue's Big Musical was released. In this movie, a music show is planned. Blue and Tickety want to sing a duet together, but Tickety loses her voice and decides to ring her bells instead. Blue needs another partner because a duet needs two singers. They play Blue's Clues to find Blue a new partner. Also, Side Table Drawer wants to sing in the music show, but is too shy to ask and everyone else is too busy to notice. Meanwhile, Periwinkle sees the show being prepared and mistakes it for a magic show, so he gets himself ready by practicing magic tricks.

During the "Blue Skidoo" segment, a music lesson is provided by G-clef (played by guest star Ray Charles). Throughout the movie, Steve keeps complaining that he never gets to find the clues by himself, and he eventually finds the third one without the viewers' help. In the end, Steve figures out that Blue wants to sing a duet with Side Table Drawer.

Episodes

Season 1

  1. Snack Time 9/8/1996
  2. What Time Is It for Blue?
  3. Mailbox's Birthday
  4. Blue's Story Time
  5. What Does Blue Need?
  6. Blue's Favorite Song
  7. Adventures in Art
  8. Blue Goes to the Beach
  9. Pretend Time
  10. A Snowy Day (Christmas episode)
  11. The Trying Game
  12. Blue Wants to Play a Game
  13. The Grow Show
  14. Blue Wants to Play a Song Game!
  15. What Does Blue Want to Make?
  16. What Story Does Blue Want to Play?
  17. Tickety's Favorite Nursery Rhyme
  18. What Is Blue Afraid Of? (Halloween episode)
  19. Magenta Comes Over
  20. Blue's News!

Season 2

  1. Steve Gets the Sniffles
  2. What Does Blue Want to Build?
  3. Blue's Senses!
  4. What Experiment Does Blue Want to Try?
  5. What Does Blue Want to Make out of Recycled Things?
  6. What Was Blue's Dream About?
  7. Blue's ABCs
  8. Math!
  9. Blue's Birthday (blue's clues special)
  10. What Does Blue Want to Do With Her Picture?
  11. What Does Blue Wanna Do on a Rainy Day?
  12. Blue's Surprise at Two O'Clock!
  13. The Lost Episode!
  14. Blue's Sad Day
  15. What Game Does Blue Want to Learn?
  16. What Did Blue See?
  17. Nurture!
  18. Blue Is Frustrated
  19. What Is Blue Trying to Do?
  20. Mechanics!
  21. Hide and Seek 7/19/1998

Season 3

  1. Blue's Big Treasure Hunt 3/8/1999 (blue's clues special)
  2. Art Appreciation 4/26/1999
  3. Weight and Balance 5/10/1999
  4. What's That Sound? 6/7/1999
  5. Animal Behavior! 6/21/1999
  6. Blue's Big Pajama Party 10/10/1999 (blue's clues special)
  7. Draw Along With Blue 10/18/1999
  8. Blue's Big Holiday 11/29/1999 (Christmas episode)
  9. Pool Party 4/3/2000
  10. Anatomy 4/10/2000
  11. Signs 4/25/2000
  12. Nature 7/3/2000
  13. Geography 7/10/2000
  14. Blue's Big Musical Movie 2000
  15. Occupations 7/17/2000
  16. Blue's Big Mystery 9/25/2000
  17. Periwinkle Misses His Friend 10/2/2000
  18. What's So Funny? 10/9/2000
  19. Inventions 10/23/2000
  20. Blue's Play 10/30/2000
  21. Prehistoric Blue 11/6/2000
  22. Opposites 11/13/2000 (aka The Wrong Shirt)
  23. Words 12/5/2000
  24. Magenta Gets Glasses 2/19/2001
  25. Blue's Collection 2/26/2001
  26. Cafe Blue 3/5/2001
  27. Shy 3/12/2001
  28. Environments 3/19/2001
  29. Stormy Weather 3/26/2001
  30. Thankful (Thanksgiving episode)
  31. Blue's Big Costume Party 10/16/2000 (Halloween episode)

Season 4

  1. The Anything Box 4/16/2001
  2. Adventure! 4/19/2001
  3. Superfriends! 4/23/2001
  4. What's New, Blue? (1) 10/8/2001
  5. Blue's New Place (2) 10/15/2001
  6. Mr. Salt and Mrs. Pepper Day (3) 10/22/2001
  7. The Baby's Here! (4) 10/29/2001
  8. Making Changes (5) 11/5/2001
  9. Bugs! 11/12/2001
  10. ¡Un Día Con Plum! 11/19/2001
  11. What's Inside? 11/26/2001
  12. Blocks 12/3/2001
  13. Blue's Backyard Ballgame Bonanza 2/15/2002
  14. Puppets 2/25/2002
  15. Rhyme Time 3/4/2002
  16. Let's Plant! 3/29/2002
  17. Imagine Nation
  18. Blue's Book Nook
  19. Let's Boogie!

Season 5

  1. Steve Goes to College 4/29/2002
  2. Can You Help? 4/30/2002
  3. Colors Everywhere! 5/6/2002
  4. The Snack Chart 5/13/2002
  5. The Big Book About Us 5/20/2002
  6. Playing Store 5/27/2002
  7. Patience 6/3/2002
  8. Blue's Clues 100th Episode Celebration! 6/10/2002
  9. Joe's Birthday Party 8/5/2002
  10. I'm So Happy! 9/2/2002
  11. The Boat Float 9/9/2002
  12. Bedtime Business 9/16/2002
  13. Shape Searchers 9/23/2002
  14. Blue's Checkup 9/30/2002
  15. Contraptions! 10/7/2002
  16. A Brand New Game 10/21/2002
  17. A Surprise Guest 1/6/2003
  18. The Dress-Up Day 1/13/2003
  19. Blue's Big Band 2/17/2003
  20. Up, Down, All Around! 3/3/2003
  21. The Story Wall 4/28/2003
  22. The Alphabet Train 5/5/2003
  23. Numbers Everywhere! 5/12/2003
  24. Blue's Predictions 5/19/2003
  25. Our Neighborhood Festival 6/23/2003
  26. Blue Takes You to School 8/11/2003
  27. Meet Polka Dots! 9/15/2003
  28. The Scavenger Hunt 9/16/2003
  29. Let's Write! 9/17/2003
  30. Magenta's Messages 9/18/2003
  31. Body Language 9/19/2003
  32. Blue's Big Car Trip 9/22/2003
  33. Look Carefully... 9/23/2003
  34. I Did That! 9/24/2003
  35. Animals in Our House? 9/25/2003
  36. Morning Music 9/29/2003
  37. Blue's First Holiday 12/12/2003 (Christmas episode)

Season 6

  1. The Legend of the Blue Puppy 2/8/2004
  2. Love Day 2/16/2004
  3. Blue's Wishes 2/16/2004
  4. Joe's Clues 2/23/2004
  5. Skidoo Adventure 3/15/2004
  6. Playdates 3/22/2004
  7. The Fairy Tale Ball 4/5/2004
  8. Soccer Practice 4/26/2004
  9. Bluestock 5/10/2004

Season 7

  1. Behind the Clues: 10 Years with Blue
  2. Meet Blue's Baby Brother 8/6/2006

Season 8

1. So Big 6/12/2007

2. Lullubies for Sprinkles 6/25/2007

3. Butler Magenta steals Lady Blue's Hairbrush 6/27/2007

4. Green Puppy's Bad Day 6/1/2007

5. Paprika Forgives 6/22/2007

6. Dog School Afternoon 6/11/2007

7. Blue has Seperation Anxiety 7/14/2007

8. Seperations from Paprika and Cinnamon's parents 8/3/2007

10th anniversary

To celebrate the 10th anniversary (2006) of Blue's Clues, a "Meet Blue's Baby Brother" primetime special premiered on August 6, 2006, where her brother was revealed to be a multi-colored puppy named Sprinkles. Nickelodeon also created a 12-minute documentary going behind the scenes of Blue's Clues.

Trivia

  • A pink snail appears in each episode three times as an extra challenge for older kids.
  • The "12" on the face of the clock Tickety changes each episode depending on the particular plot at that time.

Network

References

  1. ^ Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point, p. 111.
  2. ^ Gladwell, p. 110.
  3. ^ Gladwell, pp. 118-121.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Blue%27s_Clues&oldid=133821180"