Please Don't Throw Things at Friends

I'm sitting here in the living room on Saturday morning, and the kids are currently glued to the idiot box watching "Yo Gabba Gabba" on the Noggin Network. I know I said before how the show in question makes me want to blow up the world, but that was before I had to sit through an episode or two of "The Big Comfy Couch," which is truly the worst, most insipid offal known to man. Moreover, I was somewhat amazed to see Supernova, an old Orange County sci-fi punk trio I quite enjoyed in the mid-90s (and not that abortive reality tv vanity project) performing on "Yo Gabba Gabba." Is this what is to become of my old favorite bands? Children's television? The mind reels.

I think my biggest problem with "Yo Gabba..." is its cloying insistence on ignoring all semblance of subtlety. Songs include "Be Careful When There's Danger" and "Please Don't Throw Things at Friends". I mean, obviously, there are valuable lessons herein, but must we be so unimaginatively literal? What's next? "Don't Drink Out of The Toilet!" "Always Remember to Breathe" and "Setting Your Brother On Fire Isn't Nice"?

To be fair, I did really enjoy this cartoon about cleaning up your room (set to an old skool Two-Tone Ska motif). In fact, it's pretty freakin' awesome. I suppose I shouldn't be too harsh about "Yo Gabba Gabba." Again, it sure beats the bejesus out of the "Big Comfy Couch".