Blues Clues

Fads and Fashions

In the fall of 1996, a Nikelodeon program featuring Steve and a dog named Blue debuted. This show soon became the most watched television show for children ages 2 to 5. It has even surpassed PBS favorites such as “Barney and Friends” and “Sesame Street.” The success of this Peabody Award-winning series is attributed to the shows ability to appeal to children. Children love to be engaged and challenged. They love to learn. They hate to be spoken at, but love to be spoken to, and they really love to feel superior. The show, “Blues Clues” really gets these kids. It is important for the children to feel engaged so that television can be an active rather than a sedentary experience for them. Throughout the show, Steve asks for help from the home audience, then pauses long enough for at home viewers to respond. The illusion of interaction has brought praise to “Blues Clues.” The mission of the show is to empower and challenge and build the self-esteem of preschoolers while making them laugh. In 2002, the original host, Steven Burns, was replaced by Donovan Patton who played the role as Joe.