19. Phineas and Ferb (TV Show)

PHINEAS AND FERB (on Disney Channel)

“BAD HAIR DAY/MEATLOAF SURPRISE”

GENRE: Animated / Humor

HONORS: Nominated for 2011 Kids Choice Award for Favorite Cartoon, Won 2010 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation

REVIEW:

Phineas and Ferb is an animated television series that focuses on Phineas and his British stepbrother, Ferb, during their summer vacation.  The boys work on a new project every day, much to the annoyance of their sister, Candace, who always goes to tell on them to their mother.  However, as in this episode, when she finally gets to their mother, there is no longer any evidence of their project.  Each episode also features a subplot with the family pet, a platypus named Perry, fighting against the evil scientist, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, as secret agent in an all-animal spy organization.  The first segment of this episode, “Bad Hair Day,” begins when Candace tries a new hairstyle in preparation for a date, only to create a horrendous result.  To help fix her hair, Phineas and Ferb invented a machine that stimulates hair growth, but when Candace instructs her friend to turn up the speed, she finds herself completed covered in hair and needs Phineas and Ferb to help.  In the second segment, Phineas and Ferb create a giant bouncy castle that flies over the city.  When Candace sees the boys and their friends in it, she grabs on to an attached rope so she will definitely have proof of her brothers’ antics.  Meanwhile, their mother is a judge in the town’s meatloaf contest and Dr. Doofenshmirtz plans to sabotage other entrants’ meatloaves in order to win.

OPINION:

I have a friend who is a fifth grade teacher and she recommended this series to me, stating that all of her students love it.  After watching an episode, I can see why.  The interactions of Phineas and Ferb with their sister are very funny and close to the brother-sister conflicts to which many tweens can relate.  Also, there is a high amount of creativity in the show as the boys invent something new each day.  In addition, the writing is witty and delivered with great comic timing.  I noticed a running gag in the two segments I watched in which characters ask, “Hey, where’s Perry?”  This is something that would especially connect with fans of the show as they laugh with the knowledge that Perry is off on a secret mission yet again.  This subplot about Perry the Platypus is entertaining as he secretly transforms from a boring pet into a skilled spy.  Overall, I really liked the show, which was probably helped by the fact that it is an animated show that adults can watch along with kids.  While younger tweens may find humor from the gags, older tweens and teens will be able to catch the wordplay and sarcasm in the dialogue.

IDEAS:

This show would be good in a library display featuring materials about summer vacation or humor.  The youth librarian could also set up a Phineas and Ferb themed library program to screen episodes and play games related to the show.