Thursday, February 7, 2008

Today's Special

Until it went off the air, Today's Special was a regular part of my weekday TV viewing schedule. For the first five years of my life, I couldn't enter a Sears, Dillards, Famous Barr (which became Macy's here in the midwest a couple of years ago), or J.C. Penney's without wanting to frolic with the damn mannequins. However, doing so got me chewed out by my mom and pissed off the stores' clerks, so I quickly abandoned that behavior. I think this show also contributed to my brother's crippling fear of mannequins when he was two.

Here's a summary, yanked from imdb: "Each night in a major city, Sam the Security Guard locks the closed department store and joins Jodie in the Children's department as she brings a special mannequin with her even as she prepares to work on a display for the next day. With some magic words, the magic hat it wears brings it to life and becomes Jeff. Together with Muffy the Mouse, this gang learn about various things to teach younger viewer, both by the themselves and with visitors to the store."

Today's Special is yet another Canadian import that aired on Nickelodeon. However, I used to watch it on PBS, between Mr. Roger's Neighborhood and Sesame Street (they reran the show into the early 90s, which is why it was able to traumatize my aforementioned brother, who was born in 1987).

Upon watching the various video clips, I have come to a few conclusions:
  • The puppets on this show are FUGLY, especially Sam.
  • Muffy is fecking annoying.
  • I can't believe that this show didn't scare the crap out of me as a kid, because it sure does now!

And now for just a few of the videos I found:

The theme song:



Jeff comes to life for the first time:



Sam, Muffy, and the computer:



Nifty little HMS Pinafore parody:

14 comments:

Caroline said...

Oh my God, I loved this show. I have such strong memories of it and think about it all the time. I grew up in Ontario, and I watched it on TVOntario, and it was simply awesome.

Anonymous said...

Every so often in my adult life I've stopped and remembered the wonderful times I had growing up watching this show. Now in becoming a mother for the first time I can't help but wish this show was still around for my lil one to watch. This morning I woke up thinking of it again and and decided to search. It brought me to tears watching these clips. This show had such a huge impact in my life, I hope to share at least a tiny piece with my son one day.

B*DAZZLED by E. Lamp said...

That was my favorite show and all of my friends think I'm crazy because they think I'm making it up!!!!! It was the best show of my childhood!!! Matter of fact.....I'm ready to watch me some episodes now. N Miss Molly was so divafied!!! This is why I probably love shopping now!!!!!!! I stayed n the shopping centers even as a child. Everyday I was waiting on my #1 cartoon/kid show........"Today's Special" !!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I've been trying forever to remember what this show was about bc no one believes me that there was actually this show. Thanks for posting this!!

Anonymous said...

I even signed a petition that I found online to release the television show on dvd. I just love this show. Most of my friends dont remember Today's Special or Roomper Room. However, I remember and share it with them.

Anonymous said...

I even signed a petition that I found online to release the television show on dvd. I just love this show. Most of my friends dont remember Today's Special or Roomper Room. However, I remember and share it with them.

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Unknown said...

I absolutely loved this show. I will never forget it!! It was an all time favorite. Great memories. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Anonymous said...

A forgotten treasure from the 80's. I was telling my kids about this show. It was so nice to see a few clips to take me back in time. I wish the had this on DVD.

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Unknown said...

I couldn't remember the name of this but I loved it as a kid!

Anonymous said...

I never found anything creepy about this show. I still love it to this day.

mylynn1377 said...

I ran across a story about early Nickelodeon and they mentioned Pinwheels Playhouse and Today's Special. Oh jeez I loved these shows!

robertfkh said...

I watched this show along with my daughter when she was early school-age. It was so warm, and cheery and wise and silly....I'm looking for that episode where they bake cookies... the ditty is such an earworm, I can still hear it some days....30 years later.