There was a time when MTV did more than run shows featuring pregnant teens, computer romance scammers and middle aged people that vacationed in New Jersey. I’m not talking about back in the ’80s when they ran cool videos and had real VJs. There was an in-between time when the channel had found salvation in out of control reality shows such as The Osbournes and Jackass which spun off a few other shows. But even with the reality show paydays, someone over there decided to green light a series that was part outrageous reality and bizarre puppets like Sifl and Olly. Wonder Showzen is what would happen on Sesame Street if the Ernie and Bert ran a meth lab in their basement apartment. Each episode starts with a warning that reads, “Showzen contains offensive, despicable content that is too controversial and too awesome for actual children. The stark, ugly and profound truths Wonder Showzen exposes may be soul-crushing to the weak of spirit. If you allow a child to watch this show, you are a bad parent or guardian.” Even 16 years after the first episode aired on 2005, this warning remains true. <I>Wonder Showzen: The Complete Series</i> is 16 episodes only intended for bad parents to enjoy without the rest of the family after tolerating a day of preschooler programs.
Wonder Showzen really comes off as a criminally demented version of a PBS kids show like Zoom or the Electric Company with the cute puppets and smart kids who aren’t very shy. You could easily think MTV was going soft until the puppets open their mouths. The language is frightening such as a little kids explaining what a hero is and the wee tots answers aren’t what you’d get on an inspiring kiddie show. The puppet Clarence does a series of person on the street interviews where he basically hassles people at various New York City parks. There’s entire segment of people demanding they not be in the show. Best is when he gets a guy who talks about anger management helping him control his temper blow his top when they won’t go away. The Beat Kids segment in each episode sent a kid reporter to various places for what should have been cute stories. But they go dark quickly as these kids don’t hold back from asking tough and twisted questions. An feature on patience tries you patience when halfway through the show, they put the footage in reverse. Can you handle backwards TV? During a beauty pageant, the kid asks a contestant, “Would you kick a pony in the face to end world hunger?” She has a look of shock, but can’t quite comprehend what is going on. There are also bizarre animated segments that just freakish including a Slim Goodbody-like character eating a little boy’s lungs. A punctuation mark lesson turns into a blood bath. DOG-OB-GYN is not an educational film. One short film revisits the “footsteps in the sand” poem accept it questions the religious element of it. They even brought on a few guest stars including Flavor Flav, Dick Gregory, Amy Sedaris, Christopher Meloni, David Cross, Judah Friedlander, Amy Poehler, John Oates, Rick Springfield, Corin Tucker, Todd Barry and Zach Galifianakis.
Over two seasons and 16 episodes Wonder Showzen really got away with a lot of weirdness. This was the kind of show that you now say, “They can’t put that on TV anymore.” Although it doesn’t feel like they could have put it on in 2005 without people going nuts and screaming “what about the children!” Although I do wonder about the kids. The kids appearing on the show are now wrapping up college. What do they think of the show? Are they cult heroes on campus like finding out a classmate was on Zoom or Sesame Street? Or do they hide this part of their lives and loath the fact that their parents signed the model releases? Are any of the Beat Kids reporters working as really annoying news reporters at a 24/7 news beast?
As we deal in a world of people complaining about everything, you might want to grab the DVD boxset of <I>Wonder Showzen: The Complete Series</i> so you don’t have to worry about a Twitter hashtag attack making it disappear. There’s also an added sense of privacy by owning the DVDs. You’ll want to be able to enjoy this show without fear of the kids or your parents finding it on a streaming site’s “Want To Watch It Again” option. You might not be a good parent if you let your kid watch Wonder Showzen. But you’ll cool parent if you watch it by yourself or with other parents.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The transfers look sharp even on DVD. You can see the fur on the puppets. The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0. You’ll hear every uncomfortable question and threat thrown at the puppets. The episodes are Closed Captioned.
Audio Commentaries include Screamin’ Steven J. Hawkins on “Space,” PFFR on “Diversity,” Dick Gregory on “Nature” and Gordon Lish on “Patience”
Auditions and Outtakes (8:16) are the little kids who want to appear on the show. There’s also more Chris Meloni and Amy Sederis.
Beat Kids Outtakes (3:53) are snippets from when they sent a little kid to the race track, the zoo, the blood bank and to the park dressed as Hitler.
Clarence Outtakes (3:21) is the blue puppet that ask really nosy questions to people on the street.
Promos (3:54) warns you that this won’t be a real kid show. This is not for people who get upset easily.
PFFR Music Video (2:07) has a lot of jack-o-lanterns.
2nd Season Sneak Preview “SOS” (2:17) is the Special Owesome Squad cartoon. You won’t have to wait for the second season since the discs are in the boxset.
Storytime with Flavor Flav (2:04) has the icon from Public Enemy reading “The Boy in the Red Cap” to the kids.
Beat Kids Outtakes (5:13) includes a visit to a beauty pageant, a church, Ground Zero, a vet and test marketing lab.
Clarence Outtakes (4:34) are more insane man on the street moments.
Horse Around unt Apple Boners (5:49) is a new way of thinking about Hee Haw. You’ll recognize a few faces that are missing teeth.
Mish-Mosh (2:51) are just odd moments including break dancing in front of green screen and little kids saying the oddest things.
Original Promos (1:47) and Daymares (0:54) includes grotesque takes on the “killed by a drunk driver” PSAs and pet licking.
? is 8 questions sent in by little kids that don’t get appropriate answers.
Candyland-eque Menu Board lets you play a game with a special prize for the winner. Bring your own dice.
Paramount Home Entertainment and MTV present Wonder Showzen: The Complete Series. Starring Vernon Chatman, John Lee, Alyson Levy and Jim Tozzi. Boxset Contents: 16 episodes on 4 DVDs. Release Date: March 16, 2021.
