Should They Watch It? - Ep. 54: Babe w/ Bill Childs

Ep. 54: Babe w/ Bill Childs

08/16/22 • 61 min

1 Listener

We are thrilled to have special guest Bill Childs, host of Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child on our podcast this week to discuss the 1995 classic, Babe! You may think you know this movie, but Laura, Kara, and Bill are bringing interesting trivia as well as a list of potentially problematic things you should be aware of before watching with your children. This week's podcast is laugh out loud fun (no really, get ready for our hosts to laugh out loud...a lot!). That'll do, podcast. That'll do.
The Positives
Babe teaches viewers not to judge a book by its cover and tackles prejudice in a way that is developmentally appropriate.

You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, and Babe is a fitting example of the benefits of kindness. This inspiring message leads to a conversation about one of Bill’s favorite shows, Ted Lasso, which is filled with the same humble and positive energy.

Bill loved the deliberate pace and that the movie was smart and honest about what happens on animal farms and didn’t treat Farmer Hoggett as a black and white “bad guy.”

Great voice acting, especially from legend Christine Cavanaugh as Babe and James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, who finishes up with the classic line, “That’ll do pig. That’ll do.” Fun Fact: Inspired by his time on the farm, Cromwell became vegan and animal advocate.

Animatronics were the decided approach to bringing real animals to life. At a time were CGI rules the screen, it was nice to revisit a special effect that isn’t used as often.

Fun fact: The 48 Yorkshire pigs that played Babe were adopted out to owners under a contract that did not allow them to slaughter the pigs.

Potentially Problematic
The audio dialogue replacement was distractingly bad for Kara.

The movie begins in a slaughterhouse, and with several mentions of where Babe came from combined with a fear of becoming the farmer’s next meal, your kids might have questions about how most people get their meat.

There is body shaming of the farmer’s wife.

The dog, Rex, perpetrates an act of violence against his female partner. He also shows initial hostility towards Babe. We later learn why he behaves this way, and during opportunities of redemption, he rises to the occasion. It might be worth a conversation with children about abusive behavior.

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Bill: Yes

We had an excellent time with Bill and we know you’ll have a great time listening to this episode. You can listen to his station here and check him out on twitter and facebook where he shares interviews and music live in-studio from some of your favorite indie artists.

Bill loved the deliberate pace and that the movie was smart and honest about what happens on animal farms and didn’t treat Farmer Hoggett as a black and white “bad guy.”

Animatronics were the decided approach to bringing real animals to life. At a time were CGI rules the screen, it was nice to revisit a special effect that isn’t used as often.

Fun fact: The 48 Yorkshire pigs that played Babe were adopted out to owners under a contract that did not allow them to slaughter the pigs.

Potentially Problematic
The audio dialogue replacement was distractingly bad for Kara.

There is body shaming of the farmer’s wife.

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Bill: Yes

Previous Episode

Ep. 53: DuckTales (Woo-oo!)

DuckTales
The new iteration of DuckTales tracks the globetrotting adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, Louie and granddaughter, Webby. Donald Duck, Launchpad McQuack, and Mrs Beakley also make their returns to round out this this star-studded and entertaining cast. Also to return? Hijinks! But the plot is much more substantial.

Did they Sing It?
Kara has never been more excited to sing a theme song and the ladies sang over half of this one. If you’ve never seen this DuckTales theme animal mashup by Insane Cherry, please watch.

The Positives
Talented voice acting cast and a witty, well-written show. The best-written and funniest show we’ve watched so far.

The female character Webby, voiced by Kate Micucci, becomes a much more substantial and contributing character this time around. The hosts discuss Hollywood’s penchant for “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” tropes or token characters like Chip N’ Dale’s Gadget, and why Webby defies these stereotypes to become one of the most interesting characters on the show.

Scrooge’s character is much more lovable and adventurous, while still maintaining the grumpy, opulent traits that make him the iconic feathered friend he is today.

The boys have very distinct personalities, as compared to the original where viewers could only distinguish them by their t-shirt colors.

Nostalgia! If you are a fan of the original DuckTales, you can rest assured that this version will not only entertain you with a combination of reminiscence and refreshment, but it’s also a show you can enjoy with your children.

Fluffy or Educational
Fluffy as a duck feather, but very fun for adults and kids.

Potentially Problematic
Some cultural references are for adult audiences and could fly over your children’s heads, like the show’s reconceptualization of the headless horse/man.

Our trio of adventurous youth are not what you would call role models. Therefore, expect to see defiant behavior, lying, sneaking out, and pretty much unsupervised. Given what we know about a child’s inclination to mimic defiant behavior, the fact that it’s cartoon animals doing on pretty extravagant (beyond realistic belief) adventures, we think it’s unlikely to cause issues, and concerned parents could just have a conversation with kiddos about what is and isn’t appropriate behavior. Caillou on the other hand....

Will parents like it?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Both ladies loved the nostalgia and laughed like crazy. The writers clearly targeted the parents when writing the show with some pop culture references and throwbacks to the original, which is appreciated.

Should They Watch It?
Kara: Yes

Laura: Yes

Side Conversations
TV has changed significantly with binging becoming the norm. Block programming and delayed gratification that came with TGIF, after school shows, and Saturday morning cartoons is all but gone.

Kara and Laura discuss workplace inequality after Kara experiences a blatant career opportunity oversight because of her gender. Kara, a 25-year voice acting veteran, points to examples of how gender inequality has impacted her industry. Laura and Kara discuss examples of misogyny in the entertainment industry and the ladies agree that Kara should make some phone calls to address the issue.

We are happy to see more female roles, more diverse roles, and truer to the part casting. We loved to see Nope star Keke Palmer

Next Episode

Ep. 55: The Hidden Lives of Pets

This week, Laura and Kara delve into The Hidden Lives of Pets - a 4 episode series on Netflix. This, of course, leads Kara to talk about her menagerie of pets throughout her life as well as some interesting pet facts she's learned along the way. Laura comes with stories about being accused of cheating, and how the government may be responsible for our allergies...what?! Tune in and let us know what you think of this week's podcast!

Should They Watch It? - Ep. 54: Babe w/ Bill Childs

Transcript

Kara Edwards00:00:00.479

The views and opinions expressed by the should they watch it podcast are those of two moms who happen to be a registered play therapist and a voice actor for cartoons. So while they may feel their opinions come from a knowledgeable place, they are still in fact just opinions. Should they watch it? A podcast that takes the task of reviewing your kid's favorite shows up your to do list? Hey there and welcome to the should they watch it Podcast.