The Rocket Power Kids Must Be Fit

Indeed, I am about to ramble about that 90s Nickelodeon show “Rocket Power.” It was not one of my favorite shows, but I did see enough episodes that when I saw a rerun the other day on one of Nickelodeon’s off-shoot channels, it reminded me that the logic of the world was a bit different back then. Nowadays, kids’ programs are so tailored to fit in a modern world that is afraid kids will always take away a wrong message. However, in the 90s, or at least in the case of “Rocket Power,” writers just made a fun show. What kid wouldn’t want to watch a show about 4 youngsters living in California, participating in every sport imaginable, while also generally having very little adult supervision. It’s the greatest dream, or it was for 90s kids. I am here to say that this show definitely would not fit the bill today. Not just that there are not as many kids touching grass these days, but also that kids today are not as independent. Lack of adult supervision meant that kids had to find ways to entertain themselves while also staying out of trouble so the parents would never have to supervise. We did just this back then. We learned how not to get hurt, by getting hurt. We also probably put ourselves in very bad situations that our parents would have stopped us from. It taught us to be independent and think for ourselves. Wild plotlines aside, “Rocket Power” showcased this very well. Their father figure was very seldom around, so when there was a problem, the kids had to solve it. They also did a lot of dangerous things, but let’s be honest, they all were probably in really good shape, because sports. So, in the end, they were probably going to be okay no matter what. In any case, the differences in television back then and television now is glaringly obvious with a show like “Rocket Power.” Nowadays the show would be 4 kids with an iPad and adults in the next room. The one similarity that would remain is the punishment of washing endless dishes in our uncle’s restaurant. But that is just one man’s opinion. Thanks for listening to me ramble. I appreciate it. See you next time.