I have a very important message I must relay!
Introduction
You may have seen, while browsing around the Internet, bizarre memes or GIFs of anthropomorphic dinosaurs. You may have come across a purple dinosaur and were confused. And further still, you may have been bewildered to hear the dinosaur sing “I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family.” What may this purple, singing dinosaur be from? None other than the television show “Barney & Friends”! “Barney & Friends” was an incredibly successful children’s television show; it ran from 1992 to 2010, airing on the Public Broadcasting Service. The show left a lasting legacy, remaining a remnant of the 1990s and 2000s even after its unexpected shutdown in 2010. The show had a roster of familiar characters up to its closing, becoming well-known in households across the country. Indeed, the show grossed millions of dollars from its millions of views across the United States. The show “Barney & Friends” is incredibly expansive, but all of it will be explained thoroughly, from its surprising origins to its unexpected demise. Additionally, the Barney franchise beyond the show itself will be explained, as the characters – and money-making – of the Barney franchise go far beyond just the television show.
Origins
Some may be surprised to discover that the television show was not the first incarnation of the characters at all; in fact, the characters popularized by the television show did not originate from the show at all. Instead, the cast of characters originated from a 1993 video game, titled “Barney’s Hide & Seek Game.” The game itself was never particularly successful (receiving mixed reviews for its “simplistic” gameplay), but served nevertheless as the sole inspiration for the popular TV show. Before it was discontinued, the game had a 4/10 rating on the Sega-16, the device it was featured on. The game has, as recently as 2020, served as a point of interest for the speedrunning community – the current completion record is nine minutes and nine seconds. It should be noted that one cannot actually fail this game, as Barney refuses to state that a player has lost, instead forcing them to continue a given level until they emerge victorious. Unlike other video games of its type, Barney cannot actually “die” in-game; instead, he will give players a “safety lecture” about falling from high heights.
Premise and Rise to Fame
Despite the video game not being popular, a television show was made out of it – and the show was popular. The show rose to meteoric fame very shortly after its premiere on April 6, 1992. It featured a cast of little-known actors and actresses not-so-subtly disguised in dinosaur costumes. The dinosaurs – prehistoric creatures – were shown to be encountering and interacting with human children. This temporal juxtaposition between ancient animals and modern children proved a significant reason for the show’s success. “Barney & Friends” acquired notability through its choice to cast children with no prior acting experience – amateurs, essentially. Most of the children who appeared on the show lost any and all notability after their respective guest appearances; however, some became much more popular after their appearances, including the likes of Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato (Bergado, 2017). Both acted in the show, and thereafter received immense fame. The dinosaurs themselves were beloved creatures – the main characters were Barney, a purple tyrannosaurus rex who often sang and danced; Baby Bop, a short-tempered triceratops best known for her tendencies to clean up and sing; lastly, B.J., Baby Bop’s brother, a protoceratops who was particularly fond of pizza (Campbell & Gissen, 2020).
Apr 16, 2021
by
AureliusReyes
Instead of FursuitFriday trending today, NationalHornyDay is trending (FursuitFriday is still trending but I don't see it in the what's happening section). A surprise, but a welcome one
Apr 16, 2021
by
themodernage
