I have been an avid user of IMDb since I heard about it 5 or 6 years ago. Since then, I have dropped in every time I have finished a movie or had a question about some show or actor. In all the history of my visitations to IMDb, I have never been as shocked at the reviews as I have been for this show. I know that Barney is not the absolutely best show ever created, but I don't think that it is as EVIL as some people seem to think. Every review I read on this site about Barney was extremely negative.( I stopped after about 5 reviews, so I apologize if you had something nice to say) I do not particularly like Barney, but I feel that it is my job to defend him. First, let me make a few disclaimers. 1. I grew up with Barney, but did not watch him faithfully. I was at least 4 or 5 years old when he became "mainstream." That said, I have few memories of life without Barney. I don't know if this truly matters, but I feel that I should mention it. 2. My young daughter now watches Barney. She is only 1 ½ years old, so take that for what it is worth. 3. I go for the underdog.
-Ever since I was in kindergarten, Barney has been the butt of many jokes. I have to admit, most are funny and even laughable. Yet, even as a wee grade schooler, I couldn't help but shake my head and roll me eyes at whoever was telling the joke. If you are old enough to joke about Barney, you are too old for him. Barney was not made to entertain those who could already know how to share or how to wash their hands. Barney was made for the young and the young at heart. -Barney has more diversity than STD tests on a crack whore. Even from the early episodes of Barney and the Backyard Gang, there were at least 3 different ethnicities being represented. In the later episodes, you could tell there were many cultures showing up. A little bit stereotypical, but there was diversity, nonetheless. -Barney is catchy. Period. I have yet to meet someone who has never gotten one of his songs stuck in their head. I don't know if I consider this a good or bad thing, but it is definitely a trait of Barney. - Okay, so Barney may be lame. But you've got to look at who the audience is. Most 2 or 3 year olds that I know aren't very critical of dialogue or feasibility. If the songs and dance steps are something they can recreate, then it is okay in their book. So what if Tina and Derek talk like they are 5 years old when they are really at least 3 times that age? Little kids don't care. -There are much worse shows they could be watching. Some very popular show advertises "Krusty Krabs" in "Bikini Bottom". Another show has a main character who has a phallic protuberance on the top of his head while a co-star has an upside down triangle on the top of her head. (Think about it. Rhymes with Belly Buddies.) Just about any live-action Disney show gives subtle to obvious sexual references. Compared to these shows, Barney is totally innocent. -Many people seem to go line by line when bashing this show. Don't they know that could easily go the other way? In one of the first episodes of Barney and the Backyard Gang called Barney and the Campfire Sing Along, Tina and her mother sing the "I Love You" song. It really shows how much a parent's affection and involvement affects the child. Also, all of Barney's songs about saying "please" and "thank you" and the "Brush Your Teeth" song help kids to grow and take care of themselves. Ending statements: Okay, so Barney isn't the be all and end all of children's television shows. In fact, it may not even crack the top 50. But come on. Barney is not as bad as everyone plays him out to be. Yes, he can be terribly annoying. Yes, he can be slightly condescending. But immoral and corrupt? I think not. And for Satan's nostrils, stop trying to over analyze everything! So what, there weren't adults around? So what if the scripts sucked and the plot was horrible? So what if there were preteens in the show? Did you care when you were 3? No, and neither do the 3 years olds now! If Barney was meant to amuse 15 year olds +, they probably would have taken a different route. So just accept the show as it is- a young children's sing-a-long program!
-Ever since I was in kindergarten, Barney has been the butt of many jokes. I have to admit, most are funny and even laughable. Yet, even as a wee grade schooler, I couldn't help but shake my head and roll me eyes at whoever was telling the joke. If you are old enough to joke about Barney, you are too old for him. Barney was not made to entertain those who could already know how to share or how to wash their hands. Barney was made for the young and the young at heart. -Barney has more diversity than STD tests on a crack whore. Even from the early episodes of Barney and the Backyard Gang, there were at least 3 different ethnicities being represented. In the later episodes, you could tell there were many cultures showing up. A little bit stereotypical, but there was diversity, nonetheless. -Barney is catchy. Period. I have yet to meet someone who has never gotten one of his songs stuck in their head. I don't know if I consider this a good or bad thing, but it is definitely a trait of Barney. - Okay, so Barney may be lame. But you've got to look at who the audience is. Most 2 or 3 year olds that I know aren't very critical of dialogue or feasibility. If the songs and dance steps are something they can recreate, then it is okay in their book. So what if Tina and Derek talk like they are 5 years old when they are really at least 3 times that age? Little kids don't care. -There are much worse shows they could be watching. Some very popular show advertises "Krusty Krabs" in "Bikini Bottom". Another show has a main character who has a phallic protuberance on the top of his head while a co-star has an upside down triangle on the top of her head. (Think about it. Rhymes with Belly Buddies.) Just about any live-action Disney show gives subtle to obvious sexual references. Compared to these shows, Barney is totally innocent. -Many people seem to go line by line when bashing this show. Don't they know that could easily go the other way? In one of the first episodes of Barney and the Backyard Gang called Barney and the Campfire Sing Along, Tina and her mother sing the "I Love You" song. It really shows how much a parent's affection and involvement affects the child. Also, all of Barney's songs about saying "please" and "thank you" and the "Brush Your Teeth" song help kids to grow and take care of themselves. Ending statements: Okay, so Barney isn't the be all and end all of children's television shows. In fact, it may not even crack the top 50. But come on. Barney is not as bad as everyone plays him out to be. Yes, he can be terribly annoying. Yes, he can be slightly condescending. But immoral and corrupt? I think not. And for Satan's nostrils, stop trying to over analyze everything! So what, there weren't adults around? So what if the scripts sucked and the plot was horrible? So what if there were preteens in the show? Did you care when you were 3? No, and neither do the 3 years olds now! If Barney was meant to amuse 15 year olds +, they probably would have taken a different route. So just accept the show as it is- a young children's sing-a-long program!