Kids' TV and Me! is a nostalgic, analytical podcast that celebrates the simple pleasures of low-stimulation children's television. Host Joshua Stauffer revisits shows from his own childhood and looks at why their calm, gentle style can be so comforting. The series is told from the perspective of a neurodivergent individual, exploring how these programs shaped his tastes and memories. New episodes are published through his Substack newsletter.
Episodes
026 - Kipper - Echo Echo/Big Owl’s Bath/Jake’s Friend
I’m finally back! After a two-month hiatus, Kids’ TV and Me is back on the air. This week, Kipper meets the silliest bird I’ve ever seen on Nick Jr., barely wins a war against the wind, and an ice cream soda gives him a bigger shock than any brain freeze! Plus, in this episode, I dive deep into my childhood experiences with imaginary friends, and I get real about some of the positive and negative
025 - Kipper - Buried Treasure/Clay Time/The Purple Park Monster
Kipper's friends are surprising us with lots of their own homemade goodies this week! Some edible, some inedible (much to Pig's surprise!). Some messy, some scary, but all fun! Top it off with cartoon dogs counting to twenty at various speeds, and you've got one of my all-time favorite half-hour episodes of Kipper the Dog!Kids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the
024 - Kipper - The Rescue/The Rainbow Puddle/The Picnic
This week:"I don't like the idea any more than you do, but rules are rules." -The Magic Frog"Sandwich, Tiger? There's jam or... jam." -Kipper"Jam it is." -TigerKids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access
023 - Kipper - Pig’s Cousin/The Paddling Pool/Tiger’s Torch
Deep in the middle of the dark dark wood…One of the most iconic lines spoken by Kipper the Dog gets tackled in this week’s episode!Also, lots of summer fun at the playground and the pool!Kids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other
022 - Harriet the Spy - The Origin of M
Harriet M. Welsh or Harriet M (no period) Welsh?? That’s the big question. Louise Fitzhugh’s classic book confirmed that Harriet has no middle name, but we never found out why. Until now!As we analyze the thrilling conclusion of Apple TV’s first five-episode set of Harriet the Spy, we’ll learn more about our favorite characters than we ever imagined!Kids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not
021 - Frog and Toad - The Kite/Lost
From an insanely challenging kite-flying experience to a fun-filled appreciation for being geographically lost, Frog and Toad are back for more adventures, and I'm here for them!Kids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscrib
020 - Kipper - The Conker Tree/The Goldfish/Sleepless Night
In these three episodes, Kipper does a great job rescuing a kitten in a tree and a beached goldfish, but can he save himself from a lack of sleep?Kids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epis
019 - Reading Rainbow - My Life with the Wave
Now that I’m back from my vacation to the Outer Banks, I can analyze one of Reading Rainbow’s beachiest episodes!Speaking of Outer Banks, here is a video I made of the wild horses I saw there: Kids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with
018 - PART TWO of Harriet the Spy - Hermit the Spy
My longest analysis yet, this episode of Harriet the Spy has got real substance. In 23 minutes, it goes from annoyingly flawed to horrifically dark to symbolically awesome! Will Harriet finally learn the importance of looking out for people besides herself? Let’s find out together!Kids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or network
017 - PART ONE of Harriet the Spy - Hermit the Spy
Another two-parter! This week, we highlight the first half of Harriet's rough weekend, which leads to her becoming a cat-sitter for Mr. Withers. This interferes with a science project with her friends. Part two next week (I hope!) Kids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode.
016 - Frog and Toad - The Garden/A Cake
This week, we find out what Apple TV does with Arnold Lobel's classic Garden story, and we'll also analyze the first of many new original Frog and Toad stories made exclusively for television!Kids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with
015 - Kipper - The Camping Trip/The Igloo/Hiccups
Another deep dive into this beloved classic!Today’s Kipper episodes are:-The Camping Trip-The Igloo-HiccupsKids’ TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, production companies, or networks mentioned on the show. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshuastauffer1.substack.com
014 - Reading Rainbow - Watch the Stars Come Out
In this classic episode of Reading Rainbow, LeVar experiences a once-in-a-lifetime close encounter with The Statue of Liberty, and later shows us some of the delicious global tastes and tunes at Liberty State Park's 1985 Ethnic Festival. Listen as Joshua rewatches and reminisces about this childhood favorite! Kids' TV and Me is a fan-made podcast and is not affiliated with any of the programs, pro
013 - Harriet the Spy - Cross My Heart and Hope Not to Dance
An epic battle of traditional norms vs. girl power ensues in this fun-filled episode of Apple TV's Harriet the Spy! Fans of the book know that Harriet reluctantly agreed to attend dancing school (after being talked into it by Ole Golly), but did you ever wonder what happened AFTER she and Janie set foot in that ballroom class? Listen as Joshua Stauffer shares the many great laughs and wonderful li
012 - Frog and Toad - Spring/Dragons and Giants
This week, we'll get to see Apple TV's rendition of the first Frog and Toad story ever, Spring! This time, one of my biggest childhood questions will finally be answered: how long will Toad believe it is half past May until he discovers his calendar is rigged? Later, we'll get to learn more about the book that inspired Frog and Toad to climb to the top of a mountain. Will their brave adventure on
Let's Talk Serious About Being Silly
Sorry this video came out two weeks late, but I still had fun making it! Once again, folks, here are the March 2026 podcast episodes:3/7 - Reading Rainbow - When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba3/14 - Kipper - Pig’s Shop/Water Water Everywhere/The Costume Party3/21 - Frog and Toad s1e3 - Spring/Dragons and Giants3/28 - Harriet the Spy s1e3 - Cross My Heart and Hope Not To Dance This is a public episode. I
011 - Kipper - Pig's Shop/Water Water Everywhere/The Costume Party
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit joshuastauffer1.substack.com
010 - Reading Rainbow - When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba
Our Reading Rainbow retrospective continues with a late-90s episode containing mostly flashbacks from previous episodes. This showcase of performing arts of various kinds, inspired by the book When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba, features The Boys' Choir of Harlem (from Berlioz the Bear), Peter Pitofsky (from Ludlow Laughs), and the cast of the Broadway musical "Cats" (from Duncan and Dolores).Today's b
009 - Harriet the Spy - Coat Vote
It's time to analyze another episode of Apple TV's mixed-response animated series, Harriet the Spy! Featuring fashionable outerwear, fierce struggles for freedom, and frivolous consumption of fluffy whipped cream. Will Harriet's second episode be better than her first? Let's find out together! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus
008 - Frog and Toad - Ice Cream/A Lost Button
This week, we continue our analysis of Apple TV’s Frog and Toad animated series. In these two episodes, we see lots more ice cream and way more buttons than we had in the original storybooks. Will it make these stories more interesting or more chaotic? Let’s find out together! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
007 - Kipper - The Gismo/Kipper's Circus/The Lost Mug
This week, we’re analyzing three classic episodes of Kipper the Dog! In The Gismo (with an S instead of a Z), Kipper will discover many different uses for what I thought was a hair dryer but isn't. Then, in Kipper’s Circus, Kipper and Tiger will try their paws at some crazy circus stunts in the park (don't try these at home, kids!). And finally, in The Lost Mug, our favorite puppy will help Pig fi
006 - Reading Rainbow - The Milk Makers
This week, we’ll take a look in a book that became one of my all-time favorite episodes of Reading Rainbow, The Milk Makers! Listen as I describe how a young LeVar Burton took us on a fun adventure through California’s dairy industry, flavored with some awesome 1980s-style music and a little taste of quirky animation. From the quiet, peaceful farmland inhabited by Holstein-Friesian dairy cows to t
005 - PART TWO of Harriet the Spy - I am a Terrible Spy
Fooling a cab driver? Throwing dog pants at a doorman’s face? Threatening to invade an East Side resident’s privacy for life? All to get NYC’s future doggie fashion designer out of bed? Seriously, are these appropriate behaviors for a realistic-fiction children’s cartoon!? Brace yourselves for the second half of my in-depth discussion of Apple TV’s most underrated gem (or is it?), Harriet the Spy.
004 - PART ONE of Harriet the Spy - I am a Terrible Spy
This week on Kids’ TV and Me, we begin examining the first episode of Apple TV’s instant classic, Harriet the Spy, based on the book by Louise Fitzhugh. As we dissect this incredibly unique show, we will tackle such questions as, Why is Harriet a spy? Is spying truly necessary to be a great writer? Does Ole Golly have any idea what kinds of crazy shenanigans Harriet is up to? Does this animated ad
003 - Frog and Toad - Cookies/The Letter
In the third episode of our podcast, we dissect a more recent addition to my list of favorite cartoons, Frog and Toad, based on the classic children’s books by Arnold Lobel. You’ll get to find out how the episode Cookies taught me about will power and portion control, and we’ll see how Apple TV managed to make The Letter considerably less depressing than previous adaptations.(P.S.- No frogs or toa
002 - Kipper - The Tag Sale/Hide and Seek/The Flying Machine
Here’s episode TWO of Kids’ TV and Me! On the second week of each month, we will examine three episodes of Kipper the Dog, which aired on Nick Jr. in 1999 and 2000. This week, we have The Tag Sale (aka The Jumble Sale) in which Pig tries to rid Kipper of his overflowing closet stash; Hide and Seek, which is one of many Nick Jr. episodes to feature the popular game; and The Flying Machine, an excel
001 - Reading Rainbow - My America
Welcome to Kids’ TV and Me! In the first episode of this analytical nostalgia podcast, we’re going to take a deep dive into the 2001 Reading Rainbow episode, My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States. Jam-packed with breathtaking footage of some of America’s most beautiful scenery, lots of cool facts about the USA, and stories that make me want to get out there and travel, this is hands-down
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