Childhood Favorites

The Puzzle Place (1995-1998) is a show of little note. While its ratings were often some of the highest in children's programming, it was overshadowed by kids' obsessions with Barney. The Puzzle Place featured a cast of diverse young puppets who spent their free time at a puzzle-themed hot spot. The series tackled serious issues like racism and morality while keeping kids laughing with the mischievous cat and dog, Sizzle and Nuzzle, and the fairly incompetent "Piece Police." The Puzzle Place is not often remembered, but it certainly deserves its place in the ranks of beloved childhood shows.

Zoom (1999-2006) was a show for kids, by kids. A remake of a kids' series from the early '70s, this show came back in 1999 with a brand new cast of "kids like us." The cast members (who rotated every year or two as they got older) entertained with jokes and riddles, demonstrated recipes and science experiments, spoke made-up languages and just hung out answering viewer questions. It was a sort of variety show for the younger generation. Zoom became such a cultural phenomenon that a "Where are they now?" video on Youtube dedicated to locating former "Zoomers" has gotten more than 50,000 hits.