The Wonder of Wonder Pets

I had this delusion yesterday that I could take Dally to a coffee shop to meet up with my estranged high school BFF and sit there, nice and quiet, while we drank choco-coffee and caught up on our wild and crazy high school antics. As I was driving to the coffee shop, I briefed Dally on who Camille (my BFF) was and how to behave in front of her (nice, not like a little maniac). I could see that he really listened to me and had taken in what we had discussed. For about 30 minutes. Then he went nuts doing what looked like breakdancing on the floor but not in a pleasant way. That was my cue to leave.

When we got home, my sister-in-law was there with her kids - who I now refer to as the Tess Twins (even though they're not twins, nor are any of them named Tess). They were watching the Wonder Pets. If you're new to the Wonder Pets, as I sort of was, there are a few things you should know. Linny is a guinea pig. The show really promotes pre-school. AND, most importantly - this is the one that really threw me for a loop - there is more than one episode. I thought it was odd that they showed the same epsiode over and over again. Turns out, that's the scam behind the show. They sing the SAME song - and I'm not talking about the THEME song, wise guy. Every time shit goes down, like someone is in danger, they start with the phone. "The phone! The phone is ringing!" And so on and so forth, singing their way through the problem to the solution. But it's very operatic. I don't know why but I really dig it. I used to be repulsed by it but now, I can't get the damn song out of my head, nor can I cease to recall the little duckling Ming Ming singing, "This is sewious!" (when things are, er, serious).

Am I starting to be like those Barney parents? The ones that would say, "You'll see. When you have kids, you'll be all about Barney because that's the only thing the kid wants to watch." Is Wonder Pets my Barney?

No, no it is not. Barney is a creepy gigantaur that sounds like a child molestor masking his voice to sound fun and harmless. The Wonder Pets are sweet little animals that save other little animals in peril. Plus, Dally could give a rat's ass about TV, Wonder Pets included. I'm the one who's hooked.