I watched a lot of The Berenstain Bears on Sprout from when I first came across the channel in 2011 until it rebooted as Universal Kids in 2017, and I still love it to this day! Ironically, I haven't seen as much of it on PBS Kids. I think they stopped playing it before I got into the show. I've read some of the books too and enjoyed them just as much. There are actually 2 different Berenstain Bears shows: the original from 1985 by Hanna Barbera and the 2003 (the same year I was born) reboot by Nelvana. It appears to me that the people from IMDb have confused them for the same show because it says 1985-2004 on this page, and there aren't 2 separate pages for them. I like both incarnations, but I like the reboot the best, mainly because it's the one I'm the most familiar with and the one I've seen the most of, as big of a Hanna Barbera fan as I am. The shows are sensibly written to appeal to younger children and teach them values at the same time, but I have a feeling that it could easily appeal to older children and adults too. The Berenstain Bears could be just another hyperactive, over the top, and annoying preschool show, but it's not.
Both versions are about the Berenstain Bear family, mainly the cubs, going through everyday struggles, which I find relatable and appealing. Like the reboot's theme song says, the bears are a lot like people only more so, and the only difference is they live in a tree. They can be funny at times as well. The struggles include watching too much TV, eating too much junk food, getting bullied, greed, being irresponsible, jealousy, not counting your blessings, having too much homework, and more. Mama and Papa are always ready to help their kids make thoughtful decisions and encourage them to work hard, obey the rules, develop healthy friendships, and find healthy activities to partake in.
A lesson or family value is always learned throughout the episodes. The lessons are ones that everyone should hear, and people often learn some of them too late in life. Thanks to the Berenstain Bears, I didn't learn them too late, and there are a few episodes I find impactful even to this day. For example, there's an episode where the bears go to a grocery store, and Brother and Sister both find toys and treats that they want, but Mama and Papa keep reminding them that they came just to buy groceries. When they finish their shopping, the cubs get toy cats from a bear nearby, giving toy cats away for free. When they get home, their parents give them a lecture and say there's more to life than getting as many treats as you can get your hands on because one should count their blessings and think of those less fortunate. Grizzly Gran and Gramps come to visit, and Brother and Sister say, "What did you bring us?", proving that they didn't learn anything. Papa grounds them and says that's the worst case of the "galloping gimmies" he's ever seen. Gran and Gramps remind Papa that he had an even worse case of the gimmies when he was little: he threw a temper tantrum over a toy truck in a grocery store and embarrassed Gran and Gramps so much that they let him have it, but then he saw a poor family who didn't have much money, and he gave his truck to their cub. Brother and Sister both enjoy that story, and they finally learn their lesson and regret their behavior. Their grandparents start their visit "all over again," step outside, and come back inside. Brother and Sister finally say hello, and the latter says, "If you brought us anything, you can just leave it in the car." Everyone laughs at Sister's comment, and she and Brother donate a couple of their old toys at the end. Ever since I saw that episode for the first time, I've appreciated what I already had, haven't thought of myself 24/7, and fully understood why I couldn't get everything I wanted all the time.
There are other reasons why I like the reboot the best. The animation is smoother, clearer, and more colorful than the original, and the characters' personalities have softened and expanded. Just to name a few examples, Mama is nicer and not as strict as she is in the original, but she's still the main disciplinarian of the family, Sister is more sensitive, and Too Tall is still a bully, but unlike the original series, he can be nice to others at times and has his moments of friendship with Brother.
I highly recommend The Berenstain Bears! If you like the books, you're sure to enjoy the shows too! I don't know what else to say.
Both versions are about the Berenstain Bear family, mainly the cubs, going through everyday struggles, which I find relatable and appealing. Like the reboot's theme song says, the bears are a lot like people only more so, and the only difference is they live in a tree. They can be funny at times as well. The struggles include watching too much TV, eating too much junk food, getting bullied, greed, being irresponsible, jealousy, not counting your blessings, having too much homework, and more. Mama and Papa are always ready to help their kids make thoughtful decisions and encourage them to work hard, obey the rules, develop healthy friendships, and find healthy activities to partake in.
A lesson or family value is always learned throughout the episodes. The lessons are ones that everyone should hear, and people often learn some of them too late in life. Thanks to the Berenstain Bears, I didn't learn them too late, and there are a few episodes I find impactful even to this day. For example, there's an episode where the bears go to a grocery store, and Brother and Sister both find toys and treats that they want, but Mama and Papa keep reminding them that they came just to buy groceries. When they finish their shopping, the cubs get toy cats from a bear nearby, giving toy cats away for free. When they get home, their parents give them a lecture and say there's more to life than getting as many treats as you can get your hands on because one should count their blessings and think of those less fortunate. Grizzly Gran and Gramps come to visit, and Brother and Sister say, "What did you bring us?", proving that they didn't learn anything. Papa grounds them and says that's the worst case of the "galloping gimmies" he's ever seen. Gran and Gramps remind Papa that he had an even worse case of the gimmies when he was little: he threw a temper tantrum over a toy truck in a grocery store and embarrassed Gran and Gramps so much that they let him have it, but then he saw a poor family who didn't have much money, and he gave his truck to their cub. Brother and Sister both enjoy that story, and they finally learn their lesson and regret their behavior. Their grandparents start their visit "all over again," step outside, and come back inside. Brother and Sister finally say hello, and the latter says, "If you brought us anything, you can just leave it in the car." Everyone laughs at Sister's comment, and she and Brother donate a couple of their old toys at the end. Ever since I saw that episode for the first time, I've appreciated what I already had, haven't thought of myself 24/7, and fully understood why I couldn't get everything I wanted all the time.
There are other reasons why I like the reboot the best. The animation is smoother, clearer, and more colorful than the original, and the characters' personalities have softened and expanded. Just to name a few examples, Mama is nicer and not as strict as she is in the original, but she's still the main disciplinarian of the family, Sister is more sensitive, and Too Tall is still a bully, but unlike the original series, he can be nice to others at times and has his moments of friendship with Brother.
I highly recommend The Berenstain Bears! If you like the books, you're sure to enjoy the shows too! I don't know what else to say.