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Network | PBS Kids Sprout (now Universal Kids) |
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Launched | September 26, 2005 |
Closed | March 31, 2017 |
Country of origin | United States |
Owner |
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Format | Preschool education series |
Running time | 3 hours |
Original language(s) | English |
The Good Night Show is a defunct television programming block for preschoolers that aired on the Sprout channel (previously known as PBS Kids Sprout). It was designed to help preschoolers get ready for bedtime. [1] The block featured recurring themes based on preschoolers' nightly routines, such as dreams, brushing teeth, and cleaning up before bed. [2]
One of Sprout's designers, Ward Jenkins, stated that "Sprout is PBS Kids' answer to Noggin." [3] Prior to New Year's Eve 2007, Noggin did not offer preschool shows in the nighttime hours. [4] [5] So at the time, The Good Night Show allowed Sprout to capitalize on nighttime programming for preschoolers, setting itself apart from its competitor Noggin. The block aired daily from 6:00 pm to 3:00 am ET. [6] It appeared on Sprout from the channel's launch on September 26, 2005, until March 31, 2017. [7]
Unlike the channel's other blocks, The Good Night Show was repeated twice over the course of each night. Throughout the block, viewers (referred to as "Sproutlets") were encouraged to participate in host-led games, songs, crafts, and lessons in yoga and sign language. Activities generally revolved around a theme, and took place between animated episodes that related to this theme. These themes included issues of interest to preschool-aged children and their parents, such as imaginary friends, teddy bears, shadows, opposites, or babysitters.
The Good Night Show featured a variety of segments. The block usually opened with Nina introducing herself and Star, as well as the theme of the night.
From 2007 to 2015, an annual event called "Sprout's Snooze-A-Thon" (formerly the "Good Night of Sweet Dreams") was aired from 6:00 pm on Christmas Eve to 6:00 am on Christmas morning. Following an introduction from Nina, the event showed many characters from Sprout's shows and blocks falling asleep. The event was likened to the Yule log and was intended to help preschoolers fall asleep on Christmas Eve.
For most of the block's run, it was hosted by Nina alongside Star, Lucy, and Hush. Nina's uncle, Tio Javier, was introduced in the final season as a recurring co-host.
The block received criticism from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, [19] which likened the block to "a TV version of a sleeping pill for toddlers." [20] It criticized Sprout for "implying that its programming will ease children into sleep when research suggests that screen time before bed undermines healthy sleep habits." [20] Susan Linn, a Harvard University psychologist, urged Sprout to cancel The Good Night Show for keeping children awake rather than helping them go to sleep. [21] The president of Sprout, Sandy Wax, denied that the block was misleading, stating that "The Good Night Show is not a sleep aid for children ... it's a tool for parents to help them establish a bedtime routine for their preschooler." [20]
According to Kidscreen , Sprout aimed "to follow a day in the life of a child and thus created a [block] called The Good Night Show in 2005." [22] The block was scripted and filmed in Philadelphia. The first season premiered on September 26, 2005. The second season was filmed from April to May 2006 [14] and premiered in July 2006. While the second season was airing, Melanie Martinez alerted Sprout that she had appeared in two parody commercials from the Technical Virgin website six years earlier; [23] she was fired and replaced by Noel MacNeal from September 11 to December 2006. [24] Noel MacNeal hosted a season of 24 episodes, [17] which were packaged with the title A Very Special Good Night Show. [17] In December 2006, the third season premiered, with Michele Lepe as the permanent host.
Sprout is PBS Kids' answer to Noggin. When it was launched in 2005, it was the first 24 hour preschool network.
You may know Noel MacNeal better as the voices of Bear from 'Bear in the Big Blue House' and Kako, the best friend of the title character on 'Oobi.'
The Good Night Show, a three-hour programming block meant to soothe youngsters before bedtime with storytelling, sand art and cartoons, was phased out several months ago.
A Very Special Good Night Show (PBS Kids Sprout). 2006 (live action). Co-writing all 24 episodes.
Nina...along with her Sprout friends...Leo, the gardener