Disney vs. Disney

Disney Old vs. Disney New

We expect to hear an elderly person talking about the ‘good ol’ days; It is sad when a teenager exclaim this. When I was growing up watching Disney TV shows was an afterschool event. Now it is another reality check. In the 1990s The Disney channel was dominated by humorous cartoons; by 2000 it was commandeered by shows with real people and teenage drama.
Disney in the 1990s not only included cartoons but it promoted clean humor with few innuendoes. Humor in the cartoons was created by the violence that ended with no one being hurt, gross close-ups, jokes that made no sense, and incredible dialogue. In “Pinky and the Brain,” Brain said “Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?” In response Pinky states, “I think so Brain, but if you replace the P with an O, my name would be Oinky, wouldn't it?” This is an example of good clean comedy, because Pinky makes a joke that makes people of all ages laugh. When characters committed a crime, or tried taking over the world, their plan would fail, but in later episodes they would try again. In love scenes, males were klutzes, fighting over a girl who wants neither of them. Each would throw a few punches, ram each other into walls, push the other off a cliff, then steal the girl only to be rejected, ending in a friendship between the rivals. Some shows like “Bonkers” relied on the main character to create humor with simple actions. Bonkers, a feline cop, could not do anything right and would catch criminals, accidentally, by his klutzy actions.
During the 1990s, Disney shows had originality, morals, and did not reflect bad influences, or use “bad” language. The popular shows had diverse plots, creative characters and were never cliché. “Pinky and the Brain” featured two mice bent on taking over the world. “Gargoyles” included gargoyles who could save the world. Thirty minutes later three little loons won the hearts of some adult characters while causing mischief for others in the show “Animaniacs.” All the Disney shows supplying clean, uproarious comedy enjoyed by all ages. These shows emphasized right and wrong and made the world seem ‘black and white.’ They stress evil always being defeated in a world that was safe and marvelous.
The old Disney shows allowed our wildest dreams to come true. They were about adventure and making the impossible possible. With Disney, we could be sailing the seven seas, fighting crime, or flying to the moon. There was no limit for our imaginations. The Disney channel was where love at first site was real, and a knight in shining armor was not always a prince. In the cartoon, “Gummybears,” a princess would always be kidnapped but she was saved by a gummy bear. Like all Disney shows, they would live happily ever after.
Today, Disney channel offers realities: friends who betray each other, boy troubles, friends and rivals fighting, and mean girls having dreams come true. In Hannah Montana the audience will often see Hannah and her friend Lily arguing over something trivial, like who saw the boy first. Instead of love scenes, two girls fight over an attractive guy who ends up being a player. Humor is found in girl fights and people getting hurt physically, emotionally, and mentally. With every new show there is more emphasis on looks, money and sexual innuendos. Innocent comedy is long gone.
Lacking originality, all of the shows are about becoming famous, boy troubles, lying to get what you want, and issues with friends. Directors do not make an effort to create different styles that will appeal to a wide audience; rather, they reuse plots, taking the same show and giving it a different name. “Phineas and Ferb” is about two boys who go on crazy adventures and get their sister into trouble; just like “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” and “The Suite Life on Deck,” which is “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” on a cruise ship. Morality disappeared in Disney around 2002, Instead of apologizing for mistakes and making up, characters always debate about who is right and who is wrong. The ‘black and white’ world added a color—‘gray.’ In “Wizards of Waverly Place” Alex lies to her friend, but instead of apologizing she denies lying and they fight for the whole episode about what really happened. The ‘gray’ area was whether Alex was right in lying to protect her friend or whether she should have told the truth. The Disney shows teach the audience that only one person is right and the one who is not must fight to be.
Instead of hearing children quote adorable lines from the latest cartoon, a five-year-old might say “That girl on Hannah Montana was being a real bitch last night.” Most parents never dreamed their children would speak this way. But children are grooming themselves like the actors they see as role models. Instead of cute dresses, little girls are wearing tight shirts, skinny jeans, and punk-rock gloves. They lose their individuality at a young age and believe the world is as it appears on TV.
Disney shows today do not allow audiences to escape into their wildest dreams. Rather, the shows remind them of their troubles: fights with friends, jealousy, and stress. The stereotypical, skinny, gorgeous woman, and sexy, buff guy can make individuals feel insecure about their looks and personality, and forcing young teens to change themselves using unhealthy, sometimes dangerous methods, like steroids and weight loss pills, to create new bodies.
If a friend asked me today if I watched the latest “Wizards of Waverly Place” I would say “No, I don’t like that show,” and wonder why it even matters, they could watch the constant reruns if they care about the show a lot. But if I asked a girl fourteen or younger about “Skydancers,” she would ask, “You mean the doll from McDonalds?” She would not remember the delight of seeing “skydancers” fly, wishing someday she could too. In today’s Disney shows there is no moon, no seven seas, and no knight in shining armor. Dreams have become a fad, and reality is the new trend.