2 replies to this topic

[michikodesu]

Okay, I just had to vent about this certain controversy. I think everyone has heard of Dora the Explorer, right? Well, Mattel and Nickelodeon decided to age Dora and make another tween Dora character.  doraexplorer_l_1202x321.jpg   9.6K   42 downloads

This has caused an uproar and it seems as if mothers are bearing arms and teeth in response to the change. Even though the company said that they were doing this so that as kids get older, they can still follow Dora and not really have to deal with the pre-K concept.  200px_Dora_and_Boots.jpg   11.36K   17 downloads Is the new Dora too sexy? Get Real!!!!

Now, the tween Dora is supposed to be around 9 or 10 and she'll have a new group of friends who will accompany her on her adventures. But now people are saying that why couldn't Dora still look like the little tomboy with the haircut and hiking boots and "talking backpack". Why does she have to have long hair and jewelry? And most people thought she was wearing a short dress instead of a tunic and leggings which is what most normal elementary school girls wear. I mean, if the new character is created for kids from 5-9, then why would Dora need a talking backpack? She has friends to play with now. Why does she need a monkey for a sidekick? She has to go to school now, she doesn't have all day to go wandering outside like she did before.

I'm thinking, why can't she have long hair and explore? Does she really need hiking boots? Maybe she's exploring other things like, the environment, trying to get her community to be more green, or dealing with problems that most kids go through in school? There are ways to be inquisitive still and explore for more information without having to trek outside. They can also go into more details in teaching the kids Spanish as well.

What do you think? Also, anyone else have any so-called controversies that seemed to be blown waaaay out of proportion because people either can't handle things like change.........or they jump to too many conclusions without getting the entire story? You know, things like that.

[Yo Jimbo]

I think the pressing question is, are we also gonna see a grown up Diego?
Lol didn't they pull the same thing with Rugrats? Granted the original Rugrats wasn't really targeted towards toddlers but oh well.
I'm pretty sure there was some ridiculous scandals in the back of mind but I can't really think of them right now cuz it's pretty late... I'll prolly be back lol

[mami_286]

In my opinion, I don't see why parents are getting upset about a grown-up Dora though. If they continue the pre-K Dora series and make a tween Dora for older girls at the same time that seems like a good idea. It's an educational show and if it allows older girls to continue to find Dora cool or relevant then it serves its purpose.

As for the "makeover," I think the parents are just making a huge fuss over something small. From the producer's point of view, I'm sure they're marketing towards an age group that would find new Dora's dress to be much easier to relate to and appreciate than younger Dora's. From a parent's point of view maybe they're upset that this new Dora is more sexy than the younger one. She's thinner and fashionable. Maybe parents feel that if their daughter sees Dora grow up and change, their kid might feel pressured to be the same. The absence of the talking backpack and talking animal friends may make parents uncomfortable because it takes away the imagination of the show (I guess?).

But from a young girl's point of view, this new Dora may be more acceptable to watch than the old one. Sometimes adults overestimate the way kid's minds work and think that they know everything that's best for them. I dunno. I actually think that the character design for the new Dora is kinda cute. It might be another Nickelodeon sellout like the Rugrats one but who knows? It might be an interesting new series.

People made this huge deal about Spongebob before, but that show is crazy popular and funny for all ages (the recent ones kinda suck though). No little kid's going to pick up on all the innuendo (I never did) but they can appreciate the stupidity of the characters. I think it's just funny that some people feel the need to waste their time and energy protesting something as innocent as a children's cartoon.