Concerned Fan of Rainbow Brite‏

[Chibi Rachy]

Totally overlooked this before. Somehow I don't think science is the reason for the "color wave" thing. If it is, the writers have no idea what they're talking about. I've heard the visible light spectrum called a number of things, but never a wave. A wave could be described as a carrier of light, so maybe that's it. Sounds like another unnecessary change though, and... well, probably for the worse. And this isn't even coming from my faith (or lack thereof) in Hallmark. It's just what I've been seeing a lot of lately.

Take Transformers for example. In their sad effort to make a live action film seem more plausible than the cartoon, they actually managed to create a plot that even makes LESS sense. It changed from a race of highly-advanced robots built by alien creators... to a mystical cube thing that can make a cell phone grow arms and legs and start skipping around the table.

You've never heard of the wavelengths of colors? Colors of the spectrum have various wavelengths they operate with. I'm interested to see if it does prove to be a little more scientific. Super secret education skills, yo! Why not bring in the science of color instead of just throwing star sprinkles to brighten things and give them their colors.

Frankly, it'd be nice if it'd be used as a way to keep girls interested in science. Interest for girls tends to drop around the pre-teen age and the boys begin overtaking the girls in this area.

[Starvoyager]

You've never heard of the wavelengths of colors? Colors of the spectrum have various wavelengths they operate with. I'm interested to see if it does prove to be a little more scientific. Super secret education skills, yo! Why not bring in the science of color instead of just throwing star sprinkles to brighten things and give them their colors.

Frankly, it'd be nice if it'd be used as a way to keep girls interested in science. Interest for girls tends to drop around the pre-teen age and the boys begin overtaking the girls in this area.

I've heard of that, but to refer to wavelengths as color waves is more confusing than anything. It'd be much simpler to just call them the Spectrum Kids, or something like that. Color psychology (chromatherapy) would be a nice idea too - the use of colors to induce mental/emotional states. Colors almost universally have different personalities.

I somehow doubt that science has anything to do with it though. Think about it... this is the age group that spontaneously loses interest in science. So, first Hallmark says they're redesigning everything to appeal to the modern generation and a different age group... and then they turn around and alienate their target audience by stuffing optical science into it? Seems very hypocritical. Getting the facebook gossip generation of pre-teens to treat each other like decent human beings will be enough of a challenge.

[Chibi Rachy]

I've heard of that, but to refer to wavelengths as color waves is more confusing than anything. It'd be much simpler to just call them the Spectrum Kids, or something like that. Color psychology (chromatherapy) would be a nice idea too - the use of colors to induce mental/emotional states. Colors almost universally have different personalities.

I somehow doubt that science has anything to do with it though. Think about it... this is the age group that spontaneously loses interest in science. So, first Hallmark says they're redesigning everything to appeal to the modern generation and a different age group... and then they turn around and alienate their target audience by stuffing optical science into it? Seems very hypocritical. Getting the facebook gossip generation of pre-teens to treat each other like decent human beings will be enough of a challenge.

Not so confusing if they're trying to simplify things. I never said it was a good idea to include it, but it would be pretty neat. You don't have to alienate a target audience by stuffing science into something. Science can be fun and if they did it correctly, I'm sure they could infuse science in somehow. They already tried that a bit with Shy Violet with her science talk. It wasn't much, but her vocabulary was much higher than the other characters. They do it on children's shows. MMPR did it too with Billy and had Trini translate. Can the kids probably use it? No, but they're being exposed to the vocabulary. Can science be fun and seem totally unlike a textbook. Yes. Just check out Steve Spangler.

It's not to say that a science approach is what they plan to take. But I think it'd be an interesting aspect if they did. And on a final note, even if they used Spectrum Kids instead of Color Kids, people would be up in arms over that.

[kookie]

I love the the star sprinkles. Its magical and fun! Yea!

But if they are trying to be scientific what about the whole wand transforming thing? Thats not scientific at all. So thats pretty much a contradiction from what they are wanting to do.

[Chibi Rachy]

I love the the star sprinkles. Its magical and fun! Yea!

But if they are trying to be scientific what about the whole wand transforming thing? Thats not scientific at all. So thats pretty much a contradiction from what they are wanting to do.

First of all, the scientific twist is merely a speculation. So one cannot say it's a contradiction if it doesn't exist.

Secondly, who says you can't have both in a show? We already did. Shy Violet was the scientific Kid. So if we can't have both, well then there goes Shy Violet. You can have both in a show. It's not something that's new to the world of children's programming. It already exists.

[Tennyo]

On a more realistic note, sticking science into a show will not alienate anyone. Science isn't some germ that makes people run in fear. Kids just probably think it's boring. But make it fun and they may actually learn something. RB maybe could do that. Make it entertaining and kids will learn.

Also, @ Transformers: The "mystical cube" was the Allspark, and it wasn't something new created for the movies.

And to go on a completely different rant about how science, even fictional, is not fake (just to cover everything just in case I'm just not getting it):

A lot of my favorite shows/movies/games/etc. are a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. In fact, I'm a HUGE Final Fantasy VII fan, and the magic powers one can use by acquiring materia are incorporated into the science of that world. In fact, there was even a scene where a character said that it shouldn't even be called magic because in that world it was scientific fact. And the life force of the planet, something that seems magical in and of itself, is used for different scientific ventures, such as a way to create electricity for the general public and also to create genetically enhanced super-soldiers for the military. But the very essence of it all, to us, seems more fantasy than anything else.

So yes, you can mix science and magic in a story. I don't really know why you couldn't. :/ I always felt that RB was a tiny bit of a mix anyway. I mean with the Princess (she had a space ship and all) and Krys (Prisim) and On-X (intelligent robot horse), not to mention the studious Shy Violet who seems to be able to give a scientific explanation to everything. I actually quite like mixing the two.

SO! Scientific explanations in my RB? It could be more likely than you think, and I would welcome it. I mean, to me that shows effort. Effort is all I ask for.

[Chibi Rachy]

On a more realistic note, sticking science into a show will not alienate anyone. Science isn't some germ that makes people run in fear. Kids just probably think it's boring. But make it fun and they may actually learn something. RB maybe could do that. Make it entertaining and kids will learn.

Also, @ Transformers: The "mystical cube" was the Allspark, and it wasn't something new created for the movies.

And to go on a completely different rant about how science, even fictional, is not fake (just to cover everything just in case I'm just not getting it):

A lot of my favorite shows/movies/games/etc. are a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy. In fact, I'm a HUGE Final Fantasy VII fan, and the magic powers one can use by acquiring materia are incorporated into the science of that world. In fact, there was even a scene where a character said that it shouldn't even be called magic because in that world it was scientific fact. And the life force of the planet, something that seems magical in and of itself, is used for different scientific ventures, such as a way to create electricity for the general public and also to create genetically enhanced super-soldiers for the military. But the very essence of it all, to us, seems more fantasy than anything else.

So yes, you can mix science and magic in a story. I don't really know why you couldn't. :/ I always felt that RB was a tiny bit of a mix anyway. I mean with the Princess (she had a space ship and all) and Krys (Prisim) and On-X (intelligent robot horse), not to mention the studious Shy Violet who seems to be able to give a scientific explanation to everything. I actually quite like mixing the two.

SO! Scientific explanations in my RB? It could be more likely than you think, and I would welcome it. I mean, to me that shows effort. Effort is all I ask for.

Sci-fi/fantasy mixes are what draws the kids in too. The idea of something that doesn't currently exist is fascinating to them. I'll throw in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for this, but you could probably add later incarnations of Power Rangers as well. Billy invented quite a few things on the show, even working to improve things. I'll throw in a book that some pre-teens start reading, including my own students. Maximum Ride is full of science, especially genetics. After the first group of novels finish, then we take a different science turn and start with the environmental science. Sure bird kids don't exist, but genetics and genetic recombination does.

It'd still be fine to mix magic and science in RB. The transformation seems to be similar to magical girl ones, and I'm not sure if other members could vouch for any series that use magic and science is somehow included. I'm not a fan of magical girl stuff so I can't do that.

[kookie]

First of all, the scientific twist is merely a speculation. So one cannot say it's a contradiction if it doesn't exist.

Secondly, who says you can't have both in a show? We already did. Shy Violet was the scientific Kid. So if we can't have both, well then there goes Shy Violet. You can have both in a show. It's not something that's new to the world of children's programming. It already exists.

Shy violet was scientific and Buddy blue was sporty but thats more of a characteristic. Not saying they cant have a scientific theme in a show but just seems like if most characters are brainy or scientific no much personality going on there. The preview started with a magical theme anyways. You have a flying horse, magic wand, and star sprinkles. I guess one thing could be if they get rid of the cave of star sprinkles and the Wave Kids make the star sprinkles in a lab now.

Seems that if they are making this more realistic and scientific, why do they even have a rainbow land? Just thoughts

Does anyone question how the poor little dog ran back (or from) to rainbow land on the preview? From the movie and shows it took a bit for the horse to run that far to earth.

[Chibi Rachy]

First of all, the scientific twist is merely a speculation. So one cannot say it's a contradiction if it doesn't exist.

Secondly, who says you can't have both in a show? We already did. Shy Violet was the scientific Kid. So if we can't have both, well then there goes Shy Violet. You can have both in a show. It's not something that's new to the world of children's programming. It already exists.

Shy violet was scientific and Buddy blue was sporty but thats more of a characteristic. Not saying they cant have a scientific theme in a show but just seems like if most characters are brainy or scientific no much personality going on there. The preview started with a magical theme anyways. You have a flying horse, magic wand, and star sprinkles. I guess one thing could be if they get rid of the cave of star sprinkles and the Wave Kids make the star sprinkles in a lab now.

Seems that if they are making this more realistic and scientific, why do they even have a rainbow land? Just thoughts

Does anyone question how the poor little dog ran back (or from) to rainbow land on the preview? From the movie and shows it took a bit for the horse to run that far to earth.

It was more than just a characteristic. It was their personalities. Shy Violet loved science. Buddy Blue loved sports. Lala Orange loved fashion and pretty things. Each kid's personality was shown, even though there wasn't much character development for so many characters. How can we say there's not much personality if they are brainy? It may seem like it because these types of characters are often stereotyped to be the boring characters. Their skills come in handy.

Star sprinkle creation is not the role of the new Kids. The new previews seem to show that they grow in Rainbow Land. They just float in the river and are scooped up by the mill. We do have the new castle that reflects the color points on top.

Your second statement about why there would even be a Rainbow Land seems a bit silly. Someone mentioned final fantasy earlier. Science fiction tries to be realistic, yet it can still be magical. Pern and dragons, anyone? This is not to say that Rainbow Brite is science fiction in any sense.

However, Rainbow Brite seems like it can benefit from exploring colors in some fashion beyond merely coloring things. Fanfics have tried to incorporate the science into the fantasy. It works too. I think it could work here if it were done at all.

[Tennyo]

@ kookie

I'm having a hard time following you, kookie. Just because there is some science thrown into a show why does that mean that every single character is going to be some brainy scientist? Who ever said that they would be? If some of the different aspect behind the fantasy of RB was loosely based on something scientific, how would that be boring? Again, how would that limit personality? That in and of itself should never be the make or break point of a story.