Nickelodeon, perhaps television's best refuge for kids, is expanding its early evening lineup this week with the Nickel-O-Zone - an hour from 6-7 p.m., Sundays-Fridays that features shows designed specifically for kids.
(And, Nick is hoping, shows that parents will watch as well.The lineup includes new episodes of "Hey Arnold!" (Mondays at 6 p.m.), "The Journey of Allen Strange" (Mondays at 6:30 p.m.), "Kablam!" (Fridays at 6 p.m.), "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" (Sundays at 6 p.m.) and "Nick News" (Sundays at 6:30 p.m.). But the big news is three new series, two of which already look like winners.
The new shows are:
The Wild Thornberries (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 p.m.) is the best new show of the bunch - which shouldn't come as a big surprise, given that it comes to us from the people who produce "Rugrats."
The show revolves around Nickelodeon's first animated heroine, Eliza Thornberry, a 12-year-old girl whose family is rather unusual. She and her family travel about in a motor home of sorts as her par-ents shoot wildlife films.
Nigel Thornberry (voiced by Tim Curry) is more than a bit clueless. His wife, Marianne, is the capable one. There's also a rather rebellious teenage daughter, Debbie, and adopted son Donny (voiced by Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers), a 4-year-old "wild child" whom the Thornberrys found in the jungle.
Then there's Eliza's best friend, Darwin - a chimp.
Eliza, you have to understand, can talk to the animals. (She's voiced by Lacey Chabert of "Party of Five," who talks like a cartoon anyway.)
In Tuesday's premiere, the Thornberrys encounter a flood and some rather pesky lions. It's funny, charming and entertaining for both kids and adults.
It's going to be with us for a while.
Animorphs (Fridays at 6:30 p.m.) proves that Nickelodeon does indeed have its finger on the pulse of America's kids - it's based on the extremely popular series of books for young readers.
The premiere episode introduces both the concept and the characters. Five teens (three boys and two girls) stumble upon a dying alien prince. He tells them that the evil Yeerks are planning to invade Earth and bestows upon them the power to morph into any animal they touch - so they get to be dogs and falcons and lions and cockroaches and so on.
Friday's episode is actually the first of a two-parter, which concludes on Sept. 11. It, too, is entertaining stuff, populated by an appealing cast. And the young heroes tend to use their strange powers and their brains to outsmart the bad guys, not brute force.
"Animorphs" will take something that's already hot among the younger set and make it hotter still.
Cousin Skeeter (Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.) is the weakest Nickelodeon's three new shows. It will appeal to younger kids, but most older ones - and their parents - aren't going to be big fans.
The rather strange conceit of this show is that it's populated entirely by regular, human actors. Except for Cousin Skeeter himself, who is a puppet. But the puppet plays a short human.
The premise is certainly admirable. Bobby (Robert Ri'chard) is having some trouble adjusting to his family's move to New York City. He's unsure of himself, while Skeeter's confidence knows no bounds.
All of which might be sort of fun. But Cousin Skeeter is more annoying than endearing.
Ah, well, you can't hit a home run every time. And Nickelodeon's batting average is pretty high.