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When I attended Charlie Caper’s show last year, I lamented the fact that it was on too late for children. As Charlie mentions in his spiel, our rate of technological development is far outpacing what we’ve experienced in the past. So more than ever, it is imperative to get our kids hooked on science.
I rejoiced when I saw that Charlie’s revamped show was on at the slightly earlier time of 8pm. This is a much more manageable time for the younger kids, especially given that it is still school holiday season.
Similar to his show last year, this season’s offering blends a mix of technological marvels with classic sleight of hand fixtures. It provides a good balance for families with robot-obsessed kids and siblings or parents who may not be as technologically inclined.
The biggest change in Charlie Caper’s routine is the introduction of a more personable act with his faithful robot dog, Sparky. Sparky’s software appears upgraded and he was acting more dog-like than in his previous show. Seeing Charlie interact with Sparky as if he was a real dog also added wonder to the segment.
My son absolutely howled at how dog-like Sparky was, especially at the end of his bit. Without giving too much away, it was a clever little touch to add.
I also loved Bob, Charlie’s literal talking head. Its deadpan commentary made me giggle throughout the show. It was like having a less sarcastic Chandler Bing weighing in on every thing that Charlie was doing.
Charlie Caper: The Future is family friendly but I would recommend it for ages 5 and upwards, dependent on individual interests.
There are a couple of spoken bits which have double meanings but I am not too concerned about these. They will generally fly over kids’ heads and if repeated by parrots, won’t cause too much mortification.
When I write reviews for children’s shows, I often use my son’s reactions as a gauge.
As we walked out of The Pleasure Garden, he excitedly told me that he wants to build a robot cat.
Are you accepting apprentices, Charlie?