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WQED’s iQ: smartparent series explores how television shows, movies, music and other forms of media influence kids. Here, HC Chatham Blog Section Editor and Entertainment Writer Onastasia Youssef reminisces about her favorite picks from childhood.
HC Chatham: What was your favorite TV show in elementary/middle school?
Youssef: Scooby-Doo (whether it was What’s New? or Where Are You?) was and still is one of my favorite cartoons. Not only are the characters positive role models that are both smart and loyal, but the stories have always been compelling and creative.
My other favorite in middle school was American Dragon: Jake Long, which ran on the Disney Channel for a couple seasons and can now be found on YouTube! Each new episode was both hilarious and 100% family-friendly with valuable lessons taught, including those about hard work and discipline.
Which character from a book did you most want to be your friend in real life?
Peter Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia. I always aspired to be a brave leader, and no one embodies that sort of figure better than this character. While Peter was admirable, C.S. Lewis was a master at building truly human characters and imbued Peter with his own personal struggles that made him more relatable as he fought off mythological monsters, swore allegiance to the Lion and defended his younger siblings.
What was your favorite movie from childhood?
The Lion King (1994) and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) are my two favorite childhood films. I adore adventure movies and these were some of the grandest ever made by Disney. All the characters were lovable and witty, and the film’s colorful environments took me to worlds I would forever cherish.
Which musician/band do you most associate with your childhood and why?
It’s a tie between Britney Spears, who was my favorite female singer when I was a very young kid in the late ’90s, and the Jonas Brothers, who were my middle and high school obsession. Both had empowering music that helped encourage my own individuality.