Have you seen my friend, Boo?
Boo (I'm here!)
Children: There he is!
Aah! There he is!
Come on in!
Howdy, this is PhantomStrider!
And this is Boo. (Boo makes urgent sound)
What's wrong, Boo? (Boo makes excited sound)
Ooooh!
No, we're not playing Boo's Clues.
That does give me an idea, though!
Let's check out the Top Three Best and Worst Blue's Clues episodes.
How's that sound, Boo?
Boo: (Perfect!)
Awesome, let's go!
Just a note: for this list, I've only included episodes that are hosted by Steve.
That's before Season 4, Episode 22 when he went off to college.
Steve: I'm gonna miss you...
Blue: (Me too) =(
PhantomStrider: Also, it's worth noting that I consider Blue's Clues one of the best kids' shows of all time.
So, if you do like some of these episodes, that's great, and I think every episode has something valuable.
It's just my silly personal opinion, and Blue's Clues is awesome either way.
Isn't that right, Boo?
Boo: (Yea!)
Anyway, onto the countdown!
Singing: We're gonna play Blue's Clues 'cause that's a really great game! Yeah!
"What Does Blue Want to Make?"
In this episode, surprisingly enough, we're looking for Blue's Clues to find out what Blue wants to make.
You'd think an episode about making things would be amazing because of all the endless possibilities.
Nope!
We start the episode by making (DRAMATIC GASP) paper hats!
Steve: Newspaper hats!
(Sarcasm) Whoa! Well, blow me away with a feather! Paper hats!
Even by Mail Time, we're still making STUPID paper hats.
Really? You have an episode about creating anything and all you can make is paper hats?!
I mean how hard can it really be to do?
(Attempts making a Steve-quality paper hat)
See!? Anyone can make make a paper hat! (Ish)
Boo: (I did!)
PhantomStrider: (Sarcasm) And the episode only gets better!
Not only is the episode a bore, but there's a truckload of editing mistakes.
Interestingly, none of the episodes prior to this one had had any post-production editing mistakes.
But this one is just chock-a-block full of them.
In the beginning, when Steve is following the green yarn, the bottom of the screen is just gone!
Later in the episode, we "skidoo" into the bakery and Steve's legs are cut off.
Steve: It smells like bananas.
We do learn how to make banana bread though, and that's kind of interesting.
Overall, this episode felt like an unfinished, bug-filled mess.
Steve: Blue skidoo---!
Singing: We're gonna play Blue's Clues 'cause that's a really great game! Yeah!
Steve: (Singing) Have a happy birthday to you!
Steve: (Singing) We'll have a great day, too!
Ah, this episode just makes me smile every time I see it.
We get this super catchy birthday song that Steve made for Blue and it plays throughout the whole episode and it's really nice.
As much as I like the usual Blues Clue's tunes, the change is refreshing.
It keeps the cheery and interesting as we do a high-stakes, good old hunt for Blue's Clues.
Steve: You know, I think I need my green crayon for this green clue.
PhantomStrider: The entire episode is really colorful and very creative to look at.
Completely covered in birthday decorations.
Light blues, dark blues, cupcakes, streamers. It's really nice!
What's your favorite color, Boo?
Boo: (happy answer)
Ah, green. I think mine's orange.
It actually kind of takes me back to my childhood birthday party days.
It's just so colorful and pleasant and exciting.
We even get to help Steve pick out a present for Blue at the gift store.
It's an encapsulation of that excitement of a childhood birthday party.
I appreciate the time they put into it.
Singing: We're gonna play Blue's Clues 'cause that's a really great game! Yeah!
"Magenta Gets Glasses".
There's something good to be taken from every Blue's Clues episode.
In this case, I like the fact that they normalize getting glasses by getting *Magenta glasses.
As normal as getting glasses is, it's, unfortunately, seen as quite sad for some people.
Steve: How do you think Magenta is feeling? Do you know?
Child: Sad.
So, Steve points out all the great benefits of Magenta getting glasses.
All the stuff she'll be able to see and do better.
But, unfortunately!
The rest of the episode accurately emulates that mind-bending boredom you get when you're waiting in the optometrist room!
(Looooooooooooooooong Silence)
We're seriously sitting in this eye doctor's office for what feels like eons!
We also meet Miranda, who, unfortunately, really struggled to pretend in Blue's world and just did not fit.
Steve: (Singing) We just figured out Blue's Clues!
Miranda: (Struggling) We just...figured out...Blue's Clues.
PhantomStrider: She just looks at Steve like he's a total weirdo!
Which he is, but he's the most awesome weirdo ever.
Maybe she was given bad direction.
But she, personally, just felt to me uncomfortable and scared in most of the scenes.
Again, while I like that they normalized the optometrist, seems like the eye tests just go on and on!
Steve: Yep, the apple is most definitely on the picnic table.
Miranda: How about the balloons?
Singing: We're gonna play Blue's Clues 'cause that's a really great game! Yeah!
"Blue's Big Holiday"
Steve: Happy Holidays!
Come on in, out of the cold. Make yourself at home.
PhantomStrider: This time, the Blue's Clues house is decorated with all sorts of holiday festivities stuff.
At first, the episode just screams Christmas.
But they never outwardly state what they're celebrating.
What I like is this leaves it for the viewer to interpret.
Maybe they're celebrating a whole new holiday they've made up themselves.
Steve: We noticed you have a tree in the middle of your living room. What are you celebrating?
PhantomStrider: The duo then "skidoos" into a painting where they meet a bunch of misfit toys that don't feel like they belong anywhere.
Steve: You too, huh? Why are you sad?
Toys: (Clicking sounds) 'Cause I'm different.
Steve: Different in a good way, I bet.
How is this tower of blocks different?
PhantomStrider: But Steve beautifully points out what makes them different is part of what also makes them interesting.
Steve: I think your dress is wonderfully different. Unique, in fact!
There's a strong sense of wisdom and diversity to this episode.
Each one of Blue's friends is celebrating a different holiday.
And Steve and Blue bring gifts to each one of them.
One celebrates Christmas.
The other Hanukkah.
And one of them celebrates Kwanzaa!
It always amazes me when kids' shows can teach far more wisdom and acceptance of others
than national religious groups that are supposed to guide people in every aspect of life!
The whole episode pushes the message of diversity and tolerance of others.
Regardless of who they are or what their beliefs are.
Giving kids the universal message that differences are awesome
and it's part of what makes the world an interesting place.
Singing: We're gonna play Blue's Clues 'cause that's a really great game! Yeah!
"Blue's Sad Day"
This episode is sad!
Figuratively and literally!
Steve: Okay, Paw Print, it's time to leave, but it was very nice to...
PhantomStrider: As Steve pans left, all the stuffed animals, felt friends, and Blue all look absolutely miserable!
Steve: Yeah, I mean, she's kind of sad looking and she's making sad noises.
Do you want to play Blue's Clues?
There's nothing wrong with expressing being miserable, but can we have some context.
They start by "skidooing" into Blue's school where they help some of their friends mishaps by helping them talk about their feelings.
Again, every Blue's Clues episode has something good.
And this one's no exception.
Steve: How do you think the purple kangaroo is feeling now?
Child: Sad!
Another Child: Mad!
Steve: Sad...
and mad.
Purple Kangaroo: I feel really sad.
This is a really important message.
And I'm always glad to see kids learning that they should talk about their emotions and feelings.
However!
They soon discover that Blue is upset because a green puppy has been demolishing her tower!
Steve: Blue is now building another block tower.
PhantomStrider: (Darkly dramatic) This devious, little puppy shows up with a flower.
And gives Blue a false sense of security!
Child: Happy!
Steve: Yeah. Happier. Flowers are nice
PhantomStrider: Blue knows a moment of happiness, but that moment is quickly crushed
as the green puppy begins demolishing her block tower again! (Convenient thunder and lightning)
Blue tries to talk about her feelings and rebuild her tower.
(Evil cackling) But the horrible green puppy just obliterates her tower again!
In the Criminal Justice System, we would call this mutt a danger to himself and society at large!
Throwing this mutt into the clinker may be the only option to stop him from demolishing any more blocks!
Finally!
When Blue gives up some of her blocks to the other green puppy, they settle their differences.
What differences?!
The green puppy was just being a mutt!
It seems more like we're giving in to terrorist demands!
Children: Happy!
Steve: Happy!
He's no longer a menace to blocks everywhere, but for how long???
Music: Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun!
This episode infuriates me 'cause we're just watching a bully be catered to.
No matter how much Blue tells the green puppy how she feels
the green puppy just keeps demolishing the blocks.
I'm assuming a 'he' there. Is that sexist of me, Boo?
Boo: (Probably)
Right, right. Yes. Yes, it is.
But what type of message is that to kids?
Destroy public property until you get your way?
That's a horrible message!
For having, arguably, the worst message in the show,
I, personally, consider this the absolute worst Blue's Clues episode.
And just a quick honorable mention:
"What Experiment Does Blue Want to Try?"
Steve and Blue take a crazy science journey!
Steve: See the black dots and...ooh, let's see if we can see her very tiny legs.
We learn a ton of things in this one, like what animals and objects might look like up close.
There's just a lot of science introduced in this one and it really intrigued me.
And , weirdly enough, the kids sound really invested in this episode.
Child: It's a clue! Clue! Clue!
Steve: Wait a minute. You SEE a clue? (Get it?)
Child: Yes!
PhantomStrider: When Steve is walking away from the Blue's Clues
the kids are really struggling to get him to notice.
Hell, eventually the two "skidoo" into outer space and meet the freaking Sun
where we get an interstellar musical lesson.
This episode felt like we were getting a cross between Blue's Clues, Beakman's World, and Bill Nye.
Anyway, you ready, Boo?
Boo: (Yea!)
Right! On to Number 1!
And I think the number one best Blue's Clues episode is...
"Blue Gets Frustrated"
Steve: (angrily grunting)
This is the kind of episode that transcends just being a kids' show.
Giving us a message that isn't often even taught in adult shows.
Steve and Blue teach kids mindfulness.
Steve: I stopped (breathes)...
Took a deep breath...
And now I can think.
PhantomStrider: This was one of the episodes I saw as a teenager during a pretty angry, dark time in my life.
And Steve taught me to stop...
Take a deep breath...
And clear my mind, and it made a big difference and helped me.
I'd say most of us on a daily basis run into issues that make us frustrated.
Maybe when someone's rude to us or we're cut off in traffic.
And when these moments happen,
Steve teaches here to recognize our anger.
Stop, acknowledge the emotion, and take a breath.
Then, once we're calm, we can think again.
Almost every second thing nowadays sets off people's fight or flight reflexes.
And since we can't run from the saber-tooth tiger anymore, we have to just sit on that stress.
But this teaches us to recognize it. That is awesome!
We can't always see the right answer when our heads are clouded by anger, misery, frustration, or grief.
But when we manage to find that calm, we can do things with more clarity and a better understanding of the right thing to do.
The fact that Blue's Clues could simplify this message down to teach it effectively to kids is, personally,
the most memorable and important lesson the show ever taught me.
And as Blue and Steve teach this, they make it a cheery romp at the same time too!
Hell, I now have peanut butter celery and raisins as a snack. It's nice.
It's a pleasant traditional Blue's Clues episode with one of the best messages we could teach kids.
I can comfortably call "Blue Gets Frustrated" the number one best Blue's Clues episode!
Well, thanks for checking out these episodes with me.
And thank you, Boo.
Boo: (nervous sound)
Well, of course, you did something.
You're my friend and you're moral support.
As long as you're here, my day feels a little bit better.
Boo: (Yay!)
Much like Blue's Clues has done for me.
And I thank Steve, Blue, and everyone behind this show for helping entertain kids, and me for that matter.
Even if I don't rewatch this young kids' show much nowadays
I feel better for knowing Blue's Clues is a thing.
And I hope Nickelodeon can capture that magic of the original in the remake.
Steve, himself, picked out the actor.
Not me. (Sassy head roll).
And since I didn't make it in, I'll be here doing what I love.
And I hope you can join me again sometime.
And there's a ton of great Blue's Clues episodes.
So, if you have any personal favorites, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
And as always, thanks for watching and we'll see you next time.
Knocks, blues, box, belbbelbbeleble well (raspberry)!
Billaleh! Blehg!
Personal favorites. Feel free to leave mints blebalebeleb.
We just figured out Blue's Clues 'cause we're really smart! (Yea!)
<--------------------------------------Juggling!