Selects: How Schoolhouse Rock Rocked: Featuring Bob Nastanovich of Pavement
The hosts revisit the history and cultural impact of the educational cartoon series Schoolhouse Rock, tracing its origins in a 1970s advertising agency, the role of jazz musician Bob Dorough, and the evolution of its themed seasons on math, grammar, civics, and science. They discuss standout songs, how the show balanced sophisticated music with kid-friendly concepts, its decline with the computer-focused Scooter Computer and Mr. Chips segments, and its 1990s revival and later stage and media adaptations, including tributes and critiques of its simplified historical narratives. In an added interview, Pavement's Bob Nastanovich describes how the band came to record a highly personalized version of "No More Kings" for the 1990s tribute album, and the episode closes with a listener letter about grief, nostalgia, and family memories tied to the show.
The Happy Place of Saturday Morning Cartoons
Josh and Chuck take a nostalgic and critical look at the era of Saturday morning cartoons, tracing how they emerged, peaked, and eventually disappeared from broadcast television. They discuss the programming's cultural role for kids, the heavy commercialization and sugary-food advertising attached to it, and the regulatory battles over violence and marketing to children. The episode also covers the impact of deregulation, the rise of cable and gaming, and how these shifts ended the Saturday morning ritual while leaving a strong shared cultural legacy.