DefunctTV: The History of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

[@Kevin-jb2pv]

The fact that Rockapella were making up those songs basically on the fly is insane talent on display.

[@quillclock]

they were the cornerstone of this show. i hope they got paid very well

[@redherring5532]

Remember their Folgers commercial? 😅

[@brianarbenz1329]

Once when Greg muffed a line, the group or at least a member, spontaneously and off camera sung the correction. Greg acknowledged the goof and thanked the group. They instantly sang “save it!”

[@williampike6813]

My twin, who was blind,also died at 29, loved em so much he got their tapes and would listen all the time. We'd sit in front of our 13" TV with coat hanger and aluminum foil rabbit ears and watch every day after school. We could've been on the show we were so good at geography. From Boston so wasn't far.

[@jerwwilliams]

There's a local radio station in my city that plays Rockapella's Carmen San Diego theme once a week. I dig it, but it's pretty baffling.

[@kimifw58]

Let me get this straight. This show was popular because it was good, and it was good because the people working on it cared about what they were making to the point of consulting the creators of the source material, listening to a good chunk of their target demographic, and using music that was current for the time? Unthinkable!

[@buckrodgers1162]

Well when you take a look at all the inclusionist, 'ist' and 'phobe' accusing, brain dead morons, that are in charge of the shows that are on now; Yeah it is. But then again at that same time we had other masterpiece shows like 'Married With Children' that had Al 'The Great Modern Philosopher' Bundy, as well as many others.

[@iguanaafternoon]

@@buckrodgers1162 17:59

[@buckrodgers1162]

@@iguanaafternoon, Yes I know. But it's one thing to have it naturally. It's an entirely different thing to forcefully retcon things to have it, and then call the original fans of the subject 'ists' and 'phobes' for simply disagreeing. Like WB's BatWoman, the Ghostbusters movie from 2016, Star Trek Discovery, and so on.

[@Wootmaster]

@@buckrodgers1162 you can disagree with something without being transphobic or racist and its disingenuous to pretend that anyone who criticizes something gets painted with those labels. Its also really weird to even bring that up on an entirely unrelated topic. log off and go outside m8

[@buckrodgers1162]

@@Wootmaster, And there we go with the accusations of being 'ist' and 'phobe'. All I said was direct and to the point. There was no malice behind it, yet you start saying that it was 'this and that', when it wasn't. Maybe you should take your own advice, and then take a good look in the mirror. Because this is the exact stuff I was talking about.

[@lirpa5]

As a kid in the early 90's without basic cable, after school PBS programming was a godsend. Carmen Sandiego, Ghost Writer and Bill Nigh the Science Guy. Great time.

[@bransonbenson9520]

I loved ghost writer

[@miamininetails84]

Agreed 👍

[@theoraclesjournal]

Ghost writer was so good.

[@MaverickChristian]

Same here! 😁

[@JosephDavies]

Yes!

[@ACommonSpring]

One thing I loved about this show and the fact they had it on PBS is it made a fun show accessible to the poor kids like me. We didn't have cable, we used the rabbit ears and were only able to pick up 2 channels - PBS channel 2 and one that played a lot of golf lol. So many shows I wasn't able to watch as a kid and having a 'hip' show on PBS really helped me feel like I fit in.

[@KatIoannou]

Same here hun. We had channels 2, 4 and 7. Sometimes we could get channel 3 if you move the rabbit ears just right.

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

Same

[@OneAndOnlySurge]

All my friends were talking about Nickelodeon and here I was with only Carmen Sandiego... but I was more than happy! 😊

[@CEOofWasrael]

Man I hated that pbs kids wasn’t always on. The only other show on public cable worth watching was Xena

[@Alsebra]

As much enjoyment as I derived from some Nickelodeon shows, I was always more partial to WITWICS, Square One TV, and The Family Channel (almost always for the remakes of the '60s Batman series they ran on the regular). I even vaguely recall seeing 3-2-1 Contact once or twice...

[@LARKXHIN]

"Where in the USA" fair "Where in Europe" ok "Where in Time" neat "Where in North Dakota" *amazing*

[@TK17000]

Where in this Pizza Hut is Carmen Sandiego?

[@charlestoncooper5265]

@@TK17000 the bathroom?

[@randomtinypotatocried]

If I recall correctly I think there was some sort of deal with North Dakota school districts and the company

[@zerwif]

Makes me remember the SNL sketch "Where in the World is San Diego California."

[@TrashHeapCustodian]

@@TK17000 trick question, she's in the taco bell

[@mrtempleton5302]

I still have my gumshoe kit from the show! They gave them out in pieces to collect at Wendy's! I was living in a hotel after a house fire and my mom bought me so many Wendy's kid meals for dinners. I'd watch the show in the hotel room and then go pretend to try and catch Carmen around the hotel. Thanks PBS for making a rough time in my life a little better!

[@michaelcorrigan6577]

This is a great anecdote!

[@BrightAwake]

This is such a sweet story, thank you for sharing

[@ericross5048]

Your mom sounds awesome

[@MadSpaceWolfDiary]

I remember the following sweepstakes. I won forst prize if i recall correctly . Which was the 1994-95 edition of the where in the world game, and either an atlas or guiness book of world records. Can't recall what the grand prize was. I think it was a paid for trip?

[@Grovesie35]

Awesome story, tyvm for sharing! 😊

[@unclegumbald989]

Lynne Thigpen was the HEART & SOUL of that show.

[@angelmarie2281]

I was so upset when she passed on. My mom watched All My Children. I remember her on there and called her "the chief." I think she was doing both shows and Broadway at the same time which is probably she prerecorded her segments.

[@Boskov01]

I will forever call her "The Chief." I was actually annoyed in the cartoon series for Carmen Sandiego in the 90s that the Chief wasn't Lynn, and was actually some annoying nasally voiced face on a screen. Lynn was THE Chief! Then, Now, Till The Ends of Time.

[@unclegumbald989]

Also, thank you Carmen Sandiego, for making me pretty damned good at geography! 😅

[@Sarged40]

She was also one of my favorite parts of The Warriors.

[@unclegumbald989]

@@angelmarie2281 Same here.... TOTALLY devastated. 😢

[@LivvyGranger]

I wasn't expecting the intense hit of nostalgia at hearing The Chief's voice

[@MmGocrazy-rs1cc]

🤦🏾‍♂️

[@marielaveau6362]

I used to watch this show with my 5 year old son, who fell in love with geography because of it. He was a finalist in two Geography Bee's when he was in middle school. He couldn't decide if he wanted to be a Meteorologist or map maker growing up. He finally graduated college with a Geography degree, and now works as a cartographer. Amazing how a kids show can influence a child's life.

[@moonasha]

just goes to show how much of our future depends on making sure children have a good and inspirational upbringing. Crap parents and education systems are probably to blame for a lot of our societal ills

[@NAT-turners-Revenge]

Cool

[@MommyOfZoeAndLiam]

Wow, my Grandfather was a mathematician and during WW2 he was a map maker. It was his job to take photographs and other information along with current maps and use math to determine where things were to make new maps that included bases and artilery and other things like that. I wish I had learned more about the specifics when he was still alive.

[@K_Rae_Bee]

I absolutely adore this comment! It's so wholesome and I love it!

[@tonyraffetto931]

Thats awesome, tell him a random dude in youtube comments thinks hes cool as hell

[@AlterRaigo]

This show is proof that elaborate, interesting and successful educational kids shows don't need all the money in the world, but a team of people passionate enough.

[@LadellTurner]

Right! This and the magic school bus

[@kerpal321]

@@LadellTurner also reading rainbow

[@moe45673]

Always been that X-Factor. The Chief and Greg's chemistry was electric, and Rockapella being everpresent but not in the spotlight was a perfect example of what musicians would call "The notes you don't play"

[@DavidKen878]

$3.5mil was a lot of money back in the day

[@Imac7065]

the 90's were littered with shows like this.... ask anyone in their 30's about Beakman's World, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Reading Rainbow, Encyclopedia, etc etc and watch their eyes light up... this vid brought back many memories for me.

[@Frame_Late]

The fact that they brought Greg's mom on just to prank him is a testament to how much they loved making this show.

[@MetroXLR]

Well, as the man said: The writing staff were encouraged to watch Animaniacs, and Rocky & Bullwinkle for inspiration on how to make the show funnier. And sneaking the host's own mother in as a prank sounds like something one might see in either cartoon.

[@PaintSplashProductions]

I wish more game shows would do that. So funny and adorable at the same time

[@landonletterman831]

The fact that there are two comments side by side _(besides this one)_ that both start with "the fact that" is something I wish I had a nickel for, every time it happened! I mean, I would only have one nickel, but it's still weird that it'd happen!

[@Thagomizer]

I remember seeing that episode!

[@Jacksmusicshack]

Really wholesome I saw that episode it was just sweet

[@jonathanlechasseur3228]

I went on the quebec version of this show! I was 12 and they selected 6 of us for two episodes. We had to have above a certain grade in our geography class and then they had us pass a test and took the top six. I felt so freakin special and the cast really took time to make us feel welcome.

[@Game_Hero]

vraiment super, jusqu'où vous vous êtes rendu dans l'émission? Manche 1, 2 ou 3?

[@jonathanlechasseur3228]

@@Game_Hero Haha j’ai été éliminé le premier… bravo a Marie et Yacine ils ont été meilleurs que moi ce jour la :)

[@nerdy_kid_at_heart]

Oh, that is awesome! I really wish we could see that segment. Congrats!

[@RonJomero]

I took my brother to a Rockapella concert sometime in the mid 2000s. They were great. And at the end of the show they told the audience to "say it." They didn't need to explain. The entire stadium bursted out "DO IT, ROCKAPELLA!" and then the place lit up even more as they sang the song from this show.

[@skylergannon8291]

I saw them in the early 2000's at a small venue in Long Island, NY with my dad, he loved them and bought all of theirs CD's! It was a great show!

[@Textile_Courtesan]

That sounds amazing. Best ending to a concert.

[@I_like_turtles_67]

That's bad ass. I love when people can embrace their pop culture past. Instead of getting pissed. Anytime someone brings it up. I'm talking about you Harrison Ford!!!

[@jackdelyea3710]

Incredible

[@jjm152]

I'd bet that they're pretty proud of their stint on that TV show. I can't imagine there's many things more emotionally rewarding than making a generation of kids happy.

[@DiegoAlvarezBeltran1993.]

I love that Greg absolutely broke character the second he saw his mom, it was so sweet.

[@MetroXLR]

*Greg's Mom (REALLY...No Kidding.)*

[@Numbskulli]

@RepentandbelieveinJesusChristno

[@Mr-Jive]

@RepentandbelieveinJesusChristI refuse

[@dulltommy555_4]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ i like that but comeonnn

[@_awaken]

@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ shut up

[@finmiles965]

My dad never cared to tell any of the Carmen Sandiego extended universe apart, so when I was a kid we played “Where the Hell is Carmen Sandiego”, a memory I had completely forgotten until now. At least I can hope for an identically-titled spin-off in a perfect world

[@uainjansun]

Sounds funny 🤣

[@uainjansun]

Here's a joke: where the hell is Carmen sandiego? Me: she's on sandiego California jackasses!

[@theeducatedfool]

Sounds like a legit way to go through Dante’s Inferno tbh.

[@avivagodfrey]

...You might just get your wish at this rate. My writer's brain likes this very much. oAo Do you mind if I play with it some??

[@finmiles965]

@@avivagodfrey lol as long as you link it to me! Would love to read it :)

[@TheDunestrider]

I'm 70 now. How I fondly remember when I was in my 30s, coming home from work to see an episode of "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego"! Wonderful memories!

[@pandamonium3996]

strange...im 44..and i remember watching fresh episodes when i was a teenager

[@HM2SGT]

56, enlisted sailor then. Me too! ♥️

[@artchic528]

RIP Lynn Thigpen. She will always be Chief of ACME Detective Agency in my heart.

[@TestingPyros]

RIP Lynne. It was SO sad when she passed! :(

[@Carmelmen1]

She died!?

[@ChocolateEffigy]

@@Carmelmen1 yes. In 03

[@aphelion4616]

@@Carmelmen1 Yes, in '03 from cancer sadly.

[@michaelmason2227]

Agreed. I did some research and found out she was born/raised, has a school named after her, and is buried in Joliet, IL where I currently reside. Pretty cool 😎

[@MrSkerpentine]

Greg’s pure genuine shock to seeing his mom pop up on screen is so good and wholesome lol

[@TheMeloettaful]

"Yes ma'am." lol 😂!

[@mikeb8674]

Greg Lee was the best. I don't think the show works without him or Lynne Thigpen (RIP).

[@Dargonhuman]

God I actually remember watching that one back in the day. It was the talk of the school all week as we debated whether it actually was Greg's mom or just an actress.

[@WinkDaMan07]

@@mikeb8674 I always wondered why they replaced him with Kevin Chinnick on Where in Time

[@christinahewett5390]

Former Senator and now President Joe Biden

[@BriGuyIL1980]

Greg Lee getting teary eyed to his mother appearing on the show was sweet.

[@Peppmintleaf]

yeah that was so wholesome

[@catloverKD]

I wonder if they surprised him, and that's why.

[@ChicoDiamante]

He couldn’t handle it, absolutely adorable! You could tell he is a good son who really loves his Mom! ❤️

[@BeyondFables]

@@catloverKD He definitely seemed surprised when she appeared

[@charles67198]

No one else like this comment

[@spunkyfidget70]

I don’t think there’s been a game show segment since that’s more edge-on-your-seat to watch than the giant map sequence of Carmen Sandiego. The timer going down while Rockapella did their ‘bombawachick’ song can’t be duplicated.

[@3WoodDucks]

30 years later and my desire to own one of those jackets has not dimished

[@shantellakaladypersephone8671]

SAMEEEE!!! I wrote to DIC and requested how could I get one. Still waiting on a response...

[@calibankzthomas9229]

Me too

[@markaholicsanonymous677]

That jacket was Fire

[@julscatten2640]

SAAAAME!

[@koopakilla19]

4 real

[@nicholascmartinez]

I was on the show. What a great experience! I still remember walking through the hallways and hearing Rockapella warming up for the taping. Dynamic.

[@moe45673]

you were a contestant? Spill the deets!

[@mvcp2788]

So jealous! I wanted to be on the show so much! Please make a video about your experience!

[@indicajane4721]

Nice

[@missgigip]

That is so cool!

[@Mama_Bear524]

So cool!! I’m really happy that you had that experience

[@tsnap4]

Greg's "Yes ma'am." after his mom shows up is a pure embarrassed child reaction.

[@Blundabus1337]

Something that blew my mind and blows my mind today is that rockafella did the carmen sandiego theme every episode for the audience. It wasnt just done once and used every episode, it was done for every episode. To me that's really cool.

[@unclegumbald989]

Oh! And the “this show was made possible from viewers like you” thing that PBS does? **chef’s kiss mwah**

[@marcusblackwell2372]

He did it 2 times before with Between The Lions & I think Zoboomafoo

[@boriszakharin3189]

@@marcusblackwell2372 I'm pretty sure the "thank you" after the viewers like you thing was added to PBS programming long after Carmen Sandiego aired, though

[@marcusblackwell2372]

@@boriszakharin3189 but they did. Unless... When did they start that? Zoboomafoo came out 4 or 5 years after Where In The World ended, and Between The Lions came out 6 years after it ended

[@boriszakharin3189]

@@marcusblackwell2372 According to LogoPedia, "thank you" was added in 1999, so after Where in theWorld is Carmen Sandiego finished its run: logos.fandom.com/wiki/PBS/Viewers_Like_You#:~:text=They%20didn't%20add%20%22Thank,Russel%20Comedy%20Special%20in%201991).

[@marcusblackwell2372]

@@boriszakharin3189 in that case, it WAS there for Between The Lions because that came out in 2000

[@LaundryFaerie]

At 20:08 Greg getting completely flustered over his mom's unexpected participation in the show is the most wholesome thing I've seen today.

[@micheal2458]

ikr? that was so sweet!

[@LauraFromMarkerQuest]

He had tears in his eyes! So precious!

[@craigh4691]

That was so nice! And she did a great job!

[@charlottecorday8494]

That was so amazing! Made my week

[@hothotheat3000]

Grown men turn into shy boys when their moms appear.

[@johnjames6980]

My niece won one of the T-shirts and when the show came to our local mall, her mom took her there to meet "the chief", Lynn Thigpen. When she finally got to meet Lynn, she was wearing the Carmen Sandiago T-shirt and asked Ms. Thigpen to sign it. Lynn said she was only supposed to sign pictures. After a second, she snuck my niece around the table she was sitting at and signed the shirt. We'd always liked "the chief" before but she became our hero that day. Thank you, Lynn Thigpen - you are still missed!

[@ArcherSlamBAM]

Lynn Thigpen was taken well before her time.

[@rightsarentpolitical]

This is literally causing me to cry nostalgic tears reading this; that is so sweet!

[@johnjames6980]

@@rightsarentpolitical Yes, she was a real lady!

[@scotthewitt258]

NGL. That story made me tear up a little.

[@Adrian-zd4cs]

I'm 40 and didn't realize how much of this show I remember! Great stuff ❤

[@needfuldoer4531]

Despite her hesitation, Lynne Thigpen WAS the perfect The Chief. Her knack for authoritative delivery really sold how serious the outlandish scenarios were to the plot.

[@scottgreenberg1596]

I think they had to sell her on the educational part.

[@fable23]

This, to me, is the perfect example of a show that can be enjoyed by all ages. You've got the silly cartoons and wacky costumes to appeal to the little kids, you've got the exciting, globetrotting detective adventure aspect to appeal to the big ones, and enough sly references and genuinely clever wordplay to keep even the adults entertained. And learning? Learning can be fun at any age.

[@alika207]

Exactly! :-)

[@ArtistFormallyKnownasMC]

I would sit down now and watch this. I have nostalgia from watching it as a kid. But watching this footage, reminds me how exciting it was, so well done!

[@cashmsc]

I just want to take a second to appreciate Carmen’s character design. She looks like a badass

[@snakeman830]

And despite the changing definitions of fashion over the years, her look has always managed to remain stylish.

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

There is just something almost timeless about variation on that 40s Noir look. Her early incarnations with the black fedora look like Frida's getup in the ABBA music video of "Money, Money, Money" funnily enough!

[@katiem.3109]

Also, the fact that they decided to make her latina woman instead of the typical white male master criminal is pretty cool, especially since her characterization isn't stereotypical or sexually objectified at all. She's just a badass master criminal looking fly in her awesome coat and fedora, who happens to be a hispanic woman.

[@grahamn311]

The creativity on display from the show writers and producers is incredible

[@scoopishere7881]

"Personally interviewed over 900 kids." *"Personally interviewed over 900 kids."* That is *insane* commitment. Huge props to this guy.

[@MrWolfSnack]

That's how you really get a feel for what kids want, and work with that and find ways to logistically incorporate the kids' wild ideas into a coherent show. Nobody does that anymore, its all about money, so you just get a bunch of CEO's slapping garbage together and then it flops.

[@zodiark111]

@@MrWolfSnack although if they wanted to actually make money the smart way instead of the quick way, they would continue to workshop ideas from actual kids. The problem is that they don't want to take the time and would rather recycle something from old formulas that are proven. Then they change the formula in some awful way and ruin it anyway lol.

[@ImpetuouslyInsane]

If you interviewed 10 an hour for an 8 hour work day, you could power through that in nearly 2 and a half weeks, ballpark. Hey, they didn't say personally one-on-one, and PBS didn't have that much money. Haven't you ever been part of a marketing study?

[@AvoidingTheRuby]

Its over 900!

[@rustifowler9384]

Nowadays that'd get ya 20 years...

[@bwminich]

I remember when the geographical changes of the early 90s caused the theme song to change. They had to change “Czechoslovakia and back” to “Czech and Slovakia and back”. Which as a kid, just amazed me. A TV show CHANGED IT’S THEME SONG? To match with events? What was this craziness!

[@ksand7409]

This is really interesting. I wish I got to see this show. But I did get to see a few reruns of the animated one and later Carmen Sandiego on Netflix. They changed it to “Czech Republic and back”

[@shawnise]

I remember that change.

[@qure9128]

@@shawnise me too

[@craigjensen6853]

It was also really weird when the "Roseanne" theme song got lyrics for the first time. It was never intended to have words.

[@SpeedyDePalma]

Animaniacs did that with the line about Bill Clinton playing the sax to we pay tons of income tax

[@angelmarie2281]

Rockapella singing"where do you want to go?" has been living rent free in my mind for nearly 30 years.

[@Robert-jz7hq]

lol funny but true

[@bagofgroceries]

Or “How Much You Gonna Risk?”

[@TheKacklinKraken]

Literally 😂

[@thewoodchipperr]

SHE STOLE THE BEANS FROM LIMA FOR PETES SAKE

[@Bl4ckDr4co]

YESSS

[@katbrechtel499]

hearing "all geographic information was accurate as of the date it was recorded" overlaid on a big crowd singing the themesong unlocked a core memory for me. I LOVED this show. I loved this show and I had almost completely forgotten about it. Jeez! Thank you, Defunctland!

[@ness100]

WQED and WGBH deserve so much credit for the influence they had on kid's programming. Probably the most important non-family positive influence on 2 full generations of children.

[@pieboy107]

THISSSS!!!!!!!!!!!! And it was free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@missybarbour6885]

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

[@galesdove]

as a boston native so much of my childhood was defined by wgbh. LOVE them and all they’ve done!!

[@missybarbour6885]

@monny287 OOOH TWO OOOONE THREE FOOOOOUR! SEND IT TO *ZOOM*!

[@courtneyc1669]

I never realized how lucky I was to grow up in Pittsburgh! 🙂

[@twizzy585ots]

As a kid from the inner city of NY weirdly enough this show changed my life...I was around 8 or 9 when I first found it and loved it...it legit sparked my love for geography and travelling...I'm 37 now work for American airlines and have traveled almost all around the world 🌎...idk if it was coincidental or not but I always credit them for sparking the thoughts of looking outside ny environment 👌🏿😎💯

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

I'd pay first class rates for a crowded coach middle seat if Rockapella did the pre-flight safety briefing.

[@lisalove991]

Aww this comment gave me all the feels, so wholesome 🥺 I loved Carmen San Diego as a child it made me understand that there was A WHOLE WORLD of different countries and continents and places to see. I remember highlights magazine made a mail in game inspired by Carmen (at least I think that was the idea) where you had to solve geographical puzzles and I would get it in the mail every month (my grandma bought it for me since she saw my interest in the show) and I loved getting it in the mail I felt so important that I was finally getting mail 😂 I was about 6 when the show was still popular

[@twizzy585ots]

@@lisalove991 wowwww my grandmother did the same for me with those highlight books...omg I absolutely forgot about that ‼️👌🏿🖤

[@lisalove991]

@@twizzy585ots yesss I loved them so much! Thanks for your comment 💕

[@twizzy585ots]

@@lisalove991 yours aswell thank you

[@miz_logo_lee]

I was a 30-year-old career woman when this show was out and I actually used to watch it, it was so entertaining.

[@mojisolashabi]

I also watched as a young adult. It was a good show. That theme song lives rent free in my head.

[@ernestalvarado4084]

As an adult now you gotta love the energy they put into the show.

[@RandomNonsense1985]

I’d love to go on an adult version of the show.

[@MsMoneyonMyMind]

This show was literally such an integral part of my academic life as a kid. I was in an academically gifted program and each time we were released from our classes for our extra studies, we were able to play the game after we completed our work. Such fun. Such nostalgia. Thank you ❤

[@KaworuSylph]

Sometimes karma actually does right and a show gets popular for all the right reasons - it was wholesome, positive, and executed at a pretty damn high level.

[@haulforlove9720]

Where in the world is Karma Sandiego?

[@TuscanWonder]

@@haulforlove9720 ⏰ out for me

[@olandir]

It's only now as an adult that I can appreciate how incredibly hard working and talented Rockapella was. I mean the amount of work they had to do on that show every day is impressive and they always looked like they were having a blast!

[@Virjunior01]

I'd never really liked musicals, with the exception of stuff like Tiny Toons and Animaniacs... not even Disney movies got me. But damned if I didn't appreciate Rockapella

[@DATWagonator]

90s TV, for kids at least, really was superior to anything we have today, it was bring the country together too, far less issues with race and now it seems like everything is about division.

[@vlo4829]

@@DATWagonator And like they said in the video: The show actually DID take diversity into consideration. But they didn't say "Did you see the chief is black?", "Today we have a black male contestant, a Hispanic female contestant, and Mark whose heritage and gender are boring, forgettable, and regrettable." , etc. The show was just FUN.

[@moe45673]

@@vlo4829 Yup. I watched this show as a kid and I just saw all different types of kids. I didn't even care if it was a girl or boy, it was just fun to see kids doing this

[@jefffinkbonner9551]

I've sang in a few amateur quartet/ ensemble barbershop type groups. Those Rockapella fellas just have that absolute genuine love of music and showmanship. I've been with guys who'd don a tux on a Tuesday evening and sing with as much enthusiasm and heart at a sleepy senior center just for the love of music and the opportunity to entertain people, no matter the venue. These guys are having the time of their lives here! Also, the general societal moods of genuine equality and diversity we had in the 90s was so unifying and wholesome; we really need to get back to that. Things today are totally toxic. Seems like the people griping the loudest about perceived problems are sowing the most division. We're much more united than we think; unfortunately there's a lot of $$ to be made in the online race grifting sphere and in the griping about race grifting sphere.

[@gatebuildr]

Nothing says 90s educational programming like "We wanted to include rap music so we hired an a cappella group."

[@cgardner85]

I guess the cappella Here’s Comes Treble wasn’t available 😉

[@JC-fg2jz]

Yo, have you seen "Do It A Capella?" Rockapella's out there making Brooklyn audiences do the Arsenio hand-pumping whoop thing. They were hip-hop as shit. I am very curious about an alternate universe where The Persuasions or Ladysmith Black Mambazo ended up on Carmen Sandiego, though.

[@Game_Hero]

and including a rapping grandma

[@ThePondermatic]

I did get the impression that they picked Rockapella because they were truly excellent musicians and had the right energy for the show, not because they were safer than rap music.

[@korubi_eCSTatic]

the 90s were wild and i miss them sooooo badly

[@ScaryPoppins]

I should've searched for this video years ago. You have no idea how happy and nostalgic in feeling right now. ❤️❤️

[@Jaydoggy531]

Had the pleasure of seeing Rockapella perform at my college. They've had changes to the crew but the band remains. They saved Carmen Sandiego for last. It was a full 90 minute show, too. They then performed three other encores.

[@Musicradio77Network]

Rockapellas were the doo-wop group of the 1990’s reviving the sound of the 1950’s and 1960’s doo-wop music of the Moonglows, the Heartbeats, the Flamingos, the Marcels, the Platters, and others doo-wop groups of the time. I remember when Don K Reed was with the Rockapellas as a guest on the “Doo-Wop Shop” a long time ago when it was on WCBS-FM and it was good, and they sang the show’s theme.

[@choreomaniac]

I saw them a couple of times in the 1990s good to hear they are still around.

[@thembill8246]

Their vocal drummer was AMAZING. Did he get a solo break in Carmen Sandiego?

[@rushnerd]

The Chief's actress makes the entire show alongside Rockapella. It's cool to know they had her in mind from the start; her delivery of every line is something I remembered for 25 years.

[@AdderTude]

Lynne Thigpen is her name.

[@the_emmasculator]

She was also the moon in the bear in the big blue house!

[@rushnerd]

@@the_emmasculator Never would have guessed that one, what a throwback.

[@BradyPostma]

I love her surprise appearance on Lincoln (2012)!

[@ScreamsGeo]

Rest in peace, Lynne Thigpen.

[@Enigmatic_Stardust]

24:28 Defunctland you did it again....carmen san Diego was one of my favorite shows as a child.... the nostalgia has me in tears 😢...this show was a highlight in a otherwise turbulent childhood .....you did the show justice....an amazing documentary thank you 💓

[@delphinidin]

I remember the Chief would always, at a certain point in the show, try to make a basket with a basketball thrown over her shoulder. I only ever saw her manage it once, and she was just as thrilled as everybody else! lol

[@maydavalle]

😆

[@moe45673]

The chief was perfect. She was absolutely hilarious with her overly serious demeanor. Absolute gold with that casting

[@siechamontillado]

Seeing a new Defunctland vid is like walking in the door at your home and finding fresh baked chocolate chip cookies waiting for you and a glass of warm milk.

[@akalyx]

accurate

[@marsy_mcmarsface]

I just got off of a shit day of work and opened KZbin to see it. Day is automatically better!

[@BlockbusterVideo]

EXACTLY!😃

[@MalunoMcSketch]

Very appropriate simile my friend

[@swedsteve93]

I've never had warm milk Sounds abhorrent

[@imjustjoshing550]

Thank you for recognizing a Classic TV show that Boomerang or Nickelodeon would never pick up

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

Their loss lol!

[@JeffreyPiatt]

The PBS stations and HMH own the rights to the game shows. The 90's cartoon is on the DHX KZbin channels.

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

@@JeffreyPiatt too bad HMH doesn't have a production company then maybe it could dvd release or even whatever production company makes Mrs Maisel (not amazon, I actually found out Mrs Maisel has a Game Show Carmen connection)

[@ArtOfficialKreations]

As much as I loved a plethora of 90’s era Nickelodeon & Cartoon Network shows, I really don’t think WitWiCS would have meshed very well with other shows on those networks (with the possible exception of Legends of the Hidden Temple).. Without a doubt, Carmen San Diego will always score MAJOR nostalgia points with me (&prolly just about every other American 90’s kid who at some point got that relentless ear worm of a theme song lodged in their skulls as well!)

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

@Will N forget it, the Knowbots wouldn't let you answer the question before they finish reading it out, that always bothered me when I played it. And for the record if WB can add disclaimers to old Looney Toons cartoons and Disney adding Disclaimers to most of the content on their streaming service they can add the disclaimers to the season 1 episodes. Yeah taking of the towers is kind of an ethical problem here, it doesn't help that there was a dying informant segment in that episode Even so a part of me wants the show to stay off all revival talks because if that happens then the episodes of the game show on this site will be blocked

[@eternalenigma1628]

This show give me Bill Nye the Science guy vibes, where it’s fun and whacky but also educational and made by passionate people. I’m glad it was given to PBS! The diversity in the original characters, the adult actors and the kid contestants is awesome!

[@kbforme]

The actress who played the chief really made the show as I remember. I honestly can't imagine this show with anyone else.

[@dfresh93086]

She was even included on certain PC games, as well.

[@kbforme]

@Andrew McFadden Oh dude they better at least ask her to do it. It would be dumb not to as people like me who watched the show as a kid will have hardcore nostalgia. It would be cool if they got the guy too but that is secondary imo.

[@kbforme]

@Andrew McFadden well shit.

[@dcsmooth]

She was also Luna on Bear and the Big Blue House. 🌝🐻

[@meowbacca5624]

Hahah same. I forgot much of the show details, but the chief is unforgettable!

[@kimberlywiederhold627]

Rest in peace Lynn Thigpen. She died during production of The District. Even though I was an adult I did enjoy Where In The World.

[@thewkovacs316]

it's one of the reasons it was a hit parents could watch it along with their kids

[@kimberlywiederhold627]

@@thewkovacs316 I watched it myself and I had no children.

[@SaraHouck461]

Man, just hearing her mentioning Mister Rogers Neighbood when giving the lowdown on Pittsburgh, PA as that particular location was used for the jail time challenge in the episode "You ain't nothing but a house thief" which was aptly-titled as such due to Graceland as the loot should serve as quite a painful reminder, because Lynne Thigpen's passing was exactly two weeks after that of Mr. Rogers himself, which I obviously remember during my early teen years!

[@Jimmyd134]

This one goes out to the warriors. You know That real live bunch from cony. And I do mean the warriors.

[@simplysteve68]

She was in the Robin Williams movie Bicentennial man, as the head of the robot/human relations board of judges, when he was still trying to convince them, that he was more human than bot, in the 2200s

[@GeddyRC]

I may be a miserable, bitter pissed off millennial now, but I’ll tell you - growing up in the early 90s with all this great stuff was incredible. Amazing time to be a kid.

[@mc12358]

I totally agree, Geddy!

[@helenamirian908]

Same! Though I still suck at geography.

[@thedirty530]

Sure was a great time to grow up! I feel for the kids nowdays with this time period being their "good ol days"

[@LadellTurner]

Definitely

[@F386Longrifle]

Agreed. To me, the 90's was this show, Thomas the Tank engine, etc we didnt have cable either. I had no idea who Doug or Hey Arnold was lol

[@webguy943]

Seriously underrated show. I watched it as a kid n loved it. They need to bring this back. I still sing the a-cappella song to this day!

[@jacobpule6390]

Great show. But it’s too late to bring it back now. Unfortunately

[@steveblumusic]

Hey that's my dad!! Great job on this, Defunctland!

[@jlagerholm]

Cool. Thanks to your dad for putting together such a great, fun show.

[@TheMuseAphelion]

I loved that show so much. Your dad did a great job!

[@Beigemage0621]

Your dad is a legend. Tell him thanks for all the amazing work he put into this show!

[@tejaswoman]

Awwwww! I was a grown woman(and a high-school English teacher) by the time the game came out, and still I loved it. Also enjoyed watching PBS Kids TV in the afternoon to unwind. This show was such a delight.

[@Thevillagebrother]

Yo your Dad is a legend! This was my show growing up. Please thank him for all of us.

[@TheGryfonclaw]

I remember this show so fondly. I was almost a contestant, but even though I didn't make the final cut, I got some great swag and eventually majored in geography in college. I am a cartographer today. Lynn Thigpen was great, I got to meet her.

[@SB-jn8cw]

I went through it too, I remember being so bummed about not making it on the show.

[@KariIzumi1]

In the 2019 reboot on Netflix, the show modeled Chief after her and I literally squeed when I saw her for the first time. 🥰

[@unknownsample4801]

@@SB-jn8cw Same

[@lizzb1065]

Yo that's so cool!!!

[@benjamindury6580]

Man I can’t even believe how fast they get these things out even with their extreme high quality

[@jeralgrant]

4-5 episodes A DAY is an insane production pace. I was just thinking that while watching them party on the map at the end of the episode. I'd bet once cameras cut they were like "Alright kids, that was fun! NOW GET OUT OF HERE. We've gotta shoot another episode in FIVE MINUTES."

[@Veylon]

I appreciate now why Greg looked exhausted at the end of some of those episodes.

[@scottgreenberg1596]

They could only film in June and July probably.

[@PrinceAnt722]

My best friend was a contestant on the original series. At the time, he was the tallest Gumshoe to compete (a little over 6 feet tall). One of the things that I remember was the use of maps with no names. I had a teacher in high school that would do the same method; identify locations by shapes only. It's a skill that I still put to use to this day. Shows like this, as well as Reading Rainbow and Square One, made it possible for a generation of children to enjoy learning. PBS were the standard bearers of this and for that, I'll be forever grateful. Thank you.

[@chubbs2067]

Contestant: “I won the game, I want to go to Hawaii!” PBS Exec: “Whoa, whoa, whoa kid... we don’t have the budget for that. What do you think this is Nickelodeon?”

[@nick012000]

I wonder if any of them wrote "Disney Land" or "Disney World" on their grand prize. They're in the contiguous 48 states, after all!

[@furrykef]

@@nick012000 Many of the kids wanted to go to California (where Disneyland is) or Florida (where Walt Disney World is). The producers told them to write down anything else, because they didn't want the big reveal to be the same two states every time, but they still got to go where they really wanted to go.

[@nilus2k]

@@furrykef That explains why one time I swear I saw a kid win and he wrote down New Jersey

[@anglobostonian]

@@nick012000 well after Season 1, it became anywhere in North America. Hawaii is part of North America.

[@shadesofbluee]

Contestant - "No, they only give out cans of tuna... and they're not even dolphin-safe!" PBS Exec - "..."

[@joem3009]

The chief was my favorite on the show. It’s so sad that Lynne Thigpen died so young (early 50s, brain hemorrhage) - she just had such a Charisma about her. One of my favorite shows as a kid.

[@cassandraelizabeth6863]

I remember when her death was announced. My response, "Chief died?" She was a memorable part of my childhood

[@princessmarlena1359]

I remember her as the radio dj from “The Warriors” movie.

[@calba24]

I remember her from Lean on Me as one of the parents. Even though her character on that movie was annoying, she really was a favorite of kids who watched Carmen Santiago…

[@thebrutusmars]

She was amazing in Godspell, too. What a wonderful performer. It’s a dreadful shame.

[@astrowolvez]

WHAT!?

[@brewski118sempire]

Even as an adult now, when I think of a chef detective I think of Thigpen. She played the role perfectly.

[@GangsterofloveSpacecowboy]

She also was the DJ and the narrator of the movie Warriors. And a lot more. But that’s what i first remember her from.

[@Mediados]

It's very easy to see why she was chosen. This energy and enthusiasm really shows how much fun the role was for her.

[@z28crashcrew]

She was a great actress. She played every role greatly including the mom from Lean on Me. So great that it was hard to watch her as Thigpin.

[@atworkstation]

She played Ella Mae Parker on The District.

[@lyndsaybrown8471]

I love that it autocorrected to chef detective.

[@BogOfEternalStench]

This was a really nice watch. It’s great to see such good Public Access television being created and cared for by passionate people :)

[@mcsweatshop]

thigpen was such an absolute gem. to be able to be an established theater force and a campy gameshow chief of police and absolutely own both speaks volumes to her talent. I always appreciated the 110%. RIP

[@SiccDeville]

talk about range, you should see her in Lean on Me.

[@erikochristy]

What a remarkable voice she had. I really wished she was around much longer seeing all these new videos game character creations these days. She would've done so much voice over work in today's game industry.

[@MyPalJimbo]

She also tried to get The Warriors bopped!

[@nativefraulein5801]

I loved this show as a child. I am 37 years old now but I give Carmen all the credit---this show inspired me, a working class native american kid to dream; later I backpacked/worked abroad throughout my 20's.

[@tejaswoman]

Awesome! What are some favorite places you traveled / worked?

[@ia5662]

That's awesome, I'm your age and loved this show and it definitely taught me about the wonders of the world and the awesome geography I didn't always get in school.

[@nativefraulein5801]

@@tejaswoman It's hard to judge but I think Australia overall was the best :)

[@DJLawrence]

@@nativefraulein5801 Awesome! I currently live abroad and my fascination with Geography and culture started with this show and the floppy disc game mentioned at the beginning. I'm 33

[@HoneyMooseyFace]

Also a 37 y.o. and I definitely have the wanderlust! Too bad for me I haven't acted upon it the way I'd dreamt, but I do wonder if this show had anything to do with my desire to see the world!

[@skiprockjr.6881]

I'm glad the guy who did the casting didn't give up on Lynne Thigpen after she initially turned him down. She made the show. I'm just like the guy who cast her, I can't imagine anyone else in that role.

[@disappearintothesea]

Same. She was the best!

[@DetectiveBarricade]

I grew up with the Carmen Sandiego CD-Rom games. Lynne Thigpen will always be the Chief to me.

[@z50king29]

She is my recollection of the show

[@thewkovacs316]

strange that she would turn down the offer doing the electric company exposed rita moreno to a whole new gen and opened a ton of doors for morgan freeman

[@skiprockjr.6881]

@@thewkovacs316 She probably heard "kids game show" and just reflexively said no out of habit. No one knows how the kids game show is gonna turn out before it starts. She definite didn't think she would become an icon. David Alan Grier turned down the role of Bubba in Forrest Gump because if he was going to play someone mentally challenged, he wanted to be the lead. He was not happy how things turned out.

[@Doofball3]

This was a great trip down memory lane. Thanks for producing this.

[@Doughy_in_the_Middle]

I love how wholesome this coverage was. No word of hosts fighting over money. No scandal behind the scenes (except for that one kid who had to be given a chance to come back). Nothing but "This entire IP is awesome," from start to finish.

[@happyfacefries]

The kid thing was not a scandal, it was a honest mistake and they made it up to him

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

There was also one where a Gumshoe fell & injured themselves when carrying the heavy flashing marker during the Final Round due to tripping over ridges in the upside down giant map, but that episodic incident never saw the light of day. Furthermore, much like other shows like Legends of the Hidden Temple on Nickelodeon, PBS was working within a finite budget & could only afford a selective number of Grand Prize-winning Gumshoes per season, so Carmen escaped more than she was captured.

[@Micro_Tyrant_Games]

@@TherealRNOwwfpooh Yea, sometimes you can see him switching cards and reading longer clues to eat up time so that the kid will lose. Hidden Temple often moved temple guards to the path that would stop teams that didn't win all 3 tokens through the previous games.

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

@@TherealRNOwwfpooh I don't know if you know this but Auld Lang Gone was debunked late last summer, someone had time on their hands and went looking into it, then Marc Summers got back to him and said it never happened

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

@@iHeartsNostalgiaPit I thought the original _Double Dare_ (also its Family and Sloppy variants) & _What Would You Do?_ host only made one cameo appearance on _WitWiCS?_ by using the _Double Dare_ question format for a locational clue before being shooed off-stage by Greg Lee, who asked Marc "Why don't you go take the Physical Challenge, okay?" to get him away from taking his gig.

[@quinntessent1al]

The way Greg Lee reacted to seeing his mom was so sweet, he was so shocked in the best way

[@noticiasinmundicias]

I saw that bit like 5 times in a row, his genuine reaction is priceless

[@Mathmachine]

I cannot hear the theme song for the game show without getting incredibly nostalgic for just how good this was. Especially since this was an edutainment product, the series had no right to be this amazing, even some 20+ years later.

[@coreaccount4376]

Nearly 40 years. Soon 40 plus.

[@Mathmachine]

@@coreaccount4376 I was more talking about the end of the original game show series. As a property as a whole, you're not wrong though. It is all amazing, and it's nearly 40 years old.

[@gwenyc.z5061]

Pbs taught me so much...including english

[@deveraalmestica5838]

I remember watching this show every day come from school. The lates 80s and the 90s had the best show for kids .

[@Entertainer13]

Lynne Thigpen WAS that show. They producers certainly knew how to cast. Thanks for a great retrospective. Loved the show as a kid. I actually like Where In Time a lot because I was better with history than geography at the time haha

[@horizonbrave1533]

Mrs Thiggpen was the heart... watching and listening to her excitement and 'anger' was so much fun

[@Captain_Sarcastic]

As much as I love and appreciate Lynne Thigpen , Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego was nothing compared to the original. Greg Lee and Rockapella were equally as significant as Lynne Thigpen, as well as many other factors which made that a great show and an incredible source of education.

[@horizonbrave1533]

@@Captain_Sarcastic That is 100% fair. The Where in Time was complete garbage...

[@JosephDavies]

@@Captain_Sarcastic I agree. I think that the "Where in Time..." game show demonstrates how much of the success of "Where in the World..." was more than just the sum of its parts. Everything worked and each elevated the other elements. I always preferred "Where in Time..." out of the video games, but the "Where in the World..." game show was the better show of all three shows.

[@ianmoore2351]

Carmen Sandiego must've stolen my memories of this show, thanks Defunctland for bringing it all back!

[@somebonehead]

Seeing Greg's reaction to his mother was absolutely priceless. 20:07

[@elizabethashley42]

I remember that episode!! I remembered most of these clips, haha.

[@kennydawg4387]

It was so sweet 😭

[@finmiles965]

And his mum gave a damn good performance too! Good on her

[@ZanHecht]

But she's not doing the tango...

[@rycona9878]

This and Square One were a mainstay of my after-school existence. Thank you so much for the info and effort.

[@squid8520]

Dude you cant just say "Where in North Dakota is Carmen Sandiego?" and keep moving on like that.

[@fornana]

I know! I have so many questions.

[@sirdavos9319]

I’ve never met anyone from North Dakota. Or even South Dakota. Are y’all around, or what’s the deal? Where. In the. world. Is. Anyone from a Dakota?

[@RRM_Personal]

@@sirdavos9319 Presumably most of them are in North and/or South Dakota

[@Drcats69]

Why is North Dakota so special?

[@tipulsar85]

Blame North Dakota Education and Tourism boards for that one.

[@theotothefuture]

holy smokes. quality childrens' programming right here. they worked so hard on it. i feel grateful.

[@martinbell6367]

I have no idea who asked for a history of the Where in the World is Carmen San Diego game show, but this is an astonishingly good history of the Where in the World is Carmen San Diego game show.

[@sjcflawless]

I’m so glad they did! This show is a gem!

[@alantremonti1381]

This is this channel's entire jam! Great stuff

[@vladplasmius2854]

What made me love this show was that everyone onscreen really sold it, which gave it an unspoken but clearly understood impression that everyone involved truly believed in it.

[@Astonkid08]

Rockapella honestly needs more credit. They carried alot of the weight for that show

[@jasonh7094]

totally

[@girlbuu9403]

I still get upset when I type in "Carmen Sandiego theme" into youtube and the first few hits are from the cartoon. And the cartoon's theme is pretty good too, it just gets BTFO by the game show's.

[@nekrospike]

If anyone mentions a warrant or I hear it on tv I still hear "The warrant!" in my head.

[@skeetsmcgrew3282]

I literally dont remember this show but I could still sing the theme song before watching this

[@TheBananaStrangler]

Tell me you weren’t one of the people who watched the show just waiting for Rockapella to sing the theme at the end of every episode! 😂 They were awesome.

[@ajstone6226]

That Peter Graves clip absolutely killed me. "I don't have much time, brush up on your German." Then in the background he just leaves. 💀

[@bmhedgehog2]

and who would have thought that our current President was on this show.

[@SYH653]

Which could also be a nod to his turn as a POW spy in Stalag 17.

[@gsxerwhite]

Tonight on Biography

[@ricardocantoral7672]

@@SYH653 Dude, SPOILERS !

[@MrMatteNWk]

Gumshoes, ever been to a Turkish prison?

[@nobiazcustomsinc5030]

growing up without cable, this show was everything and i remember it vividly. Man this got a smile on my face for sure. Thanks!!

[@billyj4317]

This was one of my favorite shows. "She put the Miss in misdemeanor when she stole the beans from Lima Tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?"

[@stevethepocket]

As an adult I'm now realizing that must have been one of the US towns named Lima because the one in Peru is pronounced "leema".

[@Default78334]

@@stevethepocket No, that's how they pronounced it in the song.

[@TherealRNOwwfpooh]

@@stevethepocket It's pronounced Lima. As in, the bean type.

[@ladylilithparker]

The show also went on the road (not filmed for television), doing a tour of shopping malls around the country. I was a contestant and my little sister was a "dying informant" at one of those mall shows. Participants got swag (a copy of the board game, a sweatshirt, a watch, and possibly some other things), got to travel through the "hidden tunnels" of the shopping mall to get from the game stage to the afterparty area (super cool for teenaged me), and got to interact with Greg during and after the show (I have a vivid memory of how hairy his hands were).

[@1guncrazy1]

I watched one of those road shows when it came to my high school

[@michaelross1452]

Heard those road shows had the quite the orgies.

[@blueashke]

I remember getting to do one of those! I remember being shocked at the idea that there were whole parts to the mall I'd never seen (in my defense I was sheltered).

[@deViianceTV]

it’s something about PBS kids shows that just open a floodgate of nostalgia and when you look at the history behind the creation of those shows they just make you feel so warm and reminisce that time period. They don’t make shows like that anymore 😭

[@shantellakaladypersephone8671]

They SURE dont.... The Letter People Slim Goodbody Where In The World Is Carmen SanDiego? Sesame Street These are GEMS from a childhood a lot took for granted but I fortunately never did

[@deViianceTV]

@@shantellakaladypersephone8671 I didn’t either. I watched Sesame Street til I was 13, now I’m 20 and I will always cherish those memories of my childhood and adolescent years!!!

[@pwebb34]

Remember Zoom?

[@shantellakaladypersephone8671]

@@pwebb34 I remember Zoom! 🥰

[@CatholicZola]

There won't ever be another show that reaches the heights which Zoom achieved

[@kathygerhardt5448]

I was the publicist for Carmen San Diego and went on a mall tour with Greg Lee doing live shows in major markets during the show's hiatus. Good job!

[@DoobieKeebler]

So glad the kid won his episode when they realized their mistake & brought him back in Season 3.

[@TyrekeCorrea]

It seems people have always been sloppy in their management and this sort of thing, so there was no excuse not to run things properly the first time.

[@thephilosopherstrein]

That was 90's class for sure.

[@MrWolfSnack]

@@TyrekeCorrea Stop applying that "there is no excuses everyone must be held responsible" moronic logic that 17 year olds on Twitter have to things that happened over 30 years ago. As was noted earlier in the episode, the countries in the middle east and Europe were rapidly destabilizing with the fall of the soviet union and the gulf war fallout and the rise of new dictator regimes and changing on a weekly basis. It was just an oversight, nothing more than that.

[@TyrekeCorrea]

@@MrWolfSnack These guys were supposed to be professionals, and the studying relation of history is a discipline. That means people supposed to hold themselves to the height of what is possible in a domain like history, be capable of carrying it out and make sure they do. Do you know how much of the PBS library and media as a whole WGBH has been responsible for since it's inception? Do you know how much television used to be valued as a way to convey information to the masses quickly? It's not supposed to be that things start out with a lowered bar of hope and expectations of success, not least because we're dealing with human information and connection here. Since you're astute enough to point out that there was some major stuff going on back when this was being produced you can appreciate how important it was to put it across properly and continue to do so now. An attitude like yours is exactly what has resulted in this video coming off even dumber than you. Uh, sorry I was thinking of that lady who made that other video about the show. Case in point, I guess you intend to refer to The Gulf War. This was supposed to be an educational show on history. We don't want kids getting it wrong. Maybe the best thing to do would have been to slow down production until international relations stabilized.

[@Wishphoenix1]

@@TyrekeCorrea - considering the fast pace of the game and how many episodes they did, Only having one person eliminated due to a staff error is actually pretty impressive. This is a PBS show, not a big time quiz show with a big budget like Jeopardy. The more shows they did, the more likely a mistake would happen. At least they acknowledged the mistake before the show even aired and gave the wrongly eliminated kid a second chance.

[@ChaoticNikki]

I really want a Defunctland t-shirt that says “This would not come to fruition.” I feel like it’s such an iconic phrase in your videos!

[@h0lly_blue]

@TheDarkerKnight he who must not be named

[@f1guremeout]

R.I.P Lynne Thigpen for raising us all on proper education, we miss you! 🙏🏾🌹

[@Sgt_Glory]

She really was a wonderful educator and besides Rockapella, she's the part of the show I remember and cherish the most.

[@HipHop4lyfeallday]

@@Sgt_Glory same Lynne Thigpen was awesome I miss her she would’ve been that kind of teacher that made you excited to learn.

[@rebeccat.6134]

She was such a talented stage actress too, and Tony Award winner. She died very suddenly at only 54.

[@nickknepper6417]

She was a national treasure, globally

[@PrezidentHughes]

♥

[@xgriffinx16]

@defunctland based on my love for the show as I was 1000% the target audience at the time, I can't thank you enough for this masterpiece. Easily my favorite video you have made, and literally could not have been made better by PBS themselves. This is a treasure, thank you ❤❤❤

[@dylanmiller9162]

I’m not sure anyone has enjoyed their job nearly as much as it seems like Rock a pella enjoyed theirs. Also props to Greg for how much composure he still managed to hold onto when his mom gave a clue.

[@marychocolatefairy]

I was a babysitter in the early 90s, and this was one of the least painful thing I watched with my charges, lol. I was very grateful for this show!

[@kevinwight3662]

There were some other good shows I remember being at my babysitter's house when I was like 6 this was more like the 80s going into the early 90s I used to watch Ghostwriter Square One and where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego

[@nexxusty]

Charges?

[@kevinwight3662]

@@nexxusty the kids she was babysitting

[@nexxusty]

@@kevinwight3662 Why not just call them "Children"? Rather than coming off as dehumanizing and extremely ignorant? Seems like an obvious preference to me.

[@roderickcortez138]

@@nexxusty Everyone gotta be upset about something.

[@Heritage367]

My favorite part of the show was when the contestants had trouble on the memory board, and Rockapella would improvise goofy and strange things to say when each clue appeared.

[@ArtistFormallyKnownasMC]

Thank you for sharing this history! I remember watching the show. But I was obsessed with the video game! It was the mid 90s and I was in the middle of elementary school, and surprisingly don’t remember too much of the game. But I do remember the game in general and how it made me feel. I still have a love of geography to this day. We also had an electronic interactive globe when I was growing up, so I used to play the timed games to recall states, capitals, countries. It had a stylus attached to it for you to click on the globe with. Very cool back in those days!

[@xcarex]

Okay, the "Greg's Mom Surprise" made me tear up a little bit?? He was so genuinely surprised and happy to see his mom's video clue!

[@christopherglenn8084]

Ditto. The whole video had me in tears

[@euansmith3699]

His mom was a high energy performer too; she really sold her lines.

[@kotobookie]

the fact that they got all this world geography right before the internet was even a thing must have been really difficult, shout out to the people who did the research for the show!

[@Rainbowdragon2]

I think it was something off of National Geographic

[@psychokinrazalon]

@@SomeOne-ym4xg It wasn’t as expansive as it is now, though. Or as widespread.

[@pja36]

Atlases and almanacs. The internet before the internet.

[@badlaamaurukehu]

They used to have these things called books...

[@kotobookie]

@@badlaamaurukehu true! but remember like in the show, things would become incredibly outdated very quickly. there's a reason why almanacs and encyclopedias had to be updated on a yearly basis.

[@tonyhunt7967]

This was an exemplary piece of well-researched nostalgia. Honestly I kept waiting for the shoe to drop about fights or drugs or scandals. It's so awesome to just see that it was a show that a ton of talented professionals made to be as good as possible and succeeded.

[@theoutlook55]

Exactly!

[@wlb20032085]

Spoiler alert lol

[@Meko5]

Right?? I was afraid of hearing it since I have such a fond memory of this show, but MAN I'm so glad this is the one instance where that isn't the case!

[@Chasmodius]

Uhhhh... I don't know anything for certain, but to maintain that high a level of energy and silliness for 3-4 episodes per day, it's pretty likely that there was at least some drug consumption by the writers, staff, and (adult) on-screen talent!

[@iHeartsNostalgiaPit]

@@Chasmodius well someone wasn't obviously paying attention when putting Cuba Missing Crisis together because at one point it was a location choice after an ACME man segment, how could Cuba be a choice if Cuba was the loot?

[@Sem5626]

man the 90's was such a great time to be a kid... way better than what kids have today

[@SchizoSchematic]

No wonder the show is still so remembered and well loved! The level of detail and commitment the showrunners put in to make it both educational AND engaging is phenomenal.

[@tcrpgfan]

I think they knew that medicine goes down better with honey. They wanted to entertain so that the actual education part sticks.

[@big120treez]

@@tcrpgfan im

[@ter131]

My children were born in 85 and 89. I watched this with my children. We loved it. We also watched the animated one on saturdays.