I Visited the Puppets & Department Store From 'Today's Special': An 80s Canadian Classic! | Vlog

[@TeacupForOne]

❤R.I.P. Nerene Virgin (1946-2024)❤

[@Texaslawhorn]

Oh no! I'm so sorry to hear of her passing. RIP ❤️

[@user-nw9mz3vu3s]

Thank you for the reply. I didn't know she passed away. Thanks for letting me know..so sad 😔 to hear 💦 -I posted something on CP24..I look for anything I could find about her passing, & sent my condolences. 💐 Really surprised by this..thanks for the info/notice.. :)

[@xoacatl]

🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@shadymercury]

i just read the news abt her passing yesterday. Sad news. R.I.P. Ms. Nerene Virgin💐 #TodaysSpecial

[@shekharmoona544]

Do you remember Pinwheels Playhouse?

[@user-nc5vy2rk1b]

RIP Nerene Virgin as Jodie from Today's Special since we lost her today.

[@TeacupForOne]

What?! Noooo!!!! I had no idea, I was hoping I’d get a chance to meet her one day. RIP indeed to a Canadian icon! ❤️❤️❤️

[@jessicamundy2546]

Im from the US from Texas and i was born in 82. I always thought this show was a fever dream until i discovered it a few years ago. Loved it! It aired on PBS

[@gcandy2594]

I swear I remember if his hat fell off he would turn back into a mannequin, Idk. I’m American born in 82 as well.

[@colleenputerbaugh8348]

I was born in 81 and grew up in MD. I try to describe this to people and they have no idea what I'm talking about. A fever dream is a perfect description bc it sounds crazy when you try to describe it. And now I know I have nickelodeon to thank for it!

[@jessicamundy2546]

@@colleenputerbaugh8348 even my husband, we're the same age I'm 4 months older & he's never seen it. I showed it to him & he was like whattt lmao

[@amandaward6996]

Born in 79 this so takes me back to the summer of 1986 when I had nickelodeon or MTV on all the time on my bedroom!!!

[@deandoxtator7137]

Born same yr. This show was a big part of my childhood.

[@MikeGilroyMusic]

Me too. 79

[@positivesoos]

1979 in the house!!!! This was a great show. Todays Special!

[@fitizfun]

Another ‘79 here. Today’s Special along with so many other good Canadian shows on Nickelodeon.

[@byronicman]

78 here, and totally. This, Pinwheel, YCDTOT. Loved those shows. Then my teenage brothers would come home from school and we'd watch MTV all night. God I miss those times..

[@toecutter8002]

Yeah I was born in 79 so it's pretty much in my DNA with PinWheel and Everything else I watched in the 80s as a kid. Man I would love to be able to see Muffy and Sam in real life.

[@xoacatl]

My brother is a year older than you and pinwheel was one of his shows too! We both watched Today's Special. Nickelodeon gave Alot of shine to Canadian productions. Canada has some real creative children's shows

[@petz415]

I remember watching Pinwheel on Nickelodeon!

[@yummyklown9226]

I'm from the USA and I loved Today's Special,. It was on nickelodeon during the 80's.

[@karidey2952]

I was born in 1980 and grew up in Utah and loved this show. It’s where I learned about cooperation!

[@reneemitchell4658]

RIP Jodie. You hold a special place in our childhood hearts.

[@holly20022004]

Rip Nerene Virgin Aka Jodie thank you for being a part of my childhoodn❤❤❤❤

[@tobi3799]

I absolutely loved watching this show on Nickelodeon in the 80s. The Butterflies episode has always stuck with me. Great to see that there are some remnants of the show that are still around.

[@user-nw9mz3vu3s]

I love, love Today's Special!! My favorite episode was when Jody brought a little boy, Levi with Cerebral Palsy to her work..& they learn about Bliss Bords..& Symbols 😊❤..I also have CP..so I was so excited, to see someone I could connect with..but, I can walk & speak..& I use crutches & braces.. :) :D Also, back in Grade 6 Jody's husband, was my gym teacher in the mid 80s..👋 😊 I 💕 love this show!! Great memories!!

[@IggiePuff]

I remember watching and loving Today's Special, Pinwheel, Degrassi Jr High, Degrassi High and Ghostwriter. Wish they'd put them all onto a streaming service or allow us to buy digital versions of them.

[@punkylynneramone1981]

Those were awesome shows!

[@rslily]

Grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area watching this and was obsessed ❤

[@chadbrown748]

I saw this show during my childhood back in the 1990's and it's one of my favorites.

[@xmasisonfire]

I remember fearing for Jeff's life constantly! Canada, you left millions of kids devastated with that final episode. Absolutely killer performances! 🩷

[@danielstuart2023]

Loved your video I grew up watching Today Special. I know Jeff Hysolp personally. He's a sweet guy

[@DF-vh7zk]

I live in the US, but I know if I got close to those puppets I would probably start crying. They are such a large and sentimental part of my childhood, which were the best days of my life. Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

[@NellyNutmeg]

I love this show. It came on Nickelodeon after Pinwheel. I remember watching it every morning

[@TeacupForOne]

*MATT'S MUSINGS:* Do YOU remember 'Today's Special'?

[@jerra7060]

This was the best! Todays special will always be my favorite childhood show…loved this video…

[@SpoonieEtte]

Absolutely I do :) Happily

[@PrincessofPower84]

I do. I used to watch it at my Grandmother's house.

[@elimgarak7090]

It was my favorite show as a kid in the 80s. I watched it in the southern usa. My first crush ever was definitely Jeff lol, and Jodie has a voice that just brings warms feelings when I hear her speak, very comforting. I was geeking out about Today's Special today and showed it to my kid and we watched your video together. Thank you for making this, it's so lovely to see.

[@HeatherClarkeWriter]

Love this so much! Just received a Today’s Special T-shirt for my birthday. 😊

[@smiley6168]

Omg i wish i was there with you😢 im 45 years old raised in Oakland CA. Me & my brothers and sisters cousins absolutely loved it. Kqed aired alot of great stuff

[@reedergrant6108]

Nerene Virgin, my first TV crush, you shall be missed. Sir, you have a new subscriber.

[@AnnieE2013]

Today's Special is legitimately one of the core memories of my childhood!! We had cable for like two years when I was little (maybe 84-86? Don't quite remember) and Today's Special is a show my little self loved SO SO much! I still know the theme song by heart, lol. BTW - legit did not know it was a Canadian show! I grew up in NW Indiana and we watched it.

[@theguitarjohnshow]

I was born in 79 so this really takes me back

[@LibertyLensOfficial]

Was popular here in America too. I wasnt even old enough to comprehend what iw as watching lol boy I miss those days

[@fitizfun]

Thanks for sharing this! Great memories of watching Todays Special along with other great Canadian shows on Nickelodeon here in the US. Loved seeing the puppets in the museum. So glad someone has preserved them for us to enjoy all these years later!

[@Kam-vz4yo]

This show is iconic and a national treasure. My favourite episode that I've seen recently is "The Runaway Spell" one because Jeff and Jodie accidentally almost kiss. It's funny because as an adult, I ship them so hard, even though their on-screen chemistry would have flown completely over my head as a kid lol

[@TeacupForOne]

I completely forgot about runaway spell until I was sourcing clips for this video, I need to rewatch the whole thing but the memories came FLOODING back! Such a ridiculous but amazing concept….just like “Adventure” which has fueled my nightmares for years 😅

[@Kam-vz4yo]

@@TeacupForOne If only TVO would release a dvd box set, or did online streaming😢 I'm lucky enough to have caught the reruns in the early 90's, as I wasn't born yet when it originally aired. Such a great part of my early childhood💙

[@fangirlable]

I love his Today’s Special shirt

[@thetruth1862]

I had forgotten how much i loved this show gen x here in East Tennessee

[@praisebrown6113]

❤❤❤ Today Special was my favorite show when i was a young boy at the age 3 and 4. Still is to this day.

[@rebecca5303]

Me too 🎉

[@leichenzedeichen]

This was absolutely wonderful! You put some spectacular heart into it for it being a somewhat impromptu video. Thank you for cutting in the shots from the show. It time-warped me right back to my very early childhood!

[@steelstreet79]

From Texas would watch this on PBS in 1986-1990 born in August 31 1979

[@OsakaJoe01]

Saw it in PBS. Had no idea it was Canadian! Woot! 🇨🇦

[@gr3ml1n26]

Oh Wow I couldn't remember the name of this show that I used to was as a small child, it was my guilty pleasure to watch Today's Special. Its so nostalgic. I am 43 years old now and I still remember the lyrics... WOW I just amazed myself. Thank You for brining my childhood back for a brief moment!

[@CelesteKTheNewWaveRevue]

Jeff Hyslop was being interviewed for a TV studio in Vancouver and he said that people go up to him and tell him how they watched Today's Special as kids and they watch it with their kids.

[@TeacupForOne]

That is amazing 🥹

[@Ozma.Of.Emeralds]

Hailing from RHODE ISLAND I Watched Today's Special RELIGIOUSLY! In fact I learned the guy who was Jeff was a Choreographer. I totally LOVED thus show!! I think it use to be on Nickelodeon

[@Texaslawhorn]

I was born in '82, and I loved this show on Nickelodeon growing up in Texas. It was my favorite show actually.

[@TERMlNAT0R]

This is pure gold.

[@michelesamuelian4644]

The PBS station in Los Angeles, KCET, briefly aired Today's Special. I was probably too old for the show, but both my brother and I loved it. It was truly unique.

[@marthayipchuck9977]

I loved this! It brought back so many memories, and you featured shows I had forgotten about. Book Mice 📖🐭 and Under the Umbrella Tree ☂️🌳. Todays Soecial was always a favourite because it was filmed here in Toronto! I loved it when they filmed on location! One of your best ever videos. I wish you would do more in location videos, your are excellent at filming and recording them. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ 1:41

[@user-nw9mz3vu3s]

I just thought of another Today's Special episode that i liked..it was the Today's Special episode where Muffy goes to the hospital to have her tonsils out..& they do a segment about going/and or being in the hospital. I liked this episode too. 🏥 :)😊

[@themetalhead1463]

I was born in 74 and here in the US I watched it regularly.

[@brucekent3131]

I'm not Canadian. I loved this show.

[@petz415]

I think it also aired on PBS in the states, i remember seeing it between Mr Rogers and Sesame Street.

[@chronoray8786]

I found it! This was the video I never knew I needed, but now I love, and may never, ever forget! 8) I want to go on your next walking tour with you! XD

[@stephenwinter8892]

Greetings from oakville Ontario I watched today's special when it first aired in 1981 I was 9 and my parents didn't have a color TV only black and white because it wasn't a necessity thanks for the presentation

[@Eddunaway-qp5tv]

I remember the TV show today's special I used to watch that when I was a kid growing up I wonder if Jeff and Jody are still alive

[@shadymercury]

Those of us from #Detroit (just across the water from Windsor) were able to watch #TodaysSpecial, & other great shows like The Polka Dot Door, Jeremy the Bear, & Fables of the Green Forest on CBC Channel 9, years before Nickelodeon was even a thing.

[@CrueSader73]

This was great!! ❤

[@SynchronicityScenario144]

My shop teacher in middle school looked like Mr. Krenshaw lol.

[@beckstar78]

my fav today's special episode was where they were gonna close the department store b/c it was getting torn down or something-made me so sad lol..but then in muffy's apartment they found a heritage plaque or something behind the wall and the department store was saved! also some weird christmas episode with tiny mischievous elves.

[@TeacupForOne]

I don’t remember the Christmas episode, BUT Today’s Special definitely had its weird moments…there was one weirdly terrifying (for 5 year old me) episode where they had to go to a haunted castle to save Waldo, it’s become a personal favourite 🥰

[@beckstar78]

here's the christmas episode kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJOXnJxjqbeKaK8@@TeacupForOne

[@calvincandie5344]

Im from southern Indiana and watched this show when i was a kid in the mid 80's

[@chelseadifranco772]

Okay I laughed so hard so many times. This brought me back so many times. Love it

[@TeacupForOne]

Did you laugh when I described Today’s Special as a significantly less horny version of ‘Mannequin’?? I was particularly proud of that joke 😅

[@chelseadifranco772]

@@TeacupForOne yes definitely!!

[@majikman7355]

Book Mice seems pretty cool. Thanks for sharing

[@Ian16545]

Yeah, I've seen _Today's Special_ as a wee tyke-while visiting family in southeast Pennsylvania. In fact, I distinctly remember the "Treasure Hunts" episode because of that one song, "X Marks the Spot".

[@WillowFox]

THANK you for this, literally one of my most favorite shows as a kid. (I lived in Portland Maine and this was on Nick in the early 80s.)

[@rameya25]

❤OMG I use to love watching this show as a little girl in the 80s

[@TeacupForOne]

It was SO GOOD!!

[@culturavibe]

THANK YOU for this! Today’s Special was my fav! I’m so sorry to find out that Jodi passed away. 😢I’d love to travel to Toronto to check out these locations! It’s on my list!

[@jx5189]

I saw this show when i was a kid on PBS I lived in a small town that didn't have cable until the mid 80s

[@deetroitdario]

I remember watching this an Belle and Sebastian on Nickelodeon before school. B&S was the first anime I ever saw start to finish, and I always had a propensity for "newsboy" caps like Jeff wore.

[@jamesgoldstien1468]

I used to watch it in Michigan on PBS 🎉

[@matthewweatherford6566]

Nina also did Crystal from Groundling Marsh.

[@bus_driver4100]

Gen X here and I loved this show.

[@Jay-maser-fb8ib]

Great Video. Bring back so many memories. Watched after pinwheel on Nick in US.

[@skunkman9815]

I started watching the series and my favorite character is already muffy She’s so cute

[@This.Here.Channel]

My old man voice is 100% Sam Crenshaw.

[@bghtvb]

Great video

[@RedPolarBearRanger]

I grew up watching that show as a kid on Nickelodeon.

[@kellenpatterson8829]

Wow! This was an awesome review! Thank you 😊

[@daveseslaughter2307]

That was awesome to see!

[@chastityhunter8018]

Shout out from the US🇺🇲 and YES Today's Special was my favorite childhood show! I loved them all ❤❤❤

[@cphmail8079]

I searched for this show for so long. I was so young when I watched it, I just called it Jody and Jeff. Took forever to find the name, so many childhood memories.

[@4ever9zxyme]

Omg @12:25 ! Book mice!!! I swear it’s partially lost media now , I can find only 2 episodes of it here on KZbin and nowhere else :( also the magic library , what bookmice was spinned off of , I have found no episodes of sadly

[@SchuminWeb]

First of all, thank you very much for the shout-out! Just wanted to let you know that the entrance to the store that you show at 19:07 was the revolving door entrance that appeared in the show on "Live On Stage" and "Our Story Part 2", among others. The entrance was still a revolving door as of 2019, but was replaced by more conventional doors a couple of years ago. I was disappointed to learn that the revolving doors had been replaced when I visited the store and the Myseum back in July.

[@erichanson426]

May Nerene Virgin R.I.P., she did a lot of good in her lifetime.

[@user-nw9mz3vu3s]

Oh, i loved Book Mice!! I was a little older, but i didn't care. I loved it!! I kinda forgot about this one. Do you remember Between the 🦁 Lions books 📚 📙 Thanks so much for this!!😢

[@stephnews4]

I use to watch this on Nickelodeon when I was 4. I loved it so much!

[@burritoboy2751]

When I was a kid, I would go up to the mannequins in department stores and say "Hocus pocus alamagocus." None of them ever came to life. 😢

[@TeacupForOne]

SAME.

[@PossumMedic]

you needed that magic hat!

[@nickd253]

I met the voice of Sam from today's special

[@MyOldTapes]

Visited the Myseum a few times while this exhibit was running! Such a treasure trove.

[@TeacupForOne]

Agreed, I’m so glad I had a chance to go 🤩

[@BlakeHockaday]

This is fantastic! One of my favorite childhood shows. Thank you for this!

[@danielstuart2023]

We should make a fam club with guest appearances from Jeff

[@PossumMedic]

This show horrified me as a kid! 😆 That dude was just frozen in a mannequin body all day?!? 😱

[@jgirlinluv55]

This was my favorite show!! I was obsessed

[@savannahsanchez992]

I vaguely remember this show I was born in ‘85 all I can remember really is how creepy I thought Sam the puppet was 😂

[@tattoopractice]

wow, loved this so much!! thank you.

[@stephclarke6850]

I have to check this out!!

[@TeacupForOne]

YES!!! It’s so much fun, and they have pre-scheduled events where some of the actors from the various shows will do talks or presentations!

[@jdoyle7768]

I was born in 1984, I watched it on pbs

[@zeekhedgehog]

Thanks for posting this! For a while, I thought this show might have been some form of non-scary "Fever dream" for me. Thankfully, I looked into it, and talk about a rush of nostalgia. I remember watching Today's Special a lot on PBS in the mid-1980s. I especially remember an episode where Jeff was on the roof of the store saying how much he wished he could leave the store. I also remember them showing a brief view of a cityscape before each episode. I watched a bunch of episodes on KZbin, but none of them showed the cityscape. A video I watched called "Nick Knacks: Today's Special" talking about the show did show the cityscape though. It's an interesting watch if you haven't seen it.

[@terrinjohnson8346]

Don’t forget, he can also convert into a mannequin whenever his hat is off in the department store

[@beckstar78]

gen x'er here, great vid! RIP Nerene/Jody :(

[@molitocostaswalo7527]

Nicely done Matt, dude!!! I remember that show from when I was crazy young!! This was an awesome video! Nicely done n stuff!!!!!! :)

[@TeacupForOne]

Thanks!!!

[@user-nw9mz3vu3s]

Do you remember (i have to ask Dear Aunt Aginus) Heather Conkie..i liked this too 🧓 😊 :) 💕

[@beckstar78]

my job has taken me far away and the children just wouldnt be good

[@megan2176]

Sooo fun!! I'm so jealous! Is that exhibit always there, or was it temporary? I'm a few hours from Toronto, definitely worth the trip! TV nostalgia is my favourite. I've spent the last few hours down the retro Ontario TV rabbit hole! Just watched some Join in! episodes on KZbin, as well as Sol, the creepy French clown! And NFB shorts, The Egg, etc. So many memories!! ❤❤❤❤ next up, I want to search Zoobilee zoo, Zardip, and Dudley the Dragon! 😊😊😊

[@TeacupForOne]

Thanks for watching!! The exhibit was just for a few months, unfortunately, I would love if they brought it back!! The Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa also had an exhibit last year focusing on kids tv, and it looked INCREDIBLE. They also had some today’s special puppets, AND…Polkaroo! I just double checked and that exhibit is over as well, I need to know where I can go to see Polkaroo now 😭😂 And WOW I totally forgot about all those shows you mentioned, I LOVED Dudley and Dragon and Join In! Canada just has such great television 🥰

[@MediaTreasureTrove]

Yes Today’s special did air on Australian TV. In the 80s and early 90s on ABC TV “Australian Broadcasting Corporation” a public TV Station government funded with in city areas on channel 2 and on random numbers in regional Australia sometimes ABC was the only connection to the city in country Australia as they had 1 commercial Station and just ABC It aired after school at 4:30pm after play school, school Holidays and Sunday Mornings at 7am after the music video show Rage in 1987, 1988 I recently found the end credits to a todays special episode on a tape I bought at a thrift shop mainly had a BBC German Language teaching show but because it was on a timer they also got Australian Baseball a ABC Promo break and 1 complete and 2 Incomplete episodes of the magic roundabout I was born in 1995 it was not on TV when I was Growing up But have a interest in ABC children’s shows of the 1980s both overseas shows and Australian Kids shows that are now lost media

[@stevenstpeterjr8436]

had a c rush on jodie!

[@VincentValentino]

My name is matt and I have 2 degrees? Did you just say that? I must have misheard lol

[@turi319]

I watched this just a month ago and now found out Nerene has passed. 😢

[@lowellbentley]

We in Utah were watching this as well on nickelodeon.

[@lowellbentley]

I didn't know Canada existed back then.

[@lowellbentley]

Only generation x and y saw this before it was stopped here in the US.

[@bitchenboutique6953]

I don’t know the show but it looks sweet. I would have been too old for it but it’s the sort of show I would have liked when I was little!

[@TeacupForOne]

It was the absolute sweetest show!!!! I didn’t even get into all the guest appearances (like Oscar Peterson!!!) or the fact that the show had its own dedicated mime 🤩