“An Uplifting Successor to BLUE’S CLUES”
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What You Need To Know:
In MOVIEGUIDE®’s coverage of Season One, we noted the inclusion of a “non-binary” character named “Jules.”, a real-life female musician who goes by “they/them” pronouns. Jules made a major appearance during Season One but does not appear anywhere in the first two episodes of Season Two. Ms. Rachel embodies an all-around positive worldview. The episodes never mention God or Christianity by name, but Rachel encourages viewers to treat animals kindly. The music numbers are well-done, but the art direction is an incongruous mess of cheaply made 2D assets. MOVIEGUIDE® recommends minor caution for younger children and toddlers.
Content:
A strong moral worldview where the heroine embraces learning the world in a positive way, the hosts teach viewers the basics of preschool education (counting numbers, the concept of animals, and American sign language), the heroine expresses gratitude and kindness to the viewers, the hosts encourage interactivity with its toddler audience, the crew performs catchy songs to increase learning retention, the characters are for treating animals with respect and dignity, and the heroine interacts with a man who explains his Filipino customs;
No foul language;
No violences;
No sex;
No Nudity;
No alcohol use;
No smoking or drug use;
A non-binary character (a real-life female musician who goes by “they / them” pronouns) appears in Season One, but does not appear in episodes one and two of Season Two.
More Detail:
MS. RACHEL follows a similar format to Nickelodeon’s BLUE’S CLUES. Each episode is packed to the brim with interactive skits and “non-sequitur” gags. Rachel speaks to the viewers, asking them to identify an animal or solve a riddle in her immediate environment. Then, Rachel and her friends perform a song. In episode one of Season Two, “Zoo Animals”, Rachel and her crew discover the wonders of bears, owls and sea life. In episode two, “Farm Animals,” the gang crashes at a real-life farm, learning about the importance of each animal in the barn.
At first glance, MS. RACHEL has a colorful yet visually incoherent presentation. In most segments, Rachel and her co-hosts interact with digital props while in front of a green screen. The hosts explore a cartoon world of saturated colors, bright text, and “cutesy” animals. While the act of combining real people with cartoon characters is a commendable effort, the execution is less convincing than the same effect done in BLUE’S CLUES from 1996.
MS. RACHEL substitutes using an original art style with pre-made 2D clip art. One minute, Rachel interacts with a cow who came from a Windows 95 art program. The next moment, she points to a horse that belongs to the same farm, but it’s drawn as a modern illustration from Instagram. This haphazard usage of random assets extends to nearly every 2D asset in the show. The art style is colorful enough to satisfy developing minds, but it will not stand the test of time. Is there anything that MS. RACHEL gets right?
The greatest strength in MS. RACHEL lies in her acting and music. The actress who plays Rachel is charismatic and approachable for young viewers. She is kind, inquisitive, and gets along with her co-hosts. When she interacts with her friends (both human and puppet), she matches the warmth of Steve from BLUE’S CLUES. Furthermore, the music numbers are generally well produced. Rachel and the gang perform covers of “Row Your Boat” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider” to enhance learning retention. Does it hold the same high standard for its moral content?
Ms. Rachel embodies an all-around positive worldview. Rachel and her friends are chock-full of hope, optimism, and a desire to learn more about their world. The hosts teach viewers how to count numbers, the purpose each animal serves in the world, and specific phrases in American Sign Language. Rachel thanks the viewers for their help in solving riddles. Rachel never mentions God or Christianity by name, but she encourages viewers to treat animals kindly.
On the plus side, MS. RACHEL is devoid primarily of sensitive content. There is no blood, swearing, drug use, or physical violence. However, in MOVIEGUIDE®’s coverage of Season One, we noted the inclusion of a “non-binary” character named “Jules.” Jules is a real-life female musician who goes by “they/them” pronouns. Jules made a major appearance during Season One but does not appear anywhere in the first two episodes of Season Two.
Season Two of MS. RACHEL is an enjoyable series with some caveats. The characters exemplify the importance of friendship, curiosity about the world, and kindness towards animals. The music numbers are well-done, but the art direction is an incongruous mess of cheaply made 2D assets. MOVIEGUIDE® recommends minor caution for younger children and toddlers.
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