Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/06/05/watch-butterfly-in-the-sky-a-documentary-on-reading-rainbow.html
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And the updated song is great too!
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I grew up watching this and Seame Street.
(Apparently I once cried hysterically when taking to a Mr Rogers taping/event, yelling “I WANNA SEE BIG BIRD MR ROGERS IS BORING”, which he took pretty well all things considered)
I didn’t get into Star Trek until later in life – they had it on Prime video for free so I binged it back when I was depressed post Trump… it was super interesting seeming him in a dramatic role.
And he’s managed to make it this far without a single scandal, which is impressive in a post me too world… I’ve lost a few heros along the way…
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I watched reading rainbow largely in the summertime because it was too hot to do anything, and kids were Not Allowed in the pool unattended in my apartment complex. (and later at the house we rented because there was fuck-all to do) Since I was also into sci-fi and had caught several episodes of ST:TNG, I still have fond memories of watching the episode of Reading Rainbow that gave some behind the scenes of how TNG was made.
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I feel like something happened in the 90s – a combination of panic about stranger danger and more kids playing video games / watching TV who in previous years would have played tag or something.
I used to watch it while my grandma babysat me – she lived in a different neighborhood than my parents, and I went to Catholic school so I didn’t know anyone – even in a Catholic area you’d have to walk a street or two to the next fellow student.
So… you’re not allowed to walk to a park, you’ve no kids around to play with, so… you end up watching a lot of tv, reading a lot of books.
I used to watch this, Bill Nye, Carmen Sandiego and a bunch of other stuff in that era.
(I think when you’re gifted, and born into a place where that’s not something nourished… you desire to understand how the world works, because you feel a severe lack of agency)
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I loved that episode! I particularly remember Michael Dorn stepping out of the makeup trailer, saying “Stand aside, I take large steps!” 
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Did anyone here end up catching any of the attempted revivals one way or another? Did any of them take off at all? All I remember is that there was a whole lot of fuss over the rights to the name.
I do recall the series as being sufficiently entertaining, and perhaps educational, but to be honest I’m not sure if I can recall it as particularly focused on reading? I remember there were readings of entertaining children’s stories accompanied by minor animations of the illustrations, and I remember the tykes offering their opinions on other books (which were usually not available at the library anyway).
Aside from the unforgettable Trek episode, I mainly recall the episode that imagined it would be picked up by an extraterrestrial civilization. And the yard sale episode with the intricate Rube Goldberg piggybank. (Alas, there was no accompanying episode on the dangers of hoarding.)
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It’s about promoting the JOY of reading… if you’re saying that they didn’t focus on basic literacy, that’s likely true, because that was not the goal of the show. It was to illustrate how books can open your mind to new things and can help you learn about things you might not have a direct experience with… so, yes, it was VERY MUCH about reading.
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