Robotech! Holy fucking shit, Eddie - yes!

Also, the wonder years.

Sesame Street is in it's 42nd year and just as relevant as it always was.  Fraggle Rock was very much born of the eighties.  I grew up with a ton of Nickelodeon stuff too, but it was the original Nick stuff like You Can't Do That on Television, Pinwheel, and as I mentioned, Mr. Wizard.

I actually intended to bring up Cosmos, but ran out of time.  That was a hugely important show to me, and the new version, provided it lives up to my high expectations, will be seen by Grayson NOW.

I prefer The Muppet Show over Fraggle Rock but I do understand why others would think the opposite. I just like Fozzie Bear and Gonzo so much

Fraggle Rock aired in the UK with different versions to those that aired in the US. We had a different Lighthouse keeper (we had three in the shows run) and Uncle Traveling Matt traveled the UK.

OK, finally listened to all of it, and so yes, thanks for the unexpected shoutout

As for dropping anime knowledge, all three shows that made up Robotech are available in their original form. Southern Cross (which was originally canceled before they could come up with an ending) and Genesis Climber Mospeada are available subtitled, and the ADV release of Macross has subtitles as well as a new dub. All are well worth watching. The biggest change made to turn them into Robotech, besides deciding all the Black characters were related, was to change "proto-culture" into the fuel used in Mospeada. Originally, in Macross, it's literally the culture both humans and the aliens are descended from, and the aliens react to human culture the same way many around the world react to US culture (leaders are repelled, some of the people love it).

For me, actually, what Robotech was for Eddie STARBLAZERS was in my life. The first two series of Space Battleship Yamato were brought to the US under that name in 1978, and it was incredible. They toned down the death a bit, but not much. Characters still died, actions have consequences. It was my first real exposure to serial storytelling. The dubbing still holds up, even if "Captain Avatar" sounds like McGruff the Crime Dog.

Miyazaki didn't direct Grave of the Fireflies. It IS from Studio Ghibli, which tends to only release Miyazaki movies, so the confusion is understandable.

I like the analogy of The Muppet Show to WWE. It reminded me of one of the most monumental moments in my childhood TV viewing life. The 70's were when a bunch of old kids shows tried to make a comeback. They did a new syndicated Mickey Mouse Show, as well as a new Howdy Doody. My dad had loved the show as a kid, so naturally I watched the new one (from the dates, I was about 7 when it started). Each episode had Buffalo Bob trying to put on that week's show, and the clown Clarabell would keep interrupting. At some point, as I watched, I thought to myself, "Man, they have NEVER actually finished an act!"

At which point, I realized the horrible truth: Clarabell, and all the interruptions, were scripted.

A part of me died that day...

But otherwise, the middle schoolers are living in sin!

And, if you watch the dub, you get to hear Cary Elwes battle Tim Curry, the matchup you've all been waiting for!