Kid Element

There seems to be, or hopefully have been, the notion amongst TV Producers that any show of an SF/fantasy bent, whether actually aimed at children or not, would be improved by having a Wisecracking 'Kid'/Robot character in it, or possibly both, for identification and amusement. This delightful notion has given us, amongst other things:

• Susan, Adric, K9, and Kamelion (Doctor Who)
• Wesley Crusher (Star Trek: The Next Generation) and Sisko's son in DS9
• Daniel and Wheelie (The Transformers)
• Snarf and Snarfer; the Berbils (Thunder Cats)
• Orko and Cringer (He Man And The Masters Of The Universe)
• Scott Trakker and T-Bob (MASK)
• Dawn Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
• that furry robot thing from Battlestar Galactica?
• Twiki from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (not to be confused with Twic I) I'd screened that one out out of sheer horror. -- WJR

• R2D2? And maybe C3PO as well?

In Babylon Five, as an occasional protest against this movement, JMS was known to introduce a Cute KidTM, keep them around for an episode, and then brutally slay them five minutes before the end. Cute KidsTM are not a Universally Improving Ingredient.

Although it's not strictly the same issue, an honourable mention is perhaps due to Bridget (Otherwise Vicky) Walker of "Swallows And Amazons".

Hello Glastonbury, I'm Kid Element. Good name for a DJ, I think

Category Kids TV Category TVSF Category Unknowable Horror