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Rated K: For Kids by Kids

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This article is about the film review TV series. For the Philippine TV series, seeRated Korina.

Rated K: For Kids by Kids
GenreMovie review
Created byDebby Beece
Developed byAndy Bamberger
Presented by
  • Lakmini Besbroda
  • Kimani Bethea
  • Eben Davidson
  • Kirk Gibbons
  • Robyn Griggs
  • Brad Kane
  • Alek Lev
  • Stefanie Marco
  • Colin Martin
  • Matt Nespole
  • Jennifer Rosa
  • Jeremy Ryan
  • Joel Savani
  • Rebecca Schwager
  • Mark Shanahan
Theme music composerPeterand Jennifer Fish
Composers
  • Tom Pomposello
  • Jeff Thurman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerGeoffrey Darby
Producers
  • Andy Bamberger
  • Marcia Ely
  • Carol Levitt
Production locationNew York City
Editors
  • David Leveen
  • Eric Singer
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time26 minutes
Original release
NetworkNickelodeon
ReleaseNovember 1, 1986(1986-11-01)–
December 18, 1988(1988-12-18)
Related
Total Panic

Rated K: For Kids by Kidsis an Americanmovie review[1][2]television program that ran on thecablenetworkNickelodeonfrom 1986–1988.

Format

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Each week, the show[3][4][5]would feature a rotating blend of three young teenagers giving their opinions on the latest feature films and sometimes, what was new onhome video.Each review was capped by an otherwise inconsistent letter grade system (for exampleAforAmazing,CforClassic,Confusing, orCrazy,GforGo,SforSee It orSo-So, andTforTerrific) withLetter Kbeing that show's equivalent to an ultimate, perfect5- or 4-star scale.

The three hosts would sit together on at a small blue table on a curved pink couch with white printed stars. While the introductions that summarized the films were scripted, the on-air reviews themselves were completelyimprovised.This usually resulted in a lot of playful teasing and ribbing between the hosts. The original hosts were Matt Nespole,[6]Lakmini Besbroda, Mark Shanahan, and Rebecca Schwager. Other first wave hosts included Jennifer Rosa, Kimani Bethea, and Eben David.

Because of the show's target demographic by nature of it airing onNickelodeonand the ages and young perspective of the hosts themselves, very rarely didRated K: For Kids by KidsfeatureR-ratedmovies. The show would usually only feature an R-rated movie if it was in some way deemed relevant to the young audience, such as 1986'sStand by Me,which was about four young boys who go on a days-long hike to find a dead body. Other times, the show would review movies that while weren't R-rated, would nonetheless, not immediately be considered desirable or appealing to the show's young demographic. For example, the 1986Jack Lemmon-Julie Andrewsmiddle-ageddramaThat's Life!was reviewed onRated K: For Kids by Kids.

At times, if there were not enough age appropriate movies to review for the week, the hosts would resort to discussing older features that were already out onVHS.One episode featured a segment discussing theworksofAlfred Hitchcock.Another featured an on-set interview withRoger EbertandGene Siskel.[7]

The Big Ballot

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For the next four weeks beginning on March 28, 1987, theRated Kcast presented the results of a nationwide poll conducted by Nickelodeon that asked kids what their favorites in film, television, popular music,[8]and sports[9]from the past year were. Thus, came "The Big Ballot",[10][11][12]which was a pre-produced program where ballots for the show's awards were cast via mail, and then the winners would tape a thank you video that was shown during the program. These videos were introduced, and broken up by "link" segments, featuring theRated Kcast. The Big Ballot was sponsored byBonkers fruit chewsandPost Cereal.[13]

One year later, Nickelodeon would take the basic concept of The Big Ballot, and reconfigure it into what is now known as theKids' Choice Awards.[14][15]Unlike The Big Ballot, which was a pre-produced program produced at theRated Kstudio inNew York City,theKids' Choice Awardswas a televised live event. Also, unlike winners receiving an Orange Blimp Award at the Kids' Choice Awards (which technically, wasn't introduced until1990), the trophy that winners received for The Big Ballot was a golden teleidoscope.

Nickelodeon has never officially considered The Big Ballot to be the first ever Kids' Choice Awards event. As previously mentioned, unlike Kids' Choice Awards, which was a live,prime-timesingular event, The Big Ballot took place over the course of four weeks[16]from March 28 – April 18, 1987. During this time span,Rated K: For Kids by Kidsstill reviewed movies (like theBruce Willis-Kim BasingercomedyBlind Date) at the start of the episodes before going into a segment on The Big Ballot.

Later episodes

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Going into 1988, the respective cancellations of Nickelodeon's celebrity and music interview-talk showLivewireand theLeonard Nimoyhosted movie behind-the-scenes programStandby...Lights! Camera! Action!from the past two years, consequently resulted in a dramatic shift regardingRated K'srole on the channel. WithRated Know left as Nickelodeon's sole modern multi-media program, the channel decided that now would be the perfect time to broaden the show's focus and revamp[17]its overall look and presentation.

For starters, Nickelodeon decided to replace Matt Nespole, Lakmini Besbroda, Mark Shanahan, and Rebecca Schwager[18][19][20](who were admittedly by this point, aging out of their roles on the show) with Stefanie Marco, Jeremy Ryan, Kirk Gibbons,Robyn Griggs,[21]Joel Savani, Alek Lev, andBrad Kane.

The new hosts were each given a designated role. For example, movie reviews were now handled by only two critics, Robyn Griggs and Joel Savani. Brad Kane meanwhile, hosted theRated K Update.In these short segments (that usually ran during commercial breaks or during longer shows), Kane interviewed famous young people and discussed topics in entertainment and politics in a fun way that was designed to appeal to children. Among the people that Kane interviewed wereAlyssa Milano,Chad Allen,andCarrie Fisher.[22]

The sets were also completely overhauled to resembling a movie concession stand with apastelcolor palette. And unlike the more unpolished and improvised presentation of the first year and a half ofRated K,the show by 1988 took on a more scripted form.

Besides movie reviews,[23]Rated Know also did more extensive behind the scenes features, and started spotlighting other children's media such as video games and theme park attractions.Rated Kalso got age appropriate celebrities to do on-scene reporting likeWil Wheatongoing toUniversal Studios Hollywoodto talk about theStar Trek Adventureattraction.

In an effect, the revamped version ofRated K: For Kids by Kidsbore a closer resemblance to atelevisionnewsmagazinelikeEntertainment TonightthanAt the Movies.[24][25]This iteration ofRated Kwould last through its final broadcast on December 18, 1988.[26]

Aftermath

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On April 1, 1989, Nickelodeon premiered a three hour longvariety seriescalledTotal Panic.Total PanicreconfiguredRated K: For Kids by Kidsinto a segment for its show. TheRated Ksegment onTotal Panicwas hosted byMolly Scott.[27][28]

Among the films spotlighted in this time frame wereEddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!(including an interview with its starMichael Paré) and theTom HanksvehicleTurner & Hooch.Scott would invite at least two members of the studio audience to share their own thoughts on the films. The film review segments onTotal Panicactually used the second generation set fromRated K,which was a movie concession stand with apastelcolor palette.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Hinman, Catherine (June 11, 1989)."THE KID'S-EYE VIEW AT NICKELODEON".Orlando Sentinel.
  2. ^Adweek: Western advertising news, Volume 37, Issues 1-16.A/S/M Communications., 1987. 1987. p. 92.
  3. ^Jarvis, Jeff (January 12, 1987)."Picks and Pans Review: Rated K: for Kids by Kids".People.
  4. ^Thompson, Anne (May 15, 1988)."REAPING 'WILLOW'".Chicago Tribune.
  5. ^Schneider, Steve (October 5, 1986)."CABLE TV NOTES; A Game Show for 8- to 12-Year Olds".The New York Times.
  6. ^CableVision, Volume 12, Issues 1-77.Titsch Communications, 1986. 1986. p. 77.
  7. ^"1987 Press Photo Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert on" Rated K: For Kids By Kids "".eBay.
  8. ^"The Monkees on Rated K (1986)".Monkees.net.January 30, 2012.
  9. ^Stewart, Larry (April 17, 1987)."Announcers: Men in Motion During Football Off-Season".Los Angeles Times.
  10. ^"Viacom to Buy MTV and Showtime in Deal Worth $667.5 Million".LA Times.August 27, 1985.
  11. ^"Kids Vote for 'Karate Kid II'".Los Angeles Times.March 28, 1987. p. 10.
  12. ^"Stamberg Never Rests on Sunday".Philadelphia Daily News.April 7, 1987.
  13. ^"Nickelodeon's Big Ballot".YouTube.
  14. ^Klickstein, Matthew (2013).Slimed!: An Oral History of Nickelodeon's Golden Age.Penguin. p. 228.ISBN9780142196854.
  15. ^Television/radio Age, Volume 35.Television Editorial Corporation, 1987. 1987. p. 108.
  16. ^"List of Kids' Choice Awards".Nickandmore!.
  17. ^Brennan, Patricia (September 25, 1988)."THE KIDS' CHANNEL THAT 'DOUBLE DARES' TO BE DIFFERENT".The Washington Post.
  18. ^"Network hires critic kids".Statesman Journal.October 27, 1986.
  19. ^Crockett, Lane (October 28, 1986)."By kids, for kids show debuts".The Journal News.
  20. ^Mirabella, Alan (April 29, 1987)."On Their Show, Every Teen's a Critic".Daily News.
  21. ^Johansen, Stella (February 23, 2016)."From Broadway to Hot Springs Village".Hot Springs Village Voice.
  22. ^Nickelodeon "Rated K Update" Brought to you by Chee-Tos CommercialonYouTube
  23. ^Granville, Kari (July 4, 1988)."Kids Will Be the Talk of Nickelodeon".Los Angeles Times.
  24. ^Clark, Kenneth R. (April 19, 1987)."WASTELAND OR WONDERLAND? A KIDS' TV UPDATE".Chicago Tribune.
  25. ^Channels, Volume 7.C.C. Pub. Incorporated, 1987. 1987. p. 61.
  26. ^"List of every TV series aired on Nickelodeon".Nickandmore!.
  27. ^Elizabeth Maupin, "Molly Pesce Back On Florida Scene In 'Svengali'", inOrlando Sentinel,October 20, 1991
  28. ^"How is Molly Pesce, Miss Florida 1986?".Orlando Sentinel.April 28, 1995.
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