OT: Martha Speaks

Is anyone a fan of this show? I feel like it's the spiritual successor to Arthur. The premise, for those who don't know, is of a dog that one day eats alphabet soup and the letters go to her brain instead of her stomach, giving her the ability to speak. Martha is the main character alongside her ten-year-old owner Helen and Helen's friends (T.D., Truman, Alice, etc.). This is a premise that could easily get obnoxious and unwatchable, but Martha is such a likable character. She's basically Helen's little sister with dog characteristics to help appeal to the audience. There are some things she doesn't understand, but there are things only she understands and she is a very strong female character. She's always standing up for herself and she has a strong mind, but she's always looking out for other people as well.

The show is currently in its sixth season, I believe. I stopped watching regularly around the fourth season because it started declining IMO (voice acting problems, slow pacing, lack of humor and interesting stories). However, the first three seasons are great and I would recommend them all the way. I don't feel like the show has reached its full potential yet and it has a long way to go before it ever reaches Arthur's heights (something tells me MS is targeted at a younger age group than Arthur, despite the kids being older). Still, it's one of the best shows PBS Kids has to offer and I feel like it would fit right in with the network's golden age.

"Long live your idols, may they never be your rivals"