DVD Review: Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me

Creator: Margaux Towne-Colley
Cast: Grayson Carter Colley, Owen Robert Justice, Margaux Towne-Colley, Beth Wendel Paprocki, Jerry Longe
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Us 2 LLC
Release Date: November 2007

I thought there’d come a day where children of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered families would have their own children’s programming. I had thought mainstream television shows would do it first, but ever since PBS balked at a little criticism about featuring a GLBT family on its show Postcards from Buster, children’s programming and television networks have conveniently avoided an entire population of children. It’s all politics really and the fear of a public outcry at something still deemed vile by ignorant individuals who are still stuck in the dark ages.

I could go into my views of GLBT rights, religion and a host of other hot topics, but that would derail me from my intended purpose in posting a review for the new children’s television show, Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me. Buddy G is the first animated character that I know of who has two moms. The number of programs for GLBT families is growing as independent companies start developing their own shows in lieu of the commercial, non-conforming networks out there.

Yes, Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is geared towards GLBT families, but kids with moms and dads and those in other living situations can relate to the adventures Buddy G goes on with his best friend, Owen, and his special computer, Socrates. While Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me might be called “My Two Moms and Me”, Buddy G is a universal kid who experiences life just like any other kid, except for the fact that he has two moms.

Still, that really isn’t the point of Buddy G’s first DVD, which consists of the first Buddy G episode “The Lost Rings” and a bonus music video. Put Buddy G in a traditional family and this same adventure could happen. So, will traditional families be welcome into the Buddy G fold? I think so…though GLBT families will certainly benefit the most.

Release Information:
The first Buddy G DVD was released in November of 2007. I recently heard about Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me through an organization my own son is a part of, COLAGE. The DVD isn’t long, but it is certainly engaging. Kids will like the colorfulness of the animation and the simple story. Parents will love how fun Buddy G is and how easily relatable he is to both boys and girls.

The Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me DVD can be purchased at the Buddy G website. The DVD costs $10. The website also tells of other locations where Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me can be purchased.

The Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me Plot
When young Grayson Colley asked his Mom and Mommy about children’s television shows with kids who had two moms his parents were at a loss. At the time, there was absolutely nothing children of GLBT families could watch. Then, slowly, as the Towne-Colley family worked on developing Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me, other companies, such as Pink Pea Productions (developer of Dottie’s Magic Pockets) were working on their own shows. The idea is pretty simple. There is only one minor difference between these shows and traditional programming. The parents in these shows are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. It seems like such a small difference, but leave it to society to make mountains out of molehills.

I’m sure that some consider this a part of the GLBT agenda (whatever that is or means!), but really, traditional shows were not touching the GLBT parenting issue. The American Pediatrics Association and the American Psychological Association and their endorsements of gay parenting have done nothing to make television embrace the concept of including GLBT kids, a large demographic who end up watching these traditional television shows. It’s kind of sad really, so it is nice to see someone do something about this. It’s about time kids in GLBT families are no longer being left out!

Grayson is the inspiration for Buddy G. Buddy G lives in Nebraska with his Mom and Mommy. He has a best friend name Owen and a small computer that attaches to his arm, named Socrates. In the first episode of Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me, “The Lost Rings”, Buddy G and Owen are using utensils and other kitchen items to play imaginary games. Owen has decided he is the King of Rock n’ Roll. Buddy G is his loyal knight who won’t let bad sounds get past his shield!

Owen finds the rings of one of Buddy G’s moms. He decides the King of Rock n’ Roll needs some jewels to complete his motif. After convincing Buddy G its okay to borrow them, since she always says sharing is important, the two head outside to play. After an exhausting yet fun time playing, the two sit and discuss the banishing of Mary and her little lamb from the kingdom of rock n’ roll. As Owen says, she’s a nice girl, but really not suited for his kingdom.

It is then that Owen realizes he has lost the rings and it’s up to Buddy G and Owen to find them. After all, one of them was given to his Mom from her grandmother. With the help of Socrates, Buddy G’s personal computer, Buddy G can hopefully find the solution before his moms get too mad at idea of the lost rings. Overall, the story is cute and heartfelt, with some funny moments. Our teenager laughed at the silliness of Owen and Buddy G. He liked the show a lot and recommended it to his three year old cousin!

Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me teaches educational skills as well as social skills. In this first episode, kids learn words from other languages, a science lesson (I don’t want to tell what it is about because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone), why telling the truth is important, the importance of honesty, problem solving skills, and how hard work can pay off. For as short as it was, Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is packed with adventure and learning.

Overall, Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me impressed me. It is something I could expect to see told as a story on any other children’s show. Plenty of kids lose things. That’s not just reserved for kids of GLBT parents. How that is handled will depend on the parents and children from all walks of life can learn from the basic lessons Buddy G is so willing to teach.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is filmed in a 3D animation and was done on a low budget. With this in mind, the animation looks great. There are some minor visual errors that are visible from time to time, but overall, I’m very impressed with how well Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me turned out. I’m not exactly certain on the specs for the aspect ratio, but it looks pretty standard and there really wasn’t any problem with objects or items appearing off screen. It looks like pretty much any other 3D cartoon out there!

The sound for Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is excellent. Everything comes through loud and clear. I had no problem hearing or understanding anything. The sound is great, and much better than I expected. No volume toggling was necessary. At this time, subtitles or closed captioning are unavailable.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me has one bonus feature that is included on its very first DVD. After watching “The Lost Rings” children can enjoy a video by the String Beans (who wrote the theme song for Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me). This video is actually quite hilarious. Since Buddy G is from Nebraska, it’s only fitting that kids learn all about what makes Nebraska special. I was happily surprised to see the first Reuben sandwich was served in Nebraska…and Nebraska invented spam! Animated in a crude, early Southpark looking kind of fashion, this is a rated G video that every kid is going to love watching.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is more than just a show about a kid with two moms. It’s an innovative show that just happens to be a relatively new concept in the world of animation by being the first of its kind. While kids of GLBT parents might not have had anything to look forward to in traditional television, Buddy G: My Two Moms and Me is adorable enough to capture fans in nearly every age group. GLBT parents have to buy this! I insist! Parents in more traditional households need to think about seriously purchasing this DVD. It is a great, non-threatening introduction for young children, to show them how normal non-traditional families really are…and wouldn’t you rather be the one teaching your child this?

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Buddy G, My Two Moms and Me, GLBT, Colage, Nebraska, String Beans, animation, kids, children programming

Written by Dominick Evans – Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.