By Jen Chaney
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, March 31, 2006

A busy mother enters a big-box retail store and spots a DVD cover with a cherubic girl in pigtails and the words "Wonder Showzen" printed in cheery, rainbow-colored letters.

She grabs the item, convinced her two children will adore this clearly good-natured piece of entertainment.

To that woman, all I can say is: For the love of God, lady, put down that DVD.

"Wonder Showzen" -- a twisted MTV2 series that darkly riffs on children's shows such as "Sesame Street" and "Teletubbies" -- is most decidedly not for kids. The bottom of that deceptively sunny cover for the Season 1 DVD ($26.98), released Tuesday, says, "Warning: Not for Children," and each episode opens with a lengthy disclaimer: "If you allow a child to watch this show, you are a bad parent or guardian."

But for adults -- particularly those raised in "The Electric Company" era -- the surreal mix of live-action vignettes, animation and puppetry will strike a deliciously subversive chord.

While "Sesame Street" teaches little ones how to count and read, "Wonder Showzen" depicts the inevitable rumble between violent factions of numbers and letters. In another episode, the letter "N" -- portrayed as a scarlet puppet with no self-esteem -- goes on a drunken bender, has a one-night stand with the letter "S" and gives birth to a tiny letter "i," creating a family that collectively spells "SiN." The most "Wonder"-ful moments come from the show's recurring segments. A Q&A that features real children addressing major life questions consistently yields less than heart-warming responses. When asked "Where do babies come from?" one little boy responds, "Carelessness." A hand-puppet named Clarence, who looks like Grover's illegitimate half-brother, trolls the streets of New York and essentially harasses people. In one episode, he chases joggers in Central Park and shouts, "What are you running from?" In another, he asks befuddled folks to look into the camera and tell kids it's important to be patient, but interrupts them every time they attempt to speak, much to their frustration.

Then there's "Beat Kids," in which tykes dressed like junior journalists visit various locations, microphone in hand, to get the scoop on what's happening in the real word. A girl heads to Wall Street and asks suit-wearing corporate types, "Who did you exploit today?" Red-headed reporter Trevor drops by a butcher shop, where he inquires, "Who's going to pay for these steaks? I mean, spiritually?" An episode in which Trevor donned Hitler garb and asked shocked passersby, "What's wrong with the youth of today?" stopped airing in reruns after complaints from the Anti-Defamation League. That installment can be seen on the DVD.

Clearly "Wonder Showzen" doesn't just satirize kiddie shows. It also throws razor-sharp darts at all aspects of American culture. While Cartman of "South Park" fame wants people to respect his "authori-tah," the misfits of "Wonder Showzen" have no use whatsoever for authority. That insubordinate vibe extends into the bonus features that come with this two-disc set, including outtakes, an edition of "Story Time" with rapper and "Surreal Life" star Flava Flav and four ultra-bizarre commentary tracks.

Unfortunately, the DVD lacks a behind-the-scenes featurette, so curious fans won't learn anything about show creators John Lee and Vernon Chatman or how, exactly, they persuade unsuspecting kids to participate in the show's madness. Is the "Wonder Showzen" crew, like the moneyed men on Wall Street, exploiting their innocent contributors?

Based on one moment from the DVD's outtakes, the answer appears to be no. When a girl with an angelic face is told to speak the words, "I'm free to ignore this stupid question," she stubbornly shakes her head.

"I can't say that bad word," she says.

"Which bad word?" the man off-camera asks.

"Stupid."

"You just said it," he replies.

"I can't," she insists. "My mom said I can't."

In their own way, even the kids on "Wonder Showzen" are sticking it to the man.