I'm 22 and I Still Watch Barney...

A couple of days ago, I got dragged down a rabbit hole by a purple dinosaur and it all started when I was digging through boxes in my parents' house and found a familiar white VHS tape.

Being a 90s baby, my early years were spent watching Barney & Friends and unlike most of my friends who stopped watching after the age of 5 or 6, I secretly watched Barney and the Backyard Gang up until middle school. Now, at 22 years old it has been over 10 years since I've gotten excited for the whimsical theme song… that is, until a few days ago.

When I found the VHS tape titled Barney in Concert the memories came flooding back to me of the days when I would sit cross-legged in front of the TV singing along with Barney, BJ, Baby Bop, Michael, Derek, Luci, and Tina (yes, I still remember their names). But being that it is 2021, my family no longer owns a VCR (and neither does anyone I know). So after a quick YouTube search, I was watching full episodes of the preschool TV show that once consumed my days. And after just a few minutes, it became clear to me why I loved the show so much growing up and why I found myself smiling and singing along in spite of myself, even as a grown woman.

The Original Heartthrob

Before I began swooning over Disney Channel boys as a pre-teen, my first "celebrity" crush was the blond-haired Michael from the early seasons of Barney. Even though there were many reasons to watch this show growing up, seeing Michael on my screen was definitely one of the greatest reasons and shows geared towards young people began to capitalize on this idea of having a crush-worthy boy as a star.

Michael walked so that boys like the Jonas Brothers, Corbin Bleu, Zac Efron, and Jordan Fisher could run.

Before There was Glee... There was Barney

If you've read any of my previous stories, it is no secret that I am obsessed with Glee. But not just Glee, I love musicals and musical TV shows from Glee to Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, and I even enjoy listening to the music from the musical episodes of Riverdale (though if anyone asks, I'll deny it). But before these musical TV shows started taking the world by storm, Barney & Friends was making bops for kids (and apparently adults too).

The "Tingalayo" song was definitely a favorite of mine. The calypso vibes, the little dance, and the outfits always did it for me (considering that it was the early 90s and the song slaps, I will ignore the possible cultural appropriation).

And I can't even tell you how many times I have randomly started singing "I like to eat, eat, eat, ee-ples and ba-nee-nees" even as an adult.

And don't get me started on the "Mr. Knickerbocker" song. This was the little kid, 90s version of the "Hand Jive" from Grease and no one can tell me otherwise. (Also, Baby Bop didn't have to go that hard, but I'm glad she did).

The Backyard Gang was the Standard for TV Friend Groups

Before friend groups like Chandler, Monica and the rest of the Friends gang made me envious, I wanted to be a part of the Backyard Gang. And looking back on my Barney addiction, it is no surprise to me that some of my favorite shows also feature a main friend group. The friends from shows like Living Single, Friends, and Community, have all become my adult versions of the after school gang that I fell in love with as a child.

And in many ways, the Backyard Gang created the formula for TV friend groups. Luci and Tina were the siblings/relatives of the group (think Ross and Monica Geller from Friends or Synclaire and Khadijah James from Living Single). Michael and Derek had the bromance of the group (like Joey and Chandler from Friends or Abed and Troy from Community). The only thing they were missing was a romance between two of the friends (but considering that they were children, it's better that they didn't).

Barney Paved the Way for Mentor-Focused TV Shows

One of my favorite shows right now is How to Get Away With Murder, which focuses on Professor Annalise Keating, who mentors a group of five law school students known as the "Keating 5." But if I'm being honest, Barney did it first. A show about an imaginary purple dinosaur that taught a group of elementary school kids important life lessons, made my love for How to Get Away With Murder, and shows like it, possible.

Honestly, Barney and the Backyard Gang really shaped my taste in television shows today and probably (whether consciously or subconsciously) shaped much of my generation's taste in television as well. And for that reason, Barney will always have a special place in my heart.

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to leave a like and/or tip and check out some of my other stories. Also, follow me on Instagram @c.r.hughes