Carl the Collector

What a delightful children's show that combines education, entertainment, and a touch of adventure.

One of the standout features of Carl the Collector is its vibrant animation and colorful world-building, which captures the attention of young viewers. The show is paced well for its target audience, with short episodes that pack in plenty of learning moments without feeling overwhelming. Carl's enthusiastic personality and friendly demeanor make him a great role model, encouraging curiosity and the importance of exploration.

The educational value of the show is noteworthy. Each collection item Carl finds comes with an interesting story or fact, making it a great way for children to learn about the world around them, from nature to historical artifacts. The show cleverly integrates basic learning concepts like counting, geography, and problem-solving, making it an excellent choice for parents who want a mix of fun and education.

Last but certainly not least is the attention the show brings to Autism. The show is thoughtfully designed to be autism-friendly, with clear visuals, predictable but smart storylines, and a calming color palette that reduce sensory overload. Carl and his friends frequently demonstrate patience, understanding, and acceptance, making the show a safe and welcoming space for neurodiverse viewers. The pacing is slower and more deliberate, avoiding fast cuts or sudden loud noises, which can be overwhelming for some children. Absolutely Loved it as did my 5 and 6 year old.

As an animation fan, I enjoy shows with cute animals. I like various types of animals, and raccoons are certainly one of them.

The series centers on Carl, an anthropomorphic raccoon, who, as the show's title implies, likes collecting stuff. Besides collecting stuff, Carl would at times use his collections to solve problems, and help others.

Things that bring up the score for this show are the cute characters. The fact that Carl is autistic makes him a more interesting character. Those on the spectrum may show great knowledge in some fields, but struggle in others. In Carl's case, he knows a lot about the things he collects, but tends to get in shock when he sees someone have an accident he never saw before. Nevertheless, his friends are willing to help him in some challenges.

What can I say of this series? Well, when it comes to collecting things, and using them in situations, I see it as a clever concept.

And it's not because they're autistic or neuro divergent. A lot of the characters just whine and complain constantly and handle a lot of their situations very poorly. There are a lot of episodes where actions are completely excused due to disability instead of learning to handle them appropriately. I appreciate what they're trying to do making a bunch of the characters special but I don't think it was executed very well. I find a lot of the characters very annoying because of their whining. Hopefully it helps a future show pull off some of the ideas a little better. There are better shows on PBS kids at this time.

As an autistic adult I absolutely love this show. It's relatable and shows real life experiences and struggles. Our household loves it. I think it's a great show for all ages. Very heartfelt and family oriented. A great representation of how to positively support your friend or family member and respecting/giving autonomy and emotional intelligence. We cannot express what it means to our household to have a children's show that's relatable for us and shown in a positive light, not just the stereotypical view. We also love that there is male and female autistic representation as female autistic are rarely if ever represented. I do think there's room to touch on more things however it definitely gets better with each season. Thank you PBS for this show!