Charlie and Lola

This cartoon really is a little gem. My 2 year old son and 5 (and three quarter) year old daughter both really enjoy it. I find this very funny too, which is not the usual case for kids' cartoons. Lola's speech, e.g. excessive use of the word "completely", or Blossom trying to wangle the word "actual" into every sentence, ring very true. So does their 180 degree change of stance once they understand situations better; we experienced the "I Do Not Ever, Never Want My Wobbly Tooth to Fall Out" recently, and even our 5 year old saw the similarity and laughed about it. The surreal, imagination scenes like flying on a bird's back, are always well done and hold our 2 year old's attention, which is not easy.

I'm always slightly wary when a show is described as "good clean family fun" because that usually translates as "incredibly boring for adults", but in this case it really doesn't. Highly recommended for all ages.

"I have this little sister Lola. She is small and very funny." These are the words that Charlie uses to introduce each episode of Charlie and Lola, a fifteen minute cartoon from Britain currently airing in the USA on The Disney Channel, but he might as well be describing the show itself. This charming, lighthearted romp, based upon a series of picture books by Lauren Child is about Charlie, a wise, kind and very responsible boy of perhaps seven or eight years and his tiny adventures being big brother to quirky, determined, demanding and adorable Lola, age five. A typical episode concerns Charlie convincing fussy eater Lola to eat the foods on her list of things she "absolutely will never not ever eat." Rarely do we see a depiction in modern pop culture of such a healthy and loving sibling relationship as offered here. Charlie may at times be exasperated by his little sister, but he is always caring and respectful of her as he gently guides her through life, and most episodes end with the happy laughter of two children enjoying each other's company. Technically the animation is not much more advanced than that of South Park (to which this in no other way can be compared!) but is more imaginative and finely detailed. And the superb voice cast of actual children (usually child characters in animation are played by adult women, i.e. Nancy Cartwright as Bart Simpson) lifts this up to a whole other level. Pure delight.

This show is FABULOUS! It is brilliant, positive, wonderful. I am a 47 year-old woman who has no children and I am not embarrassed to say that I delight in starting my weekday by watching Charlie & Lola. I laugh, have my heart warmed toward humanity, and am thoroughly entertained by the wonderfully executed lessons and graphics. These two children and their relationship with each other and their world is priceless. I found this gem because I am currently out of work and am seeking another position. I have to say that the only thing that I will miss about not being employed is the pleasure of being able to exist in Charlie & Lola land for a short time each morning.

I can only add to the wonderful comments here so far! My 6 year old daughter and 3 year old daughter absolutely love it! My eldest is infatuated actually! She thinks it is absolutely the most best show ever! lol I have bought most of my books online as in Australia there is not a lot you can get from the shops. I think it is growing in popularity and will get bigger here for sure.

Highly recommended for all ages even my hubby will watch it! lol Beats all the other rubbish they have on TV! Seems to be simple and back to grass roots a little which in my opinion is just what kids these days need!!! Enjoy it!

For starters, Lola Sonner is one of the most realistic characters ever devised for a children's cartoon, and maybe even for TV shows in general. Based on an actual Danish girl who writer Lauren Child met on a train, she might feel eerily familiar for anyone who ever dealt with kids - and that's due to both small, simple acts such as "typing" a letter and then "reading" individual letters out loud as if they meant anything, and to her attitude and personality in general. As for Charlie, well, Mr. and Mrs. Sonner should thank all deities daily for having him, heh heh.

Now, onto the show itself. The two title characters form the very core of the show, Lola being the 4-year-old sister of 7-year-old Charlie. He narrates the stories, which are almost all built out of very banal, commonplace, "house held" topics. The trick lies on everything that surrounds the stories. The animation mixes childlike drawings with fancy montages of real pictures, and through any episode, you'll never know if, the next minute, you'll be watching a simple scene depicting children talking or a delightfully abstract montage mixing imagination with true visual symphonies. Charlie narrates the stories, though the narration only pops up once in a while. Most of the time, we're focused on the characters - which includes their neighbour Marv and his dog Sizzles, Lola's classmate and best friend Lotta, and Lola's imaginary friend, the cleverly named Soren Lorenson. They are all insanely realistic, special, likable and fun to watch, so the "banal" stories really do turn into something else entirely - a very rich, profound and gentle kind of entertainment and storytelling which is enlightening and constructive for people of all ages.

Another interesting aspect of the show is that the voices are done by actual children. The actors are different for each season, but the changes aren't really too noticeable. The British accents are extreme, and for fans of British accents (like me), that's a thrill and a half. And the music is exceptional - not only the eccentric, catchy theme tune by Tom Dyson and Søren Munk, but most incidental tunes, which sometimes form the backing of choreographies and "mini musicals" within the stories. Basically, everything works here. Let this be a recommendation for parents, kids, and everyone else. And if Lauren Child's books are available to you, get them too.