Blue's Clues is an American live-action/animated educational children's television series that premiered on Nickelodeon & Nick, Jr. on September 8, 1996. Producers/creators Angela Santomero, Todd Kessler, and Traci Paige Johnson combined concepts from child development and early-childhood education with innovative animation and production techniques that helped their viewers learn. The show was originally hosted by Steve Burns, who left in 2002 and was replaced by Donovan Patton until 2006. The show follows an animated blue-spotted dog named Blue as she leaves a trail of clues/paw prints for the host and the viewers, in order to figure out her plans for the day. Blue's Clues became the highest-rated show for preschoolers on American commercial television and was critical to Nickelodeon's growth. It has been called "one of the most successful, critically acclaimed, and ground-breaking preschool television series of all time." A spin-off called Blue's Room premiered in 2004.
The show's producers and creators presented material in a narrative format instead of the more traditional magazine format, used repetition to reinforce its curriculum, and structured every episode the same way. They used research about child development and young children's viewing habits that had been conducted in the thirty years since the debut of Sesame Street in the U.S. and revolutionized the genre by inviting their viewers' involvement. Research was part of the creative and decision-making process in the production of the show and was integrated into all aspects and stages of the creative process. Blue's Clues was the first cutout animation series for preschoolers and resembles a storybook in its use of primary colors and its simple construction paper shapes of familiar objects with varied colors and textures. Its home-based setting is familiar to American children but has a look unlike other children's TV shows. A live production of Blue's Clues, which used many of the production innovations developed by the show's creators, toured the U.S. starting in 1999. As of 2002, over 2 million people had attended over 1,000 performances.
By 2002, Blue's Clues had received several awards for excellence in children's programming, educational software, and licensing, and had been nominated for nine Emmy Awards. It has been syndicated in 120 countries and translated into 15 languages. Regional versions of the show featuring local hosts have been produced in other countries. It was one of the first preschool shows to incorporate American Sign Language into its content. The show's extensive use of research in its development and production process inspired several research studies that have provided evidence for its effectiveness as a learning tool.
Blue's Clues was the longest-running Nick Jr. series until it was surpassed by Dora the Explorer in 2011. In March 2018, Nickelodeon announced a reboot of the series titled Blue's Clues & You!, which premiered on November 11, 2019.
History with the Macy's Parade
With the Blue's Clues reaching massive success, the beloved preschool puppy made her Parade debut in 1999, as the second Nickelodeon character to take shape as a giant helium balloon. The design of the balloon is generic, with Blue holding out her paw with the iconic "Blue's Clues" stamp. Blue's Clues also entered a float into the parade the same year, which featured the show's signature "Thinking Chair" near the back, surrounded by the show's characters, such as Steve (1999-2001), Joe (2002), Mailbox, Sidetable Drawer, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper, Paprika, Shovel, Pail, Slippery Soap, Periwinkle, and Tickety Tock. The float also featured leaves decorated throughout the float. The balloon and float duo made four appearances together and were both retired after the 2002 Parade. Despite this, Mr. Salt & Mrs. Pepper are now on display at the Parade Studio's kitchen
After 17 years of absence, Blue skidooed back to the Parade lineup in 2019, as means of promotion for her new revival series, Blue's Clues & You! The brand-new float showcased a 22-foot tall Blue taking the form of a giant inflatable, inspired by the look and feel of the new series. Covered in 13 pounds of glitter, Blue shined down the Parade route as she greeted fans of all ages. Making an appearance alongside Blue was the new live-action host of Blue's Clues & You! Joshua Dela Cruz.
Guest Stars
Listed below are the guest stars that have performed/appeared on the float, alongside the respective songs which they sang during the NBC Telecast.
- 1999-2001 - Steve Burns (as Steve)
- 2001 - Magenta the Puppy (Costumed character)
- 2002 - Donovan Patton (as Joe)
- 2019 - Josh Dela Cruz; sang "What I Like About Blue"
Music
- Blue's Clues Music (1999-2000)
- The Whistler and His Dog (Milton Delugg rendition, 2001)
- Blue's Clues Theme (Joe, 2002)