PBS Kids announced yesterday that its most infamous cartoon, Caillou, is finally getting canceled, and parents are pretty pumped about it.
The notorious Canadian cartoon, which follows the mundane day-to-day life of the bald-headed four-year-old Caillou, earned notable scorn from parents and babysitters for years during its runtime. Caillou's incessant whining, temper tantrums, and high squeaky voice sent all the wrong messages to children, and the narrator's trembling voice and unnecessary warblings were anxiety-inducing for any listeners above the age of 2.
Not to mention the theme song was insufferable, and some of the episode's story arcs were absolutely pointless. In one particular episode, Caillou and his sister, Rosie, go to the library to check out a book. That's it. As we bid farewell to this spoiled Canadian brat, here are just a few of the times when Caillou was a total punk.
Caillou in the Bathtub
The episode opens with Caillou running away from his mom, refusing to get in the bath: a dilemma parents are all too familiar with. When he is finally caught and dragged into the bath, he complains of the temperature of the water when it immediately hits the tub.
"It's too hot, mommy!" he whines, followed by, "It's too cold, mommy!" His mom tries to bribe his cooperation with a toy, but Caillou throws it across the room like a punk, then runs out of the room. He is never asked to apologize; his parents just continue to bribe him with bubbles and toys until he gives in.
Caillou Goes To School
Caillou
When a family friend named Sarah comes over to ask Caillou if he'd accompany her to "Sibling Day" at school (she's an only child), Caillou agrees almost immediately. He is excited by the prospect of seeing what life at school will be like when he is old enough to attend; but apparently, his parents forgot to tell him that school isn't just a free-for-all.
He is an absolute menace to Sara, as he draws on the chalkboard without asking, demands to play throughout the day, and causes Sara to miss the school assembly because of his whining about having to pee. School assemblies were like 20 minutes long at most; was it really that urgent? The episode ends with Caillou coming home, saying he was bummed that he didn't learn how to read and write.
Caillou Plays a Baby
When Caillou is asked to pick up his numerous toys that litter the house, Caillou refuses and instead questions why his 2-year-old sister Rosie doesn't have to clean. His mom humors him and asks Rosie to clean up, which she does so respectfully.
Caillou isn't satisfied because she doesn't pick up all the toys, so Caillou decides he's gonna start acting like a baby like Rosie in order to get out of doing chores. He throws food around the kitchen like a baby and asks all these obscure requests of his mom, who for some reason allows it. He stops trying to be a baby when he realizes babies take naps.
Big Brother Caillou
In one of the show's most infamous episodes, Caillou learns he's going to be a big brother, and while excited at first, he quickly ends up resenting his newborn baby sister. In one notorious scene, Caillou scoops up his sister, kisses her on the forehead, then pinches her cheek so hard that she cries. The whole episode pretty much just shows Caillou being a jealous brat and never getting truly punished for it.
Caillou Joins The Circus
Known as the series' most agonizing episode, Caillou starts off as a punk right from the get go, and he doesn't stop for its entirety. He rips through all his clothes as he's trying to get ready to go with his dad to the circus, only to find out shortly after that the trip was actually planned for the following day.
"No, no it's today!" He whinnies. "I got all dressed! It's today!" His dad practically rolls his eyes mid-temper tantrum and tells him to go downstairs and help with breakfast.
The punk REFUSES and proceeds to play with his toy car, which proceeds to break, which proceeds to send Caillou into a raging fit, all because he wasn't going to the f**king circus until THE NEXT DAY. The fit continues for the rest of the episode, and the little brat never even ends up apologizing for it. His dad just enables it and proceeds to get him in a good mood by dancing around the kitchen. It just proves that Caillou is the absolute worst.