Growing up in the 1990s was a really good time when it came to shows that also taught important lessons of life and education. No more was this demonstrated than on Nickelodeon with their game shows such as “GUTS,” “Nick Arcade,” and “Double Dare.”
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But the one that most people remember more is “Legends of the Hidden Temple” which aired for three seasons from 1993 to 1995. Hosted by Kirk Fogg and a talking stone head named Olmec (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), viewers learned about important historical events whether they be true or seemingly fictitous while watching six teams of players compete for the right to retrieve the artifact of the episode from the temple. The teams in question are as follows:
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In fact you couldn’t call this a “game show” as opposed to a reality show because while “Legends” clearly takes place in the now deceased Nickelodeon Studios in Orlando, FL, it was steered as far away from the traditional gameshow formula as much as possible.
What I think “Legends” holds true for neurodivergent individuals is value that can identify with what the neurodivergent audience is looking for such as following a simple four part structure (the moat, the steps of knowledge, the temple games and finally, the temple run). ”Legends” isn’t like some of those other game shows that are hard to follow and in fact, it’s simple four part structure is a good tool to use when it comes to maintaining routine.
Heck, the only changes the show made were some of the costumes and the lighting, but that was it. Even “Legends” demonstrates that it’s sometimes necessary to roll with the times while not impacting the quality of the competition.
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But getting back to the historical aspect, how many of you reading this watched “Legends” and could remember what was featured on the show being taught in school? Now, on its own, the historical material is difficult to understand, but “Legends” helps viewers understand by making the characters in the story segment talk more modern and in a language that children can understand. In a way, “Legends” did what some teachers would fail to do in terms of making the subject fun and engaging.
Then there is also the matter of the actual contestants on the show. Viewers can also identify with them in terms of the fact that they aren’t competing just to win prizes but also to build confidence and self-determination for their adult lives. In a way, the temple guards during the temple run may seem scary, but they also serve that there is going to be scary people in the world that we must try and avoid them as much as we can. Even the tasks that must be completed during the temple run itself are a representation of life as a whole.
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I mean, look at the infamous Shrine of the Silver Monkey where you have to assemble a silver monkey statue. There have been plenty of contestants who cannot assemble the darn monkey without getting into frustration. The monkey represents puzzles that we must solve in life and that we sometimes have to solve them in a short amount of time.
In terms of lessons like that, “Legends of the Hidden Temple” was well ahead of their time and they set a standard where shows offer similar life lessons minus the drama that is on most reality television shows today.
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All in all, “Legends of the Hidden Temple” is a good teaching tool for special education history teachers because it’s not just historical facts, but facts of life that neurodivergent/developmentally different individuals will have to face off against.
Plus, it’s streaming on Paramount Plus along with the other Nickelodeon shows and there is no better time to introduce them than now!!
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Catch you all later!!
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