Nick Martel

Early one morning, before anyone else was up in the house, Lloyd actually found her in the living room watching the test pattern on the TV. It's like the test signal that comes before the show starts. She would watch literally nothing on TV rather than read or play. And that's concerning. It was concerning. Now, as Lloyd sees it, there are two seemingly distinct problems going on.

First, kids from low-income families aren't getting access to preschool. And second, all kids are addicted to TV. So Lloyd asked the question to the dinner table. What if there was a way to take the second problem and make it a solution to the first problem? Interesting, Lloyd. Go on. What if we can solve inequality in schooling... through television.

First, kids from low-income families aren't getting access to preschool. And second, all kids are addicted to TV. So Lloyd asked the question to the dinner table. What if there was a way to take the second problem and make it a solution to the first problem? Interesting, Lloyd. Go on. What if we can solve inequality in schooling... through television.

First, kids from low-income families aren't getting access to preschool. And second, all kids are addicted to TV. So Lloyd asked the question to the dinner table. What if there was a way to take the second problem and make it a solution to the first problem? Interesting, Lloyd. Go on. What if we can solve inequality in schooling... through television.

And then Lloyd turns to his host, Joan, and he asks her a question that's gonna change both of their lives and the lives of millions of future viewers like you. Do you think television can be used to teach young children? The question hangs in the air. All eyes are on Joan. The table is silent. The Chardonnay is getting warm. And she answers, I don't know, but I'd like to talk about it, Lloyd.

And then Lloyd turns to his host, Joan, and he asks her a question that's gonna change both of their lives and the lives of millions of future viewers like you. Do you think television can be used to teach young children? The question hangs in the air. All eyes are on Joan. The table is silent. The Chardonnay is getting warm. And she answers, I don't know, but I'd like to talk about it, Lloyd.

And then Lloyd turns to his host, Joan, and he asks her a question that's gonna change both of their lives and the lives of millions of future viewers like you. Do you think television can be used to teach young children? The question hangs in the air. All eyes are on Joan. The table is silent. The Chardonnay is getting warm. And she answers, I don't know, but I'd like to talk about it, Lloyd.

They don't know it yet, but they will keep talking about it for the next 50 years. So Joan and Lloyd, they are fired up and ready to go. But they're in the nonprofit world. So instead of funding rounds and pitching VCs with PowerPoint decks and one-pagers, their next step is two years of deep research and painstaking grant applications.

They don't know it yet, but they will keep talking about it for the next 50 years. So Joan and Lloyd, they are fired up and ready to go. But they're in the nonprofit world. So instead of funding rounds and pitching VCs with PowerPoint decks and one-pagers, their next step is two years of deep research and painstaking grant applications.

They don't know it yet, but they will keep talking about it for the next 50 years. So Joan and Lloyd, they are fired up and ready to go. But they're in the nonprofit world. So instead of funding rounds and pitching VCs with PowerPoint decks and one-pagers, their next step is two years of deep research and painstaking grant applications.

And in 1968, Joan and Lloyd create the Children's Television Workshop, a new production company for their new show. Time to get out the metaphorical finger paints and start planning. This new show will be an hour long. It will air weekdays on public television stations nationwide.

And in 1968, Joan and Lloyd create the Children's Television Workshop, a new production company for their new show. Time to get out the metaphorical finger paints and start planning. This new show will be an hour long. It will air weekdays on public television stations nationwide.

And in 1968, Joan and Lloyd create the Children's Television Workshop, a new production company for their new show. Time to get out the metaphorical finger paints and start planning. This new show will be an hour long. It will air weekdays on public television stations nationwide.

Their target audience will be kids aged three to five, spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, including kids in low-income homes. Because kids' attention spans are pretty short, they model this TV program on popular magazines. Instead of one long plot arc like you typically watch on TV, there will be many short segments from puppetry and animation to short films and songs.

Their target audience will be kids aged three to five, spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, including kids in low-income homes. Because kids' attention spans are pretty short, they model this TV program on popular magazines. Instead of one long plot arc like you typically watch on TV, there will be many short segments from puppetry and animation to short films and songs.

Their target audience will be kids aged three to five, spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, including kids in low-income homes. Because kids' attention spans are pretty short, they model this TV program on popular magazines. Instead of one long plot arc like you typically watch on TV, there will be many short segments from puppetry and animation to short films and songs.

This kind of show has never been tried before. Most kids' programming is either vapid and silly like Howdy Doody or so boring that you'd rather help your parents fold laundry while eating broccoli. This is the era before Legends of the Hidden Temple. They're trying to give children who don't have access to pre-K education, pre-K education for free on TV.

This kind of show has never been tried before. Most kids' programming is either vapid and silly like Howdy Doody or so boring that you'd rather help your parents fold laundry while eating broccoli. This is the era before Legends of the Hidden Temple. They're trying to give children who don't have access to pre-K education, pre-K education for free on TV.

This kind of show has never been tried before. Most kids' programming is either vapid and silly like Howdy Doody or so boring that you'd rather help your parents fold laundry while eating broccoli. This is the era before Legends of the Hidden Temple. They're trying to give children who don't have access to pre-K education, pre-K education for free on TV.

They want to make something fun to watch, but with a hidden curriculum of literacy, early math, and social skills like tolerance and understanding. It's kind of like frosted mini-wheats. Healthy whole wheat on one side, but frosted deliciousness for the kid in you on the other side. Exactly. Joan hires two groups of experts to pull this off.