New on Noggin: ‘Team,’ Yes, ‘Big Kids,’ No

The Noggin educational network, a partnership between Nickelodeon and venerable Children’s Television Workshop of “Sesame Street” fame, launches two new original series this week: “Big Kids,” beginning today and “On the Team,” beginning Tuesday.

Both live-action shows are promoted as teaching young viewers “life lessons through real situations,” but the home-grown, Brooklyn-based, real-life “On the Team” scores; “Big Kids,” an ill-considered, sitcom-ish BBC co-production, doesn’t.

In “Big Kids,” a brother and sister must cope with parents who, after an encounter with a hypnotist, frequently lapse into childhood, behaving like bratty 5-year-olds. Their children are forced to be the adults during those times, ostensibly to gain perspective and insight as they cope.

When “normal,” this is an unpleasant family at best--sullen, angry and complaining--so it’s mildly amusing when Mom is begging her 12-year-old daughter for a puppy or Dad is jumping on the sofa during a soccer match. But there’s not much humor in watching children in a state of high anxiety, trying to prepare for, then cover up and deal with the consequences when Mom and Dad suddenly lose it.

In contrast, the “On the Team” series opener is unexpectedly compelling true storytelling. A documentary series, it chronicles the triumphs and tribulations of a diverse coed team of 9- and 10-year-old baseball players in Brooklyn as they learn to be a team, deal with hard work and face disappointment.

Drama, suspense and human interest are captured in the camera’s eye: Will one skinny little boy steal home on his first game hit ever? Will a sulky girl who wants to pitch learn that first she has to work for it? Does the star girl pitcher, who lives and breathes the game, care if classmates call her a “tomboy”? Will the coaches remain tough but fair?

There’s no indication that the darker side of kids’ ball will rear its head--despotic coaches and aggressive parents--but there’s dimension as well as action aplenty.

The shows join Noggin as part of its new two-hour, “interactive” programming block (viewers participate via the Internet), dubbed “the Hubbub.”

* “Big Kids,” Noggin cable network, today, 7 p.m. Regular schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays at 7 p.m.; TV-Y7.

* “On the Team,” Noggin cable network, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Regular schedule: Tuesdays through Thursdays at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; Sundays at 11:30 a.m. TV-Y.