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Square One (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Square One Television is an American children's television program
produced by the Children's Television Workshop
to teach mathematics
and abstract mathematical concepts to young viewers.
Created and broadcast by PBS
in the United States
from 1987
to 1994
, the show was intended to address the so-called "math crisis" among American schoolchildren. The show was revived for the 1995
-1996
PBS season as a teacher instruction program, Square One TV Math Talk.
Square One was also shown on the U.S. cable television
channel Noggin in syndication beginning in 1999
, but was removed from its lineup along with other Children's Television Workshop shows on May 26, 2003.
, combinatorics
, vulgar fractions, estimation
, probability
, and geometry
. The sketches featured regular characters and were mainly parodies of pop culture icons or popular television shows:
that appeared in the show leaves little doubt that the people behind the show counted fans of the school
among their ranks. In fact, executive producer David Connell
and head writer Jim Thurman
were both Michigan graduates.
The National Science Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting were the only permanent funders for Square One. IBM
funded the show for season 1 only, and Viewers Like You (Public Television Viewers) funded the show for seasons 1 and 2 only.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
produced by the Children's Television Workshop
Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop, formerly known as the Children's Television Workshop , is a Worldwide American non-profit organization behind the production of several educational children's programs that have run on public broadcasting around the world...
to teach mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and abstract mathematical concepts to young viewers.
Created and broadcast by PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from 1987
1987 in television
The year 1987 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1987.For American TV schedule, see: 1987–88 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:...
to 1994
1994 in television
The year 1994 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1994.For the American TV schedule, see: 1994-95 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
, the show was intended to address the so-called "math crisis" among American schoolchildren. The show was revived for the 1995
1995 in television
The year 1995 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1995.For the American TV schedule, see: 1995-96 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
-1996
1996 in television
The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
PBS season as a teacher instruction program, Square One TV Math Talk.
Square One was also shown on the U.S. cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
channel Noggin in syndication beginning in 1999
1999 in television
The year 1999 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1999.For the American TV schedule, see: 1999-00 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-Miniseries:...
, but was removed from its lineup along with other Children's Television Workshop shows on May 26, 2003.
Sketches
Square One comprised short sketches that introduced and applied concepts in mathematics such as countingCounting
Counting is the action of finding the number of elements of a finite set of objects. The traditional way of counting consists of continually increasing a counter by a unit for every element of the set, in some order, while marking those elements to avoid visiting the same element more than once,...
, combinatorics
Combinatorics
Combinatorics is a branch of mathematics concerning the study of finite or countable discrete structures. Aspects of combinatorics include counting the structures of a given kind and size , deciding when certain criteria can be met, and constructing and analyzing objects meeting the criteria ,...
, vulgar fractions, estimation
Estimation
Estimation is the calculated approximation of a result which is usable even if input data may be incomplete or uncertain.In statistics,*estimation theory and estimator, for topics involving inferences about probability distributions...
, probability
Probability
Probability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
, and geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
. The sketches featured regular characters and were mainly parodies of pop culture icons or popular television shows:
- Music videos, similar to ones seen on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, used a particular subject in mathematics and taught the subject through song, including:- "Infinity" a song about the concept of infinity performed by The JetsThe Jets (band)The Jets are a family band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, composed of brothers and sisters who specialize in pop, R&B, and dance music, particularly Latin freestyle.The group officially formed in 1985, with the original lineup fizzling out by 1990...
. - "The Mathematics of Love" a '60s pop-styled song about numbers and Roman numeralsRoman numeralsThe numeral system of ancient Rome, or Roman numerals, uses combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet to signify values. The numbers 1 to 10 can be expressed in Roman numerals as:...
. - "Count The Ways," a country song performed by The JuddsThe JuddsThe Judds were an American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna Judd. Signed to RCA Records in 1983, the duo released six studio albums between then and 1991. One of the most successful acts in country music history, The Judds won five Grammy Awards for Best Country...
about a secret admirer who expresses his sentiments in mathematical terms. - "Nine, Nine, Nine," a country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
song demonstrating that the digital rootDigital rootThe digital root of a number is the value obtained by an iterative process of summing digits, on each iteration using the result from the previous iteration to compute a digit sum...
of a multiple of 9 is 9. - "Angle Dance," a New Wave/synth-pop song reminiscent of DevoDevoDevo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
(even though the title references "Safety Dance") about obtuse and acute angles. - "8% of My Love," a song about percentages, reminiscent of Meatloaf's style and heavily referencing Bruce SpringsteenBruce SpringsteenBruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
themes. - "Less Than Zero," a song about negative numbers.
- "That's Math" sung by Gregory HinesGregory HinesGregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
, a jazz number about how mathematics is used in various situations. - "Patterns", a polkaPolkaThe polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
about patterns that can be detected in society, performed by "Weird Al" Yankovic"Weird Al" YankovicAlfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
. (Since Yankovic did not write this song, it is unavailable on any of his records, though bootleg versions have circulated.) - "Probability" (or "Ghost of a Chance"), an '80s pop video reminiscent of Michael Jackson's Thriller and Somebody's Watching MeSomebody's Watching Me"Somebody's Watching Me" is the debut single by R&B artist Rockwell, released on the Motown label in 1984. The song's lyrics relate the narrator's paranoid fear of being followed and watched. It featured former Motown artists Michael Jackson on the chorus and Jermaine Jackson on additional backing...
, involving a pizza delivery guy walking through a haunted house and gambling on his life as he calculates the odds of suffering the deadly dangers in each room. - "Rules of Thumb," a song about making estimationEstimationEstimation is the calculated approximation of a result which is usable even if input data may be incomplete or uncertain.In statistics,*estimation theory and estimator, for topics involving inferences about probability distributions...
s from well-known facts, performed by Kid 'n PlayKid 'n PlayKid 'n Play is an American hip-hop and comedy duo from New York City that was popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The duo was composed of Christopher "Kid" Reid and Christopher "Play" Martin working alongside their DJ, Mark "DJ Wiz" Eastmond...
. - "Sign of the Times," a salsaSalsa musicSalsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
song about using the letter X for multiplicationMultiplicationMultiplication is the mathematical operation of scaling one number by another. It is one of the four basic operations in elementary arithmetic ....
. - "Wanna Be," a song about needing to know math to be productive, performed by Bobby McFerrinBobby McFerrinRobert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
. - "Time Keeper," a synth-pop song about clock arithmetic, performed by Tempestt BledsoeTempestt BledsoeTempestt Bledsoe is an American actress. She is best known for her childhood role as Vanessa Huxtable on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
of The Cosby ShowThe Cosby ShowThe Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
fame. - "One Billion is Big," A song about the number one billion1000000000 (number)1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....
, performed by The Fat BoysThe Fat BoysThe Fat Boys are a successful African American hip-hop music trio from Brooklyn, New York City, that emerged in the early 1980s. Briefly, the group was known originally as the Disco 3.-Members:*Mark Morales a.k.a. "Prince Markie Dee"...
. - "Neighborhood Super Spy," a song about cryptography sung by cast member Cynthia Darlow.
- "Tessellations," in the style of Good VibrationsGood Vibrations"Good Vibrations" is a song by American rock band The Beach Boys. Composed and produced by Brian Wilson, the song's lyrics were written by Wilson and Mike Love....
, dealing with the plane tilingTessellationA tessellation or tiling of the plane is a pattern of plane figures that fills the plane with no overlaps and no gaps. One may also speak of tessellations of parts of the plane or of other surfaces. Generalizations to higher dimensions are also possible. Tessellations frequently appeared in the art...
technique associated with the art of M. C. EscherM. C. EscherMaurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
.
- "Infinity" a song about the concept of infinity performed by The Jets
- MathmanMathmanMathman was a cartoon segment on the PBS show Square One TV.-Segment Format:A parody of Pac-Man, Mathman was a fictional arcade game starring a character of the same name. Mathman's objective was to run around a Pac-Man-like maze board and eventually encounter a number or polygon...
, a parodyParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Pac-ManPac-Manis an arcade game developed by Namco and licensed for distribution in the United States by Midway, first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. Immensely popular from its original release to the present day, Pac-Man is considered one of the classics of the medium, virtually synonymous with video games,...
, helped viewers learn to recognize common mistakes while solving math problems, such as forgetting to carry a digit, or making errors with negative numbers. A blue tornado character named "Mr. Glitch" was Mathman's enemy. - Pauline's Perilous Pyramid taught addition and subtraction with negative and positive numbers. It is reminiscent of Q*bert, except the pyramid is numbered with positive and negative numbers. Each time she jumped on a square, that number was added to her score. Her goal was to reach the top of the pyramid and keep her score between +25 and -25. She also was given one "zapper" which allowed her to change a positive to a negative or vice versa.
- MathnetMathnetMathnet is a segment on the children's television show Square One, of which five seasons were produced . This parody of Dragnet featured detectives at the Los Angeles Police Department who solved mysteries using their mathematical skills. There were two main characters: detectives Kate Monday and...
(starring Joe HowardJoe HowardJoe Howard is an American actor known for his role as George Frankly on Square One TV's Mathnet. He is the father of actor Jeremy Howard.-Filmography:-External links:...
as George Frankly and Beverly LeechBeverly LeechBeverly Leech is an American actress who is perhaps best-known for her portrayal of Kate Monday on Square One TV's Mathnet....
as Kate Monday; Toni DiBuono later replaced Leech as Pat Tuesday), a parody of Dragnet, was distinguished by its quirky scripts and guest stars. Each episode of Square One ended with a Mathnet segment, and each Mathnet story spanned five episodes. Since Square One was on weekdays, this meant that the case was introduced on Monday, worked on throughout the week, and finally brought to a conclusion on Friday. On a few occasions, all five segments of a story were aired back-to-back in prime timePrime timePrime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
specials on PBS. - Late Afternoon with David Numberman, a parody of Late Night with David LettermanLate Night with David LettermanLate Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
. - Mathcourt, a parody of The People's CourtThe People's CourtThe People's Court is a US television court show in which small claims court cases are heard, though what is shown is actually a binding arbitration....
and Perry MasonPerry MasonPerry Mason is a fictional character, a defense attorney who was the main character in works of detective fiction authored by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason was featured in more than 80 novels and short stories, most of which had a plot involving his client's murder trial...
, applied Mathematics to solve cases. - General Mathpital, a parody of General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
where a team of "doctors" would work together to "operate" on a mathematical problem until the problem is fixed. - Dirk Niblick of the Math BrigadeDirk Niblick of the Math BrigadeDirk Niblick of the Math Brigade is an animated segment on the PBS television show Square One Television.The title character, Lt. Dirk Niblick, is tasked in each segment with helping friends through practical dilemmas through the use of mathematics...
, an original idea, was distinguished from most of the other sketches in that it was animated. Dirk would often use his mathematical skills to help his friends and neighbors in everyday situations. Square One TV co-creator Jim Thurman hired Fred Crippen to model the styling and the design of the Dirk Niblick cartoons after his own classic 1960s cartoon, "Roger RamjetRoger RamjetRoger Ramjet is an animated American children's television comedy series that first ran in 1965 and has aired in syndication since. Starring Roger Ramjet and the American Eagle Squadron, the show was known for its crude animation, frenetic pace, and frequent references to popular culture, which...
", in which Thurman was once involved. Veteran announcer Gary OwensGary OwensGary Owens is an American disc jockey and voice actor. His polished baritone speaking voice generally offers deadpan recitations of total nonsense, which he frequently demonstrated as the announcer on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In. Owens is equally proficient in straight or silly assignments and is...
who voiced the main character Ramjet was the voice of Dirk Niblick. - Zook & Alison, an animated segment featured in later seasons. In each episode, Uncle Wilt took some sort of trip to Earth without securing permission from his sister (whereupon she always cried, "FIND UNCLE WILT!") and Zook and Alison had to use mathematics to locate him and bring him home. In one episode they triangulate his location on a map using the clue that Wilt is "equidistant from VeniceVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, MilanMilanMilan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, and FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
." The segment was unique in that the characters and scenery were not colored in, but were multi-colored outlines against a solid black background, like in the creator's film Snowie and the 7 Dorps. - FAX HEADFUL, a computer animated addition to the final season, and a sendup of Max HeadroomMax Headroom (TV series)Max Headroom is a British-produced American science fiction television series by Chrysalis/Lakeside Productions that aired in the United States on ABC from March 1987 to May 1988. The series was based on the Channel 4 British TV pilot Max Headroom: 20 Minutes into the Future...
. FAX's monologues typically involved statistics and estimation, such as his musing on population density, or average yearly donut consumption. - Nobody's Inn, a parody of Fawlty TowersFawlty TowersFawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
. The main running gag is when someone tries to call the hotel, the owner will reply with "Nobody's Inn!", but the caller will mistakenly think he is saying "Nobody's in" to which the caller then says they'll call back later (thinking literally no one is at the hotel) and hang up. - A segment called Oops!, in which someone would make an erroneous calculation or computation, after which would be shown a clip of a disaster from an old movie. The person would say "Oops" and correct the error. Then the announcer would say "Oops! has been brought to you by eraserEraserAn eraser or rubber is an article of stationery that is used for rubbing out pencil markings. Erasers have a rubbery consistency and are often white or pink, although modern materials allow them to be made in any color. Many pencils are equipped with an eraser on one end...
s. Don't make a mistake without one." - Callous, a parody of DallasDallas (TV series)Dallas is an American serial drama/prime time soap opera that revolves around the Ewings, a wealthy Texas family in the oil and cattle-ranching industries. Throughout the series, Larry Hagman stars as greedy, scheming oil baron J. R. Ewing...
.
- Backstage with Blackstone, Math-related magic tricks and performances by Harry Blackstone, Jr.Harry Blackstone, Jr.Harry Blackstone, Jr. was an American stage magician, author, and television performer.-Career and life:Blackstone was born in Three Rivers, Michigan, the son of noted stage magician Harry Blackstone, Sr. .As an infant, he was used as a prop in his father's act...
that involved two cast members at a time (Reg E. Cathey portrayed Blackstone's assistant). Unlike most magic shows however, Blackstone does explain later how the trick works. - Several parodiesParodyA parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of game showGame showA game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
s:- But Who's Counting? an original bearing some resemblance to Wheel of Fortune;
- Let's Do a Deal, a parody of Let's Make a DealLet's Make a DealLet's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
; - What's My Number?, a parody of What's My Line?What's My Line?What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
.
- Several mini-game shows using actual child contestants and awarding small prizes:
- Piece of the Pie, a surveyOpinion pollAn opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
-based game show similar to Family FeudFamily FeudFamily Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
, using pie chartPie chartA pie chart is a circular chart divided into sectors, illustrating proportion. In a pie chart, the arc length of each sector , is proportional to the quantity it represents. When angles are measured with 1 turn as unit then a number of percent is identified with the same number of centiturns...
s and teaching percentages; hosted by Cristobal Franco and Arthur Howard, and later by Beverly Mickins. - Close Call, a game show about estimation, using "how many beans are in this big jar" type of questions, and bearing a similarity to The Price Is RightThe Price Is Right (U.S. game show)The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
, hosted by Arthur Howard, later by Arthur Howard and Luisa Leschin, and later by Luisa Leschin and Reg E. Cathey. - Triple Play, a show teaching addition and multiplication by connecting numbers and making triangles on a game board; hosted by Cynthia Darlow.
- But Who's Adding? / But Who's Multiplying?; the show's first original game, hosted by Larry Cedar.
- Square One Squares, a tic-tac-toeTic-tac-toeTic-tac-toe, also called wick wack woe and noughts and crosses , is a pencil-and-paper game for two players, X and O, who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid. The X player usually goes first...
game similar to Tic-Tac-DoughTic-Tac-DoughTic-Tac-Dough is an American television game show based on the pen-and-paper game of tic-tac-toe. Contestants answer questions in various categories to put up their respective symbol, X or O, on the board. Three versions were produced: the initial 1956–59 run on NBC, a 1978–1986 run initially on...
and Hollywood SquaresHollywood SquaresHollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
. This later evolved into Square One Challenge, bearing a similarity to To Tell the TruthTo Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
.
- Piece of the Pie, a survey
University of Michigan athletics
The number of references to the Michigan WolverinesMichigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
that appeared in the show leaves little doubt that the people behind the show counted fans of the school
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
among their ranks. In fact, executive producer David Connell
David Connell (television producer)
David Connell was the original executive producer for Sesame Street, and Children's Television Workshop's vice-president in charge of production. Connell, who had been a producer for the CBS children's program Captain Kangaroo, played a key role in establishing the basic format of the "street" skits...
and head writer Jim Thurman
Jim Thurman
James George Thurman , was an Emmy-winning American writer, actor, photographer, director, cartoonist, and producer...
were both Michigan graduates.
- The show would occasionally feature a segment about estimationEstimationEstimation is the calculated approximation of a result which is usable even if input data may be incomplete or uncertain.In statistics,*estimation theory and estimator, for topics involving inferences about probability distributions...
in which a Michigan cheerleader would place a small object (e.g., a hamburgerHamburgerA hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
, a playing cardPlaying cardA playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
, or a ping pong ball) in the corner of the playing field of Michigan StadiumMichigan StadiumMichigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 72,000. Before playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field...
. The viewer was then asked to estimate how many of the same object it would take to fill (or cover the playing field of) the stadium. - Mathman was a walking green head in a WolverinesMichigan WolverinesThe Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
football helmetFootball helmetA football helmet is a protective device used primarily in American football and Canadian football. It consists of a hard plastic top with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of one or more plastic bars, and a chinstrap. Some players add polycarbonate visors to their helmets, which are...
. - In one Dirk Niblick segment, his mother posed a riddle about probabilityProbabilityProbability is ordinarily used to describe an attitude of mind towards some proposition of whose truth we arenot certain. The proposition of interest is usually of the form "Will a specific event occur?" The attitude of mind is of the form "How certain are we that the event will occur?" The...
which mentioned a drawer full of maizeMaize (color)The color maize or corn refers to a shade of yellow; it is named for the cereal of the same name—maize...
and blue socks (Michigan's team colors are maize and blue). - Another Dirk Niblick episode called "Do Not Fold, Spindle or Tape" had Roy "Wrong Way" Tiredamage (Dirk's old college friend from Where Was University) wearing a GO BLUE! shirt backwards. "GO BLUE!" is a phrase frequently used by Michigan athletics.
- In a number of Dirk Niblick mini-segments where he conversed with his mother on the phone, her "speech" was the University of Michigan's fight songFight songA fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...
. - Among other sightings of the Michigan logo, a member of a ship's crew during an episode of Mathnet set in MontereyMonterey, CaliforniaThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, wore a cap commemorating Michigan's 1989 Final Four1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington...
appearance in NCAANational Collegiate Athletic AssociationThe National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
men's basketball. - There were also a number of joking references to Michigan's longstanding cross-state rivalry with Michigan State UniversityMichigan State UniversityMichigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. Two examples, both from Mathnet, included a villain saying that he had flunked out of the University of Michigan and "had to finish at Michigan State," and another villain having attended "Michigan Agricultural College" (MSU's original name) in "West Lansing." - Another episode of Mathnet involved the kidnapping of a rockstar for a ransom to rent the University of Michigan Marching Band to play a march written by the kidnappers.
- In another episode of Mathnet, a reference was made reflecting the rivalry between Michigan and Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. While examining a list of bank accounts that had been robbed, the Ohio State Alumni fund was noted as having lost $136. When Pat Tuesday states, "At least they didn't get much," George Frankly replies, "What do you mean? They cleaned the whole thing out!" - In one episode, George Frankly, in reaction to the name of a fugitive they were currently searching for, said, "Sounds like a linebacker from Penn State!" Penn State is a rival of the Michigan Wolverines.
- Although not related to Michigan athletics, George Frankly is shown as a diehard fan of all the Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area teams, especially the DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and KingsLos Angeles KingsThe Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Connections to other media
- Cartoonist Jim JinkinsJim JinkinsJames "Jim" Jinkins is an American animator and creator of the animated Doug television series which was later the basis for a feature film. Jinkins also created PB&J Otter. He is a 1975 graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.-Background and Career:Jinkins was born on August 8,...
, popular for his show DougDougDoug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins and co-produced by his studio, Jumbo Pictures . Doug centers on the surreal and imaginative exploits of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending middle school. The series lampoons...
, did animated shorts for the show. - David YazbekDavid YazbekDavid Yazbek is an American writer, musician, composer, and lyricist. He wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals The Full Monty , Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown ....
was a frequent writer during the first season. Yazbek is best known for writing the theme songs to Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego (game show)Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? was an American children's television game show loosely based on the computer game of the same name created by Brøderbund Software. The program aired on PBS from October 7, 1996 to October 2, 1998. It stars Lynne Thigpen as "The Chief", Kevin Shinick as "ACME Time...
. He later wrote the scores for the Broadway shows The Full MontyThe Full MontyThe Full Monty is a 1997 British comedy film directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, William Snape, Steve Huison, Tom Wilkinson, Paul Barber, and Hugo Speer. The screenplay was written by Simon Beaufoy...
and Dirty Rotten ScoundrelsDirty Rotten Scoundrels (musical)Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a Broadway musical, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane; it is based on the film of the same name...
. - Yeardley SmithYeardley SmithYeardley Smith is a French-born American actress, voice actress, writer and painter. She is best known for her long-running role as Lisa Simpson on the animated television series The Simpsons....
was featured in the early Mathnet episode "The Problem of the Missing Monkey". She went on to be the voice of Lisa in the animated series The Simpsons. - A special version of the third PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
ident, with the P-heads in a dark purple color, was used at the end of the first episode of Square One TV in 1987, where the P head and letters multiplied and went into the distance with the vocals "And on, and on, and on..." This was to tie in with the song "Infinity," which was featured in that particular episode.
Sources of funding
Among the funders of Square One were- The Carnegie Corporation of New YorkCarnegie Corporation of New YorkCarnegie Corporation of New York, which was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 "to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding," is one of the oldest, largest and most influential of American foundations...
(1987–1991) - The Andrew W. Mellon FoundationAndrew W. Mellon FoundationThe Andrew W. Mellon Foundation of New York City and Princeton, New Jersey in the United States, is a private foundation with five core areas of interest, endowed with wealth accumulated by the late Andrew W. Mellon of the Mellon family of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the product of the 1969...
(1987–1990) - The U.S. Department of Education (1987–1988)
- The National Science FoundationNational Science FoundationThe National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
(1987–1994) - The Corporation for Public BroadcastingCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
(1987–1994) - IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
(1987) - Viewers Like You (1989–1992)
- Ford FoundationFord FoundationThe Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
(1985–1993) - Intel (1992)
The National Science Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting were the only permanent funders for Square One. IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
funded the show for season 1 only, and Viewers Like You (Public Television Viewers) funded the show for seasons 1 and 2 only.
External links
- Official Site
- SquareOneTV.org - Fan page with show history and context