Square One Television (1987–1992) User Reviews

Brilliant...just brilliant...

[Mulliga · 5 June 2003]

Ah, "Square One TV" - easily one of the most clever children's shows ever made. Parodying pop culture WHILE teaching math to children? People had good ideas back in the eighties.

Mathman and Mathnet were cool as hell. I liked the first "Kate" better, though.

Absolutely loved this

[LuckyFour-LeafClover · 10/10 · 30 May 2021]

Kids of the 80's had all these great educational shows. This one for Math, Reading Rainbow for Reading, Bill Nye for Science, Carmen SanDiego for geography among others. This one was sort of like an SNL for kids involving math skits. Some musical and some of the game show variety. I still remember Look Who's Counting. At the end of each show Mathnet would come on. A week long series as a parody of Dragnet using Math skills to solve a crime/problem.

I still have nostalgia at times for all this and watch what I can on YouTube.

A brilliant Educational show!

[reddragonhero17 · 10/10 · 28 December 2015]

I was a PBS kid in the late 80's to the mid 90's and taped many of its shows in that time period. I was able to find an episode of this show on one of my Reading Rainbow tapes (more on that in a later review), and I realized just how much fun this show is at teaching math. I regret not taping any more episodes, though I wish this could be on DVD. There were many great memorable segments, from a variety of gameshows, comedy routines, music videos (even one with Weird Al Yankovic!), my favorite part Mathman (I kept wondering all the time when he would get a free game), Dirk, and of course Mathnet. Shame this show no longer airs on television, children these days don't know what their missing.

Alright, this is stupid!

[miles-husoy · 1/10 · 11 January 2018]

We just keep asking for something that we're never going to get. So look, Sesame Workshop, how's this? Burn all the episodes onto some DVD-R's, and, for a reasonable fee, send them out to all the fans. I mean, it's not like we're ever going to see this show again in reruns (I think we've all given up on that), so how could it possibly hurt? This is one of those rare shows that people of all ages can enjoy, which is quite hard to find in this day and age. It was wildly entertaining, and that's something hard to find as well. I'm bored of waiting for it come to back to the public. There's no excuse for withholding it for so long, thus ensuring its place in obscurity and meaning people will soon forget it altogether. This show has to be better known to everyone, especially today's children. I realize having it off the air adds to its mythical value, but there's no point in letting it drift away any longer. Quit scaring us. It's just not interesting anymore.

The Mad Magazine of Math

[MIK7x3 · 27 May 2000]

The show presented an enjoyable solution to a serious problem: teaching kids how to do math and to think logically. It filled each half hour with sketches, game shows, music videos, comedy routines, and sporting events which parodied everything from "Let's Make a Deal" to "Who's On First" to "The Honeymooners." I've even used Tony and the Togas' "The Mathematics of Love" in a talent show! Each episode of Square One TV would conclude with arguably the most popular segment of the series, a police satire entitled "Mathnet." Using "...logical, step by step problem solving," Kate and George would always get their man, woman, or gorilla over the course of the week. Square One TV was a fantastic show that was so much fun to watch, you almost forgot you were learning math. As for the people who wanted tapes of the shows, sorry but I erased mine years ago.

Why is this sitting in the vaults!?!

[milesh · 23 August 2004]

Having seen so many of the videotapes I erased of Square One TV, I feel like such a dummy for not keeping them. The show has been gone for 10 years, and no network in my area is showing reruns of the episodes. PBS won't even air Mathnet either!

Square One TV was an amazing and fun show for the young and the old. It was more than just a math show. It also had tongue-in-cheek music videos ("Less Than Zero" is one of my favourites), David Numberman, Dirk Niblick, Piece of the Pie...and of course, MATHNET! I couldn't really decide if I liked the early ones (in LA with Kate Monday) or the later ones (in NYC with Pat Tuesday) better. But each show was quite fun! Some fans of action movies, however, probably wouldn't like Mathnet because George and Kate/Pat used calculators instead of guns. Boy, taking a stroll down Memory Lane makes me hyper!

Still, I wish PBS would quit hiding this show in the vaults, and, if they won't license it to another company, just release it on DVD. I'd buy all the episodes! Because my videotapes (if any) are wearing out, and I'd love to have a piece of my early years back again!

If anybody out there from PBS is reading this, I hope they understand my plea!

A PBS Educational Show With A Decent Budget!

[nycovom1 · 1 November 2003]

And, it was a good show, too. It looked like it had a good-sized budget,anyway. There were no ultra-cheesy sets or grainy 16mm filmed segments(like some other well-known PBS kids shows), from what I remember. Plus, the show seemed truly modern in the realm of PBS educational programs, definitely 1987.

I love that show! They should never have cancelled it.

[thespooch · 16 July 2000]

A teriffic show that makes mathematics fun, SQUARE ONE TELEVISION features sketch comedy, spoofs of TV shows and movies, game shows (with actual preteen contestants), music videos (some by your favorite recording artists), and much more. Plus, every day featured the detective series "Mathnet," where episodes that involved using math to catch criminals were made in five parts each and expanded over 5 episodes-a week's worth of episodes. It was a truly amazing show. Cancelling it was not the thing to do. At least you can see reruns on the Noggin network, if you are lucky to

Hilarious

[mecassid · 12 January 2004]

I remember watching this show and its spin off Mathnet. The Mathnet segment was my favorite. I waited through the other parodies just to watch that sketch. I also remember the magician who had the audience pick any number, then through a series of calculations would show that everyone would have the same answer. I hate doing math, but I did those "tricks" every time to see if he was right. My parents are teachers and loved watching the show along with me. It was a great show for parents and kids because if the kids didn't get the parodies, they got the math knowledge and parents watched just for the laughs. they should bring the show back.

Square One Rocks!!!

[waynech-1 · 31 January 2005]

This was such a great show. I don't know a single mathamagician or engineer that didn't watch this show growing up. Along with 3-2-1 Contact! this show was the epoch of PBS educational programming.

Mathman....Mathman....Mathman......

True it would be too hooky and not enough special effect and too much intelligence to make it on TV now, but it was soo good.

I still can hear the theme song playing in my head when ever I do math. Which is a bit to often sometimes.

Please who ever made the show put out a box-set. If not for todays kids who need something more then 5 second sound bytes of learning, but for those of us who grew up watching this spectacular show. Then again if I saw it for the first time now I would probably think it sucks.....

Math through sketch comedy

[MrEricSir · 4 August 1999]

Cross "Sesame Street," math, and "Saturday Night Live" and what do you get? A weird show for pre-teens that teachers math concepts through sketch comedy and parodies. I remember everything from PacMan to Max Headroom being on this show. And who could forget the Mathnet series at the end of each show?

I Loved This Show!!!

[angel-195 · 24 August 1999]

This was one of the greatest educational shows. It made learning math a lot more fun. I especially loved the spoofs (like I Love Lucy). I wish it was still on, or that I could at least get in on video. Anyone know if that's possible?

Classic

[HeyThatsMyBike · 10 June 2002]

I remember watching this show and absolutely loving it. It was thoroughly entertaining. It was so entertaining that you forgot they were trying to teach you math. Mathman (a pacman-like character) and Mathnet were my favorite parts of the show, but it was overall good entertaining math learnin' fun. It should be revived for today's generation. They could use some good entertainment, not to mention the basic math skills they would learn.

Back to Square One

[Ibutton77 · 11 November 2003]

Square one simply rocked :) It was held together by a lot of silliness but that's ok. Mathman (pacman-like cartoon) ruled and was my favorite part of the show :) I was less fond of many of the game shows, especially "piece of the pie". Production was best during the first season, though later seasons had gems like "Nobody's Inn", a parody of John Cleese in "Faulty Towers" and nearly as well done :)

this show was so cool!

[jane-33 · 16 October 1999]

I loved this show. I can't believe it was on only one season. I must have taped nearly every episode, tho most of them are probably long taped-over. :( I learned so much, and I was completely addicted to the week-long sagas of the mathnet team. Hmmm.... I may just have to go find those tapes now! Ah, nostalgia. Has it been 12 years? wow.