The new-look Barney has garnered a mixed set of reviews online
(Picture: Mattel)Barney the purple dinosaur is back and, for the first time, animated in a new look that has divided fans online.
Mattel is looking to reintroduce the character with a new children’s television series next year as well as ventures into film, YouTube, music and, of course, toys.
Aimed at two- to seven-year-olds, Barney & Friends ran for 14 series, from 1992 to 2010, and helped launch the careers of then-child stars Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato.
“Mattel will relaunch Barney to a new generation with a brand-new animated series, set to debut globally in 2024,” the company wrote in a press release.
Barney got the buccal fat removal pic.twitter.com/eS8rveyuiX
— Taietsarón:sere (@tai_leclaire) February 13, 2023
However, while some have welcomed the return of a US children’s television staple, Barney’s makeover has not been universally popular.
“I don’t like the new face. What happened to if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” a Twitter user wrote of the new look - which sees a wider grin with an added space between his front teeth.
In fact, the brighter green eyes and enhanced eyebrows have led others to suggest Barney has undergone the cartoon equivalent of cosmetic surgery. “I think it’s safe to say Barney has had some work done,” another Twitter user joked.
“To be clear: I REFUSE. My child will never know of this,” said a particularly vehement user.
They gave Barney contacts, a nose job and bigger veneers. Sad. pic.twitter.com/D2aWosH8AZ
— Veronica McDonald🗣 (@Purify_toast17) February 14, 2023
Others, though, were more positive about the changes. “It looks... alright. Don’t really see the problem,” one said, adding: “It’s f***ing Barney.”
Fred Soulie, general manager of Mattel Television, said: “In creating the new series, it was important to us that we properly reflect the world that kids today live in so that the series can deliver meaningful lessons about navigating it.
“With our modern take on Barney, we hope to inspire the next generation to listen, care, and dream big. We think that parents, many of whom will fondly remember the original Barney from their own childhoods, will love the show, too.”
i mean
— ✨CHELLE D☯GGO✨ (@ChelleDoggo) February 14, 2023
Barney was already all about loving and sharing and helping each other out and he had a diverse group of friends
if the original series came out today instead of in the 90s, you'd be calling it "woke" https://t.co/DS0udvAA6M pic.twitter.com/lisYUQmprR
How old is Barney?
Barney & Friends first aired in 1992 after successful US pilots convinced PBS network executives that it could be a popular alternative to Sesame Street.
It was an immediate hit with its intended audience but also quickly garnered an equally strong dislike from many parents and TV critics, who called the series “saccharine” and “one-dimensional”. Memes about Barney’s demise or fictional evilness are older than social media while “Anti-Barney humour” even has a Wikipedia page.
Nonetheless, the franchise spawned a stage show and the critically panned film Barney’s Great Adventure in 1998.
Who plays Barney?
Barney was not always an animated character. From 1992 to 2001 he was played, inside the suit, by David Joyner and then by Carey Stinson. Barney was voiced from 1992-2000 by Bob West and from 2001-2010 by Dean Wendt.
It has not been confirmed if any of the original cast will be returning.
Did Barney ever really go away?
Since the original series finished in 2010, Barney & Friends has returned to screens in reruns but attempts to revive the franchise have so far fallen short. Most recently, plans announced in 2015 for a reboot in 2017 came to nothing. Parents might be hoping the same will be true of the 2024 series, but this effort feels legitimate, with Mattel announcing films for some of their other franchises, including Hot Wheels and Magic 8 Ball.
