What is Square One TV?
Square One Television is the most widely known mathematics television program.  It was produced by the Children's Television Workshop for PBS from 1987 to 1992, spanning 230 half hour daily episodes, one music video special (Square One Video Jukebox), and ten hour-long Mathnet specials.  Its goal was to teach and increase interest in mathematics for middle school children through entertainment, most notably parodies of other shows (Dragnet, I Love Lucy, Saturday Night Live) and other networks (MTV), professional music videos, animation, and game shows with real kids from NYC-area public schools.  Famous guests on the show over the years included James Earl Jones, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Harry Blackstone, the Jets, the Fat Boys, the Judds, John Moschitta, Wayne Knight, Yeardley Smith, Bobby McFerrin, Kid 'n' Play, John Sayles, Betty Buckley, Downtown Julie Brown, Savion Glover, Tempestt Bledsoe, William Windom, Marcia Wallace, Estelle Harris, Gregory Hines, Marv Albert, Joan Rivers, and Melba Moore. Square One TV was very successful in teaching millions of kids the basics of mathematics, many of whom had struggled in mathematics in school.

Why should the world know about Square One TV?
Because it's the best show ever! Actually, because there is a severe lack of good television programming for teaching children.  Square One TV, like The Electric Company and Schoolhouse Rock, is one of the few educational shows that can be enjoyed by anyone for its entertainment value alone.  The writers of Square One, headed by Jim Thurman and David Connell, were experts at masking quality educational content in comedy and drama.  If Square One TV episodes were more available to the public today, many children who are struggling in mathematics could benefit greatly.  And its fans would be very happy.  Support quality children's television and spread the word!

OK, so tell me more about Square One TV.
Square One TV premiered on January 26, 1987.  The first episode, #101, introduced Mathman a Pacman parody --  in this case, Mathman could only eat multiples of three, Oops!, a commercial where a tiny subtraction error led to utter chaos, the cast, who sang "Infinity" and "Perfect Squares," two pseudo-music videos, and  Mathnet, a parody of Dragnet involving two ace mathematicians working for the LAPD, who, in this episode, began an adventure tracking down a runaway gorilla acused of robbing grocery stores; in true CTW fashion, the Mathnet adventure would not conclude until episode #105, with anticipation, and clues, growing each day.

Square One was produced in New York City, while Mathnet was produced separately for two seasons in Los Angeles, California by The Webb Organization.  Mathnet moved to New York City in 1990.

The Square One TV Cast

Reg E. Cathey.....Cris Franco........Beverly Mickins
Larry Cedar........Arthur Howard...Priscilla Lopez (1992)
Cynthia Darlow....Luisa Leschin

The Mathnet Cast

Beverly Leech........Sgt. Kate Monday (1987-90)
Joe Howard............Officer George Frankly
Toni DiBuono..........Sgt. Pat Tuesday (1991-92)
Mary Watson..........Debbie Williams (1987-89)
James Earl Jones....Chief Thad Green (1987-88, 1991)
Bari K. Willerford....Benny Pill (1990-92)
Emilio Del Pozo........Captain Joe Grecco (1990-92)

Square One ended production in 1992, with episode #535. PBS stations had the rights to continue broadcasting it for three years.  Square One disappeared from the airwaves.

Noggin began broadcasting Square One in February 1999.  Although they had very few episodes, especially of the early seasons, we can all be thankful that Square One was not forgotten!   Until May 2003, Square One aired for a two-hour block Wednesday mornings beginning at 3 AM.

In fact, it's almost a miracle that Square One was broadcast on Noggin for so long.  Noggin didn't even air The URL With Phred Show, their flagship show for Fall 2001, a few months after its debut!  As of summer, 2002, Square One had as much airtime weekly as classic Sesame Street.  If that doesn't testify to a show's essential goodness, what else will?

That's such an in-depth question, it gets its own page. If you haven't been convinced yet that Square One should still be on, Noggin or any other network, this page will certainly change your mind.

Want to help bring Square One back into popular consciousness? Join us in the ongoing "Square One Recognition Drive!"