TV: Under the Umbrella Tree

I believe most human/puppet endeavors fall into one of three categories:

1. Sedate but whimsical shows that are slower-paced. (the Make-Believe segments in "Mister Rogers' Neigborhood," the movie "Labyrinth")
2. Wild and crazy stuff that has lots of frenetic energy. ("The Muppet Show")
3. Gentle, easy-to-digest kids' shows that feature decent amounts of humor. ("Lamb Chop's Play-a-Long," "Sesame Street")

"Under the Umbrella Tree," a show starring Holly Larocque, falls into category #3. Featuring an easygoing, Pam Dawber-from-Mork-and-Mindy-esque leading lady and several puppet friends, each show was short, fun to watch, and usually told a simple story.

I used to watch this all the time on Disney Channel as a kid. Alas, the world has moved on to "Lizzy Maguire" and other brash forms of entertainment, but it's nice to look back at a time when puppet shows were all about a story and perhaps a song.

Here's a clip from the show (low-quality alert):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lM4tOzwlFM