"The Smurfs introduces the 3 – 6-year-old television audience to a wide array of pro-social lessons. The series uses the narrative/educational device of a wise and patient elder who guides younger generations as they learn to deal with the complexities of interpersonal relations and with their own, sometimes quite confusing, feelings. Smurfs are tiny, blue creatures who inhabit a very magical forest, along with various wizards, imps, goblins, kings, knights, knaves … and others too numerous to mention. Each Smurf represents a particular character trait, usually encapsulated in his or her name: Brainy, Clumsy, Handy, Grouchy, Greedy, Jokey, Pushover, Vanity, Smurfette – a narrative device that helps young viewers understand some very abstract feelings and ideas. As the Smurfs confront the day-to-day events of Smurf community life, they encounter unexpected obstacles, unexpected issues, and unexpected feelings that may threaten their plans, their community, or their own self-image. We watch as Papa Smurf, the village elder, helps the younger ones figure out who they are and how they should behave, and strives to teach them the power of love and caring. Various individual episodes explore such issues as kindness, greed and sharing, fighting, perseverance, responsibility, humility, teasing, carelessness, expressing feelings, self-confidence, fears, perspective-taking, and so on… in other words, many of the same issues that any 3 – 6-year-old might encounter in the play-yard. But through all of the episodes, the overriding theme is one of love and caring. Although the Smurfs are very different from one another, and frequently seem to act at cross-proposes, Papa Smurf’s constant message is that if they love, care for, and respect one another, their community will function like a well-oiled … Smurfdom."