Ok, a final random thought… have you guys seen the Nick Jr. show Lazy Town!? That show is one step down from the psychedelia that is Boobah. It’s some crazy kids show made in Iceland where a little girl coexists with these puppets. No, I’m not talking Mr. Rogers’s style crappy hand puppets where he cleverly supplied all of the voices (he had me going for 20 years.) These puppets are big, and the show uses trance music and dancing to get across some ridiculous message to the kids that love the show.

from -- http://theauburner.com

I think the craziest children's television always comes from the same formula:
20% real people
50% cartoons, puppets, or other fictional characters
30% real people interacting with cartoons, puppets, etc.

Examples:
Gullah Gullah island (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wow3g5rGw5Y&feature=related)
Sesame Street (the proportions are a little off here, with the rate of puppets increased to about 70%)
Lazy Town (wins award for least lifelike puppets. Also, did you know: filmed in Iceland.)
Blues Clues (the formula was a little different with this one too. 100% real person interacting with animated characters/set. Definitely a little more trippy.)
Fraggle Rock (Also a high percentage of puppets here, but a high percentage of real sets)