Dora the Explorer - A New Season and a New Cast

With it's first season, which premiered in 2000, Dora the Explorer became a pioneer show in the world of preschoolers' television. The show capitalized on a new, interactive TV show format, involving viewing children in the plot and encouraging active participation. Dora's blinking eyes, looking at viewing children and waiting for a response, pushed the interactive trend forward, and helped to change the viewing experience for kids. More importantly, though, Dora started an even more profound movement -- a push to teach kids about other people and cultures.

Introducing a Latina heroine and incorporating Spanish words into the show curriculum turned out to be an ingenious and consequential move! As Dora turned into a household name around the world, kids began to learn about language and culture, and a flood of preschoolers' shows have introduced Spanish words and characters in the wake of Dora's success. Now, after eight years on the air, Dora the Explorer continues to lead as the number-one-rated preschool series on all of commercial television (according to Nickelodeon).

In light of the continued popularity of the show, Nickelodeon will introduce an all-new season of Dora the Explorer with a new voice cast. Premiering September 15, 2008, season five of Dora the Explorer features new episodes and the new voice of Dora -- 12-year-old Caitlin Sanchez. Caitlin was born in New Jersy to Cuban-American parents. She loves acting and speaks fluent Spanish. Caitlin's version of Dora sounds slightly different than the original, but it probably would have taken me a while to notice it if I hadn't already known about the change.

The new season will also expand the cultural focus of the show and place added emphasis on basic mathematical concepts. In each episode, Dora will meet a friend from a different cultural background who will teach her something useful. Additionally, Dora will introduce viewing kids to multi-word Spanish phrases. ¡Que bien!