JoJo's Circus (Disney Channel)

JOJO'S CIRCUS follows a curious kindergarten-aged clown who explores Circus Town with her equally colorful friends. She often takes the lead in suggesting ideas or finding ways to help friends when they're in trouble.

JoJo has a pet lion and close companion named Goliath, styled with a flashy, pompadour-like mane. Each episode starts with Goliath hiding and JoJo finding him. Kids love it each time. JoJo's parents -- Mr. Tickle and Peaches -- are also circus performers. Mr. Tickle leaves for work each morning by blasting out of a cannon. It would be nice to see a bit more character development in Peaches, though she's clearly a doting mother to JoJo. JoJo is friends with other aspiring circus performers, including animals, reptiles, amphibians, and vegetables, such as Skeebo Seltzer, Trina Tightrope, Croaky Frogini, Dinky Elephant, Tater Spudinski, and Bal Boa.

Each half-hour episode contains two short stories on subjects such as JoJo going on a sleepover and wanting to dance with teddy bears, or an energetic baby clown performer coming to town. At the end of each story, JoJo literally has the spotlight and answers the inevitable question -- "JoJo, what did you learn today?" From a 3-year-old's perspective, JoJo's Circus packs a lot into each short story. No doubt it's a series that kids grow out of, perhaps even before they finish preschool. But for those who are interested, it provides a half-hour of downtime while sharing some giggles and lessons about friendship.