Barney Revival Reveals Big Change For Popular Character, And I’m Surprised How Annoyed People Are By It (Including Me)

As a child of the 90’s, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia at the sight of that iconic purple dinosaur once again gracing our screens with his presence. The new Barney revival, Barney’s World, is set to take us all on another magical journey, and I must admit, I’m intrigued… until I learned about the name change.

The new trailer for the Barney revival looks like the purple dinosaur is primed to take over the hearts and minds of children once again, assuming their millennial parents let them watch it when it premieres on the 2024 TV schedule. This is because, many online are bent out of shape about a major change made in the animated Barney’s World, and I’m shocked to say my feathers are ruffled as well. I shouldn’t care as much as I do, but I can’t get over the fact that “BJ” has a new name.

Individuals who recall watching Barney & Friends from their childhood or the intriguing Peacock documentary I Love You, You Hate Me about the children’s show likely remember the sibling pair, Baby Bop and BJ. Today, the yellow triceratops character is reappearing alongside Barney and the kids in this animated series. However, it’s important to note that he’s not using his old name anymore. Instead, he goes by Billy, as can be heard in the trailer above

It seems unlikely that I’ll tune into “Barney’s World“, as my child has probably outgrown its appeal, and yet, the change in character’s name from BJ to Billy bothers me. From what I’ve gathered, BJ wasn’t called Billy in the original series, but he was named after Sheryl Leach’s father, Billy Joe

Initially, I assumed I was the only one feeling uneasy about the name change, but it seems many others share my concerns. Here’s a snapshot of some responses on platform X following the release of the trailer:

Baby Bop and WHO????? – @missnikinikita
Who the FUCK is Billy??? – @royal_bobby24
MANE. WTF IS DIS SHIT HERE!?!? And they usin BJ goverment name!?!? Naaaaawwwwwwww Naaawwww Naw. – @I10Podcast_AJD
reject modernity (billy), embrace tradition (bj) – @emma_chapple
BABY BOP’S BROTHER’S NAME IS “BJ” NOT BILLY – @annemeownie

It seems I’m not alone in my surprise that “BJ” is now known as “Billy,” as many others have expressed their discomfort with this change. Given the enduring popularity of the Barney franchise, it’s clear that some people continue to cherish it, even decades after its initial release, which explains the upcoming live-action movie featuring the character

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Fans of the timeless show “Barney & Friends” can continue enjoying it by subscribing to Peacock, where they’ll hear the original name of the dinosaur. Although I share your apprehension about the change, I believe the new series set to premiere on October 14th (for Max subscribers) and October 18th (for Cartoon Network viewers) is worth giving a try

According to Variety, this new series consists of 52 episodes, each lasting eleven minutes. Given the current trend towards shorter content among Generation Alpha viewers, it’s likely that the episode length is adjusted accordingly. Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that Jonathan Langdon, who gained fame in M. Night Shyamalan’s “Trap,” will be lending his voice to Barney. This casting decision has piqued my interest enough to at least give it a try for one or two episodes

Nevertheless, I’m left perplexed regarding the renaming aspect, particularly given the more exotic option of “Baby Bop” that was considered

In due course, we’ll find out if Barney’s World resembles the initial series in terms of influence and whether viewers will grow accustomed to “Billy” rather than BJ. But for the present moment, there’s a wave of discontent on the internet about it, and I share those sentiments too

2024-09-05 20:34