Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show’ On Apple TV+, Where Jack McBrayer Teaches Kindness To Kids

When we found out that Jack McBrayer was going to host a kids’ show about kindness, our first reaction was, “Well, that sounds about right.” Think about it: What TV star would be able to make the transition from 30 Rock to Mister Rogers seem seamless. McBrayer, that’s who. In his new series, he’s teaching kids (and all of us, hopefully) that a little kindness goes a long way.

HELLO, JACK! THE KINDNESS SHOW: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: Jack McBrayer, in a pink sweater and pink Chucks, comes out of his bright yellow house and says, “Oh, hello, you. I’m so happy to see you!”

The Gist: Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show has the 30 Rock star playing a Mister Rogers version of himself, who lives in a town called Clover Grove and owns The Hummingbird Café. As he walks to work through the town, he greets everyone, including the many kids walking around, and sings about kindness. “Try a little act of kindness, and start a chain of many more.”

At the café, he employs singer Bebe (Markita Prescott) and Chef Theo (Albert Kong). Today, Chef’s niece Olivia (Lucie Vuong) is coming by; Chef reads her a funny story about mermaid and a turtle, which we see in animation imagined by the whole gang. Then Olivia decides she wants to read her uncle a funny book, and Jack encourages her to write it herself.

Olivia takes the lead and makes a book about her uncle and a silly squirrel, but a gust of wind blows the pages around the town; they get help from an industrious kid named Cooper (Teagan Johnson), who has an RC helicopter, and Delivery Delores (Ashley Ward). Olivia’s book has inspired both of them to write books to the people they love, as well. But when a sprinkler goes off and ruins Olivia’s book, how will she tell her story to her uncle?

What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show has more than a smattering of the vibe of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which makes sense, since Angela C. Santomero, the creator of that Mister Rogers spinoff, produces Hello, Jack! with McBrayer.

Our Take: If there’s anyone who is fulfilling his natural destiny by hosting a children’s show, it’s Jack McBrayer. Even on shows as subversive as 30 Rock, McBrayer’s ability to play innocence and naivete for not only laughs but respect makes him a natural for a show like Hello, Jack! It also helps that his improv skills allow him to interact with the kids on the show in small ways that feel less scripted and more reactionary.

Anyone expecting the show to get ironic because of McBrayer’s presence should look elsewhere. The only irony that adults can grab onto is that the town of Clover Grove looks an awful lot like the town of Schmigadoon, as if Apple was trying to save money by recycling the set. But otherwise, McBrayer plays his message of kindness straight, talking and singing about ways we can be kind to each other.

Can it be a bit treacly at times? Sure. But, between the colorful sets, the animation that’s sprinkled through the series, and McBrayer’s perpetual sunny persona, Hello, Jack! should be able to get the small set’s attention, and maybe even remind their parents about the benefits of kindness. We know pretty much all of us could use a refresher course these days.

What Age Group Is This For?: Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show is definitely aiming for the 0-5 audience. My almost 7-year-old, who still watches stuff geared towards preschoolers along with shows geared towards older kids, couldn’t handle even one moment of this show.

Parting Shot: Everyone shares their books with each other; a cartoon hummingbird watches from outside, then flies off.

Sleeper Star: We liked Markita Prescott’s singing voice as Bebe, so we’ll say she’s the sleeper of this show.

Most Pilot-y Line: None we could find.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Jack McBrayer is a natural as a kids’ show host, and Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show plays into the skills he’s honed over the years on the improv stage and on our TVs.

Joel Keller (@joelkeller) writes about food, entertainment, parenting and tech, but he doesn’t kid himself: he’s a TV junkie. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, Salon, RollingStone.com, VanityFair.com, Fast Company and elsewhere.

Stream Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show On Apple TV+