Reconnecting With My Roots Through "Jelly, Ben & Pogo"

Whenever I saw an Asian or Asian American character on TV, they would usually be Chinese, Japanese, or Korean. And even though my great-grandfather was Chinese, I was raised in a predominantly Filipino home. My parents and the aunts and uncles who lived with us spoke either Tagalog or another dialect called Ilocano, ate Filipino foods, and talked fondly of their time back in the Philippines.

And despite some similarities with East Asian cultures, there were many differences. So even though I'm always happy to see Asian representation, it didn't speak to me the same way.

That is, until "Jelly Ben & Pogo" premiered on PBS KIDS.

The web series, which launched in 2021, follows Filipina Jelly, her younger brother Ben, and their friend Pogo, who just so happens to be a sea monster. Each episode takes the three best friends on little adventures around their land and underwater homes and aims to help children learn how to approach problems, like saving an overheated lizard to helping a child face their fears. And while these lessons are being explored, you get to learn — or for many like me, relive — a culture that's not usually showcased.

The first episode I saw was "Lola's Snack." From the moment Ben and Jelly's grandmother said, "Time to get comfy," I felt at home. Her accent brought me back to every older Filipina grandma, even though she was not my own. It felt like a warm hug. Then I watched "Tumbang Preso," a game my titos (uncles) and titas (aunts) played using a target and flip flops as children. Even though the episode's heart taught the importance of being brave and getting help from your friends, it was fun to share it with my parents and see their eyes travel back to their own childhoods.

What makes "Jelly, Ben & Pogo" so great for Filipinos from the Philippines and Filipino Americans is that the culture is just part of the story, not the main focus. Explanations for phrases, foods, or traditions aren't made so obvious, and makes it feel more normalized. And that's something I wish I experienced growing up.

I had the chance to talk to the show's creator, Jalysa Leva, about the series and the importance of sharing Filipino culture with bigger audiences, especially children.

Nothing says love in a Filipino home more than, "Kumain ka na?" or "Did you eat yet?"

Food is a central pillar in my community. So seeing Jelly, Ben, and Pogo make halo halo for everyone in "Lola's Snack" was such a treat to watch. It wasn't just watching the kids make the dessert that was heartwarming, but it was also seeing smaller details like the ice shaver that my parents also have in their home. Or the banana ketchup, a commonly used condiment in Filipino food, that was featured in the "Ben's Burger Stand." Or in the "Kamayan" episode, the dad shows that "melon drink" will be served. And that reminded me of all the times my mom taught me how to shave the cantaloupe to make strings for the same refreshing juice.

Unlike other languages, Tagalog isn't one that many usually hear in movies and television shows. And the creators behind "Jelly, Ben & Pogo" wanted to change that by introducing words like "sarap" (delicious) or "apo" (grandchild) to help Filipino children learn more about their language and introduce it to those who have never heard it before.

Leva took some inspiration from the PBS KIDS series, "Alma's Way," which follows a Puerto Rican girl as she explores her native Bronx and New York City. The series inspired Leva to include Filipino words and phrases without focusing too much on how audiences who aren't familiar with the language would react.

"Watching that was really great because they had so many moments where they would just speak Spanish or refer to someone by their Spanish title," Leva said. "And they don't translate it at all, and you just kind of figure it out through context. And I love that."

Leva added that she and her team wanted to show another representation of a bilingual household. "It's not about learning the language. It's about these kids solving these kid problems," she said. "So we wanted the language to just be part of their experience and their culture that we're representing."

Although much of the series has been on the sillier and lighthearted side, Leva and her team also discuss how Filipinos honor loved ones who have passed. In the "Visiting Lolo" episode, they celebrate "Araw ng mga Patay," or "Day of Those Who Passed Away," which takes place on November 1 and 2. Similar to Dia de los Muertos in Mexico, the family visits the graves of their deceased loved ones. But instead of mourning them, it is a time to celebrate, share stories and have a meal with them. Many clean up and decorate the relatives' graves with flowers.

After a number of revisions and collaboration, Leva is happy with how the final episode turned out and has gotten praise for how the topic was handled. "It seems the reception we've had [is that] people have been really thankful that we've touched on it, and especially people who have had recent losses. [Viewers have] said, 'we just did this with our family. So it was incredible seeing this one TV.'"

Ten new episodes of "Jelly, Ben & Pogo" premiere on PBS KIDS this month. And Leva is looking forward to see how people will react to the three main characters' new adventures as well as the spotlights on the other characters in the show.

"A couple of my favorite episodes are in this next drop," she said. "One of them is about their dad and his "trumpo" (Filipino spin top). So it's another kind of callback that a lot of Filipino Americans may not have played with, but a lot of their parents might recognize."