Ep 6. What Is a Computer?

Forky Asks a Question is a Disney+ original show that presents an innovative approach to answering complex questions. In this animated series, Forky, a character from the Toy Story franchise, attempts to understand the world around him by asking interesting and humorous questions.

In season 1 episode 6, titled "What Is a Computer?," Forky explores the concept of computers and their role in our world. As a character that has only recently come alive and is still learning about various objects in our world, Forky is filled with curiosity about these devices that seem to be everywhere. His journey to understand computers takes him on a fun and informative ride.

As the episode begins, Forky is confused about what a computer is, and he tries to pin down what makes something a computer. He engages in a conversation with his friends, Mr. Spell and Mr. Pricklepants, who try to help him understand the basic concept. However, Forky remains skeptical and argues that everything seems to be a computer these days. He points out that he can "talk" to his smartphone, his fridge, and even his car. So, what makes a computer any different? His friends try to simplify the answer by distinguishing between devices that perform simple tasks such as telling time and those that have complex computational functions.

However, Forky still doesn't seem to get it. He becomes frustrated when his friends ask him to type on a keyboard, even though he doesn't know how to do it. In his unique way, Forky tries to connect the dots between physical devices and their abstract functions. He sees a car as a device that takes you from one place to another and a phone as a device that connects you with other people. With that perspective in mind, he wonders if a computer is just a device that "thinks" for us.

To help Forky understand the idea of a computer better, Mr. Spell and Mr. Pricklepants take him on a virtual tour of a computer's insides. It's an amazing journey for Forky, who gets to peek inside a computer chip and observe how it works. He marvels at the millions of tiny transistors that make up the chip and is awed by the computer's ability to process vast amounts of information at incredible speeds. He sees firsthand how the computer takes in instructions and performs calculations to arrive at a solution.

The virtual tour helps Forky make a critical connection between the physical object and its function. He is amazed to see that behind the sleek casing and user-friendly interfaces of today's computers is a complex gadget that merges electricity and logic to accomplish tasks that we take for granted. He realizes that almost everything we do online, from browsing websites to playing games, happens inside the computer.

The episode concludes with Forky summing up his experience of learning about computers. He tells his friends that he's excited to know more about these gadgets that have become such an integral part of our lives. He appreciates the fact that computers are not just objects, but rather they enable us to do amazing things, get information, stay connected with friends and family, and much more.

"What Is a Computer?" is an informative and fun-filled episode that helps simplify a complex subject for young viewers. It provides a unique perspective on computers, highlighting their physical components and the mechanics that power them. Forky's unique way of exploring the concept makes for an engaging and thought-provoking narrative that encourages viewers to think about their relationship with technology. Overall, the episode's messages are clear: computers are not magic boxes that do things for us, but rather, they are devices that offer a whole new world of possibilities, and we should cherish that.