Part of the magic of Clifford is that it puts an extraordinary spin on a normal situation. At first glance, it's a show about a girl and her dog, but the dog is the size of a house and bright red. The show is divided into two stories, usually one featuring Clifford and his friends T-Bone the yellow bulldog, Cleo the purple poodle, and Mac the blue whippet (?), and one featuring owner Emily Elizabeth and her friends Charlie, Jetta, and Vaz. Interspaced between the two stories is a segment where Emily Elizabeth reads to Clifford from the book detailing the exploits of Speckle and his friends Robbie the panda, Darnell the duck, Luna the raccoon, and Reba the bunny. The final segment after the second story is Clifford's Big Idea, where Clifford and friends are presented with a problem that is solved with the segment's "big idea" such as playing fair, showing respect, and helping others. Themes of the stories themselves include how to be a good houseguest, why it's important to avoid prejudging others, and taking responsibility for one's actions.
