By Steven Roberts and Rya Backer

If this picture doesn’t have you crying out, “Awesome!” then it’s sure to have you scratching your head and asking what the hell is going on. It had us, among other things, very much intrigued. Just what are Chromeo up to? Why are they rocking out with a yellow robot, a red cyclops and a green monster? (We also wondered, Why aren’t we?)

It’s a promotional shot for the Montreal dance duo’s upcoming appearance on “Yo Gabba Gabba!” But what’s that, you ask? Here are some important details: “YGG!” is a children’s television series on Nick Jr. and Noggin that debuted at the end of 2006. It’s a mix of live action, animated sketches and musical performances — a powerful combination known to yield joy from the preschool set and melted faces from the not-so-young. The show is hosted by human DJ Lance Rock and also features robot Plex, cyclops Muno and little green monster Brobee.

So why would a show on Nick Jr. have a guest appearance by Chromeo? It turns out the show has a history of strange music cameos, including the Shins, Shiny Toy Guns and Biz Markie. (Well, who doesn’t want to hang with the Biz?) “Sesame Street” has featured music guests for years; Stevie Wonder, R.E.M., LL Cool J and ‘NSYNC have all hung out on the fabled stoop. But P-Thugg ain’t no Stevie. Needless to say, whatever magical land “Yo Gabba Gabba!” takes place in is tremendously far from Sesame Street.

“YGG!” has its own over-the-top aesthetic, thanks to co-creator Christian Jacobs. He’s the lead singer of ska band the Aquabats, who dress as superheroes and fight evil through music … obviously. Parental-advisory-stickered albums to children’s show may seem like a strange progression, but the rocker is part of a wave of artists working tirelessly to make hip kids’ entertainment that doesn’t involve Raffi. And check out designer-toy retailer Kidrobot’s line of “YGG!”-inspired, mostly adult-sized clothing.

Now, the biggest question of all: Why wasn’t this show on when we were little? Sure, we would have forever yearned for something to match it as we grew older — something brought to you by the letters L, S and D — but it would’ve been worth it. Despite its intended demographic, we found ourselves watching clips on YouTube all day — mostly of Nathaniel dancing. Just look at the passion in his face! Have you ever felt such joy whilst cutting a rug?