Paramount // 2006 // 151 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge David Johnson // June 21st, 2006
Robbie Rotten wants to eat your soul.
It sure seems like there's a new one of these Nick compilations released every 19 seconds, doesn't it? This time, the release is aimed at the little ones, as Nickelodeon's toddler division gets some live for Nick Jr. Favorites 4. Episodes from six of the junior network's heavy-hitters are included on this disc, and yes, Diabolical Dora the Explorer is here, too. Oy. Don't get me started on f***ing Dora.
* Dora the Explorer
"Rapido, Tico"
Nobody's
favorite pipsqueak wanderer is here to lure your children into screaming out
answers to questions like "Do you see Swiper?" Where is he?" and
"Which road should I take to the Valley of Irritation?" and "Do
you hate me with the fire of a thousand suns?" This go-around, Dora and
Boots team up with Tico, who takes them to Snowy Mountain. Yay.
* The Backyardigans
"Pirate Treasure"
These
wacky little creatures go it where it counts on the other hand. The
Backyardigans are a squad of CGI animals (plus Uniqua, the creature of unknown
descent) who play in the backyard, have imaginary adventures and sing and dance
like there's no tomorrow. Today, they're hunting for buried treasure and doing
it reggae style. Great, as always.
* Blue's Clues
"100th Episode"
A diversion from
the typical clue-fetch-quest, this show brings back former host Steve, who,
along with Joe, put on a faux award ceremony, reminiscing about the past 100
episodes of Blue's adventures.
* LazyTown
"Prince Stingy"
Look, this show is
nightmarish and surreal, but it grows on you. At first I was wowed by its
weirdness, but it gradually won me over. The dude who plays Robbie Rotten still
haunts my dreams, but everything else is good, kinetic, pastel fun. Here, Robbie
dresses up as a night to fool Stingy into thinking he's a prince, and tricking
him into expelling Sportacus from LazyTown. Crazy, sure, but it's entertaining
and crammed with positive messages about healthy eating habits.
* Little Bill
"Racing Time / All Tied Up"
The
back ends of these discs are reserved for the simpler offerings. Little Bill
(created by Bill Cosby) is a cute show with electron-sized plots: watch as Bill
streamlines his wake-up routine by pretending it's a race, followed by the
heart-warming episode where he learns to tie his shoes.
* Max & Ruby
"Max Cleans Up / Max's Cuckoo Clock /
Ruby's Jewelry Box"
If Little Bill's plots are too complex for
you, try Max & Ruby, a show about two rabbit siblings. Ruby is the
older and teaches Max about things like, well, cleaning up, the joys of cuckoo
clocks, and the meaning of privacy (respectively).
I have nothing much else to say. It's another decent cross-section of Nick Jr. programming, and should deliver the goods for your waddlers. My favorites are The Backyardigans and LazyTown, and Max & Ruby and Little Bill are cute, but boring. Dora? She can go straight to hell.
Review content copyright © 2006 David Johnson; Site layout and review format copyright © 1998 - 2008 HipClick Designs LLC
Scales of Justice
Judgment: 85
Perp Profile
Studio: Paramount
Video Formats:
* Full Frame
Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)
Subtitles:
* English
Running Time: 151 Minutes
Release Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distinguishing Marks
* Previews
Accomplices
* Official Site
http://www.nickjr.com