Case Number 20509: Small Claims Court

YO GABBA GABBA! LET'S VISIT THE DOCTOR!

Nickelodeon // 2011 // 96 Minutes // Not Rated
Reviewed by Judge Erich Asperschlager // January 16th, 2011

The Charge

"Hey! What do you want to play Toodee?"
"Um, I think we should play Crazy Jumping Pirate Bugs!"

The Case

Man, did I back the right horse! I've been the go-to Verdict Yo Gabba Gabba reviewer for a while now. Not only do I have a soft spot for this weird slice of kids' edutainment, but I secretly hoped that it would pay off with my infant daughter. Before she had the verbal skills to protest, I forced her to listen to the Gabba Music is Awesome! CD (which totally lives up to its name, by the way). Then, not too long ago, my wife got home from picking her up at daycare and said the six sweetest words in the English language: "Our child loves Yo Gabba Gabba!." Since that joyous day, the Asperschlager house has turned into Gabba central. Morning car trips are accompanied by endless loops of her favorite tunes; post-dinner playtime is spent with the Gabba bath toys she got for Christmas. We're barely two weeks into 2011, but I think I sewed up Father of the Year by bringing home Yo Gabba Gabba! Let's Visit the Doctor!, their latest four-episode DVD compilation.

* "Doctor"
Toodee's super fun day of having super fun is cut short when she gets sick. At first, she doesn't want to see the doctor, but DJ Lance and her friends convince her it's a good idea, and Plex uses his magic robot ray to bring him to Gabbaland. Played by bad boy celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain (on his best behavior here), Dr. Tony recommends that Toodee get lots of rest and eat some chicken soup. Brobee, Muno, and Foofa overhear and take it upon themselves to make the soup, while singing about it. Toodee gets better in time to see Of Montreal sing "Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast" on the Super Music Friend Show. Also in the episode: Biz's get-well Beat of the Day, and Storytime.

* "Teeth"
DJ Lance thinks back to the day Muno's baby teeth fell out. After helping him dance and wiggle them out, Toodee and Foofa tell Muno that if he puts his teeth under his pillow at night, he'll be visited by the Tooth Fairy (played by an extra-toothy Amy Sedaris) and get money that he can use to buy something fun. Elsewhere in the episode, Datarock plays "Smile for the Camera," Of Montreal sings "Brush Brush Brush," a girl shows off a Cool Trick involving a simling donkey, and Mark Mothersbaugh proves that he's still as weird as ever by drawing a flute-playing tooth that jams on "Camptown Races."

* "Clean"
Plex flexes his special robot powers by issuing a series of "Icky Alerts," calling out his friends for spreading germs. He and DJ Lance (who, given the bright white room he lives in, has to be a neat freak) teach the gang about washing with soap, baths, and using shampoo. Even Plex gets in on the shower action, putting the whole "water and electricity don't mix" idea to the test. Super Music Friends Chromeo perform "Nice 'n' Clean," and although it has nothing to do with the rest of the episode, Rachel Dratch does a Dancey Dance, and "Questlove" and Frank "Knuckles" from The Roots stop by for a drum lesson.

* "Car"
Even though Gabbaland is about four feet across, the gang goes for a ride in a car. They learn valuable lessons about buckling up, not running out in the road, and remembering where you put your pillow socky. Other segments include Biz's Beat of the Day, Dancey Dance with country music duo Sugarland, playing pretend with Muno, Cool Tricks with guitarists from The Aquabats and Supernova, Funny Faces, Storytime about a mean gorilla, and listening for sounds with Toodee.

If you've bought any of these Yo Gabba Gabba! releases in the past, then you know what to expect from Let's Visit the Doctor!. Full frame picture, stereo sound, no extras. But c'mon...do you really need to know anything more about human-sized rubber creatures who live on a cardboard playset under the watchful eye of a bespectacled, self-proclaimed DJ who wears a skin-tight orange jumpsuit and a big fuzzy hat? Besides, my daughter is obsessed with it. If I hear her say that Toodee is sick one more time...I'll patiently listen and giver her a kiss on the head. Hey, what can I say? I'm a great dad.

The Verdict

Don't worry, I washed my hands before delivering this not guilty verdict!

Scales of Justice
Judgment: 90

Perp Profile
Studio: Nickelodeon
Video Formats:
* Full Frame

Audio Formats:
* Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo (English)

Subtitles:
* English (SDH)

Running Time: 96 Minutes
Release Year: 2011
MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Distinguishing Marks
* None

Accomplices
* IMDb
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0877512/combined

* Official Site
http://www.yogabbagabba.com/