Courtesy: Vivendi/Gaiam/Paws, Inc./Dargaud Media
The latest DVD release from The Garfield Show hits stores today. The Garfield Show: Spring Fun Collection—the show’s seventh new DVD compilation–offers audiences six more adventures from the hit CG based show. It also includes a handful of PSAs for kids that teach everything from the importance of exercise to proper pet care, and even accepting people’s differences. The PSAs and the episodes all work together to make this latest release another enjoyable set of episodes for any Garfield fan of any age.
The Garfield Show: Spring Fun Collection opens with the episode, “The Big Sneeze.” Long-time Garfield fans might recognize this episode as it is a subtle throwback to the Garfield & Friends episode, “Nothing to Sneeze At.” Whereas that episode was centered on Jon’s less than fashionable wardrobe as the source of Garfield’s allergies, “The Big Sneeze” turns the tables. This time out, it’s Jon who has sneezing problems. What’s really causing them is left to audiences to discover. The answer to the mystery will have audiences laughing as will the episode’s subtle jokes. The show’s writers take on the old joke about everything on the internet being true with a comment from Jon as he researches his symptoms. In the same vein, the writers also take on a classic cartoon bit in the episode, “Stealing Home” which in itself is also a massive throwback to the original Garfield & Friends episode, “Pest of a Guest.” The classic bit in question sees Garfield turning a trash dumpster into a “home” as a means to get a pesky cat out of his own house. The use of a trash dumpster is just one variation of the classic cartoon bit. But having the small confined space made up as if it’s something else goes as far back as certain classic Looney Tunes shorts. That the writers would take the time to honor animation’s golden era is enough to make any viewer smile.
The homage to animation’s early days is just one part of what makes “Stealing Home” so fun. Adding in the reference to the classic “movie” Kung Fu Creatures on The Rampage is a double whammy for audiences. Not only will old school audiences appreciate the reference to the original show here, but movie lovers will appreciate the somewhat biting commentary about Hollywood’s current fad of re-issuing classic movies to theaters in 3-D, too. As one can already see, so much is going on in this episode alone. But somehow, the show’s writers managed to assemble it all together in a script that audiences of all ages will appreciate. It’s one more part of the whole that audiences will appreciate as they watch it any time they want when they pick up this new release.
The writers behind the episodes are to be commended for honoring Garfield’s roots in this collection of episodes. They are to be just as commended for making new episodes, too in the form of “Farm Fresh Feline”, “The Bluebird of Happiness”, “The Mole Express” and “Parrot Blues.” These episodes are more original and will entertain audiences just as much as the set’s throwback episodes. The “Garfield Shorts” included in the set aren’t necessarily shorts. They’re not the “quickies” from Garfield & Friends. But parents will appreciate that they are PSAs intended to entertain and educate young audiences. They are the icing on the cake that is this single disc compilation. It’s available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online at the Paws, Inc. online store at http://garfield.com/shopping/dvd_collection/collection.html?cat=5.
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