Courtyesy: PBS Kids/PBS Distribution/PBS
PBS Kids’ will release its latest collection of episodes from its hit kid-friendly wildlife series Wild Kratts next Tuesday, April 14th. The DVD, Shark-Tastic, is a nice addition to any family’s Wild Kratts DVD collection regardless of the number of DVDs that families may or may not already own. The DVD, the series’ eighth, features four episodes for the whole family. Two of those episodes—‘Speaking Dolphinese” and “Stuck on Sharks” are bonus episodes. But they have actually been previously released on two other Wild Kratts collections—Lost at Sea and Predator Power. That aside, all four episodes present a similar theme tying each episode together. Keeping that in mind, the episodes featured in this latest collection make for at least one reason that families will enjoy it. The run time of each episode adds to the DVD’s overall enjoyment. Each episode runs roughly twenty-five minutes. That is just long enough for the series’ intended audiences. What’s more, it is a standard held by the show since its inception two years ago. Last to note the makes Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic worth the watch is its bonus material. PBS Distribution has included again as bonus material an extensive aquarium guide and matching game that encourages audiences to match the given animals with their correct habitats. Both bonuses have been included in previous Wild Kratts DVDs. This is of course more the case for those that are just starting their Wild Kratts DVD collection. Keeping that in consideration along with the DVD’s episode selection and the episodes’ run times, Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic still proves to be an enjoyable watch for any family even if a family already owns any of the series’ other DVDs.
Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic is a fun watch for any family regardless of how many of the series’ previous DVDs a family may or may not already own. The central reason for this is the DVD’s episode selection. Included in this DVD are four episodes that take the brothers Kratt into the deep blue sea for four very different reasons. Two of the episodes in question—“Speaking Dolphinese” and “Stuck On Sharks”—have both already been included in previous Wild Kratts DVDs. On the surface this might not seem like much worth noting. But a deeper examination reveals much more. A deeper examination reveals that all four of the episodes featured here presents its own original story separate from any of the others. At the same time, all four episodes are tied together by one continuous theme of aquatic life. “Octopus Wildkratticus” (Season One) examines the adaptations of the octopus while the Kratt brothers try to reclaim their lost power suits. In “Tortuga Tune Up” (Season Two), Chris and Martin introduce the Hawksbill Sea Turtle and the Tiger Shark to audiences while they try to help Aviva develop the Tortuga’s ability to swim underwater. “Speaking Dolpinese” (Season One) sees Chris and Martin learning to speak the language of the dolphin when they encounter a pair of young dolphins that have been separated from its pod. And in “Stuck on Sharks” (Season Two), the Kratts present a lesson on one of the ocean’s deadliest yet most misunderstood predators, the Great White Shark. The stories themselves are well worth the watch if only for their educational and entertainment content. That all four also maintain a central theme will especially ensure audiences remain engaged through all four episodes. It’s just one way in which Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic proves itself worth the addition to any family’s library even if said families already own the DVDs on which “Speaking Dolphinese” and “Stuck On Sharks” were previously released.
The episodes that make up the body of Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic by themselves make for plenty of reason for audiences to check it out. Younger viewers will be able to catch the concepts delivered by the series’ writers just as easily as older adults. This applies both with the DVD’s primary pairing of episodes and its bonus episodes, too. What’s more, all four episodes stand as their own stories yet stay connected via one continuous theme of aquatic life. That all four episodes follow that one theme yet stand out as their own works will keep viewers engaged and in turn aid in helping viewers catch the concepts handled in each episode. The easily accessible writing displayed in each of the DVD’s episodes coupled with their solid continuity is important to the overall presentation of Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic. But without a proper run time, the writing and continuity of the episodes would be moot. Each of the DVD’s episodes comes in at roughly twenty-five minutes. Being that the concepts presented in the episodes are typically aimed at older children (typically third grade and up), twenty-five minutes is just long enough. Were the episodes any longer, the show’s heads would risk losing the attention of its viewers. So keeping this in mind, it shows even more why the episodes’ run times are so important to the presentation in whole.
The combination of the writing and the run times in all four episodes combined with the episodes’ sensible run times makes the argument in favor of this DVD even stronger than if one were to use only one element or another. Together, they assure that the show’s key audiences will remain engaged and entertained from beginning to end with each episode. This is of the utmost importance to the enjoyment of this latest Wild Kratts compilation. As enjoyable as the episodes prove to be, they are just part of the reason that audiences will enjoy this DVD. The material included as bonus features makes the DVD even more enjoyable. This is especially the case for those that perhaps don’t already own the show’s previously released DVDs. The reason for this is that the bonus material included on this disc is the same material included in those noted releases. The material in question includes a printable activity that lets younger fans to match animals to their proper habitat and an extensive aquarium guide that kids can use. Now that summer is just around the corner, both the activity sheet and the aquarium guide will serve as their own positives to help keep kids learning while they’re out of school. So to that extent, both extras definitely deserve to be called bonuses at least in this case. It’s one more way that Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic proves itself to be another welcome addition to any family’s Wild Kratts collection.
Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic presents plenty of reasons for the whole family to enjoy this latest collection of episodes from PBS Kids’ hit wildlife series. All four episodes featured in this collection follow the same aquatic theme. Two of the episodes are even pulled from previous Wild Kratts DVDs to complete the episode list. The run time of each episode comes in just under the half hour mark. That in itself is a long-held tradition by the people behind Wild Kratts. And coupled with the easily accessible marine biology lessons presented in each episode, the DVD becomes all the more entertaining for audiences of all ages. The addition of the DVD’s bonus material makes the overall presentation all the more enjoyable and successful especially with summer right around the corner. All three elements taken into consideration, Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic proves exactly why it is yet another welcome release from what is one of PBS Kids’ best series. Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic will be available next Tuesday, April 14th. It can be ordered online via PBS’ online store at http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=58235516&cp=&kw=wild+kratts+shark-tastic&origkw=Wild+Kratts+Shark-Tastic&sr=1. More information on Wild Kratts: Shark-Tastic is available online along with all of the latest Wild Kratts news and games online at:
Website: http://www.krattbrothers.com
http://pbskids.org/wildkratts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wildkrattsofficial
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