PBS, Nickelodeon Offer Kids, Families Lots Of Worthwhile DVDs, Blu-rays In 2020

Courtesy: Nickelodeon/Viacom

PBS, PBS Kids and Nickelodeon are some of the most important television networks for children today.  In an age when it seems like families are becoming increasingly segregated within their own homes thanks to technology and general television programming that is anything but family friendly, these networks continued to provide so much content to bring families together in 2020.  That content was presented not just on the small screen, but also on DVD and Blu-ray.  To that extent, even new children’s DVDs and Blu-rays deserve their own year-end best of list.  That list is what is presented here from Phil’s Picks.  This  year’s list of top new children’s DVDs and Blu-rays pulls mainly from the noted networks, and even from Warner Brothers.  Topping the list this  year is S.T.E.M. programming from Nickelodeon in the form of a new DVD from Blaze and the Monster Machines.  Also featured in this list is new content from series, such as Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Sesame Street, and even a certain Cartoon Network movie.

As with every other year-ender list from Phil’s Picks, this list features the year’s Top 10 New titles and five additional honorable mention titles for a total of 15 titles.  Without any further ado here is Phil’s Picks 2020 Top 10 New Children’s DVDs & Blu-rays.

PHIL’S PICKS 2020 TOP 10 NEW CHILDREN’S DVDS & BLU-RAYS

1. Blaze and the Monster Machines – Knight Riders
2. The Berenstain Bears – Bear Family Vacation
3. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood – Explore The Outdoors
4. Tex Avery – Screwball Classics Vol. 1
5. Tex Avery – Screwball Classics Vol. 2
6. Space Ghost & Dino Boy: The Complete Series
7. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
8. Ben 10 vs. The Universe
9. Blaze and the Monster Machines – Race for the Golden Treasure
10. Elmo’s World – Things Elmo Loves
11. Monster Hits – Rock & Rhyme With Elmo
12. Paw Patrol – Dino Rescue
13. Paw Patrol – Mighty Pups – Super Paws
14. Paw Patrol – Jet to the Rescue
15. Garfield World Two Movie Collection

Up next from Phil’s Picks is the year’s Top 10 new Family DVD & Blu-ray Box sets.  Stay tuned for that. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.  

Shout! Factory, Sesame Workshop Set To Release Another New ‘Sesame Street’ DVD

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Sesame Workshop

Shout! Factory and Sesame Workshop will release another new Sesame Street compilation DVD this spring.

Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection is set for release on May 7.  The new DVD will help teachers and parents alike teach their pre-schoolers their ABCs with performances by The Beetles (yes, The Beetles), Norah Jones, Tori Kelly and Pharrell Williams.

Famed author and activist Maya Angelou also makes an appearance in the new DVD.  She offers her thoughts on the importance of giving hugs, while Sheryl Crow helps the letter “I” soak up some sun and actor Ricky Gervais sings a lullaby for Elmo.

The trailer for the new DVD is streaming here.  The movie’s run time is two-hours.  Pre-orders are open now.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Every Family Will Celebrate Sesame Workshop’s New ‘Sesame Street’ DVD

Courtesy: Sesame Workshop/Shout! Factory

In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.  For those who might be unfamiliar with this famed adage, it was originally spoken by none other than Benjamin Franklin, one of this nation’s founding fathers and greatest inventors and philosophers.  While Franklin was right in his statement, he was also somewhat wrong.  There is actually a third constant in life – family.  Through thick and thin, in the good times and bad, family will always be there for one another.  There are many kinds of families today, and in its latest DVD, Celebrate Family, Sesame Workshop examines the different kinds of families that exist, and what makes each kind of family special.  It is a DVD that every family will enjoy.  This is proven in part through the DVD’s primary content, which addresses different kinds of families and what sets them apart.  The secondary content that is included within the primary content makes the DVD even more appealing to every family.  The bonus content featured with the DVD rounds out the DVD’s most important elements.  It is just as certain as the DVD’s primary and secondary content to keep audiences engaged and entertained.  Each item noted here is important in its own right to the whole of Sesame Street: Celebrate Family.  Altogether, they make Sesame Street: Celebrate Family a presentation that the whole family will celebrate.

Sesame Workshop’s new Sesame Street DVD Celebrate Family is another new offering from the organization, that the whole family will celebrate.  That is due in part to the DVD’s primary content.  The primary content featured five segments that focus on different types of families and the things that families do differently from one another.  The opening segment Elmo and his dad together with Abby Cadabby, her stepbrother Rudy and stepfather as the two families have dinner together at Elmo’s house.  This segment in itself teaches young viewers that families do not always have to fit the traditional nuclear family mold.  Families can be a single parent and child and they can be extended, featuring two families brought together.  The segment is followed later with a segment in which Abby’s stepbrother and stepfather are introduced for the first time.  Abby, Elmo and Rosita are on a “secret mission” of sorts to find them because they are coming to Sesame Street for the first time ever in said segment.  Segments celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day focus specifically on the noted family members while the disc’s closing segment focuses on grandparents and their importance as part of families, too.  That segment is special in its own right as Elmo is so excited that his grandparents will are supposed to attend the event, only to find out that they won’t be able to attend.  Being a family friendly presentation, the story has a happy ending that finds Elmo still getting to spend time with his grandparents.

The easily accessible lessons about the different types of families and their members is just one part of what makes this primary presentation so engaging for the whole family.  The opening segment reminds viewers that not every family does things the same way.  Elmo’s dad gives Elmo and his friends the choice of what to have for dinner while Abby and Ruby’s family does things a little bit differently.  At the same time, Elmo, Abby and Rudy have their own favorite taste while their dads have their favorite tastes.  It’s another reminder that not every family is the same, and that those differences should in fact be celebrated.

The primary content featured in Sesame Street: Celebrate Family’s segments goes a long way toward making this DVD appealing for the whole family.  It truly does celebrate families and their members in a variety of ways.  The secondary content that couples with that presentation adds even more to the DVD’s appeal.  It is subtle, but is there.  As Abby and her friends work to find Rudy and his dad, one of their human friends – a woman – comes by to talk to them.  As she leaves, she makes mention of her engineering homework.  This is a short, subtle comment, but in the bigger picture, is a much bigger statement.  It is clearly part of the push to encourage women to get into science, technology, engineering and math (S.T.E.M.)-related studies and careers.

On a completely separate note, the segment featuring Elmo and Abby’s families having dinner together presents a classroom type of lesson instead of a cultural one.  As Elmo’s dad prepares dinner – pizza — the kids learn about the differences between meats and vegetables and about the differences in shapes.

The DVD’s final segment, which focuses on grandparents, is certain to entertain grown-ups as the writers joke about the technology gap between generations.  Baby Bear’s grandfather has all kinds of technology but admits that it was Baby Bear’s grandmother who bought it all, not him.  He open admits that he doesn’t know how to use everything that she got.  Meanwhile, Baby Bear has no trouble helping his grandfather learn how to use his various tech gadgets.  On a bigger picture, the statement made by baby Bear’s grandfather about Baby bear’s grandmother trying to keep up with the times is telling in itself.  He states that technology was so much easier to handle in days gone by.  He is right on both statements.  It seems that there is far too much reliance today on technology.  To that end, there is an important statement there, albeit likely unintentional, but it is still there.  It is just one more way in which the secondary content featured in the DVD’s primary content makes the DVD in whole appealing for the whole family.  The DVD’s featured bonus content adds even more appeal to its presentation.

The bonus content featured in Sesame Street: Celebrate Family follows the same theme as that of the DVD’s primary content.  The full-length Sesame Street episode included as one of the bonuses focuses on siblings.  It finds Chris and his sister talking about siblings with Baby Bear and his sister.  Chris and his sister remind Baby Bear that no siblings ever get along completely, but that they still love each other and find similarities.  They just have to look for those things that can unite them.

The “Elmo’s World” segment that is featured in this episode also focuses on siblings.  This time Elmo spends a little time with Mr. Noodle and his brother, as well as two trios of pig siblings.  One trio is the three little pigs, while the other trio is a group of singing swine.  It does not add a lot to the central lesson in the overall episode, but is still a nice accent to the episode’s overall presentation.  When it is coupled with the episode’s central message of siblings and family love that conquers all, it makes the overall episode a welcome addition to the DVD.  When the bonus episode is joined with the DVD’s primary content and its companion secondary content, the end result is a presentation, that will appeal to the whole family.

Sesame Workshop’s new Sesame Street DVD, Celebrate Family is a presentation that will appeal to the whole family.  That is thanks in part to the DVD’s primary content, which presents the different kinds of families that exist and their members.  The segments’ companion content, which teaches its own invaluable lessons, adds even more appeal to the presentation.  The bonus content that comes with the DVD continues the DVD’s family theme while also reminding young viewers that while siblings might argue sometimes, they are still family and can always find common ground.  Each item is important in its own way to the whole of Sesame Street: Celebrate Family.  All things considered, they make the DVD another offering from Sesame Workshop that the whole family will celebrate.  More information on this and other titles from Sesame Workshop is available online now at:

 

 

Website: http://www.sesameworkshop.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SesameWorkshop

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sesameworkshop

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘Sesame Street: The Magical Wand’ Will Work Magic On Audiences Of All Ages

Courtesy: Sesame Workshop/Shout! Factory

PBS’ hit educational series Sesame Street has for decades, been a source of great educational and entertainment for audiences of all ages.  From teaching numbers and words to teaching equally invaluable lessons about cultural diversity and more, Sesame Street has proven time and again to be one of the most important series on television.  Even as the decades have passed and times changed, the series has changed along the way to stay up with the world, but has not changed to the point of losing any of what it has done.  The show’s latest DVD, Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase is proof of that, both in its primary and bonus content.  Each item will be discussed here, as each is equally important to the DVD’s overall presentation.  Those items make the DVD’s average price point, the last of its most important elements, money well-spent.  Each item is important in its own right to the DVD.  All things considered, they make Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase more proof of why Sesame Street remains today one of television’s most important programs.

Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase is an enjoyable new offering from Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory that clearly proves the series remains today, one of the most important series on television.  That is even considering programs in other genres.  This statement is supported in part through the DVD’s primary content, the feature presentation that gives the DVD its name.  The primary content finds Abby Cadabby, Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover and Rosita chasing down a bird in order to recover Abby’s magic wand after Abby accidentally drops the wand during a balloon ride.  Abby and the others were taking a balloon ride in a trip of balloons, and when she tried to get herself and her friends back to Sesame Street, she dropped the wand, leading to the chase.  Looking at the “movie” from an analytical standpoint, this is actually a good way to set up the chase that follows.  As Abby and company chase down the bird, who uses Abby’s wand to hide her identity at points, the group encounters children with various ethnic backgrounds – Chinese, Mexican and African – leading to lessons about their people’s cultures and the value of those differences.  Of course there is plenty of hilarity along the way thanks to plenty of family friendly jokes (including a laugh riot tribute to Benny Hill), and Abby eventually gets her wand back.  Those lessons of cultural diversity, though, is the most important item to note.  As noted previously, this is nothing new for Sesame Street.  What is important here is the way in which the show’s writers executed the lessons.  They used a new, enjoyable way to present the lesson on cultural diversity.  To that end, the story and its familiar and welcome lessons promoting cultural diversity form a solid foundation for the DVD.  The bonus content included with the DVD strengthens that foundation even more.

The bonus content included with Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase strengthens the DVD’s foundation even more because it picks up right where the DVD’s primary content leaves off.  The full-length featurette “Elmo’s Alphabet Challenge” continues Sesame Street’s long-running focus on teaching the alphabet and words to young viewers.  As with the DVD’s primary content, it does that here once again, but in a fashion that is in line with the current age.  Telly, Elmo and Abby are pulled into the video game world while deciding on a game to play on Abby’s tablet.  Over the course of roughly an hour, Abby and her friends go through a variety of different video games, which are takeoffs of video games, such as Super Mario Brothers, Angry Birds and World of Warcraft in order to find letters that align with each letter of the alphabet.  The ultimate goal is to defeat a character named ABC-More in the process so that they can get back to their world.  Obviously it has a happy ending.  The video game spoofs will entertain grown-ups while the additional (yet possibly latent) lesson about pride – ABC-More constantly calls himself the greatest, leading to a starting point on that noted lesson about pride – and the primary lesson teaching about the alphabet and words join in to make this bonus feature in whole just as entertaining for the whole family as the DVD’s primary story.

“The Golden Triangle of Destiny,” the second of the DVD’s bonus features, is just as certain to entertain the whole family.  It is also the shortest of the DVD’s features, both primary and secondary.  It is a full-on spoof of the Indiana Jones movie franchise that finds Telly going on a search for the titular triangle around Sesame Street.  Along the way, he has to avoid a giant boulder (yes, a boulder), a bunch of “exploding” washing machines and determining the shape of each figure that he finds.  So what audiences get here is the basic geometry lesson as its educational content alongside a fun movie spoof that will entertain audiences of all ages and likely be a favorite watch for those audiences.  When it is coupled with the lead video game-based bonus, the two bonuses together succeed solidly in offering plenty of entertainment and education at the same time.  When the bonus content is considered alongside the DVD’s primary content, the whole of the content offers plenty for audiences of all ages to appreciate throughout the DVD’s two-hour-plus total run time.  Keeping all of this in mind, the DVD’s average price point proves to be another positive for the DVD.

The average price point for Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase is $11.75.  That price is attained by averaging prices from Shout! Factory’s online store, Walmart, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble.  The DVD is not listed – at the time of this post – at Amazon, Target and Books-A-Million.  Considering the breadth and depth of the content presented over a total run time of more than two hours (specifically, two hours, two minutes), that price is not overly expensive.  When one takes into consideration that the DVD also includes a downloadable .pdf file of The Magic Wand Chase for families to enjoy any time they want, that price becomes that much more affordable and welcome for every family.  Keeping this in consideration along with the primary and secondary content featured in the DVD, it is just one more positive for the DVD.  Keeping this in mind, all three elements come together to make the DVD overall another successful offering from Sesame Workshop, and an equally welcome new offering from the new partnership between Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory.

Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory’s recently launched partnership is proving to be a positive match for the organizations.  This was already recently proven with the new Elmo’s World DVD released through that partnership.  The new full-length feature The Magic Wand Chase supports that statement even more.  As has been discussed here, that is proven through the primary and secondary content collectively featured on the disc.  The affordable average price point supports that statement even more.  Each item is important in its own way to the whole of the DVD.  All things considered, Sesame Street: The Magic Wand Chase is another successful offering from Sesame Workshop, and more proof of why Sesame Street remains today, one of the most important series on television, genres aside.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

More information on this and other titles from Sesame Workshop is available online now at:

 

 

Website: http://www.sesameworkshop.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SesameWorkshop

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sesameworkshop

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, Sesame Workshop To Release Another New Sesame Street Special

Courtesy: Sesame Workshop/Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory is bringing audiences of all ages a new Sesame Street special.

Sesame Street — The Magical Wand Chase is currently scheduled to be released Nov. 6 through a partnership between Shout! Factory and Sesame Workshop.  Filmed across three New York City neighborhoods, the story presented in this new special follows Elmo and Abby Cadabby on a hunt for Abby’s wand.

A playful bird voiced by Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) takes Abby’s wand, leading her and Elmo to hunt down the wand across New York.Along the way, the duo learns valuable life lessons about making friends and cultural diversity.  The pair can’t return to Sesame Street without Abby’s wand, though, so Elmo and Abby must find the wand before it’s too late.

As added bonuses, the DVD also features a trio of extras, the companion full-length episode The Golden Triangle of Diversity, full-length feature Elmo’s Alphabet Challenge and a downloadable storybook version of Elmo and the Lost Wand.  The trailer for the new feature is streaming now here.

This new “movie” marks the first time since 1994 that Sesame Workshop has filmed a feature-length presentation on location.  Pre-orders are open now.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

More information on this and other titles from Sesame Workshop is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.sesameworkshop.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SesameWorkshop

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sesameworkshop

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

There’s Plenty To Discover And Enjoy In The Latest Trip Into ‘Elmo’s World’

Courtesy: Sesame Workshop/Shout! Factory

Everyone’s favorite fuzzy family friendly TV figure (say that five times fast), Elmo has another new DVD on the way early next month, thanks to a new partnership between Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory.  The DVD, Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores is only the beginning of the new Elmo’s World collections set for release through that partnership.  It is also a very good start for what is hopefully a long-running partnership.  This is proven in part through the DVD’s primary content.  This will be discussed shortly.  The bonus material included in the DVD is just as important to proving the DVD is a good first effort from the companies.  It will be discussed a little bit later.  The DVD’s average price point also serves to show what makes this DVD a good start for Shout! Factory and Sesame Workshop.  Each element is important in its own way to the whole of Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores.  All things considered, they make the DVD a welcome addition to any family’s DVD library.

Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory’s new Sesame Street DVD Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores is a good first release for the companies in what is hopefully going to be a long series of DVDs from the series.  That is thanks in part to the DVD’s primary content, which teaches a wide variety of lessons and does so in a fashion that makes them accessible to target audiences.  The lessons featured in the DVD’s primary content range from music to the different kinds of families out there to population diversity to the different kinds of homes in which people live, the seasons, colors and more.  What’s interesting here is that while the lessons themselves are basic, Sesame Street’s writers managed to do more than just present the basic lessons.  Case in point that lesson on skin.  It teaches young viewers about skin on the surface (no pun intended).  That lesson in turn, leads to the aforementioned lesson on diversity in populations.  The lesson on the seasons includes a discussion on things that are associated with each of the four seasons, adding even more enjoyment for young viewers.  One could go on from there.  Considering that we live today in an all digital world, each lesson is taught through Elmo looking up information on his friend Smarty the Smart Phone, so that helps the show connect even more with young viewers.  The writers are to be commended for paying attention even to that detail.  Keeping all of this in mind, the primary content presented in this DVD forms a solid foundation for its presentation.  The bonus material included in the DVD strengthens that foundation even more.

The bonus material included in the DVD strengthens its presentation in that it features additional content associated with the primary content as well as two episodes of Sesame Street’s British spin-off, The Furchester Hotel.  The extra lesson content encourages creativity through art as it shows kids coloring with crayons and their fingers in association with colors and painting.  There is also additional content in relation to the lesson on music that encourages children to try music in different ways.  There is even a bonus lesson promoting literacy among children included as an extra that audiences will enjoy.  As if all of that is not enough, the DVD’s bonus material also includes two bonus episodes of Sesame Street’s British spin-off series The Furchester Hotel.  The episodes – ‘Space Alien Party’ and ‘The Count’s Vacation’ – are both taken from the series’ second season.  ‘Space Alien Party’ finds the “famed” Furchester Hotel hosting an “Alien Party” that receives a pair of interstellar guests who older fans of Sesame Street will find very familiar.  When the two aliens join the party, Cookie Monster’s cookies suddenly and mysteriously disappear.  Of course, Cookie Monster finally finds out what happened.  In “The Count’s Vacation,” the seemingly ageless Count and his wife the Countess go on vacation at the hotel, but the Countess does not want him to count anything.  Of course that doesn’t exactly happen, leading to plenty of laughs and even learning.  Both episodes are surprisingly entertaining and engaging, and considering that the late great Jim Henson started his career in Great Britain, it’s fitting that the latest bunch of Muppets come from there.  It leads one to wonder if perhaps American audiences will ever see more episodes of that series get a domestic release.  That aside, the bonus episodes add their own education and entertainment value to the overall presentation of this DVD.  When this is considered along with the DVD’s primary content, the overall content gives audiences of all ages more than enough to appreciate.  Keeping this in mind, that invaluable content makes the collection’s average price point, the last of the DVD’s most important elements, worth the money.

The DVD’s average price point, using prices from Target, WalMart, Best Buy, Amazon and Shout! Factory, is $11.99.  Tax added in, that average price pushes to just over $12.  That is not bad considering the amount of content provided to audiences with this DVD.  Looking at the different retailers, the most common price is $11.99 and the least expensive is $9.99.  Keeping this in mind, it makes that average price that much more affordable and welcoming.  When this is considered, again, with the DVD’s overall content, the whole package proves well worth the money, even if one has to order it online.  It is a DVD that every family will find itself welcoming into their DVD library.

Sesame Workshop and Shout! Factory’s new Elmo’s World DVD Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores is a presentation that every family will welcome into their home library.  That is proven in large part through its content.  This includes its primary and secondary (bonus) content.  Between the primary and secondary content, audiences are given a total of roughly two hours of educational and entertaining content.  The relatively affordable average price point of $11.99 is well worth the money considering all of that content.  Keeping all of this in mind, Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores proves to be a DVD that every family will appreciate owning.  It will be available Oct. 2 and can be pre-ordered online now via Shout! Factory’s online store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

More news, printables, activities and more from Sesame Street is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.sesamestreet.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SesameStreet

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sesamestreet

 

 

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Kids, Adults Will Love To Meet The Fraggles For The First Time Again

Courtesy: The Jim Henson Company/Vivendi Entertainment

Jim Henson was one of the most brilliant minds of the 20^th Century.  He was the brilliant mind behind the Muppets, Sesame Street, Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and so many other creations.  While he was most well known for the aforementioned creations, one of his lesser known creations celebrates its 30^th anniversary this month.  That creation is Fraggle Rock.  In honor of the thirtieth anniversary of the beloved children’s series’ debut, The Jim Henson Company has released the entire series on single season collections and a complete thirtieth anniversary box set with the entire series.  The company has also released a special single disc collection that serves as a nice introduction to the world of the Fraggles for today’s younger audiences, while re-introducing them to the generation that grew up with these wonderful underground dwelling creatures in Fraggle Rock: Meet The Fraggles.

Fraggle Rock:  Meet The Fraggles offers six episodes of the classic children’s series on a single DVD.  It is aptly titled as it starts off from the series’ very first episode, “Beginnings.”  It is in this episode that audiences first meet Doc and his dog Sprocket, along with the Fraggles.  It’s through a hole in the wall of Doc’s residence that viewers travel into the world of the Fraggles.  Right from the very first episode, audiences are introduced to a program that is full of enjoyable musical numbers, colorful backdrops, and important life lessons.  The execution of the life lessons through the storylines does so much to make this show so timeless.  One of the best examples of this in this collection comes in the episode, “Red’s Club.”  This episode teaches an important lesson about acceptance of others.  It does this through setting things up through the storyline involving Sprocket being rejected from an elite dog club.  After having been rejected, Doc suggests that Sprocket start up his own club.  Meanwhile in the world of the Fraggles, Red is fed up with always going along with Gobo, and starts her own club.  The problem is that her club is so exclusionary that the one single member that she ends up with is a Doozer.  And the Doozer in question—Cotter Pin—ends up leaving Red’s club, too because of how exclusive it is.  Red ends up learning a very valuable lesson because of her actions.  Doc also learns a lesson in talking with Sprocket about why he couldn’t be in Sprocket’s club.  The lesson is told outright, making it easy for young audiences to understand.  This is the kind of writing existent throughout every season of this classic kids’ show.  This includes all six episodes included in this six-disc introduction to Fraggle Rock.

The writing behind Fraggle Rock is the show’s primary reason for its success.  But it isn’t the only part of its success.  As already noted, Jim Henson did during his life, things that no one else was doing.  The musical numbers which were part of his even more beloved Muppet Show 2 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar for topping

Mix egg and milk. Sift dry ingredients and gradually add to milk mixture, beat until smooth.

Preheat oil in fry pan to 375 degrees F.

Pour batter into hot oil with a funnel with a ½ “ or ¾” hole. Let batter drizzle into hot oil. Spiraling to create a circle.

Cook about 1 minute, flip over, cooking both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with fruit preserves while still warm. 2 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
Oil for frying
Powdered sugar for topping

Mix egg and milk. Sift dry ingredients and gradually add to milk mixture, beat until smooth.

Preheat oil in fry pan to 375 degrees F.

Pour batter into hot oil with a funnel with a ½ “ or ¾” hole. Let batter drizzle into hot oil. Spiraling to create a circle.

Cook about 1 minute, flip over, cooking both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with fruit preserves while still were just as integral to Fraggle Rock.  Even as old as this show is, its musical numbers will still have young viewers dancing and singing along.  It’s another of the show’s elements that sets it apart from so much of today’s children’s programming, even today. 

Fraggle Rock’s writing and musical numbers will entertain audiences of all ages.  There is still one last piece of the puzzle to this show that makes it so enjoyable for any viewer.  That piece is the simplest.  Yet it’s still one of the most important.  That final piece is the originality of using puppets.  Children’s television is at a point today at which so much programming is much the same in terms of its format.  Children are being placed in front of television sets, and for all intents and purposes left to let the television teach them.  Fraggle Rock doesn’t allow that, as audiences will see in this introductory set of episodes.  It’s not one of those shows in which the characters talk to the children.  It forces parents to sit down with their children and discuss the lessons taught through each episode.  It forces parents to be parents and spend time with their children.  This is exactly what children and parents need.  They need to spend time together and bond.  And what better way to bond than on what is an original and timeless program.  If parents and children enjoy this set, they can also pick up the complete Thirtieth Anniversary box set with the show’s entire run.  Both sets can be ordered online via Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCMT1RS/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p74_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0X19EM0G0KMXPWH3S33S&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846 and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BCMT4B6/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p74_d0_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0NFWRPA7QJPVK8VF9MHY&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1389517282&pf_rd_i=507846.

Fans of Fraggle Rock and Jim Henson’s creations can get all the latest news from the Jim Henson Company online at http://www.henson.com and http://www.facebook.com/hensoncompany. 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks.com.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.