‘Transformers: Rescue Bots’ Fans Will Enjoy The Team’s “Adventures” Time And Again

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Factory Kids/Hasbro Studios

Transformers Rescue Bots officially called it a wrap last year after four full seasons on Hub/Discovery Family Channel, and while the series – which is now the longest-running series in the Transformers franchise – is officially done, not all of the series’ episodes have been released on DVD as of yet.  Two more DVDs featuring a total of ten more episodes have been released jointly this year via Hasbro Studios and Shout! Factory Kids.  The first, Outdoor Adventures, was released January 30, and it is another enjoyable addition to any Transformers fan’s home DVD library.  That is proven in part through the DVD’s episodes.  This will be discussed shortly.  The stories presented within the episodes add even more interest to the DVD and will be discussed a little bit later on.  The DVD’s average price point rounds out its most important elements.  When it is considered alongside the episodes and their stories, the end result is a DVD that is another enjoyable collection of Transformers Rescue Bots episodes and thankfully not the series’ last.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Outdoor Adventures, the first of two new collections from the longest running series in the history of the Transformers franchise, is an enjoyable new addition to the series’ Thankfully it is also not the only of the series’ episode collections to be released this year.  For the sake of this review, the focus will remain on this collection, though.  One of the items that make this collection so enjoyable for audiences is its episodes.  The episodes all follow the common thread in its title, Outdoor Adventures.  The disc’s lead episode, “The Riders of Midwinter” sees the Rescue Bots having to brave some snowy weather in order to help one of Griffin Rock’s citizens deliver warm bread to everybody as part of the island town’s annual winter celebration.  “Phantom of the Sea” takes the Rescue Bots onto a high seas time traveling adventure that also presents a love story that reaches across the ages.  The ocean theme continues in “Turning The Tide” as the Rescue Bots are introduced to one of Optimus Prime’s old friends during some high seas rescue training.  Again, there is that outdoors theme, and in its own original presentation.  “A New Hero” sees a young, impetuous Autobot head into not just the outdoors, but outer space in the second half of a two-part story arc.  The story arc in question follows the “new recruit” as he has to learn his own tough lessons.  ‘Endangered Species’ takes the team to the forests of Griffin Rock to protect a group of endangered birds from a bunch of overzealous birdwatchers whose interests are their own, not the birds.  Once more, audiences have another outdoor adventure in another setting different from the DVD’s other presentations.  This shows even more why the episodes in whole are so important to note in the DVD’s overall presentation.  Each episode follows that common thread of the outdoors, just in its own original fashion.  That in itself gives audiences something to appreciate.  It is just one of the elements that makes the DVD a welcome addition to any Transformers fan’s collection.  The stories within the episodes are just as important to note as the episodes.

The stories are so important to note because each presented a plot separate from one another and because of their overall content.  The disc’s lead episode is an original holiday-themed story that is unlike pretty much any other holiday themed TV show’s episodes past or present.  It’s not just another story focusing on someone saving Christmas because something happened to Santa.  It’s a story about family and friends, and about tradition that also sees the Rescue Bots grow as characters even more.  While there is plenty of heartfelt feelings throughout the story, there are also some fun jokes that will put just as much of a smile on audiences’ faces as the story’s more heartfelt content.  Things take a distinct turn from there as the compilation progresses into “Phantom of the Sea,” which sees the Rescue Bots go on a time traveling adventure with a little bit of romance.  The story is centered on a Griffin Rock legend about a “phantom” ship that appears at certain times just off the island’s coast.  In other words, it’s a little bit of sci-fi and a little bit of romance, so it is completely separate in its own way from the rest of the collection’s stories.  The addition of a certain familiar character’s influence in the story adds even more interest to its whole.  “Turning The Tide” presents invaluable lessons about teamwork, friendship and loyalty as the Rescue Bots meet one of OP’s old friends, and again it is a story that does not repeat at all any of the themes in its counterparts in this collection.  “A New Hero” reminds audiences that sometimes, tough decisions must be made in life and we have to get over ourselves through Blur’s own personal journey of self-discovery.  Once more, audiences get here a deep message presented in an accessible and original way at least in the bigger picture of this series.  To that end, it’s even more interesting and welcome to the whole of the DVD’s presentation.  “Endangered Species” presents its own original story that presses the importance of caring for our environment without being preachy in the process.  It does this through the process of Boulder discovering a family of birds whose species was thought to be extinct.  The result is that a bunch of overzealous individuals (including the town’s self-centered mayor – who is a great caricature of real world politicians) descend on the town and nearly destroy the birds’ home because of their own selfishness.  They weren’t respecting the birds, but rather caring about their own selfish interests.  It’s a key lesson that, again, is not preachy in its delivery, but hits home and does so hard.  It’s also original not only in comparison to the rest of the collection’s episodes, but in comparison to so many other stories out there.  There might be similar stories from other shows out there, but odds are, few are so much like this one.  Keeping that in mind, its originality makes for even more proof of the importance of the collection’s stories.  It’s just one more original story that, when joined with the rest of the collection’s original stories offers even more for audiences to appreciate in this collection.  When this is considered along with the fact that the episodes all follow one common thread from first to last, it makes the collection even more impressive.  Of course, these two elements together are still not all that makes the DVD a welcome addition to any Transformers fan’s collection.  The DVD’s average price point rounds out its most important elements.

The average price point of Transformers Rescue Bots: Outdoor Adventures is almost $11.  That is found using prices from Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Shout! Factory.  Extensive searching for the title from Wal-Mart turned up nothing on the DVD.  Considering that the DVD’s run time is just short of two hours (110 minutes total according to the listed run time), that price is not too bad.  So many DVDs from other studios with less content are far more expensive.  It still leaves one wishing that Shout! Factory would make a deal with Hasbro Studios to release each of the series’ four seasons in their own standalone sets or the series in whole.  It might be a little more expensive than the average price of one of the show’s compilation DVDs, but considering the following that the series built over four seasons and that so many episodes still remain unreleased, odds are audiences would pay the money for full season sets or a full series set.  Until then though, paying an average price of $11 for nearly two hours of content is not a bad price to pay.  That is proven through the content in the DVD’s stories and the continuity in the episodes featured in the disc.  Keeping all of this in mind, Outdoor Adventure still proves to be another welcome addition to any Transformers fan’s collection.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Outdoor Adventures is not the last of the DVDs to feature episodes from the series’ four-season run.  Hopefully more than just the one other DVD after this one released this year will see the light of day, too.  If not, then at least audiences can have this collection to enjoy.  That is due in part to five stories that follow one common theme from start to end in this collection.  The stories presented within the episodes add to the collection’s enjoyment.  The relatively affordable average price point puts the finishing touch to the DVD’s presentation.  Each item is key in its own way to the whole of the DVD’s presentation.  All things considered, they make the DVD a group of adventures that any Transformers fan will enjoy going on with the Rescue Bots time and again.  It can be ordered online direct via Shout! Factory’s store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

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Solid Stories, Acting Make Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups Its Own Showstopper

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Factory Kids/Hasbro Studios

Ace, Cookie, Niblet, and the rest of the Pound Puppies are back again with yet another great collection of episodes.   Shout! Factory recently partnered with Hasbro Studios to release the latest Pound Puppies DVD Showstopping Pups.  The series’ ninth new collection–and hardly its last—it boasts five more episodes pulled from the series.  The episodes that are featured in this new collection boast five more stories that the whole family will enjoy.  They are the tip of the proverbial iceberg in examining the set’s positives.  The more minute details of the collection are just as important to in this compilation as the stories presented within the featured episodes.  Last but hardly least of note is the work of the series’ cast in each episode.  Once again it stands out just as much as in the episodes featured in previous collections.  Each element is important in its own manner.  Altogether they make this latest collection of episodes one more that not only proves Pound Puppies was cancelled way too early after only three seasons but this latest collection is another welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library; especially families that are fans of the short-lived series.

Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups, the ninth collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s (formerly Hub’s) short-lived series Pound Puppies.  One can only hope that being the series’ ninth collection of episodes, Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios will release the series’ full season sets and/or full series set sooner rather than later.  While audiences wait for one or both of those sets to be released, this latest collection of episodes will most certainly help pass the time and entertain audiences.  The main element of the set that makes it so enjoyable and entertaining is its collection of stories.  The stories that are presented within each of the set’s five episodes will entertain audiences of all ages.  The story within the set’s lead episode “The Accidental Pup Star” is proof of this.  Rebound (voiced by Brooke Goldner—Littlest Pet Shop, Skatergirl) is accidentally caught on video singing about her adoration for her owner, Agatha (Betty White—Golden Girls, The Proposal, Hot In Cleveland).  When Agatha’s son Leonard, (Star Trek Deep Space Nine, The Little Mermaid, Benson) who also runs Shelter 17, discovers Rebound’s video he sets out to make himself famous rather than Rebound.  Of course the whole thing backfires on him thanks to Lucky an the rest of the Pound Puppies.  That’s just part of the story that makes it so interesting, too.  The story of why Rebound was caught on video is its own interesting secondary story that audiences will enjoy just as much.  That story will be left for audiences to discover for themselves.  It’s just one example of how the stories featured in these episodes are so pivotal to this collection.  “The Watchdogs” is another episode presenting its own fun and funny story.

“The Accidental Pup Star” features a key example of how the stories featured in this set of episodes prove to be so important to its enjoyment.  It is just one example of how the set’s stories make it an overall enjoyable presentation.  The story at the center of “The Watchdogs” is another key example of how the set’s stories make the set so enjoyable in whole.  This time around Niblet and Strudel set out to be crime fighters by night after an incident with some not so nice dogs.  Of course things start out okay for the duo.  But of course that doesn’t last for long.  In the grand scheme of things Strudel (Alanna Ubach–Meet The Fockers, Legally Blonde, Rango) learns that it’s a lot harder to be a crime fighter than she realizes and that she is already making a big impact by helping place other pups in their homes.  It’s just one part of what makes this episode so enjoyable, too.  There are smaller elements incorporated into the story that ad even more enjoyment for audiences—especially comic book lovers.  They will be discussed later.  Getting back on the subject, the story presented in this episode is just one more example of how the episodes’ featured stories are so important to the episodes’ presentation.  The story presented within the set’s closer “Back In Action” is yet another great piece for the whole family.  It is especially one that older audiences will enjoy.

The stories presented within “The Accidental Pup Star” and “The Watchdogs” are both prime examples of how the episodes’ stories are so important to the set’s presentation.  As integral as they are in proving the set’s enjoyment they are not the only stories that can be cited.  The story in the set’s closer “Back In Action” is yet another example of how the episodes’ featured stories are so important to the set’s presentation.  The story at the center of this episode follows a one-time famous dog named Bert (Clancy Brown—The Shawshank Redemption, Sleepy Hollow, Spongebob Squarepants) who needs a morale boost.  And yes, the Pound Puppies are right there to help.  They help when it is revealed that a young boy is in need of a real life rescue.  Bert realizes in helping in the rescue that he may be older and retired, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t or can’t be a real life hero.  While the message here is likely not intentionally sent to audiences, its message that anyone can be a hero and do great thing is there.  It is a message from which audiences of all ages can and will benefit.  Yet again the story presented within the episode is only part of what makes it so enjoyable.  There are other, smaller elements presented within this episode, too that make it even more enjoyable.  As with the other episodes, those smaller elements will be discussed later.  Getting back on track once more, the story featured in this episode is just one more example of how the episodes’ featured stories are so important to the set’s presentation.  “It’s Elementary My Dear Pup Club” and “Hot Dawg!” both feature their own entertaining stories.  Those stories, together with the stories noted here, come together to show in whole why the stories featured in Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups are indeed central to the DVD’s overall presentation.  The stories featured within this set are just one part of what makes the set’s featured episodes so enjoyable, too.  The smaller details of the stories are just as important to the episodes as the stories themselves.

The stories that are featured within each of the episodes in this set are undeniably important in their own right to the set’s presentation.  While they are obviously important to the set’s presentation they are not the set’s only important element.  The smaller details of the episodes’ stories are just as important of the stories themselves.  The smaller details of “The Accidental Pup Star’s” story are proof of this.  The writers directly related the story to its young viewers by having Rebound caught on a little girl’s smart phone camera and then posted to what is obviously supposed to be YouTube.  There is no mention of YouTube.  But in watching McLeash watch the video it is clear that he is watching the video on what is supposed to be YouTube.  There were likely legal reasons behind it not being directly named.  But that’s beside the point.  What’s important here is the fact that the writers incorporated modern technology and even tied it to a younger person shows a real attempt to reach viewers of the same age.  On another note, ‘The Watchdogs” is in itself a reference to the big screen adaptation of the graphic novel The Watchmen.  The episode obviously is nowhere near as dark or violent.  But seeing Strudel and Niblet dress up in their own home made costumes as their crime fighting alter egos will leave audiences laughing just as much.  What’s more seeing the duo struggle to stay awake is funny in its own right.  That’s because it seems like so many crime fighters do their “jobs” at night.  One can’t help but wonder in noting this how they stay awake during the daytime.  That in itself makes for its own share of laughs.  And again, it is just one more way in which the stories’ smaller elements prove to be just as important to this collection’s presentation as the stories themselves.  “Back In Action” provides its own smaller items that audiences—especially older audiences—will enjoy.  The story in itself is a spoof of the classic action series MacGyver.  To say that taking such an approach is original is an understatement.  The references to the series’ title character making huge creations (from bombs to scuba tanks and more—as fans of the series will recall) from the least number of objects is just as great to see.  It is a playful jab at MacGyver.  But it also pays real homage to the series.  Keeping that in mind, even this minute detail makes “Back in Action” all the more entertaining.  And it shows once more just how important the smaller details of this collection’s stories are to the set’s presentation.  They show that those smaller details are just as important to the episodes as the stories themselves.  And that is not to ignore the smaller elements of the collection’s remaining pair of episodes.  They boast their own great minutia that audiences will enjoy, too.  All things considered here the smaller details of this set’s episodes prove in the end to be undeniably as important to the episodes (and the set in whole) as the episodes themselves.  They still are not the only important part of this collection, either.  The work of the show’s cast is just as important as the episodes’ stories and the stories’ minor details.

The episodes that are presented within Shout! Factory and Hasbro Studios’ new collection of Pound Puppies DVD present plenty of reason for audiences to add this se to their on home DVD libraries.  That is evident both in each of the episodes’ stories and the smaller details of each story.  While the stories presented in each episode and their minutia do plenty to make the episodes entertaining they are only part of the episodes’ entertainment.  The work of the series’ cast once again proves to be just as important to the show as its other elements.  Case in point Ulanna Ubach’s work on “The Watchdogs.”  Ubach is completely entertaining as she voices Strudel in this episode.  Audiences will love seeing Ubach’s presentation of Strudel’s almost delusional belief that she needs to be out fighting crime is worth its own share of laughs.  On another note, guest voice actor Clancy Brown’s take on former dog star Bert is just as impressive in “Back In Action.”  Audiences will enjoy seeing just how grumpy he makes Bert before Bert finally realizes that he can indeed learn some new tricks.  On a different note, the voices behind the Super Secret Pup Club in “It’s Elementary My Dear Pup Club” are to be commended in their own right.  The pups’ confidence and determination as they look to clear Chucky’s name will keep viewers entertained and engaged.  Thanks to the actors’ work, viewers—especially younger viewers—will believe that even “young pups” can do great things.  It’s just one more way in which the work of the show’s cast proves to be just as important to this collection as its featured episodes, their stories, and the stories’ smaller elements.  Together with those elements, the work of the show’s voice cast rounds out the set’s positives and shows once an fort all why this latest collection is another welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library.

Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups, the ninth new collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s (formerly Hub) short-lived animated series, is yet another welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library.  It is another collection that will leave audiences *ahem* begging for more.  One can only hope that said begging will eventually lead Shout! Factory Kids and Hasbro Studios to release the series in its own standalone season sets and/or a full series run.  Regardless of if and/or that happens, it can be said of this set that it will still help families and fans pass the time and agree in the end that is one more of this year’s top new family DVDs.  It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered online direct via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/pound-puppies-showstopping-pups.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

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Shout! Factory Kids, Hasbro Studios Partner For Ninth New Pound Puppies DVD

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Factory Kids/Hasbro Studios

Ace, Cookie, Niblet, and the rest of the Pound Puppies return next month with another new collection of episodes.

Shout! Factory Kids will release its latest collection of Pound Puppies episodes next month.  Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups will be released Tuesday, April 12^th.  It will be available in stores and online exclusively on DVD.  The series’ ninth collection of episodes, it features five more episodes from the animated series.  This time out, Rebound becomes an internet sensation when a video of him goes viral in “The Accidental Pup Star.”  Rebound’s fame leads McLeash to plan use his fame for his own gain.  So it’s up to the Pound Puppies to keep that from happening.  In “It’s Elementary My Dear Pup” the Pound Puppies and the Super Secret Pup Club have quite a mission on their hands…er…paws when a young boy named Chucky (Danny Cooksey – Salute Your Shorts, Tiny Toon Adventures, Diff’rent Strokes) is accused of vandalizing his school.  The episode is lifted from Season Three.  Also featured in this collection is another Season Three episode, “Hot Dawg!”  this episode introduces a casanova Chihuahua named Antonio (Carols Alazraqui—The Fairly Oddparents, Family Guy, Phineas and Ferb) who has quite the effect on both humans and canines alike.  The Pound Puppies are no exception as Cookie and Strudel fall for him and start fighting, forgetting along the way about placing their latest pup, Pupster.  So it’s up to Lucky to deal with the frustrating four-legged friend since Shelter 17 is his last hope to be adopted.  It’s just one more of the adventures featured in this collection.  There are two other episodes for families to enjoy together included in the collection’s single-disc presentation.  The complete episode listing for the collection is noted below.

Episodes

EPISODE	EPISODE TITLE
1	Pound Puppies: The Accidental Pup Star
2	Pound Puppies: It’s Elementary My Dear Pup Club
3	Pound Puppies: Hot Dawg!
4	Pound Puppies: The Watchdogs
5	Pound Puppies: Back In Action

 

Pound Puppies: Showstopping Pups will be available in stores and online on Tuesday, April 12^th.  It will retail for MSRP of $12.99 but can be pre-ordered online now at a discounted price of $11.99 via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/pound-puppies-showstopping-pups.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory and Shout! Factory Kids is available online now at:

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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Chuck & Friends Return This May With Its Eighth Collection Of Episodes

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Factory Kids/Discovery Family/Hub/Hasbro Studios

Shout! Factory Kids and Hasbro Studios will release yet another collection of episodes from the hit Discovery Family series The Adventures of Churck & Friends next month.

The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Day at the Races will be released on DVD on Tuesday, May 19th. The DVD is the series’ eighth collection of episodes released since 2012, when Shout! Factory Kids and Hasbro Studios first started releasing the DVDs. It features ten more episodes pulled from both seasons one and two of The Adventures of Chuck & Friends. Being the eighth collection of episodes and the show’s current run of episodes, this might also be the last collection of episodes. It will retail for MSRP of $12.99 but can be pre-ordered now direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at a discounted price of $11.99 at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/the-adventures-of-chuck-friends-day-at-the-races. More information on this and other titles from SHout! Factory is available online at:

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Shout! Factory Kids’ New Littlest Pet Shop DVD Is Another Big Hit For Little Ladies

Courtesy: Shout! Factory Kids/Hasbro Studios/Discovery Family

Discovery Family’s hit animated series Littlest Pet Shop has proven to be one of the network’s top rated shows ever since it made its U.S. debut three years ago in 2012. Thanks to that popularity, the series has gone on to generate seven DVDs containing a handful of episodes from the series. Each of those compilations have themselves garnered their own positive results both in terms of reaction from audiences and in terms of sales. That success has continued this year as Shout! Factory Kids released the eighth compilation of episodes from the series earlier this month. Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals was released in stores and online on Tuesday, March 17th. The newly released DVD is *ahem* more wild fun for the whole family. The most obvious reason for this continued enjoyment is the work of the show’s writers. The episodes collected for this latest compilation each exhibit their own solid writing that is sure to entertain any of the show’s target viewers. This is regardless of whether or not said viewers have seen the chosen episodes. This ties in directly to the second of the positives of the episodes. That second positive is the run time of each episode. Each episode runs roughly twenty-two minutes. Considering the average age of the show’s target audience that run time is just long enough to keep those viewers engaged. Add in the solid writing of each episode and this collection shows even more why any of the show’s key viewers will enjoy it. Last of note in regards to this latest compilation is the inclusion of a bonus sing-along. The sing-along is connected to the included episode “Lotsa Luck.” It runs just over the ninety-second mark. But it will entertain the show’s young viewers just as much as the episodes themselves thus rounding out this collection. The sing-along by itself will in fact achieve its goal of having young viewers singing and dancing along. Together with the episodes’ solid writing and their run times, Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals proves in whole to be yet another welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library.

Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals is not the first collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s (formerly Hub) hit animated series to be released since the series’ debut back in 2012. It is in fact the series’ eighth compilation to be released to date. That aside, it is still another welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library regardless of how many of the previous collections families already own. One reason for this is the work of the series’ writers within each of the DVD’s five episodes. One example of the writers’ talents in this collection is the story presented in “Helicopter Dad.” It sees Blythe starting to break away from her dad. This results in her dad trying too hard to connect with her. The way that the writers present this change in the father/daughter dynamic is actually relatively realistic. It could apply just as much if it were a father/son relationship. Of course there are some moments that are a little bit over the top. But those moments help to keep the story lighthearted and in turn entertaining. “Lotsa Luck” is just as entertaining but for a completely different reason. The writers behind this episode present a story with two wholly different story lines. One story sees Blythe discover that Miss Anna T. has a long-held secret talent. The other sees Pepper the skunk trying to impress a famous comedic orangutan that she has looked up to for a long time. While they are two different stories, both have the same underlying plot. Because of that, the writers were able to easily connect them for one whole that is in turn simple to follow and thus fully entertaining. On another note, the subtle joke in Miss Anna T.’s flashback about the moon landing will have older audiences laughing in their own right. It’s just one pop culture reference that audiences will appreciate in these episodes, too. There is a blatant spoof of Mel Gibson’s 1995 drama Braveheart in the disc’s opener “Books and Covers.” This will have older audiences laughing just as much as the moon landing reference. Whether for these writing elements or for those not noted here, audiences will find plenty of ways that the writing in these episodes make them so enjoyable. In turn, audiences will agree that those many elements go a long way toward making Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals such a welcome addition to any family’s home DVD library.

The writing that went into each of the episodes included in Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals is in its own right quite important to the overall enjoyment of the DVD. It’s not all that makes these episodes work so well, either. The run time of each episode is equally important to the presentation in whole. Each episode presented here runs roughly twenty-two minutes. At five episodes, that equals to roughly 110 minutes. Considering that this series is aimed at audiences about 5 years old to perhaps 6 or 7 years old, that run time is just long enough to keep those intended audiences engaged without losing them along the way. This is just as much the case without commercials segmenting the episodes as with them. The solid writing of each episode coupled with that run time makes for even more reason to applaud these episodes. It is another tradition continued from the series’ previous DVD sets that audiences of all ages will applaud. Because it is a standard carried over from those previously released DVDs, it shows that continued dedication to entertaining audiences as best as possible. In the grand scheme of things it makes Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals that much more worth the addition to any family’s home DVD library regardless of how many of the previously released DVDs families already own.

The writing behind each episode of Littlest Pet Shop included in this disc is just as important to the overall enjoyment of the presentation in whole as the run time. The two elements together make this latest collection of episodes well worth the purchase by any family with young ladies in the household. While both noted elements are of the utmost importance in the enjoyment of Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals, one would be remiss to ignore the bonus sing-a-long included with the package. The bonus sing-a-long is part of the episode “Lotsa Luck.” It is actually part of the episode itself. The people at Shout! Factory Kids have simply taken it and lifted it from the episode to make it its own stand-alone entity of sorts. This allows the show’s young audiences to enjoy the song, singing and dancing along, without having to fast forward to it every time they want to do so. It’s one more way that Shout! Factory Kids has made this DVD more enjoyable for audiences. And together with the solidly written stories and smart run times, the package in whole proves without a doubt a great addition to any family’s home DVD library regardles of whether or not they already own any previously released Littlest Pet Shop DVDs.

Shout! Factory Kids’ newly released Littlest Pet Shop compilation DVD is another welcome addition to the home DVD library of any family with young ladies in the household. The episodes included on this disc each exhibit writing that is just as strong as in the series’ previously released compilation DVDs. Each episode’s twenty-minute plus run time works right in time (no pun intended) with the writing to keep audiences fully engaged and entertained. The bonus stand-alone sing-a-long rounds out the presentation, making it a fully enjoyable experience for audiences of all ages that is just as welcome in any family’s home DVD library as any of the series’ previously released compilation DVDs. Littlest Pet Shop: Pet Shop Pals is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct from Shout! Factory’s online store a at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/littlest-pet-shop-pet-shop-pals. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online at:

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Shout! Kids, Shout! Factory Reveal Specs, Release Date For New Transformers Rescue Bots DVD

Courtesy: Shout! Kids/Shout! Factory

Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory will release the latest collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s animated series Transformers Rescue Bots next month.

Officials with Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory announced this week that Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure will be released on DVD on Tuesday, February 10^th. The upcoming compilation will feature five more episodes from the family friendly animated series. It will be anchored by an episode featuring one of the famed Dinobots in the form of “Return of the Dinobot.” The disc’s complete episode list is noted below.

Episodes

Episode	Episode Title
1	Transformers Rescue Bots: Family Of Heroes
2	Transformers Rescue Bots: Return Of The Dinobot
3	Transformers Rescue Bots: What Lies Below
4	Transformers Rescue Bots: What Rises Above
5	Transformers Rescue Bots: In Search Of The Griffin’s Nest
6	Transformers Rescue Bots: Movers And Shakers

Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure will retail for MSRP of $14.93. But parents can pre-order it online now via Shout! Factory’s online store for a discounted price of $13.93 at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/transformers-rescue-bots-jurassic-adventure. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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

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.

Shout! Kids, Shout! Factory To Release New Pound Puppies DVD Next Month

Courtesy: Shout! Kids/Shout! Factory

Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory will release the latest collection of episodes from Discovery Family’s family favorite series Pound Puppies next month.

Just in time for Valentines Day, Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory will release Pound Puppies: Puppy Love on Tuesday, February 3^rd. The compilation will feature five more episodes from the animated series. It also comes with a printable valentine that young viewers can share with their family, pet or their own valentine. It will retail for MSRP of $12.99. However, parents can pre-order the DVD online now via Shout! Factory’s online store at a discounted price of $11.99. It can be pre-ordered online via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/pound-puppies-puppy-love.

More information on this and other releases from Shout! Kids and Shout! Factory is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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

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.

Shout! Factory, Shout! Kids Start 2015 Strong With New Chuck & Friends DVD

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Kids

2014 is officially in the books and 2015 has officially started. And while the year is only on its first day, parents and kids alike already have plenty of reason to be excited. That’s because Shout! Kids and Hasbro Studios will release the latest compilation of episodes from Discovery Family’s hit family friendly series The Adventures of Chuck & Friends this month. The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines will be released on DVD Tuesday, January 13^th. There is just as much to take away from this compilation, the seventh from the series, as those that have come before. The main thing that audiences will take away from this collection is its invaluable lessons. Every one of the compilation’s ten episodes teaches its own invaluable lesson. Also, audiences of all ages will appreciate the episodes’ short run time. Each episode runs roughly eleven minutes. By direct connection, the pacing of each episode helps to keep young audiences engaged. The end result of these factors together is a release that is the first great DVD for children and family of 2015.

The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines is this year’s first great DVD for children and families. The primary reason for this title is the fact that each of its ten episodes includes its own important lesson. While most of the episodes in this compilation feature important life lessons, at least one episode—“Bridging The Gap”—highlights the importance of science education. The lesson is set up when Handy explains his science project, a rubber band-powered plane, to Chuck and the others. When Handy’s plane actually takes flight and lands on the other side of a gap in the forest, they have to figure out how to build a bridge to get across and get the plane. So, not only does the episode teach the importance of science education, but it also teaches the most basic fundamentals of engineering. It’s good to see that Hasbro Studios and Shout! Kids have included “Bridging The Gap” in their latest compilation from The Adventures of Chuck & Friends. The lessons centered on the importance of science education and engineering show that both can be fun. And in an age when kids are increasingly being driven away from such fundamentals and more towards all things internet, they become increasingly important as part of the compilation’s whole. They prove to be just as important as the equally invaluable life lessons included in the set’s other episodes. Speaking of those lessons, the lesson in handling bullies in the disc’s closer “The Bully” is another important addition to the set. This episode teaches young viewers the ways to deal with bullies. It highlights the importance of getting an adult when one is dealing with a bully. In its own way, this episode explains that getting an adult involved when dealing with a bully is not tattling. It is doing the right thing. It also explains that there are other measures that can be taken along with contacting an adult about a bully. In a time when bullying remains a serious problem across America, this lesson is one of the most important taught in any of the set’s episodes. On a related note, “Chuck in Charge” teaches about bullying in another way. This episode teaches that leaving people out of one’s activities without any good reason is not a very nice thing to do. While it doesn’t come out and say it, it equates leaving people out of activities to bullying of its own sort. It’s one more of so many great lessons spread across the disc that proves why every parent and child should pick up this DVD.

If the noted episodes aren’t enough reason for audiences to check out this DVD when it is released, there are other episodes that will definitely convince them. “Brother Borrowing” indirectly tackles the subject of jealousy. It could even serve as a starting point in tackling the issue of sibling rivalry in its own right. “Little Big Chuck” teaches children that it’s okay to be young and that they shouldn’t rush to grow up. And “Boomer The Snowplow” teaches children to believe in themselves and that they can be anything they want to be. Yet again, more proof of why the lessons incorporated into this collection more than make it worth the purchase. Whether it be any of these many lessons or those remaining not noted, it can be said with certainty that the lessons taught through the set’s ten episodes are collectively the most important reason for the collection’s enjoyment.

The lessons that are taught throughout each of the ten episodes in Chuck & Friends’ new collection are collectively the most important reason for the compilation’s success and enjoyment. The show’s writers waste little time delivering each lesson, too. Each episode runs roughly eleven minutes in length. Taking into account the average attention span of the show’s target audience, eleven minutes is just enough time to keep said audiences engaged. Were they any longer, the writers risked losing those eyeballs and minds. It would also mean that in potentially losing those eyeballs and minds the all-important lessons in each episode would have been all for naught. So for that reason, those behind the show are to be commended for maintaining what is one of the show’s long-held standards in these episodes.

The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines offers some rather invaluable lessons throughout each of its ten episodes. Each episode teaches a lesson different from the last. No one lesson is less valuable than the other. The run time of each episode gives the show’s writers just enough time to deliver their lessons without losing their audiences. By direct connection, the pacing of each episode is just as important as the episodes’ run times. They move at a pace that is not necessarily rapid fire but at a pace that leaves not one second to waste. Simply put, not even parents will be left scratching their heads. The pacing is just enough that it allows audiences of all ages to follow the stories and still understand the episodes’ underlying lessons. The end result is full enjoyment of each episode and a great starting point for a whole new group of discussions between parents and children. It collectively proves The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines to be 2015’s first great DVD for children and families.

The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines will be available on DVD Tuesday, January 13^th. It can be pre-ordered online via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/the-adventures-of-chuck-friends-rev-your-engines. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory and Shout! Kids is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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

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.

Chuck & His Friends Return Next Month With Even More New Adventures

Courtesy: Shout! Kids/Shout! Factory

Chuck and his friends are off for even more adventures this winter in the latest collection of episodes from Shout! Kids, Hasbro Studios, and Discovery Family (formerly Hub).

Shout! Kids, a division of Shout! Factory, will release The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines on Tuesday, January 13^th. The latest collection of episodes from Discovery Family, it sees everybody’s favorite little dump truck and his friends—Digger, Handy Rowdy, Biggs, Boomer, and Flip—taking off on ten more fun-filled episodes. Chuck and his friends have plenty of fun and learn even more valuable lessons about life in each of the set’s episodes; Lessons that parents and children alike will appreciate.

Along with all of the fun and lessons, The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines also includes another brand new sing-along for little listeners.

The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Rev Your Engines will retail for MSRP of $12.99. Parents and teachers can pre-order the single-disc DVD now at a discounted price of $11.99 via Shout! Factory’s online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/the-adventures-of-chuck-friends-rev-your-engines. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Kids is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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

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.

The Rescue Bots Are Back On The Job With Another Fun DVD For The Whole Family

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Shout! Kids

The latest compilation of episodes from Hasbro Studios’ Transformers Rescue Bots is another great collection for any fan of this kid friendly series.  The compilation, which was released last Tuesday, September 2^nd, is especially well-timed considering the proximity of its release to Halloween.  That is primarily because of the five episodes featured in the disc.  The episodes presented on this disc offer their own not so scary stories that are still a good fit for any child’s Halloween party.  For those that might be new to this series (like this critic), said audiences will also appreciate the series’ animation.  Being another product of Hasbro studios, it should come as no surprise that the series’ animation plays a role in its enjoyment, too.  And last but not least of all worth noting in the overall presentation is the series’ list of voice talents.  The actors charged with putting a voice to the series’ characters are largely well-known figures.  They are figures that have quite the resume when it comes to animated programs, children’s programs, and sci-fi shows, too.  Some have experience in all three realms, making their acting all the more believable and in turn enjoyable.  The combination of those experienced voice talents and the series’ animation and writing makes Transformers Rescue Bots: Mystery Rescue just as enjoyable for those that are new to this series as those that are more familiar with the show.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Mystery Rescue is the fifth compilation of episodes from the Hub network’s hit children’s series.  The compilation was released just last week in stores.  Its timing could not have been better taking into account its episodes and the fact that Halloween is a little more than a month away.  The episodes collected for this compilation each present their own not so scary but still entertaining story for kids at their Halloween parties this year.  The DVD opens with a mystery that sees everyone in Griffin Rock suddenly disappearing after a horde of robotic bugs infests the town.  It’s up to Cody, his friends, and the Rescue Bots to solve the mystery.  The second episode sees some “ghosts” suddenly appearing.  It turns out though, that things aren’t always what they appear to be when Cody and the Rescue Bots investigate the “hauntings.”  There’s even a little twist that parents and kids alike will like, regardless of whether or not they are believers.  “Spellbound” is the third episode chosen for the DVD.  One could argue that this episode lifts lightly from Stephen King’s novel Cell as cell phones are being used to take over the minds of the Griffin Rock’s citizens.  This is an especially enjoyable episode not only for this reason, but for its emphasis on caring for the environment.  “Blame The Gremlins” is another great addition that parents and children will appreciate as it offers its own frightful fun.  When Cody’s big brother Kade (voiced by Jason Marsden) starts having nightmares about gremlins, those nightmares become reality and invade Griffin Rock.  Parents that are familiar with Rod Serling’s original Twilight Zone series will appreciate the subtle homage to the episode “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” in this episode.  One could even argue that there’s a subtle reference to a certain gremlin from Warner Brothers’ beloved Looney Tunes franchise.  “Feed The Beast” closes out the DVD with a little tale of Griffin Rock’s own version of the legendary Sasquatch.  As with the discs other episodes, it offers its own frightful fun for younger viewers.  All of the episodes together will keep young viewers fully engaged from start to finish.

Of the stories included on this disc are not enough enjoyment by themselves, audiences that might be new to Transformers Rescue Bots will appreciate the fact that the episodes are kid friendly.  They don’t have the level of violence and deep, thought provoking material that makes up the original Transformers franchise or any of its offshoots over the years.  It makes for a fun and safe way to ease younger viewers into the Transformers universe.  It could be argued that to that extent, it actually takes a page from the likes of Tiny Toon Adventures, The Flintstone Kids, Taz-Mania and others that came from that era.  That’s because while many critics came down hard on the series, the reality was that they were in fact a way to slowly and gently bring younger viewers into the likes of Looney Tunes, The Flintstones, Scooby–Doo and other classic franchises.  To that extent, the very concept of this franchise makes the writing all the more valuable and enjoyable to the overall presentation that is this latest compilation.

The writing that went into the episodes on this DVD makes them (and the franchise in whole) a joy for both children and adults.  Its mix of family friendly stories and its more grown-up pop culture references will make watching them as a family a fun time.  And especially today, families need as much time as possible together.  It’s not all that makes this collection enjoyable, either.  The series’ animation also makes the episodes presented here fun, too.  Audiences that are familiar with Hasbro Studios’ properties will find it no surprise that this series’ animation bears a somewhat similar animation style to that of both Pound Puppies and Littlest Pet Shop.  It is safe to suffice that the same individuals charged with crafting the artwork for those series were also behind Transformers Rescue Bots, too simply by watching these episodes.  Even with its similarities to those series, it does bear its own identity apart from them.  The differences lie mainly in little things like the contours of the characters and the backgrounds and even the coloring. Other than that, this series’ animation lies in the same category as those others from Hasbro Studios already noted. Even as similar as its animation is to those series, it still is nice to see animation today that can look so much like it was hand drawn instead of all of the cookie cutter CGI shows out there for younger audiences today. It’s just one more part of what makes this new DVD so welcome in any family’s DVD library.

The animation in Transformers Rescue Bots: Mystery Rescue and the writing in its episodes together make this latest collection of episodes welcome in any family’s DVD library. The last factor to note that makes it such a welcome addition to any family’s library is the series’ list of voice actors. Those behind the characters in this series are no strangers to voicing animated characters. The cast includes Jason Marsden, Kath Soucie, Levar Burton, Mauriche LaMarche, Tim Curry, Diamond White and so many others. While their episodes are not included in this DVD, Mark Hamill (Star Wars, Batman The Animated Series) and Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) even offer their talents in a couple of episodes, too. Having such a who’s who of actors lending their talents to this series is a tribute to its popularity and the popularity of the Transformers franchise in whole. Jason Marsden is known for his work on Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Odd Parents and as the voice of Nermal in Cartoon Network’s The Garfield Show. He has worked on a number of other series and movies, too. These are just a couple examples of his body of work. Kath Soucie and Levar Burton both worked together on Captain Planet and the Planeteers early in the 1990s. Soucie is also known as the voice of Phil and Lil DeVille in Nickelodeon’s beloved Nicktoon Rugrats. Not to omit Mauriche LeMarche or Tim Curry, the resume of these two actors could fill pages and pages. Needless to say they are quite the well trained and well-respected actors. And having them on this series’ cast is quite the statement. Newcomer Diamond White has already started building up her own resume with voice acting credits including work on Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, and Sophia the First. She also plays the role of Sophie in Nickelodeon’s teen-centric series The Haunted Hathaways. Needless to say, the cast that was tapped for the roles in Transformers Rescue Bots more than did its job with this latest collection of episodes. Their years of training and experience helped them to interpret each episode’s script and in turn make it each story all the more enjoyable. The end result is a collection of episodes that the whole family will enjoy again and again while they wait for the next collection of episodes from this surprisingly entertaining show.

The A-list voice cast tapped to voice the characters in this latest collection of episodes from Hub’s Transformers Rescue Bots goes a long way toward validating it and the series in whole. Parents will note the celebrities’ names and want to check out the actors’ work for themselves. They will also appreciate some of the subtle pop culture references thrown in for good measure in some of the episodes included on the DVD. Kids will enjoy the animation and stories in general. All things considered, there is a lot that makes Transformers Rescue Bots: Mystery Rescue a hit for the whole family. So much in fact that it could potentially end up on this critic’s list of the year’s best new DVDs for children and families. It is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered direct from Shout! Factory’s website at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/transformers-rescue-bots-mystery-rescue. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory is available online now at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial. 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.