Courtesy: Shout! Kids/Shout! Factory/Hasbro/The Hub
Chuck, Soku, Digger, and the rest of his friends are back once again with a whole new collection of family friendly episodes from The Hub’s The Adventures of Chuck & Friends.
The Adventures of Chuck & Friends: Bumpers Up is the fourth release from the hit children’s cartoon on The Hub. It will be available next Tuesday, August 13th. As with the previous DVD releases, this compilation of episodes offers parents and children ten more episodes full of family friendly fun and important life lessons. The writers behind the show are to be commended once again as neither the lessons nor the general entertainment steps on the other. This is just one of the positives to this new set. Viewers will also enjoy the fun musical numbers in each episode. And speaking of the musical numbers, Bumpers Up includes its own sing-a-long feature as a bonus element. The bonus sing-a-long on this DVD from Shout! Kids includes the words to the song that kids can read while they sing. This is actually a double whammy in the best possible way. And while most audiences don’t take it into account, even the bright colors used in each episode play their own part in the overall enjoyment of these episodes. All combined, they make for one more collection that parents and kids will enjoy every time that they pop it in their DVD or Blu-ray player.
The episodes included in this collection are just as enjoyable for parents and children as the show’s previous trio of releases. That is thanks in large part to the show’s writers. The storylines and life lessons included in each episode are very well balanced thanks to the show’s writers. Neither element steps on top of the other even once. Audiences can take their pick of episodes in this set. Each episode serves as a wonderful example of exactly that. A random example of this balance is in the set’s first episode, “Choosy Chuck.” Chuck’s parents are going to take him to the truck history museum. There’s just one problem with this. They have an extra ticket, which they give to Chuck to use with one of his friends. The result is that Chuck has to make a very difficult decision. Of course, it ends with a happy ending. Again, the general storyline and the important life lesson perfectly balance out. What’s more, it’s enjoyable because it is so relatable. Scenarios such as that presented here do in fact happen in real life. So it becomes an even more valuable addition to this compilation. “Choosy Chuck” teaches young viewers a very deep lesson in a very simplistic way, thanks to the show’s writers. The even deeper lesson taught here is of personal sacrifice. Even adults have to make the choice at times of personal sacrifice. To that end, it becomes an even more invaluable addition to this new compilation. Even adults can take something away from it (and the other included episodes).
Just as important an inclusion to “Bumpers Up” is the episode, Soku-Kun. As with “Choosy Chuck”, this episode also teaches viewers of all ages some very important lessons. It teaches the lessons of acceptance, tolerance, and understanding. These are lessons that adults need just as much as children, as is evidenced every evening on the nightly news. The writers are to be commended just as much for this episode as for “Choosy Chuck” and the other episodes included here. It’s through this lesson that Chuck’s friend Soku learns that just because someone is from another country and different culture, it doesn’t make them any less than anyone else. He learns this lesson when his cousin from Japan comes to visit. His cousin can’t speak English though. The resultant language barrier causes Soku to resent his cousin. That is until Chuck and the others help Soku understand his cousin more easily. The end result is a happy ending, and a lesson that is just as valuable as any other in life and in this set.
The episodes noted here are merely a sample of what “Bumpers Up” offers for children and their parents. Along with the family friendly writing, viewers also get plenty of family friendly musical numbers too. The musical numbers go hand-in-hand so to speak with the lessons of each episode. They help to drive home each lesson on the surface. On a slightly deeper level, they’ll also have kids dancing and singing along as they clap their hands. Staying on the matter of the songs, included as a bonus feature in this compilation is a brand new sing-a-long for kids. The sing-a-long lets kids sing along karaoke style, as the song’s lyrics are included at the bottom of the screen. What’s more, the song in question brings the entire compilation full circle. It brings the compilation full circle as it teaches a lesson about the importance and value of teamwork all while rocking out. And on an even deeper level, the included lyrics could also serve as an aid in teaching young viewers to read. So not only does it serve two purposes, but in fact three. This three-way attack of sorts makes the overall presentation over the top and that much more worth picking up or ordering when it becomes available on Tuesday, August 20th. It can be ordered online direct from Shout! Factory’s online store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/217614. Parents and kids can keep up with all of the latest family friendly releases on the Shout! Factory website at http://www.shoutfactory.com and http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial.
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