Shout! Factory, Nickelodeon’s ‘Jimmy Neutron’ Complete Series Set Is A Near Complete Success

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Another of Nickelodeon’s classic Nicktoons has finally received a proper home release. 

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius was released Tuesday on DVD in a full-series set.  It marks the first time that the series has ever received a full series release, and came through a partnership between Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory.  It is just the latest to get a proper release, too.  The companies’ partnership has also garnered full releases of Aaahhh!!! Real Monsters, The Angry Beavers, CatDog, Danny Phantom, Hey Arnold!, Rocko’s Modern Life, and The Wild Thornberrys.  Nickelodeon meanwhile released Rugrats on its own last year in a full series DVD set.  So now all that is left for release are: Rocket Power, Doug, and The Fairly Oddparents. One can only hope those classic Nicktoons will finally get a proper release sooner rather than later.  Getting back on topic though, Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon’s brand new DVD presentation of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series is an impressive presentation.  That is due in large part to its bonus content, which will be discussed shortly.  The set’s packaging is also important to examine, and so will be a little later.  The set’s pricing rounds out its most important elements and will also be discussed later.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the presentation.  All things considered, they make the collection a must have for fans of this and any classic Nicktoon.

Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon’s brand new, first-ever release of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series is a strong new presentation from the companies.  It is a presentation that continues the companies’ trend of success with Nickelodeon’s classic animated series releases.  That is due in large part here to the bonus content featured in the set.  The bonus content features not only the series’ original pilot episode, but also all three hour-long “Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour” crossover episodes as part of its whole.  Audiences will be quite interested to see the difference in the show’s look in its pilot episode and its actually three-season run.  The CG animation in the pilot episode is far more raw and rough.  It is more comparable in this case to that used in ABC’s short-lived Saturday morning series, Reboot (which Shout! Factory has interestingly enough also released in full on DVD and also has as a free streaming option) than to the animation used in the series that followed.  The voice talents are all the same.  The look of the show is just so starkly different.  It makes one happy that with the show having been picked up, the animation was cleaned up and more fine tuned.

On a related note, knowing that the TV series launched in 2002 and its big screen companion piece premiered a year earlier, one has to imagine that the story in the pilot episode was the influence behind the Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius movie.  In that case and in the pilot episode, Jimmy is forced to face off against a group of gooey, green aliens who are bent on taking over Earth.  Of course in the pilot episode, the parents are not kidnapped by the aliens, unlike in the movie, but regardless, the pilot episode marks the first time that Jimmy encountered the aliens, so one has to assume that, again, the pilot episode was at least in part responsible for the creation of the movie that then led into the series.  Keeping all of this in mind, it should be clear that why the pilot episode is such an important part of this collection’s bonus content.  It not only serves to help make the series’ presentation complete but helps paint a full picture of the series’ roots and its end.

Moving on to the featured “Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour episodes,” all three episodes are there, beginning with the duo’s first introduction to one another in which they meet due to Timmy’s selfishness.  Seeing the different animation styles and universes cross here and in the other episodes is so fun.  The same can be said of the stories featured in each episode.  The expanded universe builds in each hour-long episode until Jimmy and Timmy are forced to work together in the final special in order to defeat two bad guys from their respective universes.  Each special is shown in whole, so audiences get that whole story arc here, too.  Keeping that in mind, the inclusion of these specials and the pilot episode do indeed complete the series’ presentation.  The addition of some storyboard featurettes as extra bonuses just put the proverbial cherry on the top of the bonus content presentation.

Having noted the positive of the set’s bonus content, the next point of interest to note is the set’s packaging.  The packaging is its own positive, beginning with the placement of the set’s discs.  In all, the series’ three-season run spans nine discs, with a tenth containing solely the already discussed bonus content.  The discs are each placed in their own spot on separate “plates” inside the case.  The first disc of the first season even sits on a spindle on the inside front of the case, giving it its own place in the case, too.  This is important to note in that it ensures the discs will not touch and/or scratch one another as they are moved in and out of the case.  Such an approach is nothing new for Shout! Factory.  It has taken this smart approach with every Nicktoons set that it has released to this point, so this is no surprise, but a welcome continued approach.

Adding to the interest of the set’s packaging is the presentation of a printed episode guide on the inside of the case’s wrap.  Audiences get a full episode guide aligned with each disc.  This is an aesthetic element, yes, but still important.  It is important because having that guide will allow viewers to more quickly and easily decide which episodes they want to watch and simply go right to the associated discs.  Again, this is nothing overly new to Shout! Factory’s Nicktoons presentations.  It is just as welcome here as in every other case and makes the set’s presentation that much more appealing.  It is just one more of the set’s most important elements.  Rounding out the set’s most important elements is its pricing.

The average price point for The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series is $56.63.  That number was reached by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Books-A-Million, and Shout! Factory. While the set was not listed through Walmart, this critic was lucky enough to find the set in store at Walmart at a price of $39.99, the least expensive of all of the listings.  Target and Barnes & Noble each list the set at a price far exceeding the noted average at $64.99 while Books-A-Million’s price of $64.98 is right there with Target and Barnes & Noble Booksellers.  From there, the price decreases to $52.87 through Walmart and $51.98 through Shout! Factory.  Looking at all of this, Walmart’s pricing is clearly the best.  If audiences can find it in store at their local Walmart store, they will benefit greatly.  Otherwise, the noted prices for a three-season set is honestly outrageous.  Add in that only a day prior to this review’s posting, Target listed the set at $47.99, it makes one wonder what caused such a dramatic change in price at that retailer.  That aside, at least a price that barely tops $40 at Walmart is relatively affordable as long as audiences can find it in store like this critic did.  It is a price that is well worth paying for what truly is a complete series presentation for another great classic Nicktoon series.

Nickelodeon and Shout! Factory’s brand new DVD presentation of The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series is a mostly successful presentation.  The presentation succeeds in part through its bonus content.  The bonus content is composed of the series’ pilot episode, all three of its hour-long “Jimmy/Timmy Power Hour crossover specials” and a handful of featurettes.  The pilot episode and specials complete the full episode presentation in the set’s discs.  The packaging builds on the appeal established through the set’s bonus content to make the whole all the more positive.  The set’s pricing is a little problematic to say the least, save for its pricing at Walmart (pending availability even though it was not listed online through Walmart).  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the set’s presentation.  All things considered, they make the collection a mostly successful new offering that Nicktoons fans will – again – mostly appreciate.

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius: The Complete Series is available now. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available along with the company’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.shoutfactory.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://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 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

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.

Transformers Fans Of All Ages Will Enjoy Shout! Factory Kids’ Latest Rescue Bots DVD

Courtesy: Shout! Kids/Shout! Factory

Shout! Factory Kids will release the latest addition to its kid friendly Transformers series Transformers Rescue Bots this Tuesday, February 10th. Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is the sixth of the series’ collections released by Shout! Factory Kids and Hasbro Studios. Five previous collections having already been released, it is common sense that this DVD is just as worth the watch as the series’ previously released compilations. The central reason that it proves to be just as worth the watch as its predecessors is the collection of episodes chosen for the single-disc presentation. Six more episodes have been culled for the set starting with the series premiere “Family of Heroes.” The set also pulls in a second episode from Season One in the form of “Return of the Dinobot” that presents a Dinobot unlike anything most audiences know of from the Transformers’ previous incarnations. There is also a two-part episode from Season 2 and a pair of stand-alone episodes also from Season 2 to complement. All six episodes together make for plenty of enjoyment for Transformers fans of all ages. The same can be said of the writing behind each episode. Whether in the series premiere, the included two-part episode from Season 2, or for the remaining pair of episode, the writing in these episodes is to thank for their enjoyment. And last but hardly least worth noting of these episodes is work of the series’ all-star cast. Veteran actors LeVar Burton (Star Trek The Next Generation, Reading Rainbow, Captain Planet and the Planeteers), Jason Marsden (The Fairly Oddparents, The Garfield Show, Batman: The Brave and the Bold), and Mauriche LeMarche (The Simpsons, Futurama, Animaniacs) are joined by the likes of Parvesh Cheena (Outsourced, Sean Saves the World, A To Z), Steve Blum (Digimon: Digital Monsters, The Boxtrolls, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie), and Elan Garfias (Handy Manny, Chowder, Ni Hao Kai-Lam) among other names. And the interpretation of the episodes’ scripts rounds out the reasons that these episodes are so enjoyable. Regardless of the cast members’ level of experience, nothing but professionalism was shown in each episode, making easier suspension of disbelief and in turn the overall enjoyment of the episodes. By itself, the work of the cast in each of these episodes makes for its own level of enjoyment among audiences. Together with the work of the series’ writers and those charged with assembling the episodes, all three elements make Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure a great adventure for Transformers fans of all ages.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is not the first collection of episodes that Shout! Factory Kids has released from Discovery Family’s family friendly update on Hasbro’s classic franchise following everyone’s favorite robots in disguise. It is however a fully enjoyable collection of episodes. It is a fully enjoyable collection both for those that are and those that are not so familiar with the series. The central reason for that enjoyment is the collection of episodes pulled for the DVD. Regardless of audiences’ familiarity with the series, every one of the series’ fans finally gets to see how the series started thanks to the inclusion of its premiere episode to open the whole thing. Audiences also get to see the writers’ vision of at least one of the legendary Dinobots as well as other early adventures of the Rescue Bots. The collection in whole offer loads of action and laughs for Transformers fans of all ages. The episodes by themselves offer loads of action and laughs for the whole family. That is thanks to the adventures that make up each episode. Keeping in that vein, the writing behind each of the episodes is to thank for making each episode so enjoyable.

The writing that went into each of the episodes on this DVD is just as noteworthy as the episodes themselves in considering what makes it so enjoyable. One way in which the writing proves so important is in the series’ premiere episode “Family of Heroes.” Audiences will note in this episode that at least one of the Rescue Bots—Heatwave—is not instantly fond of being on Earth. As a matter of fact, he would much rather take a mission on another planet than deal with humans who want to control them. Obviously they aren’t really trying to control the Rescue Bots. And eventually, Heatwave overcomes his mistrust as Cody and his family prove that they can be trusted. Yes, it’s a tried and true story element used in so many other series and movies. But especially in the case of this series, it’s interesting to see that things don’t start out with a full-on “happy-happy-joy-joy” vibe for the Rescue Bots or for the humans in terms of their relationship. It is just one example of why the writing in these episodes makes them so enjoyable. The writing in the two-part episode “What Lies Below”/”What Rises Above” is another good example of why the writing behind the episodes makes them so enjoyable. It could even be argued to be the best example of the disc’s episodes in terms of its writing. That is because of the amount of material that went into the episode in whole. Chief Burns and his brother Woodrow (voiced here by Mark Hamill—Star Wars, Batman: The Animated Series, Codename: Kids Next Door) have to come to terms with the tensions built between them ever since their childhood. At the same time, Heatwave exhibits his own personal growth as the leader of the Rescue Bots as he and Optimus Prime work to get back to the others and get out of the volcano. At the same time, the writers pay tribute to Jules Verne in this episode as a hidden prehistoric world is discovered along the way. Through the whole story, none of the noted elements overpowers the other. The end result is a story that easily keeps viewers fully engaged, wondering what will happen next. The writers’ tackling of myths in “In Search of the Griffin’s Nest” and the classic theme of AI becoming sentient (and dangerously so at that) in “Movers and Shakers” is as enjoyable as any sci-fi story. Whether for the solid work on the DVD’s included two-part episode, the series’ premiere, or even that in “In Search of the Griffin’s Nest,” the writing behind the episodes included on Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure shows time and again why it is so pivotal to the overall enjoyment of the DVD. Together with the episodes selected for the compilation, both elements strengthen even more the argument in favor of this latest addition to the series’ already-released compilations.

The episodes tapped for inclusion on Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure and the writing behind each episode make a strong argument in favor of this new DVD. The work of the series’ voice cast is just as worth mentioning in the overall enjoyment of these episodes. From the series premiere to the episodes that followed, the chemistry and professionalism between the cast is obvious. Considering the cast’s collective years of experience, that should come as no surprise. That’s especially the case with lead stars Jason Marsden and Mauriche LeMarche. Marsden, who voices lead character Kade Burns, and LeMarche, who voices Kade’s father Chief Charlie Burns, breeze through their roles. The same can be said of fellow veteran LeVar Burton as he voices supporting character Doc Greene. Even young Elan Garfias (Cody Burns) impresses in his own right. While Garfias might not have the years of experience as Burton, LaMarche, and Marsden, he still shines as the voice of Cody. He handles his role in every episode with the ease and professionalism of a seasoned veteran. And together with his older, more experienced co-stars–including those not noted here–the group as a whole proves to be the perfect choice for each role. The choices paid off in spades, too with each cast member alone and together keeping viewers just as fully engaged with its work as the stories behind each episode. It is the last part of the DVD’s whole that makes it so enjoyable for Transformers fans of all ages. Together with the work of the show’s writers and those tapped to select the DVD’s episodes, all three elements together show in full why Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure is yet another great collection of episodes from what is one of the greatest incarnations of the Transformers.

Transformers Rescue Bots: Jurassic Adventure will be available tomorrow, February 10th in stores and online. It can be ordered online direct from Shout! Factory Kids’ online store at https://www.shoutfactory.com/kids/kids-animation/transformers-rescue-bots-jurassic-adventure. More information on this and other releases from Shout! Factory and Shout! Factory Kids is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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

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Nickelodeon, Shout! Factory Finishing Off Another Classic Nicktoon Next Month

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/Nickelodeon

Shout! Factory and Nickelodeon established a partnership only a few years ago that has seen some of the network’s greatest classic series, called Nicktoons, get full, proper releases. Almost all of those classic Nicktoons has seen releases in separate seasons and complete series box sets. Now what is one of the last of those series sets will be released next month in the form of CatDog: The Complete Series.

CatDog: The Complete Series will be released on DVD Tuesday, October 14^th. The series’ complete four-season, sixty-eight episode run will be released in one complete multi-disc set. It will retail for MSRP of $29.93. After this release, the only full series sets that are left to be released under the companies’ current partnership are The Wild Thornberrys: The Complete Series and Hey Dude: The Complete Series. Audiences can keep up with the latest on all of these releases 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.