Happy Holidays from Nick Jr.!
George Buttner | Dayton, Ohio United States | 11/15/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Nick Jr. Favorites Holiday is the latest release in the series, featuring holiday-themed episodes of some top Nick Jr. shows, some of which are no longer making new episodes. Fans of these wonderful Nick Jr. programs won't want to pass on this.
"Blue's Big Holiday"
Blue and Steve celebrate a variety of holidays. This is a fun episode, though I'm pretty sure it's available on another DVD.
"Merry Christmas, Little Bill!"
"Little Bill" no longer airs on Nick Jr. in the U.S. and doesn't air on Noggin, so any episodes they give us on DVD are golden. In this episode, twice the length of a normal two-story "Little Bill" episode, the Glover Family is celebrating Christmas. No Kwanzaa for them, Christmas. Little Bill is excited about a visit from Alice the Great, but disappointed when her flight home from a visit to a cousin in Cincinnati (is it just me or do cousins / uncles / aunts, etc. on TV shows always come from somewhere in my home state of Ohio?) is delayed. Will he find a way to bring her home?
"The Snow Fort"
I adore "The Backyardigans," but once again, this is available elsewhere. Still, it's pretty cool. In this one, Pablo and Tyrone are Mounties protecting a fort, while Uniqua and Tasha are the Ski Patrol.
"Catrina's First Snow / The Snow Festival"
Ah, Oswald. A delightful show that used to air on both Nick Jr. and Noggin, but is no longer on either in the U.S. Fred Savage's voice for Oswald reminds me of the late John Ritter's for Clifford the Big Red Dog. In these two relaxing, comfortable stories, Oswald first takes baby Catrina out for fun in the snow and then organizes fun activities for a snow festival after a freak snowstorm changes plans for a fall festival.
This DVD also includes "Dora the Explorer" --- "To the South Pole" and "Max and Ruby" --- "Max's Christmas / Ruby's Snow Queen / Max's Rocket Run." I don't really think much of either show (except for the swinging theme song for "Dora"), but I know they're reasonably popular. Oh --- and the "Dora" episode is a more recent one, featuring star-catching."