It’s A Big Big World – Investigate Your World + The Sky Above

 

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C-    Episodes: B-

 

 

A new show called It’s A Big Big World is one of too few teaching fun and science to children, something that was more commonplace in the 1970s and is direly needed.  To make such a show entertaining, fun, informative and interesting is not easy, but creator Mitchell Kriegman has pulled it off and each of the first two DVDs from Sony offer a good set of shows.  They specifically are:

 

Investigate Your World includes Not Found Here (extended version), King Of The Trees, Burdette Queen Ant and Who Moved My Sunflower? (about how plants and animals deal with hot weather).  The Sky Above includes Get Well Moon, Where Have All The Berries Gone?, Windy Night, Hold On Rainbow and The Disappearing Water Hole.

 

All are truly humorous and make for fine common sense introductions to basic science.  I was impressed with just how consistent all was and this can only make all

this subject more compelling without pandering to the audience.  The dangerous anti-science kick the U.S. has been on since 2000 is nothing short of ignorant.  This series could not arrive on DVD fast enough.

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not bad and rather colorful for an HD production on TV.  There are limits and flaws that hold back detail and focus because of the mix of puppets and digital, but it still plays back nicely and has more rewatchability for children than it otherwise would.  The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has unusually strong surrounds that makes it additionally enjoyable, though they are not overly loud.  Extras are limited to extra songs and animal facts on each DVD.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo