Super Why – Jack & The Beanstalk and other
fairytale adventures (PBS Home
Video/Paramount DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: C+
In one of
the more interesting children’s shows of late, Super Why is a show that combines fun, storytelling, animation,
some energy and books to appeal to the intelligent, curious side of child
viewers and it does a decent job of doing so.
This new DVD has four installments, including the title show on Jack & The Beanstalk, plus The Princess & The Pea, Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood.
Though it
is not as witty as past shows on reading like the original Electric Company, I did like it and was happy to see such a show
even existed. With this and a revived Electric Company, it is nice to see
reading and literacy being treated properly after a lapse of such that began in
the 1980s. We expect this will be the
first of many DVDs from this series.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is a little soft here and there for a
show that has consistent computer animation with its good (if slightly dulled)
color scheme. The Dolby Digital 2.0
Stereo is also recorded nicely without being overly harsh. Extras include resources for parents,
coloring book pages, Music Videos and Interactive Games.
- Nicholas Sheffo
