Reviewer's Bias*
Loves: Animation
Likes: The Wonder Pets, Noggin
Dislikes: Most kids shows
Hates:

The Show
Unless you have a little kid or smoke enough pot that Spongebob doesn't do it for you anymore, you probably haven't been exposed to Noggin, Nickelodeon's digital channel for preschoolers. The shows on Noggin are cute and safe, but with educational content scattered through it lightly, and some even seem to nod to the parents in the room. Among them is "The Wonder Pets," an animated adventure that stresses the value of teamwork.

The show's stars are a trio of classroom pets, Linny the guinea pig (the defacto leader), Tuck the turtle and Ming Ming Duckling... the duckling. Together, they are The Wonder Pets, a team of high-flying rescuers who answer the call of animals in need. Each of their 12-minute episodes shows them ditching their cages and jetting around the world to save the day, learning how working together makes tough tasks possible. The episodes are animated in way that could be described as a highly-detailed "South Park," as photos are animated, creating a look that's a mix of realistic and surreal.

This special double-episode (about 24 minutes long) sees Tuck question the group's mission, wondering if their good deeds are appreciated. He finds the answer when, after helping numerous animals (and even a tree) in trouble, the Wonder Pets find themselves in danger, having been swallowed by a whale. Who will rescue the rescuers?

Though it won't help sell the disc to anyone with their permanent teeth, this is wholly harmless and very positive story for the kids. The focus on teamwork is a welcome message, and the operatic way the episodes are delivered will keep kids interested, while letting adults play "Name that Tune." I'm all but certain the creators are also seeding jokes for the parents forced to watch with their kids, especially in Ming Ming's dialogue, which has a definite tinge of attitude.

Though this episode's a bit sappier than usual, mainly because of the plot, it also looks better than the average episode, with more involved sets, more vivid color and more adventurous animation overall. It may not be a step up storywise, but it's a solid show anyway.

Three additional episodes are included to pad out this release to 97 minutes, which makes for six more adventures: "Save the Caterpillar," "Save the Crane," "Save the Sea Lions," "Save the Kangaroo," "Save the Hedgehog" and "Save the Crocodile." "Save the Crane" is one of the most creative episodes ever, as the Pets enter a Japanese painting, while "Save the Caterpillar" offers up one of the most incredibly depressing moments in kids TV history, which is oddly entertaining. Though the hedgehog/crocodile double-header isn't seen often on Noggin, the others are in heavy rotation, so the value of this collection may vary per viewer.

The DVD
Packed in a standard keepcase, the disc has a static full-frame main menu, with options to watch all the episodes, select shows, check out special features and adjust the languages. If you wait a moment or so, the play-all option kicks in automatically. Subtitles are not available, but audio options include English, Spanish and French, and there is closed captioning. The keepcase comes in an slipcover, which for once has a purpose, as it opens up with a classroom scene for putting included stickers on. It's not Colorforms, but it's cute.

The Quality
The full-frame image on the main episode is simply gorgeous, looking extremely crisp and very vivid, with a high level of detail and no problems with digital artifacts or dirt and damage. The rest of the episodes are good, but not of the level of the main show, looking slightly duller.

The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio is as good as the show's going to get, which means you get clear dialogue and unencumbered songs, but nothing in terms of dynamic sound. It's not like you'd expect it from a kids cartoon.

The Extras
The only extra on the disc, other than some previews, is a small photo gallery that serves as a nice intro to the characters.

The Bottom Line
There are very few kids shows that don't dig into adults' brains like an ice pick, but "The Wonder Pets" is certainly one of them, thanks to some adorable characters, innovative music usage and better-than-average writing that doesn't speak down to the kids watching. The new extra-long episode is beautifully crafted, but not one of the series' best stories, and the whole package, which is essentially just four-episodes long, is a bit on the light side and there aren't many extras. As the first available "Wonder Pets" DVD though, there's certain to be an audience for it.

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*The Reviewer's Bias section is an attempt to help readers use the review to its best effect. By knowing where the reviewer's biases lie on the film's subject matter, one can read the review with the right mindset.