Though Aardman Animation is commonly known for the incredibly popular adventures of Wallace and Gromit, the creative staff has made it a point not to limit its formula for success. While Rex the Runt wasn't always my cup of tea and Chicken Run was a mild disappointment, it's hard not to love Creature Comforts, an unusual but highly entertaining short film and subsequent television series created by W&G mastermind Nick Park. If you've never seen either incarnation, they'll certainly catch you off guard…but in a good way, trust me.

The original stop-motion short (1990) won an Oscar for its brilliant portrayal of animal life behind the scenes, created and produced while A Grand Day Out (Wallace and Gromit's debut adventure) neared completion. Presented in a mockumentary format, Creature Comforts showed us---and continues to show us---what animals really think about themselves, humans, and life in general. The visuals of the original short are at or above the level seen in A Grand Day Out, as the free-form story format is paired with stop-motion plasticine animation to give Creature Comforts an unusually striking atmosphere. This new incarnation of the original classic improves the technical quality greatly, while perfectly retaining the wit and charm.

The first season of the new series was a strong effort from start to finish, boasting top-quality animation on par with Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run. Luckily, this second year keeps the highlights coming: still voiced by The Great British Public (as most of the original interviews take place on the street or in other public places), Creature Comforts displays a fantastic amount of detail in each scene, while the stand-alone topics pave the way for interesting, light-hearted discussions. The humor can be a bit off-color at times, but it's mostly a family-friendly affair from start to finish (i.e. nothing much harder than a "PG rating"). Another note: the cast has changed a bit, though a few familiar faces---such as the dryly funny cat and dog, seen above---ensure that returning viewers won't be left out in the cold.

From start to finish, these 9-minute shorts don't waste a lot of time. Though several hundred hours' worth of interviews were recorded for Season 2's production, they've been carefully whittled down to just under two hours total. As with the first season, each episode features a common theme; from there, the rotating cast members freely discuss their innermost thoughts and feelings on the subject. Included here are "Beast in Show", "The Brood", "Pet Hates", "Impressions", "Animals in the Hood", "Sport", "Monarchy Business", "Animal Magnetism", "Bedtime", "Self-Image", "Communication" and "Safari Park". A few jokes may be lost on those unfamiliar with certain British phrases---but as with the first season, most of the humor is universal. Even better, the otherwise straightforward interviews are supplemented by fantastic touches that make each one unique; whether it's pairing a certain voice and attitude with the appropriate animal or adding clever details to the background, Creature Comforts rarely misses the mark.

From start to finish, any lover of stop-motion animation and/or British humor should find a lot to enjoy. Similar to the first season release, these 12 shorts are presented on one disc, supplemented by an entertaining batch of bonus material. New to this season is a second disc, which includes a slightly longer bonus episode (more on that later). With such a strong main feature and a great technical presentation to boot, this second season of Creature Comforts is a well-rounded release that fans will really enjoy. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The audio presentation is also pleasing, if not a bit subtle at times. Though it's almost completely dialogue-driven, the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo mix includes clean, clear dialogue and strong channel separation. The varying types and degrees of British accents can make the dialogue hard to distinguish during a few scenes, so it's nice to have optional English subtitles (trust me, you'll probably need 'em!). Unfortunately, they're not included with any of the Disc 1 extras.

The menu designs for Creature Comforts (seen above) are fine from a visual standpoint, and they're also fairly smooth and easy to navigate. Each 9-minute short has been presented without any chapter stops, while no layer changes were detected during playback. The packaging is very straightforward, as this two-disc release is housed in a standard-width hinged black keepcase. Unfortunately, no inserts or episode descriptions have been included.

Disc 2 is brief but satisfying, as it includes the Bonus Episode "Merry Christmas Everybody" (not to be confused with the Season 1 episode of a similar name). This longer 24-minute episode is quite good for its length, featuring a gaggle of furry and feathered friends singing "The 12 Days of Christmas"---very slowly, of course, and with plenty of arguments in-between verses. This seems to have been completed during Season 2's production; many of the same characters are featured here, albeit in decked-out holiday environments. Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, this special episode also includes optional English subtitles. It's also available as a stand-alone barebones release, though I'd bet that any self-respecting Aardman fan will want the complete package instead.

As charming and creative as the premiere season, this second round of Creature Comforts offers another collection of top-notch animation from our friends at Aardman. These 12 shorts are varied but equally interesting, chock full of amusing details and entertaining conversations. This two-disc package from Sony boasts a strong technical presentation and another batch of interesting extras, including a terrific bonus episode on the second disc. Overall, those who enjoyed the first season of Creature Comforts shouldn't hesitate to pick up this excellent package---and although new viewers should be able to jump right in, they'd certainly enjoy it from the beginning as well. Highly Recommended.