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 and second seasons of the new series are strong from start to finish, boasting top-quality animation on par with Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run. As a supplement to the second season---and also available as a bonus feature on that two-disc set---"Merry Christmas Everybody" is an entertaining 24-minute short, but it's still hard to recommend as a stand-alone release. Those who enjoy the series can simply pick up the Season 2 collection for about $20 and have both---so unless you're a frothing Aardman collector, you'll probably want to go the more budget-friendly route.

As for this episode itself, it's still a winner. Though I had doubts that the non-stop dialogue format of Creature Comforts might not hold up at a longer length, "Merry Christmas Everybody" does so with energy to spare. The episode features a group of Season 2 characters singing "The 12 Days of Christmas", though they take plenty of breaks to discuss and argue the song's actual meaning. It's smartly edited, featuring plenty of flubbed verses and "alternate lyrics", so those who don't mind amusing takes on traditional Christmas songs will really enjoy this one.

Again, it still falls a bit flat on its own; though the technical presentation is satisfying, there's no bonus material to round out the main feature. Its low price point may attract a few buyers, but anyone looking to get the most bang for their buck should simply opt for the Season 2 package instead. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The menu designs for Creature Comforts (seen above) are fine from a visual standpoint, and they're also fairly smooth and easy to navigate. The 24-minute main feature has been presented with roughly half a dozen chapter stops, while no layer change was detected during playback. The packaging is very straightforward, as this one-disc release is housed in a standard "kiddie-proof" black keepcase and includes no inserts.

It's a fine little stand-alone special, but "Merry Christmas Everybody" doesn't hold up so well as a stand-alone DVD release---especially considering it's already included with the fantastic Season 2 package. Though a strong technical presentation ensures the main feature looks and sounds great, it's still a fairly pointless release in its own right. Do yourself a favor and pick up a season collection instead---trust me, you'll be glad you did. Skip It.