The feature focuses on Todd, a new student at the horizontally challenged Wayside School (the builder had the plans sideways, and so built the school 31 classrooms high, instead of wide), who meets the usual assortment of wild and wacky characters, including Maurecia, who develops an instant crush on him. The school itself is one gigantic Rube Goldberg contraption, which provides most of the humor and the purported climax, when the science room is discovered to have been switched with the trash compactor. Hilarity, or some kid version thereof, ensues.

The show is certainly no worse than some of what currently airs on Nickleodeon, animated in the strangely in vogue Klasky Csupo style. Unfortunately, it's certainly not better than a lot of what airs on Nickleodeon, and rarely rises to the manically funny levels of SpongeBob, still for me the leader of the pack in that network's animated offerings. This attempt is hampered by stereotypical characters (the dimwitted egomaniacal principal, stoner janitor, nerdy brainiac running for class president, et al.) who might have become more distinct and distinctive had an actual series gone into production. As it stands, we have tropes instead of characters, and ones who just aren't consistently funny.

The DVD

Video:
An enhanced 1.78:1 image is perfectly fine. This is the present-day equivalent of Hanna Barbera, animation quality-wise, so don't expect Pixar quality.

Sound:
An English 5.1, and French and Spanish 2.0 audio tracks are offered. Separation is fine and dialogue (all well-voiced by such talents as Kathy Najimy) is clear.

Extras:
None, aside from previews.

Final Thoughts:
This will be appreciated by younger fans of the book series, up to age 12 or so. It's a pleasant enough time-passer, but no classic, as the book series has become.

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"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet