WOW! WOW! WUBBZY!: A TALE OF TAILS
(not rated)
MOVIE: *** (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *** (out of 5)
Studio: Starz Media
BY KEVIN CARR
Any parent will tell you that finding appropriate children’s programming can be a challenge. Some shows (like “SpongeBob SquarePants”) are visually stimulating but offer no educational value. Others (like the Baby Einstein series) have plenty of educational elements but really don’t have much meat to them. Still others (like “Yo Gabba Gabba”) are just too darn weird to swallow.
One of the cute and clever shows that my kids have found is “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” It’s the story of a gerbil-type creature (which, like the title character from the cartoon “Chowder,” is of a species not precisely identified) who pals around with his friends in the town of Wuzzleburg. Widget is a pink rabbit who is always fixing things. Walden is a brainy creature who has a wide knowledge of science and art.
Each episode (of which two make an installment on television) features Wubbzy or his friends getting into some sort of scrape. They work together to solve their problems and differences, often learning a lesson by the end.
The first DVD of “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” is now available through Anchor Bay, and it features eight episodes on a single disc. Some of the themes include being yourself, respecting others’ property, not being overly competitive, taking care of a pet, respecting privacy, lying and keeping out of trouble.
Like many preschool shows, “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” presents problem solving in a very safe and nice way. The conflicts are very understandable to young children, and the characters are never in any real danger. Usually the friends are able to resolve their differences and solve their problems easily and with a lesson. However, the lessons aren’t rammed down the kids throats but are rather presented logically within the show.
I’ve enjoyed “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” on television, and my kids have warmed up to it. With eight episodes available, there’s more than 90 minutes of programming on this first DVD. It also has a selection of music videos from the shows, which can be played separately as well as a DVD-ROM game along with coloring pages and party printables from the disc.