Plot: What’s it about?
Shaun the Sheep and his barnyard pals are back, with seven new adventures on tap. Watch as a mysterious new ram arrives on the farm and charms all the ladies, but is there something unusual about this newcomer? Shaun keeps his eyes on the ram, but what could the new arrival be up to? Next Bitzer loses his whistle, but refuses to give music, so he tries out the farmer’s trumpet. When he goes overboard however, will the farm put up with his excessive noise? Shaun even gets involved with romance, when the farmer’s date proves to be a trying affair. Then golf fever hits the farm, as the farmer, Shaun, and Bitzer all hit the links. But can Bitzer prove his skills on the greens while tending to the farmer’s woes? You’ll also see Shaun’s attempt to replace the farm’s rooster, the trouble when Bitzer gets a new kennel, and the farm get into a selling mood, as everything must go! All seven episodes are new to DVD, so fans should be thrilled.
As always, Shaun the Sheep proves to be winner in the field of children’s entertainment. The stories are fun to watch and often contain valuable lessons, the animation is a treat to watch, and the writing is terrific. While this is aimed at a young audience, the writing is able to keep both kids and parents in stitches in most episodes. That is not a common trait in shows of this kind, so Shaun the Sheep really stands above the crowd in that respect. These seven episodes were rock solid across the board and some nice stand out programs are included. Cock-a-Doodle Shaun, Frantic Romantic, and In the Doghouse were my personal favorites and all three were packed with effective humor. The other episodes were also good, but those three were the leaders of the pack in terms of this special collection. While the children’s television field is a crowded one, few shows can match Shaun the Sheep in overall entertainment, so this Animal Antics release is well recommended.
Video: How does it look?
The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The visuals here are clear and sharp, with no problems to mention whatsoever. The animation is a pleasure to watch and thanks to this great presentation, it is able to stand out. As far as DVD goes, these episodes look quite good.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio is basic, but more than effective. The main issue is dialogue and since the vocals sound perfect, this soundtrack gets the job done. The music and sound effects are also well presented, with no errors to speak of. This might not dazzle, but the audio covers all the needed bases.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The supplements are a Building-a-Pig video and Timmy’s Tune #2.
