Featured TV on DVD Review: The Backyardigans and SpongeBob SquarePants French Bilingual
May 28, 2011
French Bilingual DVDs: The Backyardigans - Buy from Amazon: Robin Hood the Clean, Escape from Fairytale Village, and Movers and Shakers
This week there is another flood of French Bilingual Nickelodeon DVDs being released up here in Canada. Unlike last time, I've only previously reviewed one of the DVDs. The others include two from The Backyardigans and two from Spongebob Squarepants, starting with...
The four episodes here include:
There are a couple of music videos on the DVD. That's not a lot of extras, but better than a lot of similar DVDs have.
The four episodes here include:
This DVD also has a couple music video for extras.
There are eight random stories taken from the first three seasons, starting with...
There are just some text based bios for the characters.
There are another eight random stories starting with...
There are audio commentary tracks on two episodes with the creator, Stephen Hillenburg, and the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny. This is quite a surprise, as these DVDs tend to have no extras, and certainly nothing as substantial as an audio commentary track. There is the complete episode of Mermaidman and Barnacleboy III in storyboard form, as well as a short behind-the-scenes look.
Five more French Bilingual Nickelodeon DVDs come out north of the border this week. If your kids are fans of either The Backyardigans or Spongebob Squarepants and you speak French in your household, it's a great day. They are all great deals and worth picking up, but if I were to pick just one from each show, it would be Escape from Fairytale Village from The Backyardigans, because one of the episodes changes plot details in the French-Language track, and Spongebob Squarepants: Tide and Seek, because it has excellent extras.
Spongebob Squarepants - Buy from Amazon: Home Sweet Pineapple and Tide and Seek
The Backyardigans: Escape from Fairytale Village
Tyrone is the paper boy for Fairytale Village and delivers papers to several Fairytale villains (the witch, the giant, the big bad wolf) who all try to be nice, but Tyrone thinks they are going to get him. To be fair, "I was hoping to have you for lunch today." is a bit ambiguous when it is said by the wicked witch that tried to eat Hansel and Gretel.
Tasha is a photographer for the local newspaper, but she's also a super hero called Super Snap. When a giant robot attacks, she needs to take a picture worthy of the front page, but she also has help the other super heroes defeat this robot. How will she be able to do both jobs?
Pablo is the Master of Disguise, or Le Master of Disguise, because he's in Paris. He's constantly being chased by Austin, a detective in Paris, which explains why he occasionally uses French words. ... Unless you watch the episode with the French Language Track, in which case he works for Scotland Yard and occasionally uses English words. It's truly a bizarre experience.
This is a double-dip and was part of We Arrrrr Pirates, which I previously reviewed. The Extras
The Backyardigans: Movers and Shakers
Tyrone is the Sultan of Arabia and he has a cave full of magical stuff. He has so much stuff that he needs to move it all to his castle and needs movers to help him, so he hires Pablo and Uniqua. Little does he know he is their first costumer. They do have some help, Austin, who is a genie. But will they still mess it up?
Tyrone and Uniqua are two space cops and it is their job is catch bad robots. In this episode they are after T-900 and the Pablonator. Terminator references in a preschool show. That's not something you see every day.
This episode was also part of We Arrrr Pirates.
Uniqua, Pablo, and Austin are the best clowns, but without a circus to perform in, no one will see them. However, the ringmaster, Tyrone, hates clowns and refuses to let them join. But when they accidentally make him late for the circus train, they make a deal. If they can get him to Big City in time for the first performance, he will let them join. The Extras
Spongebob Squarepants: Home Sweet Pineapple
Nematodes come along and drink SpongeBob's house. At first he and Patrick decide to build him a new house. After that, SpongeBob and Gary decide to live with Patrick. But snoring and night terrors mean he has to move on... to Squidward's. ... This won't last, but will SpongeBob ever find a new home?
Squidward's school band rival, Squilliam Fancyson, calls him to gloat about living Squidward's dream and in the process, Squidward bluffs his way into a gig. But he needs a marching band, fast. Fortunately, practically everyone we've ever seen in the show decides to apply. Unfortunately, none of them have any musical talent at all. Will Squidward be able to find their hidden talent?
An Alaskan Bull Worm comes to Bikini Bottom and starts to eat everything. The only one brave, or foolish enough to go after it is Sandy. She's looking for revenge after the creature stole her tail. Fearing for his friend's life, SpongeBob tries to stop her, but she doesn't believe there's a worm in the world too big for a Texas squirrel.
SpongeBob and Sandy decide to spend the day at the beach, but when SpongeBob rips his pants, while trying to show off how strong he is, he's mortified. However, when he finds out the people thought he was hilarious, he keeps doing it for laughs. But when that joke wears thin, he has to try something new to get attention.
Sandy's builds a rocket to travel to the Moon. SpongeBob really, really wants to come along to hunt aliens. But that night Patrick and SpongeBob try to alien-proof the rocket, they accidentally launch it. But when they crash back in Bikini Bottom, they think they are on the moon and everyone they meet is an alien and they capture them to prove to Sandy that aliens exist.
The Krabby Patty is going through a dry spell, so Mr. Krabs asks for ideas to draw in costumers. Squidward says they should put on a talent show, with him as the star, naturally. But will the audience appreciate the high culture? Or are their tastes a lot more... janitorial?
SpongeBob is looking to get buff, but when exercising with Sandy doesn't workout, he orders inflatable arms from a infomercial to at least look like he has muscles. But when Sandy sees his new arms, she thinks he really is muscular, so she signs him up to strongman competition.
SpongeBob is so worried that Squidward will win Employee of the Month, thereby breaking his 26-month winning streak, that his nerves get to him and his work begins to suffer. And then he decides to sabotage Squidward, the pair get into a real competition for that award. The Extras
Spongebob Squarepants: Tide and Seek
Mermaidman and Barnacleboy are going on vacation, so they get SpongeBob and Patrick to take care of the cave – ARE THESE PEOPLE NUTS! I'm surprised SpongeBob and Patrick didn't destroy the place before Mermaidman and Barnacleboy physically leave the cave. They do managed to release Man Ray, the second most vile super villain of all time. However, he still has the Tickle Belt on, so he has to convince SpongeBob and Patrick he's turned good.
Patrick wants to win an award, but first they have find something Patrick is good at. It turns out he's good at copying SpongeBob.
Squidward is looking to sell his house, but he has to keep SpongeBob from ruining the sale, so he convinces him it's Opposite Day. But is the opposite of SpongeBob any less annoying?
SpongeBob tries his stand-up routine at the Komedy Krab, but when his jokes bomb, he tries out some material making fun of squirrels. Everyone loves it, except for Sandy. When people start making fun of Squirrels, Sandy decides to show SpongeBob what it's like.
SpongeBob and Patrick find a baby scallop and decide to raise it as their own with Patrick as the father and SpongeBob as the mother. But when Patrick doesn't pull his weight, it puts a strain on their relationship.
Gary starts spending time with Patrick. At first SpongeBob is happy that Gary has a new friend, but when Gary decides to stay with Patrick, SpongeBob gets a new pet.
Mr. Krabs's daughter, Pearl, starts working at the Krusty Krab offering ideas on how to improve business. Squidward doesn't even wait to hear the ideas before he rejects them. It's a smart plan. SpongeBob goes along with it, that is until Pearl gets rid of the grill.
There's a new kids in school, Flats, and he's going to kick SpongeBob's butt. What's a sponge to do?
After crashing in his dream, SpongeBob pops out of his dream, and decides to visit his friends' dreams. Because there are so many dreams, there's not a lot of plot to each one, but it is a good episode overall.
It's the last straw for Squidward and he moves away to Tentacle Acres, a place where everyone looks like him, acts, like him, etc. It's paradise... for a while. The Extras
The Verdict
- Submitted by: C.S.Strowbridge
Filed under: Video Review