Anchor Bay Entertainment presents

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!: A Tale of Tails (2008)

“Wow, wow, everyone! My name is Wubbzy!”- Wubbzy (Grey De Lisle)

Stars: Grey DeLisle
Other Stars: Carlos Alazraqui, Lara Jill Miller, Tara Strong
Director: various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01h:31m:44s
Release Date: 2008-09-23
Genre: family

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
A-	A-	A+	A-	C

 

DVD Review

Now that my daughter is a four-year-old preschooler, her taste in TV shows is in constant fluctuation. While it started with Disney shows and the like, it’s becoming clear that her choice in shows is maturing right along with her. The latest one to catch her attention is Nick Jr’s Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!. The show might look like typical preschooler fare, with a loveable set of animal-like creatures teaching valuable lessons, but the key here is just how much fun the creators seem to have in making the series. This is also a very parent-friendly series, as adults will want to watch along with their little-ones thanks to the great characters and involving stories.

Wubbzy (Grey De Lisle) is a cat-like creature who hangs out with his buddies Widget (Lara Jill Miller) and Walden (Carlos Alazraqui). Widget is a pink rabbit that’s pretty handy, especially when it comes to inventing something in order to solve a problem. Walden, on the other hand, is the bookworm of the bunch, divulging a vast array of knowledge whenever his buddies need him. This fun, extremely cute trio go on a series of adventures that not only leave us on the edge of our seat, but also teach our kids an important moral lesson along the way.

This disc contains six episodes, and the first, A Tale of Tails, is a great way to start things off. Wubbzy feels different than everyone else since his tail is curvy. Of course, the other kids refusing to play with him due to his tail doesn’t help, but when his odd appendage helps him in a time of trouble, Wubbzy begins to feel much better about himself. In Special Delivery, a package for Walden is left with Wubbzy, and he can’t fight the temptation to open it. He finds a very cool toy inside, but when things get out of control, Wubbzy needs to get it back in the box before Walden sees the package. Next, in Widget’s Wild Ride, Widget takes it upon herself to juice up Wubbzy’s road-racer for the annual Wuzzleburg Derby, but something goes horribly wrong.

In Attack of the 50-Foot Fleegle, Wubbzy goes to the Pet Truck Man and gets an animal called a Fleegle. This is the best, funniest episode in this collection, thanks to the Fleegle itself, which keeps getting bigger and bigger as it eats more and more. During Come Spy with Me, Walden is acting like he’s hiding something, so Wubbzy and Widget try their hands at spying, with little positive results. The last episode, Wubbzy Tells a Whopper, involves our fearless titular character accidentally breaking Widget’s Sandy-sander. Instead of owning up to what he has done, Wubbzy lies and says that an evil Growlygus stole the Sandy-sander, but his fabrication of the truth only starts there.

One of the best aspects of the show is the voice talent, especially Reno 911!’s Carlos Alazraqui. It’s great to see this kid-friendly side of the comedian, who is a long way away from his portrayal of Garcia on the Comedy Central hit. Grey De Lisle is also extremely effective as Wubbzy, anchoring nearly every episode with a cute, funny voice. These actors are just a small part of what makes this one of the best new kids’ shows on television.

Rating for Style: A-
Rating for Substance: A-

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: All of the episodes are presented in their original full frame format, and they feature slightly improved image clarity from their broadcast incarnations. The colors practically burst off the screen with a vibrancy that’s difficult to match, while dirt, grain, and artifacts are nonexistent.

Image Transfer Grade: A+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English, French	yes

Audio Transfer Review: The Dolby Digital 2.0 audio has these shows sounding better than they did on TV, thanks to surprisingly dynamic mixes. The dialogue is always easy to understand, as it is well-integrated into the overall mix.

Audio Transfer Grade: A- 

Disc Extras

Animated menu with music
Scene Access with 18 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English
6 Other Trailer(s) featuring Thomas & Friends, Eloise’s Halloween, Eon Kid, Scary Godmother, Phonics 4 Babies, The Happy Elf
Packaging: Keep Case
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: dual

Extra Extras:

1. Bonus Episodes – Mt. Fizzy Pop and Puddle Muddle
2. Bonus Music Video – That’s Kooky
3. “Watch All the Music Videos!”
4. Wubbzy’s Game & Activities – DVD-ROM feature

Extras Review: The extras include a pair of bonus episodes: Mt. Fizzy Pop and Puddle Muddle, along with the bonus music video. There’s also the option to watch all of the music videos, which lasts nearly five minutes.

Also here are sneak peeks of other Anchor Bay kids’ releases, as well as “Wubbzy’s Game & Activities,” which can be accessed via a computer’s DVD player.

Extras Grade: C
 

Final Comments

If you’re looking for a new show for your preschooler to check out, look no further than Nick Jr’s Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! This excellent and educational series seems destined for a long run on TV, despite quite a bit of competition. A new DVD, A Tale of Tails gives us a nice initial collection of episodes with nice audio and video.

Chuck Aliaga 2008-10-06