Paramount Studios presents

Blue's Clues: Blue Talks (2004)

Go, go, Blue…and find the lock for your key- Moona

Stars: Donovan Patton, voices of Traci Paige Johnson, Nick Balaban, Seth O'Hickory, Kelly Nigh, LaNaé Allen, Jenna Marie Castle
Other Stars: Steve Burns, voices of Cody Ross Pitts, Koyalee Chanda, Spencer Kayden, Jonathan Press, Cameron Bowen, Penny Jewkes
Director: Various

MPAA Rating: Not Rated for (nothing objectionable)
Run Time: 01hr:40m:17s
Release Date: 2004-05-25
Genre: family

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B+	B+	B+	B+	B-

 

DVD Review

There's a web site called "Jump the Shark" that lives for marking the precise point when a television show takes a dip in quality. Usually it follows an incredulous episode that so insults the intelligence of its audience (not to mention its characters) that they start tuning out in droves.

That's just the pre-viewing assumption I got from looking at advance materials I received for Blue Talks, the half hour "very special" prime time episode where the adorable cartoon puppy becomes a moving puppet. Just the title and concept alone had to make some parents go into shivers: "What if they don't like or want Blue to talk? My 30 minutes of freedom is gone! All the investments I made in purchasing past Blue DVDs!"

Well, you rest easy Moms and Dads, for it's not the end for your baby-sitting television friend, not by a long shot. If anything, this creative move gives this long-running show another way of mixing it up and deviating from the norm while retaining the endearing elements of involving its audience, the most vital aspect that is truly the heart of Blue's Clues and its new occasional sister show.Blue's Clues: Blue Talks is the big draw on Paramount's latest DVD compilation of episodes from the Emmy-nominated series that begins on an otherwise ordinary quiet evening with Joe, Blue, and friends out in their backyard. Up in the sky, they notice that the moon has turned a peculiar shade of blue. Suddenly, a Tinker-Bell-like creature descends from the skies: Moona, a lunar fairy, here informing Blue of a magical gold key that will unlock her greatest gift. Upon discovering it (and with a little help from the viewing audience), Blue re-emerges as a living, breathing doggie that's able to talk for the first time, inviting everyone watching to meet and greet new friends including Doodle Board, Fredricka, Dress-Up Ches,t and my fave amongst the newbies, Boogie-Woogie (an old-fashioned jukebox). Though the change may throw certain viewers for a loop, they'll quickly be won over by Blue's sweet disposition in the same welcoming manner that owners Steve and Joe has exhibited in the past.

In addition to this landmark episode, three other episodes round out this set: Love Day, where Joe gets a mystery love card from a secret admirer. Could it be a certain little red-haired girl? Nope, that's for another cartoon. Blue's Big Mystery and Perwinkle Misses His Friend are two vintage adventures featuring our old buddy Steve; in the former, he plays Detective Man (complete with cool black-and-white flashback opening) while attempting to find the person responsible for building the nice shed in Blue's backyard; the latter episode finds the dog and owner coming to the aid of depressed kitty cat, Perwinkle, who misses her friend Plum who still lives in the city.

Save for a tiny bit of grain and brief artifacting on the two older installments, video and aural qualities remains strong for the DVD volumes of this series with bright, colorful backgrounds and impressive stereo separation for a 2.0 Dolby mix.

Rating for Style: B+
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer

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

Image Transfer Grade: B+
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
DS 2.0	English	yes

Audio Transfer Grade: B+ 

Disc Extras

Static menu
Subtitles/Captions in English
Packaging: Keep Case
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. "Welcome to B-B-B-Blue's Room!" Game
2. "Friends Song"
3. "Roaring Lessons"
4. Sneak Peek at Nick Jr.'s Curious Buddies
5. Sneak Previews and Trailers for other Paramount Kids Vids

Extras Review: Extra goodies include Welcome to B-B-B-Blue's Room, a parent-child participatory game in which read-along graphics presented in the form of a question and answer sessions let the talking incarnation of the character know more about the viewer at home (and who knows, you may find out some trivia about your little one you never knew before). Friends Song and Roaring Lessons are two mini-editions of Room (the latter featuring yet another adorable addition to the family, Roar E. Saurus). Nick Jr. Baby Video Sneak Peek is an extended 10-minute preview promoting the company's forthcoming home video editions of their latest smash project targeting the toddler set, Curious Buddies. Finally, there's more in the way of previews and coming attractions for a variety of kid vids in Paramount's library including the upcoming Dora's Pirate Adventure, Rugrats Go Wild, the home video debut of A Charlie Brown Valentine and Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure.

Extras Grade: B-
 

Final Comments

Blue Speaks! Kids Approve! Parents Relieved! Another quartet of winning episodes from one of television's best series for children comes together on Blue's Clues: Blue Talks.

Jeff Rosado 2004-08-13