Review of Rupert Bear: Rupert And The Giant Egg Race

Introduction

Animation stalwarts Cosgrove Hall bring another old family favourite back to the TV screen with the latest incarnation of Rupert Bear. Filmed in the same animation style as perennial favourite Bob The Builder, this series was commissioned by Five for their children`s slot.

Dating back to the 1920`s, Rupert still has his familiar black and yellow scarf but now has a more cuddly look to him. Joining Rupert in Nutwood are his friends:

Bill Badger - fascinated by facts and the truth, accessed via his electronic book of facts
Edward Trunk - an elephant who likes music and reading books
Ping Pong - a female bear who practices magic and has a pet dragon called Ming
Raggety - a kind of elven figure who also practices magic as well as looking after the natural life in Nutwood
Miranda the mermaid
Foxes Freddy and Freda - a pair of mischievous pranksters

The episodes compiled on this disc are:

1. Rupert and the giant egg race
2. Rupert and the star girl
3. Rupert builds a nest
4. Rupert`s undersea adventure
5. Rupert and the cloud shepherd
6. Rupert and the magic rainbow

Video

Very colourful series with plenty of bright colours and starry effects to attract your youngsters. Nice bold menu`s and a child friendly design, a nice effort.

Audio

Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 sound which is more than adequate and a nice bouncy soundtrack that is a must for children`s TV these days. No place for the theme song that I remember from my own childhood though, a very simple repetitive theme tune replacing it.

Features

Game - very simple 3 part puzzle game that is based on the Giant Egg Race episode.

Rupert & Friends - very brief text-based Q & A of all the major characters in the series

ROM section

Conclusion

I`m guessing that this will go down well with toddlers, it`s a series of ten minute stories so therefore not too taxing for children who naturally have relatively short attention spans. It`s colourful and has a bouncy soundtrack and should therefore appeal. It`s an interesting spin on an old and classic character, bringing in elements of environmentalism with the character of Raggety and also contains a light level of magic. Not really sure that either of those were really at the forefront of Mary Tourtel and Alfred Bestall`s thinking…

Still, a good modern TV series for toddlers; short and colourful with a bouncy modern soundtrack.