Most of you are probably aware by now that a new chapter in the history of VeggieTales is starting this Wednesday on Netflix. It's a sad thing to me that many people have mixed opinions on the new series. But having myself seen the first episode (thanks, DWA TV!), I can reassure you that if you love VT (and I know you do), you will still love In the House! And I'm here to present my review as a spoiler-free top ten list to show you why!
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| Image credit: DWA TV PR |
1. The Character Designs
I know, I know... this is what people are having mixed opinions about! But as I stated on my previous post on In the House, the designs, while different, are actually really fun and charming! My favorite redesigns belong to Jerry, Petunia, Junior, and Pa. It wouldn't have normally thought eyes would look good on Pa Grape, but his new design is adorable! He reminds me of The Mayor in The Powerpuff Girls! :D
All of the designs are delightful and well thought-out, and tied together with the great voice acting and beautiful animation, it makes for a seriously amazing show! I understand it'll take some getting used to for some, but it most likely won't take long for these "fresh" veggies to steal our hearts the way they have for decades.
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
2. The Music
Songs and VeggieTales go together like baby carrots and ranch dip, and if you were worried that they would skimp on that in ITH, you have nothing to worry about! Every episode has a fun, Silly Song-worthy tune that still maintains the charm of the classic episodes' songs!
Oh, and the new theme song -- talk about catchy! The ITH theme is upbeat and a whole lot of fun, delivering an new sound to the show that still holds to its roots. Plus, Scott Krippayne worked on it, so that should be enough to get you excited! (What... just me?)
Anyway, the new musicians at the helm, Terry Scott Taylor and Robert Watson, really capture the spirit and sound of the Veggies we've always known in a whole new way!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
3. The Art Direction Overall
There is so much detail in the big, big world our Veggies call home! The new artists, with Joe Spadaford's guidance and supervision, have created a whole new world surrounding the countertop that is just too amazing, right down to building the house's exterior itself! All of the locales are just loaded with attention to detail -- Pa Grape's shop being one of the most detailed of the bunch. And not a single prop has been reused from the original series; it's quite the feat to build everything from scratch!
And if we need any more reasons to love it, the design overall calls back to the earliest VT episodes, with a wonky, slightly lopsided charm that one might remember from Junior's bedroom or LarryBoy's mansion. Along with the character designs, the artists on this show have made it truly a visual delight!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
4. The Laughs
The trailer showcased on the Beauty and the Beet DVD was chock-full of comic action and hilarious slapstick humor. But if you were worried that the physical humor would tilt the balance between slapstick and one-liners, that is far from the case! One of the funniest lines I've ever heard in recent VeggieTales history was in the first five minutes of the first episode! The humor remains as it always has with VT, just a little faster-paced and bringing in a very wacky sense of comic action that kids (as well as adults) will love!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
5. The New Characters
It may not seem that the VT cast has changed much, but a few new faces have already made their debut thus far. Aside from a very colorful array of background characters, with some corn and broccoli in the mix, in the first two episodes, we mainly meet Ichabeezer and Rooney.
Do not be confused, Ichabeezer isn't Mr. Nezzer, despite the resemblance. He's a bit more of a grumpy old man than Nezzer is -- though I could definitely see them being related. If he sounds a lot like Mr. Beet, that's because he is indeed voiced by the great Rob Paulsen! Ichabeezer is very practical, kinda gruff, and good at nailing the occasional bit of sarcasm (nothing VT wouldn't do already, of course). I do miss seeing Nezzer around, but Ichabeezer's an easy character to love (even if he doesn't want to come off that way). We also get to meet his olive-hound Rooney! I can't help but adore the concept they came up with, and they made quite the endearing character out of him! Boy, does that Rooney love fetch... a little too much, perhaps, for Ichabeezer, as you will see XD
And while other new characters are currently unknown, we do get some new approaches to the original cast with new voices, including Petunia, Laura, and Madame Blueberry, who all happen to be voiced by the great Tress MacNeille!
Petunia still keeps her roots as a very confident but kind girl, and I love the way she's played out in these first two episodes. She comes off in a way that makes her seem like she'd got it all together, but that trailer proves that she'll have a few off-moments :P I could talk more about Laura, but she overall hasn't changed as much, except that she's a bit more bubbly and excitable, which makes her all the more adorable. Madame Blueberry, however, has perhaps changed the most. Ms. MacNeille has made Madame a bit less French and more of a high-society lady, which is still very in touch with her character. Her role has been one of the most enjoyable to watch, especially since she's one of the main characters in the second episode.
All in all, the characters may have changed in looks and in voice, but they are still true to who they've been since '95, '98, and '05, and I can't help but love them.
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
6. The Animation
I know I've already mentioned this, but the animation really is great! It's very fluid, fast-paced, and dripping with charm and personality. What you might not've thought about concerning the new character designs is that they're actually made to animate a bit more realistically in some ways. Not that the original models weren't realistic at all, but the characters were also built differently back then. Larry's super bouncy personality is accentuated perfectly with the "bounciness" of the character animation! This dynamic, cartoony feel just suits VeggieTales to a T!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
7. The Pacing
ITH's faster pace is really a great thing. Not that there was anything wrong with the 45-minuters, of course. But ITH's pace works well for the shorter episode lengths, as well as for the overall feel of the show. That cartoony, or as Phil Vischer described in a video posted on the official VT Facebook, Tom and Jerry-like, vibe just makes the show all the more fun, and will definitely appeal to kids and parents alike. While some longtime VT fans may need to get used to this zippy approach, I think you'll get a feel for it after a couple episodes.
Plus, did I mention the well-placed goofy sound effects they use? Like that bit in the trailer where Bob and Larry's scream is a chicken squawk? I'm sorry, but I think that's pretty hilarious!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
8. The Heart
Of course, all this great comedy, art, and storytelling would be nothing without the heart. And ITH does not skimp! The first two episodes artfully teach about responsibility and the power of words in a way that only VT can do. They weave these truths into each episode masterfully and oh-so-originally! And there is no shortage of Bible verses, which I know we're all glad for after VeggieTales on TV tended to cut them out. These moments of honesty mixed in amidst the laughs make for a truly strong-hearted cartoon, not just your everyday Looney Tunes fare. Not that there's anything wrong with comedy for comedy's sake, of course... but we need our "veggies", too!
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| Image credit: my own DVD |
9. The Exposure
Just think about this for a second: ITH is a Netflix exclusive right now. One of a handful of Christian-value-based programs on the service. Imagine how much exposure the show will get! How many kids and parents who may've never seen or heard of VT who will see it! How many lives just might be changed, even in a small way, because of this! Wow! ITH's new home on Netflix is the perfect place for it to be :)
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| Image credit: DWA TV PR |
10. The Quintessential Truth
Even though the show is structured differently than the 45-minuters, they always end with the most important truth, the one that VT has been saying since its beginning:
"God made you special, and He loves you very much!"
That is awesome.
So yes, I am more than excited now to be a part of this new era of VeggieTales! I can hardly wait to see more episodes in the near future as Bob and Larry take over their house... and houses all over the world! I hope I've helped in getting you truly excited for this seriously fun show! That's all the time I have for today, so remember...
GMUS & <3sUVM,
- Chandler
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