When Dinosaurs began airing in 1991, I was suckered in by the attachment of Jim Henson and his wonderful puppets. The cute baby and his numerous catch-phrases won me over and I was a fan. Fast forward several years later and the show has long been canceled. I’m older and grumpier, no longer won over by cutesie catch phrases, although the Jim Henson Company still has a special place in my heart. Dinosaurs – The Complete Third and Fourth Seasons
Like Looney Tunes, Rocky & Bullwinkle, The Simpsons and The Muppet Show, Dinosaurs actually gets better the older you are. To the child’s eye, there’s plenty of cute gags and slapstick humour. For the moms and dads watching, there’s great social commentary and added layers of depth to boot.
Dinosaurs borrows from the format of other blue collar family comedies: The Flintstones, Home Improvement, The Honeymooners and the dozens of others that have aired in the last half-century. This means that the themes and format of the show isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but in touching on universal themes, it doesn’t necessarily have to. Revolving around the middle class Sinclairs: construction working Earl, under-appreciated at-home mom Fran, eldest son Robbie, teenage daughter Charlene, and smart-talking Baby, Dinosaurs goes into familiar topics such as workplace unhappiness, family squabbles, parenting and life in general.
This second DVD set collects the final 36 episodes of the series, including seven of which that didn’t originally air but have been broadcast over the years in syndication. As one might expect, some are better than others but, overall, seasons three and four really showcase the show’s strengths. Being a big fan of satire, I like being entertained by comedy, even if I don’t always agree with the point of view. The writing in Dinosaurs is very smart. It’s also aware of itself and doesn’t shy away from poking a little fun at their expense. For example, early in season three Earl takes over as the head of programming for a television station that looks very much the same as the alphabetical one the show originally aired on. One of his hits is a show that exists largely because of a little baby dinosaur who loves to scream the same phrase over and over at timed intervals. Let’s just say Diff’rent Strokes’ Arnold was the direct inspiration for this gag.
Perhaps even more impressive than the writing is the puppetry used in making the show. The characters range in size from the very large to the very small and everything in between. The look is that of a real-life cartoon, if that makes any sense. With the bright colour palette and stylized set pieces, there’s no mistaking that you’re in a fictional world. However, the amount of detail and small movements that go into the movements of the characters is amazing.
Admittedly, I probably do have a little bit of a bias towards things that come from the Jim Henson Company. Henson was a big part of my childhood and shaping my personality. Potential biases aside, there’s a lot going on in Dinosaurs, a show that was perhaps canceled a little early. But then again, so many once great shows are tarnished by hanging around a couple of seasons too long.
Dinosaurs: Seasons Three and Four DVD Review
This four-disc set is jam packed with 36 episodes. The shows are presented in their original full screen format. The picture is somewhat soft at times, but overall it’s acceptable. Audio is in English Dolby 2.0 stereo. It’s not awe-inspiring but it stays true to the original feel of the show. English subtitles are also included.
Audio commentaries are included on two episodes. Executive producer/director Brian Henson, writer/character designer Kirk Thatcher, and stars Kevin Clash (Baby) and Bill Barretta (Earl) chime in on “Nature Calls” (Disc One) to talk primarily about their experiences making the show and complaining about the weight of the puppets. The quartet returns on “Into the Woods” (Disc Four). They laugh some more and reminisce some more.
“I’m the Baby – Gotta Love Me!!” looks at the show’s superstar and merchandising gold mine. It runs six minutes and looks at the development and creation of the character. “Creatures With a Cause: The Issues of Dinosaurs” is a nine-minute featurette that talks about the political issues the show took aim at. Both featurettes are highlighted by frank and honest conversations that are both lively and informative. A handful of “Dino-eggs” provide little bit-sized pieces of hidden extras.
The DVD also includes previews and trailers for Ratatouille, The Jungle Book, The Muppet Show: Season 2 and Scrubs: The Complete Fifth Season.
