DINOSAURS-SEASONS 3 & 4 TV DVD REVIEW

A blurb from Disney about Dinosaurs Seasons3 and Season 4: The brainosauraus of Jim Henson, the award-winning comedy series brings state-of-the-art puppetry and audio animatronics to the screen-and a whole new meaning to the words “family fun”.

From 1991 to 1994 on ABC TV, a very innovative and well-written series premiered called “Dinosaurs” from the great mind of Jim Henson. The show was about a family of Dinosaurs living at home with different social issues they went through and solved. The show is almost a cross between “The Flintstones” and “The Honeymooners”! The show at the time had state of the art puppetry that was already pioneered by Henson and something sort of new to him, Audio Animatronics. It took up to three people to work the life size puppets plus the voice talent. Some of the voice talent when on to bigger things such as Jason Alexander, and Richard Picardo. The series starred the voices of Stuart Pankin as Earl Sinclair and Jessica Walter as his wife Fran. Also in the cast where Sally Struthers as their daughter Charlene, Sherman Hemsley as Earl’s boss B.P Richfield and Michael McKean doing a host of other voices. This set which is the final 2 seasons has a host of extras including audio commentaries on two episodes with the shows creators, two featurettes one called “I’m the Baby, Gotta Love Me!” and “Creatures with a Cause: The Issue of Dinosaurs” about the final episode of the series. The last 7 episodes did not air which are on the fourth disc with a few more tidbits. To watch these shows properly, watch the episode “Changing Nature” last. That episode is the final episode of the series and it is on Disc 3. I did enjoy watching this show when it was on and it is great to watch them again without any worries of commercials.

VIDEO

The film quality is great! The series has been remastered from its original negatives. Each episode runs approx 23 minutes. There is also a Play All feature on each disc.

Audio

Was originally recorded in Mono. The DVD’s are in mono as well.

Disc 1- 1. “Nature Calls” with-Sally Kellerman, Richard Simmons*
2. “Baby Talk” with-None
3. “Network Genius” with-Jason Alexander, Richard Picardo
4. “The Discovery” with-None
5. “Little Boy Boo” with-None
6. “Germ Warfare” with-Dan Castellaneta
7. “Hungry For Love” with- Wendie Jo Sperber
8. “License To Parent” with- None
9. “Charlene’s Flatworld” with- Robert Picardo, John Glover

Disc 2- 1. “Wilderness Weekend” with-None
2. “The Son Also Rises” with-Robert Picardo
3. “Getting to Know You” with-None
4. “Green Card” with-Joe Flaherty
5. “Out Of The Frying Pan” with-Jason Alexander
6. “Steroids To Heaven” with-None
7. “Honey, I Miss The Kids” with-None
8. “Swamp Music” with-None
9. “Dirty Dancin’” with- Conchata Ferrell
10. “If You Were A Tree” with-David Warner

Disc 3- 1. “We Are Not Alone” with-Jason Alexander
2. “Charlene And Her Amazing Humans” with-Jeffrey Tambor
3. “The Clip Show II” with-Paxton Whitehead
4. “Monster Under The Bed” with-None
5. “Earl, Don’t Be A Hero” with-None
6. “The Greatest Story Ever Sold” with- Tim Curry
7. “Driving Miss Ethyl” with-None
8. “Earl’s Big Jackpot” with- Tim Curry
9. “Terrible Twos” with-John Glover
10. “Changing Nature” with-None

Disc 4-1. “Into The Woods” with-None*
2. “Scent Of A Reptile” with-None
3. “Working Girl” with-Joe Flaherty
4. “Variations On A Theme Park” with-None
5. “Life In The Faust Lane” with-Tim Curry
6. “Earl & Pearl” with-None
7. “Georgie Must Die” with-Tim Curry, Ed Asner

Extras

Disc 1: None

Disc 2: None

Disc 3: None

Disc 4: I’m The Baby, Gotta Love Me (05:46)
Creatures With A Cause-The Issue Of Dinosaurs (09:19)

Verdict

One of the best family series to come out of the 90’s. Disney has done a great job with this set and I would wholeheartedly recommend this set to buy!

Rating; *****!