Bob the Builder: On-Site Roads and Bridges

By Pamela Brill -- Video Business, 1/28/2008

FOX/HIT
Street: Feb. 5
Prebook: now
> Bob and his crew show viewers what it takes to complete true-to-life construction jobs.

Time for Bob the Builder fans to don their hard hats and join the gang for an action-packed adventure that goes out of Bob’s workshop and onto a real-life construction site. This interactive title engages viewers as Bob and his crew take them behind the scenes to see what’s involved in building an actual road and bridge. A departure from the series’ traditional format, Bob speaks directly to the audience (and later quizzes them) as he explains the distinctive roles of each machine in the building process. As the beloved cast of characters is brought on-screen, their real-life counterparts are introduced one by one, enabling Scoop, Muck and the whole gang to have their 15 minutes. Peppered amidst the stop-animation is footage of working backhoes and other equipment, along with illustrations of the different stages of building. A catchy little ditty, “How Do You Do It,” effectively breaks up the lesson by summarizing what has been taught—and makes the learning process livelier. A job well done, this educational and entertaining release will satisfy budding builders both big and small.

Shelf Talk: Special foil and embossed packaging, featuring a book-flap cover, are designed to attract consumers who have come to know and love Bob and his crew. Viewers looking for more than the average half-hour show will relish the myriad details of this primer on all things construction. This title is the most recent one in the series following last March’s Bob the Builder: Bob’s Top Team.

Kidvid, color, NR (nothing offensive), 60 min., DVD $19.98
Extras: none
First Run: DVD premiere