DVD Review: Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin

TV Show Info:
Writers: Rosemary Wells, Kate Barris, Nicole Demerse, Bruce Robb
Director: Jamie Whitney
Cast: Rebecca Peters, Samantha Morton, Billy Rosemberg, Cameron Ansell, Julie Lemieux
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Nickelodeon and Paramount

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: 2002 & 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 26, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $12.99
Episodes: Three episodes (with three mini-sode per episode) from Season Three and one episode (with three mini-sodes) from Season One

I love Max & Ruby. What a fun show. I watch it with or without my kids. Max is so funny and Ruby is so bossy, but always comes around in the end. This is what sibling rivalry and relationships is all about. Despite being a few years apart in age, Max and Ruby really seem to love and respect one another, even if Max doesn’t always show it. His antics are pretty funny though and they’re relatively harmless, in the grand scheme of things.

We’ve had the chance to watch and review several other Max & Ruby titles including Max and Ruby - Berry Bunny Adventures and Max and Ruby - A Very Bunny Christmas. The show is lighthearted and has a valuable message for kids. Not only are younger kids going to like this show, but older kids will, as well. Having watched it with both a 4 year old and 13 year old, I can tell you that both of them enjoyed the antics of Max and his sister Ruby. There’s just something about that little, 3 year old bunny that a wide variety of audiences can enjoy.

I have to say that of all the channels that offer shows for children, the Nick Jr. lineup is amongst the best. I truly enjoy many of the Nick Jr. shows. There’s not just Max and Ruby. There is also the Wonder Pets, The Backyardigans, Go, Diego, Go! and Dora the Explorer. I don’t take much stock in many of the television shows for children these days, but the Nick Jr. lineup seems to be amongst the most entertaining. The fact that many of these shows also have educational elements to them is an added bonus.

So, I was excited to receive Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin for review. I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but so was my thirteen year old son. He won’t admit it to his friends, but he really likes Max and Ruby. He spent the entire time laughing his head off at everything Max does. With Halloween just around the corner, it’s nice to get a Halloween themed DVD. It builds up the excitement of the holiday. My only complaint is that I much prefer the voice of Samantha Morton for Ruby, as opposed to Rebecca Peters. That’s a minor annoyance though and I just try to tune out the differences in their voices.

The Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin Plot
Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin features four episodes, each with three mini-episodes. The show focuses on the lives of Max, a three year old bunny, and his seven year old sister, Ruby. Max is a curious three year old. He’s stubborn, but he’s also a lot of fun. Set in what he wants to do, this often clashes with the plans of Ruby. In the end, everything works out and Ruby usually ends up learning as much from Max as he learns from her.

The mini-episodes on this DVD are from both the third and the first season. The following list of mini-episodes are included on the Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin DVD:

“Max and Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin”: Ruby and Max go to Mr. Piazza’s store to get a pumpkin. Ruby wants to find the perfect one. Unfortunately, her efforts are thwarted by Max’s addiction to candy!

“Max’s Jack ‘O’ Lantern”: Max wants a scary Halloween, but Ruby wants her Halloween party to be fun. When Max finds a way to make it scary, it’s Ruby who gets the last laugh.

“Max’s Big Boo”: Max is prepared to scare Ruby, but Ruby’s older age means she’s got his number!

“Max’s Rocket Racer”: Max and Ruby head to the East Bunny Hop Summer Fair where Max wants to ride the Rocket Racer ride. Unfortunately, he’s just not tall enough. This means he must make himself taller or miss out on the fun ride!

“Max and Morris Blast Off!”: When the Bunny Scouts prepare for their Scout Leader’s birthday, its Max and Morris (Zoom Zoom) who use their rockets to add some fun to the birthday celebration!

“Max’s Candy Apple”: When Max gets to the East Bunny Hop Fall Fair all he wants is the Candy Apples. Unfortunately, Ruby won’t let him have one unless they participate in the races first.

“Rudy Delivers”: When Ruby is late delivering her fliers for the Bunny Scouts bake sale, Max comes up with an interesting solution to help her.

“Getting Crabby at the Beach”: Grandma takes Max and Ruby to the beach. When Ruby wants to create a tidal pool she thinks Max is thwarting her efforts.

“Max Baby Sits”: When Ruby goes to watch Baby Huffington so Mrs. H can work in the garden, Max comes along. Trying to get him to stop crying, Ruby does everything she can, but its Max who figures out just what the baby wants.

“Max Cleans Up”: Ruby wants to help Max clean his room, but Max’s a pack rat, so he makes sure nothing gets thrown out!

“Max’s Cuckoo Clock”: When Ruby tries to put Baby Huffington down for his nap, Max makes a ruckus with the noisy cuckoo clock.

“Ruby’s Jewelry Box”: When Ruby tells Max he cannot see what is in her jewelry box, he makes it his mission to find out.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin features cartoon episodes. All of them appear at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. In full frames, this is about as good as it gets for a television show of this caliber. The standard visual quality is about as good as it is when these episodes originally aired on television. The animation is well-drawn, but also relatively simple. The colors are vibrant, the animation is free of errors and the picture is crystal clear.

The audio for this DVD is as standard as the video quality. Still, the sound fits the show and there is no need to mess with the volume. Everything comes through loud and clear. The sound is presented as Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. This is the most common sound format for television shows. TV isn’t nearly as dynamic as the movies. Well, at least not children’s television. This means that a less dynamic 2.0 track can and will get the job done without sound distortion. While subtitles aren’t available, closed captioning is.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
The only bonuses on the Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin DVD are previews for other Nick Jr. shows. These previews are shown before the DVD menu is displayed.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin offers a fun, family friendly set of episodes. It doesn’t matter how old you are or if you’re male or female. This show is downright cute and entertaining. While teaching children about respect and love, Max and Ruby also provides entertainment. It isn’t mindless learning. It’s fun. This DVD contains some of the best episodes from this show. The Halloween (Summer & Fall) theme is perfect for this time of year. Max and Ruby: Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Max and Ruby, Max & Ruby’s Perfect Pumpkin, DVD Review, TV show, Kids Show, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, Bunny, Halloween

Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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