Amazon.com reviews for
"Teletubbies" (1997)

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Teletubbies - Funny Day (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Some people are familiar with the Teletubbies by reputation, others by repetition. The latter group will know that a "funny day" means the lovable British imports are in for splattering Tubby custard and flying Tubby toast, all of which is left to everyone's favorite wet-dry vacuum, the Noo-noo, to tidy up. In fact, the theme of this video, the fifth in the series, is messes (parents might cringe at the two live sequences, especially one involving hand-foot-body painting). The Teletubbies have taken more than their share of criticism for their otherworldly appearance, their simplistic actions and language, and their mind-numbing repetition. There is, however, no question that children adore these creatures and interact with and learn from them. Teletubbies might even be the first television program your child responds to. Unlike some children's TV available on video, each Teletubbies video is not merely two half-hour episodes tossed onto a videotape, but a one-hour unified whole. (Also, the live sequences are not repeated, which will make parents very grateful.) As a result, the videos have a different feel from the episodes, but the drawback is that it's harder to convince a child that a half-hour of TV really is enough when Laa-Laa hasn't yet said bye-bye. Funny Day also offers unusually close camera shots--want to see what Tubby custard really looks like?--and just wait till you see the Noo-noo tidy up the beds. Clever Noo-noo! --David Horiuchi

Merry Christmas Teletubbies (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Yes, it's true--the Teletubbies show their denominational stripes in Merry Christmas, Teletubbies, though this 90-minute set on two tapes (one green, one red) celebrates the holiday in gentle ways. Voice trumpets play Christmas carols, children in the live sequences engage in festive activities--picking out Christmas trees, singing, doing arts and crafts--and a Christmas tree appears in Teletubbyland bearing four presents. Laa-Laa gets a box of Christmas decorations, which the Noo-noo slurps up then sneezes into perfect place all over the Tubbytronic Superdome; Dipsy gets a noisemaker, which everyone has to work together to pull apart; and Po gets a cloud, which drops snow to dance in. In the only sequence with strong religious imagery, Tinky Winky receives a star, which floats out of the box and into the sky. The Tubbies rise up and follow, and it flies--no, not to the manger, but to the top of the Christmas tree. This is relatively uneventful stuff even for the Teletubbies, but kids will enjoy this video as a new way to celebrate the season with their favorite friends. --David Horiuchi

Teletubbies - Go Exercise With the Teletubbies (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: They may look like psychedelic couch potatoes, but the Teletubbies are nothing if not energetic. This 80-minute offering should inspire young humans to abandon the sofa for some stretching, light calisthenics, and strenuous renditions of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes." The first part concentrates on legitimate exercise (i.e., stand up, sit down, side stretches), with one Tubby demonstrating the activity, the speaker announcing "ready, set, go," and then all four Tubbies completing the exercise (often followed by a group hug). This gives young viewers plenty of opportunity to follow along. At the end the Tubbies do some free-form dancing while wearing funny hats. The second part concentrates on the aforementioned body-parts song, with ample footage of real children participating--as well as British bobbies, firefighters, rugby players, and a dance class. Even the Tubbies' vacuum cleaner joins the classic childhood ritual--as well as a vacuum cleaner can. Ages 1 to 6. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Teletubbies - Baby Animals (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: This animal-focused edition begins with the Tubbies one by one coming upon a stuffed lamb. Much tubby-style discussion ensues ("Ittle wamb sad.") when not even Po's scooter or Dipsy's cowhide hat cheer up the poor sheep. After a happy ending, they meet a butterfly and, later, a stuffed terrier puppy in those verdant fields behind their bunker. Meanwhile, British preschoolers feed penguins, play with puppies, and learn about baby swans in the TV segments on the tubby tummies. All of this animal exploration makes the baby in the sky happy and sends the tubbies into giggle fits. And parents know that, inexplicably, when Teletubbies laugh, so do ages 1 to 4. There may not be a lot of hardcore academics here, but there are 72 minutes of innocent fun for the kids and peace for Mom and Dad, except for that giggling. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Teletubbies - Nursery Rhymes (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Everything you'd expect from those roly-poly, TV-bellied creatures is packed into Teletubbies: Nursery Rhymes: animation, videos, singing, dancing, tumbling, and, of course, nursery rhymes. Each of the Teletubbies is introduced to the joys of old-time school rhymes: Po happily noshes on her Tubby Toast as the mysterious speaker rises from the ground to warble "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." Dipsy and Laa-Laa tumble down hills like "Jack and Jill." Tinky Winky learns the fundamentals of "Pat a Cake." Kids will shriek with Dipsy as he runs away from the fuzzy pink spider that pops into place at the appropriate moment in "Little Miss Muffet," and they'll march about the living room with all four Tubbies to the "Grand Old Duke of York." "Hey Diddle Diddle," "Hickory Dickory Dock," and "Humpty Dumpty," and more are accompanied by much dancing and exclamation. The videos within the video feature a storybook telling of "The Gingerbread Man," and a smooth-voiced crooner intoning rhymes to a group of galloping kiddies. This third video in the Teletubby series--following Here Come the Teletubbies and Dance with the Teletubbies--combines the best of the TV series for entertainment that will have your kids squealing, "Again, again!" --Jenny Brown

Teletubbies - Favorite Things (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Those roly-poly creatures playfully romp with their beloved toys in the Teletubbies' fourth video, Favorite Things. Tinky Winky has his bag, Dipsy his splotched hat, Laa-Laa her ball, and, of course, littlest Po her scooter. The opening of the video has each Teletubby lose in turn his or her favorite item, and all must go off in search of it. Each Tubby is then featured in a segment: Laa-Laa chasing her ball, Tinky Winky singing into his bag, Dipsy dancing with his hat, and Po riding in circles on her scooter. Two videos--one of playing in a kiddie pool and the other of fixing up a bike for a ride--and a short animation are also included. Of all the Teletubbies' videos, this is most likely to be a kid's favorite--and the most likely to grate on a grownup's nerves. The constant repetition of chasing games will have children hopping about, but parents will find little of the charm of Here Come the Teletubbies or Nursery Rhymes. Yet, as slow as some of the moments may be, the Tubbies are as adorable as ever and still worthy of a "big hug!" --Jenny Brown

Teletubbies:Here Come the Teletubbies (vhs):

Amazon.com Essentials: On the surface, there's not a lot to Here Come the Teletubbies: Teletubby playtime in Teletubby Land is interrupted by a brief nap, a break for toast, a glimpse at some children playing in the rain, and Po's discovery of a puddle. Of course, the Teletubbies are (thankfully) about a lot more than plot devices and story lines. How else you can explain a phenomenon that has everyone from neo-psychedelic ravers to preschool children to educators enthusiastic about the same TV show? The real asset to this video (and, of the Teletubbies' output, it's the best) is the way problem solving, language, and even mishaps are presented--devised perfectly to match the mindset of a preschooler. It's hard not to relate to Po eating custard, making a mess, and then taking a snooze; or Tinky Winky trying to clean up his fellow Tubbies' mess by grabbing all their toys. Sure, there is a lot of weirdness to these four creatures: the baby's face in the sun, the computer-generated animal parade that comes out of nowhere, even the snare-drum roll and cymbal crash that accompanies the Tubbies' every move. But for all its fantasy, it's highly addictive and just what young children need. --Jason Verlinde

Teletubbies: Dance With the Teletubbies (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: The British countryside has seen few raves like this one--our favorite Teletubbies are shown dancing through Teletubby Land with a few of their friends and, of course, their multiple rabbits. The "Stepping and Standing Dance" leads things off, followed by the "Walking Dance," "Running Away Dance," "Splashing Dance," and so forth (thankfully, we're spared from "Riverdance"). Of course, all this dancing--and even some clips of real children performing a few jigs--can wear a little thin on the patience of any child or parent. While younger children may want to perform some of the moves themselves (the "Tip Toe Dance" looks semi-appealing), everyone else risks becoming bored. The Teletubbies work best when, just like the typical preschooler, they all act differently, performing unique tasks (check out the effective Here Come the Teletubbies). On this video, they're all line dancing. There is some genuine weirdness for more mature Tubby aficionados: a vacuum cleaner starts dancing and a computer-animated bear does a convincing Grateful Dead-inspired number. But for most everyone else, it can't beat the TV show. --Jason Verlinde

Teletubbies - Christmas in the Snow (vhs):

Amazon.com video review: Caregivers looking to keep the littlest kids occupied while they wrap a present or two this Christmas season have lucked out: Teletubbies: Christmas in the Snow is a two-volume, 90-minute jumble of the usual near-mindless meanderings of Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po mixed with a handful of visits to Christmas celebrations in faraway lands. More fascinating to the target audience than the traditional Finnish Christmas carol sung by a roomful of elves in stocking feet, of course, will be the Tubbies' brisk-weather escapades. Something's changed in the Astroturfed kingdom where bunnies, flowers, and the funny-looking foursome frolic in every episode--the place has been doused with snow. First it's just a sugary dusting, but a downright deluge follows, and the Tubbies get busy making sense of it all. In the first episode, Po wipes out on her scooter; Tinky Winky's not careful and, to his delight, slides helplessly down a hill; and the gang plays a guessing game to figure out what's under the snow (either Laa-Laa's ball or Dipsy's hat). More of the same follows in the second episode--along with Christmas cutaways to the U.K. and Spain, we tag along as Po makes Po prints in the snow and the Tubbies team up to make a snow-Tubby, complete with snazzy hat and red patent-leather purse. This is harmless, semi-educational fun for kids under 4; Tubby tolerators everywhere can tuck it under their trees with confidence. --Tammy La Gorce