As a fan of Winnie the Pooh, 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' was always one of my favourite shows as a child. Not all childhood favourites have held up, but 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is one of the strongest examples of those that have.
While the original three 60s-70s short films ('Honey Tree', 'Blustery Day' and 'Tigger Too') and the 1977 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' are just a little better, 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is one of the Winnie the Pooh franchise's high points. 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is, as said a few times already, a rare example of a show with not a bad episode for the whole four seasons it ran, and has something for kids and adults alike. While just falling short of the show's very best episodes, both "Rabbit Marks the Spot" and "Goodbye Mr Pooh" is impossible to dislike.
The animation in both episodes is very bright, well drawn and colourful, everything looking lush, detailed and smooth, it's hard to say which is the better animated of the two episodes because they are about equal, the at times slightly more inventive visuals in "Rabbit Marks the Spot" if one has to choose just about gets the edge.
In addition to that, the music is playfully jaunty and beautifully orchestrated, enhancing sadder moments with poignant and particularly lush and emotional scoring, whimsical parts with an energy but also pathos and the more playful moments with a jaunty touch. The theme tune is very rousing and one of the catchiest theme songs of any animated show of the late 80s. The opening song in "Rabbit Marks the Spot", titled "Pirates is What We'll Be", really lifts the spirits and has one humming or whistling the tune or quoting the lyrics for a good while after.
Writing has a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence, while both stories are also beautifully told, simple but always charming and light-hearted. "Goodbye Mr Pooh" is more heart-warming and nostalgic, while "Rabbit Marks the Spot" is funnier. Both stories are charming with a great mix of humour and emotion.
"Rabbit Marks the Spot" is particularly memorable for "Pirates is What We'll Be", which also contains some lovely little things like a couple of Pooh's interjections and Piglet's hat being bigger than he is. There are some hilarious moments in the dialogue and on screen, such as "Where'd it go?/In the basement/But I don't have a basement!/Ya do now" and Rabbit's priceless expression when he is run over with the boat. The story is innocent and amusing, and while Rabbit is mean in this episode he learns from his mistakes(pretty much the only character that does). Rabbit's nightmare is even more nightmarish than Pooh's in "Balloonatics".
"Goodbye Mr Pooh" is one of the show's most heart-warming and nostalgic. Tigger as always shines, but here I love Pooh and Piglet's friendship, very like the sort of relationship you have with a roommate at college. The writing is very funny with some genuinely sweet moments too, I especially love "Goodbye, old friend! I hope you like your new home... at the dump".
The characters are all delightful as is their chemistry which in some way anchors the show, while the voice acting is uniformly excellent, Paul Winchell, Jim Cummings and Ken Sansom being particularly good.
In summary, while not quite among the very best of the show it is difficult to not have a soft spot for these two episodes. 10/10 Bethany Cox
While the original three 60s-70s short films ('Honey Tree', 'Blustery Day' and 'Tigger Too') and the 1977 'The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' are just a little better, 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is one of the Winnie the Pooh franchise's high points. 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is, as said a few times already, a rare example of a show with not a bad episode for the whole four seasons it ran, and has something for kids and adults alike. While just falling short of the show's very best episodes, both "Rabbit Marks the Spot" and "Goodbye Mr Pooh" is impossible to dislike.
The animation in both episodes is very bright, well drawn and colourful, everything looking lush, detailed and smooth, it's hard to say which is the better animated of the two episodes because they are about equal, the at times slightly more inventive visuals in "Rabbit Marks the Spot" if one has to choose just about gets the edge.
In addition to that, the music is playfully jaunty and beautifully orchestrated, enhancing sadder moments with poignant and particularly lush and emotional scoring, whimsical parts with an energy but also pathos and the more playful moments with a jaunty touch. The theme tune is very rousing and one of the catchiest theme songs of any animated show of the late 80s. The opening song in "Rabbit Marks the Spot", titled "Pirates is What We'll Be", really lifts the spirits and has one humming or whistling the tune or quoting the lyrics for a good while after.
Writing has a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence, while both stories are also beautifully told, simple but always charming and light-hearted. "Goodbye Mr Pooh" is more heart-warming and nostalgic, while "Rabbit Marks the Spot" is funnier. Both stories are charming with a great mix of humour and emotion.
"Rabbit Marks the Spot" is particularly memorable for "Pirates is What We'll Be", which also contains some lovely little things like a couple of Pooh's interjections and Piglet's hat being bigger than he is. There are some hilarious moments in the dialogue and on screen, such as "Where'd it go?/In the basement/But I don't have a basement!/Ya do now" and Rabbit's priceless expression when he is run over with the boat. The story is innocent and amusing, and while Rabbit is mean in this episode he learns from his mistakes(pretty much the only character that does). Rabbit's nightmare is even more nightmarish than Pooh's in "Balloonatics".
"Goodbye Mr Pooh" is one of the show's most heart-warming and nostalgic. Tigger as always shines, but here I love Pooh and Piglet's friendship, very like the sort of relationship you have with a roommate at college. The writing is very funny with some genuinely sweet moments too, I especially love "Goodbye, old friend! I hope you like your new home... at the dump".
The characters are all delightful as is their chemistry which in some way anchors the show, while the voice acting is uniformly excellent, Paul Winchell, Jim Cummings and Ken Sansom being particularly good.
In summary, while not quite among the very best of the show it is difficult to not have a soft spot for these two episodes. 10/10 Bethany Cox
