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. Of all the Piglet-oriented episodes, "The Piglet Who Would Be King" is the cleverest and a strong contender for the best, the very touching "A Very, Very Large Animal" being a very close second. Everything about it screams ultimate classic.
The animation is very bright, well drawn and colourful, everything looking lush, detailed and smooth. The music is playfully jaunty and beautifully orchestrated, enhancing sadder moments with poignant and particularly lush and emotional scoring 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.
Writing has a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence, the humour and sentiment being timed to perfection. The story is endlessly charming and clever, never feeling over-crowded or too thin even though one of the longer episodes.
All the characters are wonderful, Tigger is my favourite but Piglet really shines here. Love the innocent and adorable chemistry between the characters as well. The voice acting is excellent, particularly from John Fiedler, Jim Cummings and the incomparable Paul Winchell.
Overall, a classic from a consistently great show and of the Piglet-oriented episodes this and "A Very, Very Large Animal" are the best. 10/10 Bethany Cox