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.
Special also about 'The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh' is that one remembers at least one thing about every episode for a long time after and this is just on first viewing, furthermore there is so much to every episode that makes one want to re-watch it more than once due to its enormous re-play value. With each viewing of every episode there's always something new to like about them each time and what came over as particularly good on first viewing have yet to become stale.
"A Pooh Day Afternoon" is one of my favourites of the 22 minute episodes, and also ranks among the show's classics. The animation is very bright, well drawn and colourful, everything looking lush, detailed and smooth. 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.
Writing and the storytelling have a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence. So many highlights to choose from, but particularly note-worthy are "Piglet you were just supposed to let the handkerchief disappear. Where are you?"/In the land of enchantment, which is awfully dark/They don't make magic stuff like they used to", " Oh, no! He's going to eat me. He's starting at the bottom and working his way up", "He's getting closer the tires round" and "By the way he was running I'd say he be in Alsaka by now" are the best parts, as well as "Squonky. I don't carry any Squonky"(Tigger is really hilarious in this scene) and "I wish this lease would stop playing hard to get". Oh, and Pooh makes for a very cute baby. Also love it when we see Christopher Robin's house and episodes based there, so we get a glimpse of where and how he lives and who he lives with.
Love the characters and their chemistry, as well as the gang's loyalty to Christopher Robin, and the voice acting is excellent from particularly Jim Cummings. Oh and that dog is such an energetic character.
To conclude, very sweet and extremely funny, one of the best of the longer episodes and one of the show's classics. 10/10 Bethany Cox