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. Both "Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" and "The Wise Have It" are excellent episodes, providing much affection and hilarity as well as an adorable innocence impossible to resist.
Like with all the episodes of the show, one remembers at least one thing about "Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" and "The Wise Have It" for a long time after and this is just on first viewing, furthermore there is so much to it that makes one want to re-watch them more than once due to their enormous re-play value. With each viewing, 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.
The animation in both episodes 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 has a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence, shining in both episodes.
"Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" is an episode that is both amusing and whimsical. Just love Gopher in this show and episode, he is not my very favourite character(that's Tigger) but he is a great character with some great lines and inspired delivery by Michael Gough, not to mention the sight of Gopher in a tuxedo(you'd think he actually married the shovel) and deserves more attention. The animation and music are wonderful, as is the writing particularly "Is this a slumber party?/No! Somebody stole Lucille."
Contrastingly, "The Wise Have It" is the very definition of fun and cute. The story once again does not disappoint, the animation is colourful and the music is dynamic. The writing always makes me laugh and smile, with "Today must be Pooh's birthday!/'cause it wasn't yesterday, and tomorrow's the day I rearrange my sock drawer" standing out, you really have to admire the show's logic sometimes don't you? Once again, all the characters are impossible to dislike and the voice acting is very good all round, Jim Cummings rarely if ever disappoints but Michael Gough really does deliver in any Gopher-centric episode.
All in all, two more excellent episodes in a consistently great show. 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. Both "Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" and "The Wise Have It" are excellent episodes, providing much affection and hilarity as well as an adorable innocence impossible to resist.
Like with all the episodes of the show, one remembers at least one thing about "Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" and "The Wise Have It" for a long time after and this is just on first viewing, furthermore there is so much to it that makes one want to re-watch them more than once due to their enormous re-play value. With each viewing, 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.
The animation in both episodes 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 has a perfect mix of whimsy, drollness, wit, charm and childhood innocence, shining in both episodes.
"Shovel Shovel Toil and Trouble" is an episode that is both amusing and whimsical. Just love Gopher in this show and episode, he is not my very favourite character(that's Tigger) but he is a great character with some great lines and inspired delivery by Michael Gough, not to mention the sight of Gopher in a tuxedo(you'd think he actually married the shovel) and deserves more attention. The animation and music are wonderful, as is the writing particularly "Is this a slumber party?/No! Somebody stole Lucille."
Contrastingly, "The Wise Have It" is the very definition of fun and cute. The story once again does not disappoint, the animation is colourful and the music is dynamic. The writing always makes me laugh and smile, with "Today must be Pooh's birthday!/'cause it wasn't yesterday, and tomorrow's the day I rearrange my sock drawer" standing out, you really have to admire the show's logic sometimes don't you? Once again, all the characters are impossible to dislike and the voice acting is very good all round, Jim Cummings rarely if ever disappoints but Michael Gough really does deliver in any Gopher-centric episode.
All in all, two more excellent episodes in a consistently great show. 10/10 Bethany Cox
