Customer Reviews

The Best Of The Electric Company - Volume 2

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's amazing how well this show has held up. I never missed it growing up and am so thankful that unedited episodes are available on DVD. If there is a volume 3 (I think there will be since volume 1 suprisingly sold well, and vol. 2 will do likewise), there should be a Friday episode from season 4 so we can see the production credits. They haven't been seen since their original airing so it will be worth it. Also, more season 1 Friday shows with the now classic Love of Chair segment over the credits. Apparently, the boy (Skip Hennat), does different things over the credits (including falling asleep!!). I will stick by that this show (and Sesame Street) are FAR better than any show you will find for kids. From Barney to Bob the Builder to Spongebob; these shows are idiotic and I would rather die than show these shows to kids. Shows produced by CTW are the ONLY shows that I would recommend to kids. I have learned though that some of the episodes have been slightly altered (particularly some of the Spidey segments) but that shouldn't stray people away from this set.

If your children are learning to read, then you owe it to them to buy one or both both DVD sets of the Electric Company. It's hard to exaggerate how much my daughters (ages 4 and 6) enjoy watching these episodes, or how much they have learned as a result. When volume 2 arrived at my home last week, my girls were screaming and jumping up and down with excitement.

And while they certainly enjoy the comedy and the music, it's very clear that the lessons have been sinking in; just a few nights ago, my 6-year-old wowed us with a demonstration of "dinner" vs. "diner." She has similarly learned to handle punctuation, silent E, and common letter combinations, long before these subjects were introduced in school. I'm generally quite skeptical of claims regarding "educational television," but the Electric Company demonstrates that it can work.

The inclusion of some classic bits, including Julia Grownup and the LY song, is greatly appreciated. And of course, we're enjoying Letterman and (the surprisingly small number of episodes with) Spiderman.

For most of my family, the second set of DVDs means that we now have 40 fabulous episodes to choose from, rather than just 20. But for me, as someone who grew up with this show, it was nice to see interviews with many of the cast members. And yes, it was a bit surprising to see how they've aged -- but I'm also 30 years older than I was in the 70s, so it's only fair! The documentary about teachers' use of the show was a bit long and dry, but still a worthwhile addition.

Even without the extras, this DVD set would be well worth the price. Your kids will learn to read, and they'll laugh and sing as they do so. I can't recommend The Electric Company highly enough; buy it, and you'll see what I mean.

These episodes of The Electric Company not only conjure up wonderfully nostalgic feelings in me, but they are wildly educational for my 5 year-old son. He loves them! What a wonderful series that was way before it's time!

I bought both Volume 1 & 2 for my three preschool-age sons (ages 4 & 5 ). While both are EXCELLENT in every respect, I think the Volume 1 compilation is slightly better than Volume 2. Volume 1 has a bit better variety. Volume 2 spends too much time with some of the more boring skits. That being said, my boys love both sets and are taking leaps and bounds in their reading ability. This series is amazing in its ability to educate and entertain ALL age ranges. As a parent, I genuinely enjoy watching it too.

PS...I wish the new Electric Company series would take lot more cues from the original series. It pales in comparison to the original.

Last Year I showed my gr. 7 and 8 kids pieces of eps from Vol One...and they really like the music skits of even the regular comedy skits...and picked up quickly on what skills were being taught...although some did not ...which means they NEED this show more than they think they do.

Now with Vol 2...I am GLAD that they have a separate songs sections...My *OLD* kids LOVE the songs...Sweet Sweet Sway, Boom, Knock Knock Rock, and Whimper and Whine are their fivs...while the Greedy Greg segment and The Short Circus and Rita Moreno song about the E on the End is my favorite.

Sometimes we bring the first graders up to watch with us....THEY REALLY get enthralled in it!

Bring on the next volume!

This is a GREAT product. There is quite a bit of repetition from Vol. 1, but that's the nature of the show and despite that, the new sketches and songs Vol. 2 contains make it well worth the money. Also, all the regulars from the cast show up to do commentary and remember, and that was really great to see!!!

This is a great way to get kids to start using words and sentences. I have a 7 year old and a 5 year old, and they really get great learning experience. They especially like the Spiderman programs. The songs are really catchy themes. I grew up watching this in elementary school and I am hoping my kids can benefit as much as I did. The quality is very good for being 30 year program.

Volume 2 of "The Best of the Electric Company" shows the last few original broadcasts of the children's show from the '70's and early '80's. Having worked with each other for a long time, the skits are tighter and the comedy is even better. We see less of Bill Cosby, as his career has taken off by this point. "The Adventures of Letterman", narrated by Joan Rivers, is still there, as well as Molly, the Rita Moreno character who screams "Hey you guys!!!" at the top of her lungs at the bginning of each show. What impressed and continues to impress me about "The Electric Company" is how technologically simple it is, in present day standards, that is. Yet, and perhaps because of this simplicity, the child who watches these shows is able to learn, and WANTS to learn to read. I believe that the secret of the success of the show lies in the fact that kids are watching adults who could very well be their teachers enjoy themselves thoroughly while not only learning, but also by teaching how to learn effectively while still having fun.

I can't wait to see more of this. I'm addicted to it. It brings back so many memories. My three children really enjoyed Vol 1 and we really are looking forward to Vol 2. Please keep those Volumes coming. My children are learning so much from this show. No show out there today is as wonderful as this one. The tunes are catchy and the kids are really learning new words, Punctuation, and language concepts. The skits are a great way to learn. Thank you again for offering more. Please keep them coming. I highly recommend Vol 1 and encourage people to preorder vol 2. You won't be sorry.

This show was AWESOME! I haven't even seen all the episodes on here yet, but when I saw the "Here's Cooking at You" segment with Julia Grownup, I nearly fell on the floor laughing! The recipe (to teach kids the middle ll sound) was for "Grilled Dill Pickles With Chilled Vanilla Filling". Judy Graubart winds up ad-libbing a lot in this sketch, which makes it even funnier. I won't ruin it for you if you haven't seen it, but if you like the Muppets' Swedish Chef, you'll like this sketch, too. Judy, you made my day. I haven't laughed so hard in days.

The rest of the shows on these discs are just as funny, witty, innovative, and educational as they were all those years ago. I hope the staff in charge of TEC know that they have made a great difference in a lot of kids' lives as they learn to read. The cast gets to talk some about their experiences as well. They also introduce the episodes, too! Too much, man!

I love to read to this day, and I know that the Electric Company was a big influence on that! ;) At one part, Skip Hinnant (Fargo North Decoder) said that people come up to him and say "You know, you taught me to read." Well, he taught me, too.

So, HEY YOU GUUUUUYS! Buy these sets for yourself or for your kids. You'll love 'em!