Customer Reviews

New Zoo Revue - Season 1

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Finally all of season one is out on DVD. New Zoo Revue is an underrated kids' show where "three delightful animals" have fun at what they do. Those being Freddy Frog, Charlie Owl and Henrietta Hippo. The two humans, Doug and Emmy Jo, manage to be on hand without taking over. Yes it's the "E" word-- educational, and even has the "V" word-- values, but its not one of those plodding braindead lesson-heavy thinly disguised school shows that prodded Joe Barbera to quip that he was in favor of cartoons that were "mindlessly funny not mindlessly preachy." Kids love this show, and for good reason. Now that season one is out, they can let adults in on the fun.

This was and is a GREAT SHOW, shows like BARNEY were just horrible and painful to watch but this is a show you can sit down and just enjoy it for what it is (a great childrens show). This show is just great for kids of all ages. They dont make quality childrens programming like this anymore.Again you have to enjoy the show for what it is and not be over critical of the time period in which it was done.

I liked this show as a preschooler in the 70's (I think I was 3 or so when I watched it). My 4 yr. old thoroughly enjoyed the dvd when we rented it from the library recently. BUT- I must admit as an adult it can get a bit taxing after watching the same 10 episodes repeatedly- if you are buying this set, with 59 episodes, I doubt you'll run into that issue right away!

Some of the 'ballads' of Emmy Jo and Doug are a bit slow and dull, but overall it is a fun heartwarming show that I think many 2-5 yr olds would enjoy. (It is also amusing to see the clothing and other 70's laden-decor, it's like a trip back in time if you grew up in this era.)

Unlike most of the other reviewers of this product, I actually KNEW Doug Momary (one of the show's stars.) Back when I was a teenager growing up in Whittier California, Doug was the City Parks and Recreation department drama director. I was in three of his summer plays and got to know him well. Does this bias my opinion of the New Zoo Review? Maybe, but since I know Doug and his background and committment to children, I know how the New Zoo Review works with children. Doug's talent extended from acting, directing, writing and music/lyrics. The New Zoo Review is Doug's crowning achievment. Children still enjoy this 'values based' program to this day.

I absolutely loved this show when I was growing up. I guess I was watching the reruns because I watched it in the early 80s as a child. Your children will love it, as long as they arent too "grown up" for innocent fun.

I bought this for my little nephew because I grew up watching the show and loved it. Now he watches it and loved it too. It also brought back good memories for me.

This is a great video for children. I grew up watching this show and love it. Thank God my Mom woke us up early because this was an early morning show which we watched before school during the week. Charlie the Owl, Freddie the Frog and Henrietta the Hippo are very funny characters. I advise parents today to order this video because it teaches as well as make the kids laugh. Any more episodes?

I'm not quite sure what to say about The New Zoo Review. Unusual? Bizarre? Unique? All of the preceeding and more. It's so squeaky clean you feel like you need a shower after watching an episode. It's The Brady Bunch of pre-school TV. On the surface it's painfully cutesy yet at the same time if, as an adult, you peel off the cutesy layer and really listen to the messages, it's a truly great teaching/learning tool for the 4-7 year old age group. Unlike so many supposedly 'educational' kids shows, the underlying purpose of New Zoo is explaining values - what is and isn't important in life. New Zoo is all about values and morals and making the right decisions. Basic values and morals never go out of style ( or at least they shouldn't, though sadly... but thats another, much longer discussion ). New Zoo finds ways to make the value the message of each episode. In that it succeeds brilliantly.

The New Zoo Review is not for every child. Some kids have a different sense of what 'works' for them, just as some kids love a teacher that other kids simply can't stand. The same principle applies to most everything in life. My gut feeling is that New Zoo works better for the quiet, introspective, bookish child. There is relatively little physical action. Instead there is constant inter-action between the characters - conversation and song woven through situational skits about a single value or concept per episode.

One thing very few people are aware of is that the two human characters, Doug Momary (the shows co-creator) and Emily (Emmy Jo) Peden, are married in real life, were during the programs run and have been for nearly 40 years. They still work together behind the scenes in a TV production company.

In short, The New Zoo Review was aimed at the 4-7 year olds of a very different era than the one we live in today, but the messages and values it taught are still just as important now as they were then. It also had another huge fan base... 11-15 year old boys who lusted after Emmy Jo with their bedroom doors shut. For both age groups it was, in its way, very educational...

Let me get this right...6 discs full of the incredibly hot Emmy Jo wearing miniskirts and go-go boots??? Sign me up for this one, Amazon!

I can't believe it!!! I finally found my favorite show as a kid. I was 3 when The New Zoo Revue started on air. I watched it all the time growing up in Dallas. I also remember watching the re-runs in the early 80's. I am buying a copy for me ( my husbands' gonna think I'm nuts) and I will buy a copy to send to my nieces & nephew. I can't wait to watch it!