Product Details

• Actors: David Alberico, Nicholas Butterworth, Mike Dean, John Lathan, Danny McGrath
• Producers: Barbara Hanania, Beverly Shaffer, Cheryl Susheel Bibbs, Christopher Sarson, Janet Weaver
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Wgbh Boston
• VHS Release Date: March 28, 2000
• Run Time: 40 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305048924
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #13,979 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)

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  Video > Television > WGBH Boston

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The show with "the most musical zip code in history" (anyone born in the U.S. between 1965 and 1970 can reel off "0-2-1-3-4" in song) has collected some moments from the original six seasons (the show has been remade for the '90s) in Zoom: Best of the 70's. While Zoom is certainly a show for children, this retrospective is definitely geared more for Gen-X nostalgia than for the youth of today. With the Zoom Raps (no, not a musical number, but a discussion group) about funding for girls sports (in the days when Title IX was a hot topic), the funky hair styles, and the muted sets, memories of Big Wheels and bell-bottoms will come flooding back.

While this is a fun venture back in time, unfortunately too much of the 40-minute video is spent on showing the opening numbers and cast from every season and not enough time with Fannee Doolees ("Fannee Doolee hates to read, but loves a good book") and Merry Macs ("Miss Merry Mac, Mac, Mac, all dressed in black, black, black"). But "Zoomers in Wonderland" and "John Henry," as well as the fantastical plays and Zoom Dos, make this worthwhile. One caveat: apparently one must be under the age of 12 to understand Ubbi-Dubbi. This formerly fluent reviewer found she could barely understand every fourth word. --Jenny Brown

Product Description

Come on and ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM-A-ZOOM again! Never before available on video, now you can relive your favorite bits from ZOOM, the super-hot Emmy award-winning PBS kids' show from the 70's. As fresh as ever, kids of the 90's will love it too!

In the first TV series inspired, written and performed by kids, ZOOMers—a cast of ordinary kids—used material submitted by viewers to act out plays, talk openly about their lives, experiment with games and cooking, sing, dance, and of course have fun.

From Ubbi-Dubbi (a language that drove some teachers crazy when groups of kids used it at school) to ZOOMraps, ZOOMdos to Fannee Doolees, experience the sheer joy of ZOOM all over again. Featured segments include original musical numbers like ZOOMers in Wonderland and John Henry, a visit with a girls ice hockey team, making Stained Glass Cookies, creating the ultimate sandwich, and games like Story Concentration.

If the most musical zip code in history, 0-2-1-3-4, means something special to you, then experience the memories of ZOOM, and remember what it was like to be a kid in the 70's. And be sure to tune in to the new ZOOM, on public television.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Memories...But Incomplete, November 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Zoom - Best of the 70's [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This video was a great concept. However, as a huge original ZOOM fan I feel a little slighted. The bits were fantastic (Fannee Doolee, John Henry, ZOOMers in Wonderland, ZOOM Play of the Week)and it sure brought back a lot of memories for me. Unfortunately, most of the musical numbers and bits were cut short and it kind of leaves you hanging; craving to see more. The video is approximately 40 minutes, and they tried to cram 6 years worth of material in such a short amount of time. Perhaps the best part of this video is the end, where it shows the opening sequence to all 6 seasons. It introduces all of the kids, but because the video is so short, you only get to see a fraction of their talent, and some you don't even get see at all.

I wish that WGBH would release actual complete episodes by season on DVD. Although I am 35 years old, I can still watch this show and be greatly entertained. It takes me back to a time when my only real problem in life was getting my homework done!! Zoom really holds up over the years; it was a superb television show for kids!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Satisfactory, November 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Zoom - Best of the 70's [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Although I loved the video, honestly I must say that I wanted to see more of the Zoomer in Wonderland and The Cat Came Back, more of the games and finally where are they are now. It was nice to see the kids though it brought back a lot of childhood memories for me. I was a major Zoom fan.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Retrospective, December 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Zoom - Best of the 70's [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Anyone who grew up watching Zoom in the 70's will find this video a thoroughly enjoyable trek down memory lane that stands up to repeated viewings. For kids who have never seen it, you will not be disappointed! Games, raps, Zoom-dos, musical numbers, ubbi dubbi, zoom guests, Fannee Doolee's, and finally, the complete opening theme of all 6 seasons are all here. Thank you, WBGH, for releasing this excellent retrospective, but don't stop now - - please release some complete episodes, especially from the first three seasons (I thought the cast from those seasons were the coolest kids on earth!)!