Featured TV on DVD Review: Olivia: Merry Christmas, Olivia
October 2, 2010
Olivia: Merry Christmas, Olivia - Buy from Amazon
The titular Olivia is a talking pig and the focus of an award-winning series of illustrated kids books. The show is relatively new having started at the beginning of 2009, so if you don't know the basic setup. Olivia is a precocious six-year old and the oldest of three kids. She has a vivid imagination and loves to go on adventures and has big plans. She also has her, "Rules of Life", which she shares with the audience. Each episode it broken down into two shorts, and this DVD includes nine of these shorts, starting with...
Technically, Olivia's Pirate Treasure is considered a bonus short.
While only four of the nine shorts on Merry Christmas, Olivia are even about winter, that's the only real complaint about the DVD. With the bonus short, the price per minute is better than a lot of similar DVDs, so if your kids are fans of the show, it is worth picking up.
The Show
Each episode also has recurring bits, like getting dressed for the weather, only to have the weather change. Or painting portraits on blue backgrounds as part of her "Blue Period."
Olivia is trying to decide what she wants for Christmas, but she doesn't seem to be in need of anything. That is until her stuffed monkey, Matilda, goes missing. At the same time, other items go missing and Olivia is trying to figure out where they went.
It's the middle of July, but the family is getting their Christmas portrait done by a professional now, so they don't have to wait till the last minute. However, while having a professional take your photograph seems like a good idea, it's harder than it looks and there are many interruptions.
Cinderella on Ice is coming to town and one lucky attendant will get to skate with the star. Olivia is sure it will be her, so she gets to work practicing her skating.
Olivia and her brother, Ian, are at the breakfast table listening to the radio. It snowed the night before and they are eagerly awaiting news as to whether or not today will be a snow day. One look at the title of the episode and you can guess the answer. Olivia decides to do a journalistic report on the aftermath of the snow with her friend, Julian, acting as cameraman.
It's Art Day and her teacher is getting married. Olivia wants to get her the best gift ever, but she has no money. When attempts at earning the money fail, she decides to make her a gift with the rest of the art class.
Grandma's comes to visit and she wows them with a magic show. Olivia's so impressed, she decides to try and learn to perform magic. After a few botched tricks, she fools her brother into thinking she's turned invisible.
Olivia decides she wants to be a mother, and she's decided Edwin, her cat, should be her baby. If that cat wasn't so lazy, this would be enough to make it run away from home.
Olivia loses her lucky tights, and at the worst possible time. She's in a tough competition to sell more boxes of pioneer girl cookies than Francine, her friend / rival.
Olivia and her family are going to the beach, and she's super excited. But when she, Ian, and Julian find an oyster, she thinks she's found pirate treasure and becomes obsessed with finding more. The Extras
The Verdict
- Submitted by: C.S.Strowbridge
Filed under: Video Review