I had been a fan for a few years of the VeggieTales series, but this installment was the weakest when released.
Normally this cute series would reenact a Biblical story, but dress it up with running jokes, goofy songs, and computer animated physical slapstick. Usually introduced by a talking tomato and Larry the Cucumber, my kids enjoyed them.
Archibald the Asparagus runs this episode, and everything is kind of fun until his very slow take on "Hamlet," entitled "Omelette." How many children are going to get that? There is a silly song from Larry in the middle, but it sounds amazingly like all the other songs from Larry.
My then-three year old was asleep by the time the story of Lyle the Kindly Viking came on, aping yet another child-obscure reference- Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. This section was not as annoying as a real Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, but there is not anything new offered either. Both stories involve sharing, and that point is made abundantly clear, but this video was not the laugh riot that earlier entries have been. My TV and VCR worked fine, but the picture on the video had a washed out quality to it. I was spoiled by other VeggieTales' crystal clear animation, and funny takes on Bible stories.
"VeggieTales: Lyle the Kindly Viking" is a real letdown.
