Sarah & Duck - Lots of Shallots and Other Stories [DVD]

My 4 year old brother being off school, and me being the only person able to look after him, meant that I was going to have to survive a 2 week bombardment of CBeebies. Within the first day I was grinding my teeth at half the shows, and close to tears at the other half (what had they done with my beloved PostMan Pat?!). In a world of blinding colours, pop-music theme tunes and constantly condescending scripting I was quite startled when a simple, bouncy, stripped back tune came on - the theme tune for Sarah & Duck.I fell in love quite instantly with Duck. Never before had I seen a duck animated with such a wide range of emotions, so easily identifiable, when his only line is "quack". His mannerisms and interactions with the world he lives in had me constantly laughing, and Sarah's wide-eyed and always fascinated approach to the world made me nostalgic for my childhood days.I'm always forgetting to watch The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. I never forgot to watch Sarah & Duck. As soon as it was available to pre-order I was on Amazon with my debit card out and not a single regret in my heart; it remains to be one of my favourite DVDs, and I have the next one pre-ordered for the 8th of September.So there you have it, perfect for 22 year old university students who are feeling a little negative about the world. I'm not 100% how my little brother feels about it though...I never asked him.

So, there I was, doing a search for a Sarah Millican TV show on my set top box. A list of suggestions with Sarah related programmes appeared, & on it was one called Sarah & Duck. I've never heard of it before. My girlfriend's name is Sarah so I pointed it out to her & I clicked on an episode. It was called Sarah Gets A Cold. My gf had a cold. So we watched it. She thought it might be new, cgi type animation but was happy to see it was old school, which she loves. We saw that Sarah wears a hoodie. My gf likes to wear hoodies. She, my gf, also likes wearing funky hats & her fave colour is green. So many coincidences. Oh yeah, she likes ducks too.So, that was that. I had to do a quick search on Amazon for any S & D merchandise & I found the dvd & bought it for her, to cheer her up because of the cold. ( I also bought her the Sarah & Duck talking toy, she loved them ).Normally I would never write a review for a dvd I hadn't watched, but I'm basing it on the episode we did see, which was great.

The best TV programme for preschool children ever made. If you think that's a rash claim, try thinking of a better one. Look up your old favourite on YouTube. I did. I was both delighted and rather saddened that Sarah and Duck beat the Magic Roundabout, and all the others I ended up watching, hands down.The gentle flow of the programme masks a depth of writing that entertains children and parents, and subliminally educates, often through the interjections of the narrator, a sort of off-screen Uncle character. Roger Hallam voices this role as beautifully as it is written. My favourite character is Scarf Lady's lovingly ignored husband, who has been reduced to an occasionally talking handbag. One of the writers must know a characterful older couple to have had that particular inspiration.My children (better not forget them) love every character in every episode. This programme is funny and charming. Heaven forfend that the series should ever be withdrawn from the iPlayer. But then you could always buy the DVD, I suppose....

I am also in my late thirties, and I too love this programme. I think it must appeal to those of a similar generation brought up on Mr Benn, Jamie and the Magic Torch etc.This is a wonderfully imaginative animation. It's simple yet it has a depth that is lacking in much of today's contemporary childrens programming.It follows the daily adventures of Sarah and her friend Duck. The 7 minute long episodes play out with gentle coaxing from narration by Roger Allam. The dialogue, which at times is quite matter of fact, gives rise to some genuinely funny interactions between Sarah, Duck and the narrator.Although the show is aimed at pre schoolers, although I think it does appeal to a wider audience and older children would engage with this just as well (and clearly 30-40 somethings too).Oh, my 13 month old daughter loves this too by the way.Quack.

This is show that manages to fight the formula of pre-school shows - no saccharine lessons about how jolly great it is to be bestest pals, no heavy-handed moralising, no twee plasticky CGI models. The basic plots are simple enough for any child to follow, but is packed with visual gags and note-perfect performances to make any adult smile. Add to this the wonderfully abstract Voice of God that is the Narrator, and you have a world that really does feel like a place a child would want to explore. And a special note for the forward-looking way that technology is used - while Sarah watches television by internet streaming, and prints photos directly from a digital camera, it all feels exactly as quaint and homely and unremarkable as a bike or a kite.

This DVD contains ten adventures featuring the lovable duo, Sarah and Duck. Sarah is a little girl, who lives with her friend Duck, in a surreal and charming world where everything – from the moon, to shopping bags and birthday cakes – talk. This DVD contains the following episodes:Lots of ShallotsSarah, Duck and the PenguinsCheer Up DonkeyCake BakeScarf Lady’s HouseRobot JuiceBouncy BallRainbow LemonSit ShopKite FlightThis is a CBeebies show, aimed at young children, and the episodes are quirky and imaginative. They feature events that little children will understand, such as going to the zoo or celebrating a birthday, but with a fun twist where everything is alive. I brought this DVD for my little niece, but my seven year old daughter also loves it and I think it is charming. There are also books, a calendar and plush toys available for fans of the show.