Barney In Concert

Filmed at the Majestic Theater in Dallas, the latest "Barney" entry is actually the least obnoxious of the bunch. After the opening commercial, in which children (or their parents) are asked to part with twenty bucks for a Barney the dinosaur plush toy, Barney and the Backyard Gang (an ethnically correct mix of children named Derek, Michael, Lucy, etc. which aren't their real names) sing a couple dozen songs for preschoolers. The video and audio qualities are superb, and although the box very clearly states that this is a "live" performance, I can't help but wonder whether some of the singing was lip-synched--especially since there is no orchestra in sight. During the second half, a new character is introduced, Baby Bop--a charming she-dinosaur who completely upstages the rather bland Barney. My guess is that another $20 toy is waiting in the wings. Recently signed by PBS for a regular series, Barney's popularity will most likely continue to escalate, which is unfortunate, because, to me, everything about Barney and the Backyard Gang exudes plastic--and considering the expensive toys hawked in the enclosed flyer and on the video itself--it's fairly expensive plastic, at that. Not a necessary purchase. (Available from most distributors.)