Barney's Christmas Star

The Purple One is cornier than ever in this holiday program aimed at 1-to-8 year olds, which finds the kids from Barney's posse energetically decorating the caboose hangout for a festive gathering when the B-man materializes for a seasonal medley encompassing Christmas, Hanukkah (including excerpts from "The Dreidel Song") and Kwanzaa. Joined by Barney's friend Beth, the group makes a snowman, and then ankle it over to a neighborhood park where Beth's granny is in charge of trimming a huge tree. After crooning "O Christmas Tree," the crew realizes the treetop star ornament is missing, and they head for grandma's attic where they're aided by dinosaur sibling team Baby Bop and B.J. in their treasure hunt that uncovers old toys, books, clothes, et cetera, spurring various songs, skits and stories (including an unremarkable version of "The Night Before Christmas"). When the ensemble finally finds the star (after coaxing it out with a rendition of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"), they amble back to the park for carols, merriment, and the placement of the shiny gold star on top of the tree. Sporting the largest number of cast extras I've ever seen on a Barney tape, Barney's Christmas Star also has one of the series' most unfocused concepts (not that it will matter to the legion of young Barney fans). A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (J. Williams)