I Can Do That!

Boris, an inanimate stuffed teddy bear, is having what he calls a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day" (without, I might add, any attribution to the author of that exact phrase, Judith Viorst). His ears hurt and he feels warm; so Mother decides to take Boris on a trip to the doctor. Along the way, Boris recalls his visit to the dentist, and in the flashback young viewers will see both Boris and young kids getting their teeth checked, X-rayed and cleaned. In what appears to be a misjudged effort to scare kids into proper dental hygiene, impressionable youngsters will also see a purposely ominous shot of a loud drill coming directly at the camera. At the hospital, Boris has his temperature and blood pressure taken by a nurse before the doctor comes in to examine Boris's ears, eyes, and throat. The diagnosis: ear infection; the treatment: antibiotics. I Can Do That! is a relatively entertaining, informative and (excepting the aforementioned dentist's drill scare) reassuring overview for children getting ready to see either the dentist or the doctor. However, the price seems a bit high, when similar titles such as Mister Rogers: The Doctor--Your Friend are priced at $9.98. Optional. (R. Pitman)