Rolie Polie Olie: A Spookie Ookie Halloween

Based on children's writer/illustrator William Joyce's popular picture books about an extraterrestrial family of round, vaguely bug-like, colorfully drawn robots, the Disney Channel's Rolie Polie Olie series is a solid hit with pre-schoolers ("every tot's favorite 'bot" as the tagline goes). In this compilation of three Halloween shorts, the title character and his sister Zowie prepare for the annual Halloween arrival of the mysterious Spookie Ookie, a jack-o'lantern-headed ne'er do well who traditionally scares the WD40 out of the little tykes. In the first episode, Pappy's plan to dress up as Spookie Ookie and frighten the kiddies backfires; in the second, Olie and friend Billy set up a haunted house (whose centerpiece is, of course, Spookie Ookie-related) and try to scare Zowie and a friend; and finally, Zowie dreams she becomes the Queen of the Pumpkins and meets…you guessed it…Spookie Ookie. Although 15 minutes into this rather narrow (subject) minded video, I felt that one more repetition of the name "Spookie Ookie" would drive me--to quote a once popular snack--screaming yellow zonkers, I have to admit that the colorful computer animation, strong little screen pedigree (the series won a 2000 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Animated Program), and Disney trademark make this a strong optional purchase for larger popular collections. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)