Shaun the Sheep: Off the Baa!

In these eight “woolly adventures,” Shaun pulls out all the stops to entertain his pals. In the title episode, “Off the Baa!”, Shaun uses a head of cabbage as a soccer ball. In short order, the whole barnyard becomes involved—including canine foreman Bitzer, who serves as referee—and after the game the flock rises up for a Riverdance-style routine. In “Who's the Mummy,” Shaun busts some hip-hop moves, while “Mountains out of Molehills” features stage-diving. Another highlight, “Timmy in a Tizzy” revolves around little lamb Timmy, who's lost his teddy bear and won't stop crying until Shaun comes to the rescue with a makeshift toy. First introduced in 1995's Wallace & Gromit short A Close Shave, the character of Shaun the Sheep offers the same whimsical appeal as the fastidious inventor and his crafty mutt. Like many of the Aardman Animations entries, these stop-motion stories incorporate verbal sound effects and jaunty tunes, but no actual dialogue from the plasticene creatures, including the oblivious Farmer. Adults may appreciate the clever allusions to classic films and TV shows, like the Sergio Leone-style references in “Off the Baa!” and “Fleeced,” or the Errol Flynn-like swordplay in “Buzz Off Bees” (Shaun battles a swarm with a rolled-up newspaper). Airing to strong ratings on the Disney Channel, Shaun the Sheep will put a smile on the grumpiest of faces. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)