Veggie Tales: The Wonderful Wizard of Ha's

Larry the Cucumber has a problem. He's broken something of his dad's. In fact, he's considering running away from home so he doesn't have to face his dad. Fortunately, Bob the Tomato has a solution for him, our story for this episode.

In Kansas, Darby (Jr. Asparagus) is bored with life on his father's floss farm. He wants to go to Ha's, an amusement park in the area. When his father says they can't go, Darby runs away with his pig, er dog, Tutu. But before he gets far, he is swept up and taken to Munchieland. From there, he sets out to follow Yellow McToad to Ha's, along the way making friends with a Scarecrow (Mr. Lunt), a Tin Man (Larry the Cucumber), and a Lion (Pa Grape). But what will happen when he runs out of money? Will his father forgive him?

We also get a new silly song, "Monkey." By the time it is over, you will definitely know the difference between a monkey and an ape. Just don't take it as far as Larry does.

I guessed that Phil Vischer wrote this episode, and I was right. This is an absolutely hilarious show. Many of the jokes will probably go over the heads of the intended audience. In fact, they will go over the heads of anyone who hasn't seen the movie version of Wizard of Oz. Even the songs are spoofs of the songs from that movie. But if you have seen the film, the puns will constantly crack you up. There is only the one story in this episode, but trust me, there's enough going on for 50 minutes. They even introduce a few potential new characters.

Even with the spoof of Oz, the story also tells the story of the Prodigal Son. Not sure how that works? Trust me, the two actually work very well together. And the ultimate moral is that God loves us very much. Nothing new for the Veggies, but a great new way to remind us.

So if you're like me and anxiously await every video the VeggieCrew gives us, rest assured you will love this installment.

So, can I just tell you that the Veggie Tales Rock? We just recently purchased this DVD and my kids, 6, 4, & 2 have watched it no less than 50 times. We've traveled between states the last two weeks, and the kids watched this in the car. The second this DVD is over my kids yell, CAN YOU START IT AGAIN? I am telling you, they watch it 3 or 4 times in a row. I have only heard it while driving and have not even been able to watch it, yet, and I laugh the whole way through. They jokes are so funny, and my kids don't even realize where they come from, ('Tin man. Rusted!') So funny!
I personally am not uber-religious, but I am determined to raise my childred to be good people, and always to be kind and think about the consequences of their actions, and effects on others, and these videos each have several good lessons in them that the kids don't even realize they are learning. We also have some really good conversations about WHY things are happening in the movies, which sparks my kids to think, which is always my main goal. The Veggie Tales movies do that. They teach kindness and understanding, and my kids really think about what is happening and why, even my two year old has verbally expressed positive messages from the movies.
I can't say enough about these movies. These are a definite buy. If you have young children and are looking for another way to help them understand the importance of kindness towards others, and any other life lessons, these are excellent tools...and funnier than heck for you to watch, too.
And for the less 'religious' types, but 'I am still a good person' types, like myself, who have found themselves a little lost in the whole religion shuffle, you should know that these are not sickly 'dripping' with religous gobbledy gook.(No offense to any religions, people, or races here, whatsoever!) But these DVDs have simple lessons, with a bible verse thrown in at the end that actually help in the undertanding, in a very nonthreatening, non pushy way - and trust me, if it was pushy, I would feel it...
As I said before, my children are 6, 4, & 2, and they all love this DVD enough to watch over and over, literally, once it ends, they watch it again. I highly recommend this DVD, and I hope this review was helpful!

In this latest story from the people at Big Idea, the VeggieTale gang takes on the parable of the prodigal son by parodying THE WIZARD OF OZ. At the beginning of the segment, Larry is fretting about having broken his father's toy water buffalo and what his reaction will be. Later Bob reads a letter from a viewer who is afraid that God will no longer love him because of the things he has done in life. Thus Bob begins the tale of THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF HA'S. The story follows young Darby O'Gill (another shout out to the folks at Disney) as portrayed by Junior Asparagus. Darby lives on a dental floss farm with his father. Times have been tough and they are having difficulties bringing in the crop. Darby really wants to go to a new amusement park that has just opened up, The Land of Ha's. His father explains that they just don't have the money. Darby insists that he can go with the money that his father has been saving for him, but his father reminds Darby that that money is for his future. Feeling alone and deprived, Darby takes the money and sneaks out of the house with his pet pig, Tutu. As they make their way to the park, a Kansas tornado comes through. They seek shelter in a small trailer that is lifted off the ground by the twister. After a flying cow and Mary Poppins fly by, the trailer eventually crashes in a world that looks like the board game Candy Land. It is Munchy Land. Greeted by the Munchies and the fairy Splenda Sweet (Madame Blueberry), Darby and Tutu set out to visit the Land of Ha's by following a giant Scottish amphibian, Yellow McToad. Only the way they meet a scarecrow (Mr. Lunt), a tin man (Larry), and a lion (Grandpa Grape). The strange entourage makes its way through a field of puppies until they reach the Land of Ha's and meet the Wizard (Archibald Asparagus). They ride the rides and eat the junk food and have a great time. But frivolities don't last if you don't have the cash, as Darby and his friends soon discover and Darby finds himself at the bottom of a garbage dump.

The main story is broken up by a Silly Song with Larry. The song is entitled "If It Doesn't Have a Tail, It's Not a Monkey." It involves Larry and Bob on a jungle sight-seeing trip looking for monkeys and not apes.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable VeggieTales episode. This is only one of two VeggieTales that Phil Vischer, co-creator of VeggieTales has written since loosing the rights to VeggieTales a few years ago to bankruptcy. Vischer always did write good material with stories that flowed smoothly. THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF HA'S is another great example of this. Including the intermission of the Silly Song with Larry, THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF HA'S clocks in near fifty minutes. Stick around through the credits for a bonus of Mr. Lunt singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." A great video for children and for fans of VeggieTales, especially those who like THE WIZARD OF OZ.