Rolie Olie Polie - Gotcha [VHS]

Rolie, Polie, Olie--Gotcha is an inventive and stimulating ninety-six minute double-video pack aimed at the under fives. Created by the renowned American author and illustrator William Joyce, the series "Rolie, Polie, Olie" won a 2001 Emmy award for its 3-D computer-generated cartoons and has become a popular fixture on America's Disney Channel and Britain's Channel 5.

Each video contains six episodes and features a traditional 1950's family with a difference--Mr and Mrs Polie, the hero Olie, baby sister Zowie and Grandfather Pappy are all round robots with thin springy arms and legs, antennae and large expressive eyes. Their happy and colourful planet has perpetual blue skies, where everything from the cat flap to their teapot-house is alive.

The storylines are simple, centring on an affectionate family and their everyday dramas. Olie is mischievous and good-natured with modern, upbeat linguistic skills as demonstrated in "Gotcha" where he is searching for Pappy's escaped false teeth--"the jumpers that love to munch a bunch". Zowie represents toddlerhood in her attempts to combat the night-time "Boogie-Bot" monster and the frustration of being small. The stories are always cheerful, with an innocent charm. Attention to detail, an excellent sound track and quirky humour all play an important part in making the videos so captivating. Uncle Gizmo (the robot with an Elvis quiff), the scene with furniture swaying to 1930s music and the family's Springy Chicken dance should not be missed. Overall, it's a real treat for preschoolers. --Tracey Hogan