Die Dinos

Just like my favorite romance movie, the Princess Bride, or even Rocky and Bullwinkle for that matter, here's a show that's clearly written for two completely different audiences- the kids that love them, and the parents that watch with them. If you want the most cutting example of this, watch the Dinosaurs episode in which a Barney-like animal (a Hippo, if I remember right?)hosts a daytime TV kiddie show, but he's really a manipulative bad guy when the TV cameras are off. Throw in the French Resistance, complete with horrible Clouseau-like frrrrench accents, and, well, you get the idea. Absurdist humor at it's best. I guarantee you'll laugh at this one.

One other noteworthy episode is the last one- it appears that they knew that the show was cancelled, so they put together a parting shot; very different in tone from the rest of the series. Thank goodness this series FINALLY came out on DVD. Now I can throw all those videotapes away.

Watch this with your kids, if you have any. In the words of Baby dinosaur, "AGAIN!!!!!"

Dinosaurs is one of my all time favorite comedy shows. Especially the baby (I'm the baby, gotta love me!) is great! The best episode is the one in which the baby turns 2 years old and he becomes out of control. Earl and Fran call the babysitter and what follows is one of the best parodies I've ever seen along with Eekpocalypse Now from the Eek the Cat show (but you gotta have seen 'the Exorcist' for this one). 'The power of rice compels you!'

See it and see it again... and again... and again. (Even the re-runs are funny as hell!)

Our dinosaur family are as follows Earl, a megalosaurus. Earls name I'd always heard as Earl Sneath Sinclair (not Sneed as the trivia says). Fran (who we didn't know if she had a middle name), Robbie (Robert Mark Sinclair), Charlene (no, no middle name there either) and Baby Sinclair (who was originally named Argh, argh, I'm Dying you idiot Sinclair). Family friends Roy Hess a t-Rex, Monica Devertaborough (some sort of diplodocus or bronotsaurus). Other people included Ethel Phillips (Fran's mum) and B.P. Richfield (earl's boss, a triceratops who seems to be a carnivore). Howard Handupme (a TV presenter of news), Spike (school bully & friend to Robbie), Mister Lizard ( a science presenter) and Timmy (who Mister Lizard kills in every episode, WE LOVE IT!)

The family are like a Dinosaur version of The Simpsons only funnier and more entertaining with actual messages in their shows.

Jim Henson only created 65 episodes which was enough to put the show into syndication in the US.

The show was and is still well loved if you go by the amount of interest all Henson Dinosaurs ebay sales create. I own all the videos that were released in the Uk. I was annoyed to see there were holiday specials that never made it to VHS and will have to wait until there is ever an official DVD release.

This was an excellent show and provided me with many afternoons of entertainment and still does. I can still watch the video's and enjoy them on many levels especially "Ask Mister Lizard" which I love and think should have got it's own show.

RELEASE THE WHOLE THING ON DVD, PLEASE?

This show is hilarious! Whether it's Baby hitting Earl with a frying pan while saying, "Not the mama!" or Robbie accidentally becoming leader of a gang, or Charlene and Fran having another discussion about money... ...this is a show that was guaranteed to make me laugh out loud. People say it's a ripoff of the Simpsons. Well, in my view it's BETTER than the Simpsons.

And then the stupid TV execs decide to give it the axe. Grrrr! But it had one of the best and most heart-tugging final episodes of any TV series.

In fact, the time is right for a new series, in my view...

This show was fantastic, really funny with the baby being the funniest character, he was always hitting Earl Sinclair on the the head with a frying pan and saying "Not the Mamma". Its just a shame the cancelled it and you can't get the videos anymore.