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Tuesday, 02 July 2024

Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series (Blu-ray Review)

  • Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
  • Review Date: Mar 04, 2024
  • Format: Blu-ray Disc
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Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series (Blu-ray Review)

Director

Various

Release Date(s)

2007-2024 (December 12, 2023)

Studio(s)

Aardman Animations (Shout! Kids/Shout! Studios)
  • Film/Program Grade: A
  • Video Grade: A-
  • Audio Grade: A-
  • Extras Grade: C+

Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

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Review

The global success of Aardman Animations’ Shaun the Sheep goes to further prove that when it comes to children’s programming, letting the adults in on the fun might not be the worst idea if you’re seeking long-term success. Many cartoon-based TV shows that air in places like Cartoon Network continue to gear toward kids with loud, colorful, chaotic characters, but leave everyone else in the room more or less numb or indifferent to it. In Shaun the Sheep, the characters are very distinct in that they never say a word to each other and things are slowed down enough with dry British witticism to allow everyone a chance to enjoy all of the varied farm-based antics.

Shaun and his adventures out in the countryside with the rest of his flock, as well as the soft-hearted guard dog Bitzer and the clueless Farmer, revolve around attempting to shake things up during mundane daily routines, whether it’s attempting to have a secret dance party, nabbing a pizza from the delivery boy, or playing a game of football with a rotten head of cabbage. Their almost covert attempts at having a good time without being seen by the Farmer or incurring the wrath of Bitzer makes for a vast array of hilarious circumstances and situations.

Shaun the Sheep’s animation style is also key to its success. Using a blend of stop-motion animation (or “claymation” for anyone forty or older) with a little digital assistance gives the world a soft, but realistic and thoroughly tactile aesthetic. It feels lived-in; everything is where it is for a reason, right down to the broken boards along the fence line, the hedgerows and the trees, and the rising hills in the distance. Shaun can occasionally tug at the old heartstrings as well, giving these three-dimensional sculptures a depth that audiences have latched onto across the globe.

Trying to actually watch the show has come at some expense and inconvenience. Being that the show continually jumps to and from different sub-licensors, networks, and platforms, it sometimes leaves long-time fans and newcomers having to go out of their way to seek it out. Thankfully, the show has some staying power on streaming and continues to be renewed, not to mention two wonderful films (Shaun the Sheep Movie and A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon), the lovely little spin-off Timmy Time, various specials and DVD releases, and an endless line of merchandise. In other words, it’s safe to say that Shaun the Sheep will be around for as long as the talented folks at Aardman are willing to occasionally check in with the fun and lovable characters at Mossy Bottom Farm.

The first series of Shaun the Sheep was originally produced in standard definition while the latter seasons, shorts, and specials were all rendered in high definition. For the Blu-ray release of The Complete Series, all forty episodes of the first series have been upscaled with a bitrate that hovers around 30Mbps, whereas the rest of the series and subsequent shorts and specials range from 30 to 40Mbps. These are some very healthy bitrates that do the show justice, capturing as much detail as possible in 16x9 and 1080p with excellent color and clarity. Tiny details have changed along the way, such as the title overlays for the first series, which have been re-created in higher quality. In the case of the debut episode, Off the Baa!, the exclamation point at the end is missing in action. It’s a nitpicky flaw at best as the show otherwise looks wonderful.

Audio for the first series is presented in 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio, while the remainder of the series and the subsequent specials and shorts are presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. This isn’t necessarily a show that attempts to wow you with dynamics, but both soundtracks offer plenty of much-needed fidelity, particularly the surround tracks which, as the series go on, get more and more active. Nothing is amiss here. Subtitles in English SDH are provided, but they’re hardly ever needed, for obvious reasons.

All 170 episodes of Shaun the Sheep: The Complete Series is spread across seven Blu-ray discs, and being that each episode is a little over seven minutes long, it allows for a large number of episodes per disc. The seventh disc contains the longform TV specials The Farmer’s Llamas and The Flight Before Christmas; the Mossy Bottom Shorts, which were previously available on Youtube; and the 1-minute Shaun the Sheep Championsheeps shorts, which aired on BBC Kids during the London 2012 Olympics. It's worth noting that Series 6 was presented on Netflix as two episodes in one, which have been split up here. This set also treats the series as a whole instead of dividing it up by individual seasons. Below are all of the episodes listed by series (season) per disc (as well as the extras):

DISC ONE (SERIES 1 – EPISODES 1-29)

  1. Off the Baa! (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  2. Bathtime (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  3. Shape Up With Shaun (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  4. Timmy in a Tizzy (Upscaled SD – 7:21)
  5. Scrumping (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  6. Still Life (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  7. Mower Mouth (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  8. Take Away (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  9. The Bull (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  10. Saturday Night Shaun (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  11. The Kite (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  12. Little Sheep of Horrors (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  13. Buzz Off Bees (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  14. Fleeced (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  15. Shaun Shoots the Sheep (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  16. Big Top Timmy (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  17. Fetching (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  18. Mountains Out of Molehills (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  19. Who’s the Mummy? (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  20. Things That Go Bump (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  21. Abracadabra (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  22. Sheep on the Loose (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  23. Washday (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  24. The Visitor (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  25. Shaun the Farmer (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  26. Tooth Fairy (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  27. Bitzer Puts His Foot in It (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  28. If You Can’t Stand the Heat (Upscaled SD – 7:21)

DISC TWO (SERIES 1 – EPISODES 30-40)

  1. Sheepwalking (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  2. Tidy Up (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  3. The Farmer’s Niece (Upscaled SD – 7:21)
  4. Camping Chaos (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  5. Helping Hound (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  6. Troublesome Tractor (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  7. Stick With Me (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  8. Heavy Metal Shaun (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  9. Snore-Worn Shaun (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  10. Save the Tree (Upscaled SD – 7:20)
  11. Shaun Encounters (Upscaled SD – 7:20)

DISC TWO (SERIES 2 – EPISODES 1-17)

  1. Double Troubles (HD – 7:20)
  2. Draw the Line (HD – 7:20)
  3. Sheepless Nights (HD – 7:20)
  4. Spring Lamb (HD – 7:20)
  5. Strictly No Dancing (HD – 7:20)
  6. Who’s the Caddy (HD – 7:20)
  7. Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow (HD – 7:20)
  8. Bagpipe Buddy (HD – 7:20)
  9. Supersize Timmy (HD – 7:20)
  10. Lock Out (HD – 7:20)
  11. Cheetah Cheater (HD – 7:20)
  12. Ewe’ve Been Framed (HD – 7:20)
  13. Bitzer’s New Hat (HD – 7:20)
  14. Hide and Squeak (HD – 7:20)
  15. Frantic Romantic (HD – 7:20)
  16. Everything Must Go (HD – 7:20)
  17. Party Animals (HD – 7:20)

DISC THREE (SERIES 2 – EPISODES 18-40)

  1. Cat Got Your Brain? (HD – 7:20)
  2. Two’s Company (HD – 7:20)
  3. In the Doghouse (HD – 7:20)
  4. The Boat (HD – 7:20)
  5. What’s Up, Dog? (HD – 7:20)
  6. Cock-a-Doodle, Shaun (HD – 7:20)
  7. Bitzer’s Basic Training (HD – 7:20)
  8. Chip Off the Old Block (HD – 7:20)
  9. Pig Trouble (HD – 7:20)
  10. Bitzer from the Black Lagoon (HD – 7:20)
  11. Zebra Ducks of the Serengeti (HD – 7:20)
  12. Whistleblower (HD – 7:20)
  13. The Big Chase (HD – 7:20)
  14. The Magpie (HD – 7:20)
  15. Operation Pidsley (HD – 7:20)
  16. Pig Swill Fly (HD – 7:20)
  17. Shirley Whirley (HD – 7:20)
  18. The Foxy Laddie (HD – 7:20)
  19. Shaun Goes Potty (HD – 7:20)
  20. An Ill Wind (HD – 7:20)
  21. Fireside Favourite (HD – 7:20)
  22. Snowed In (HD – 7:20)
  23. We Wish Ewe a Merry Christmas (HD – 7:20)

DISC THREE (SERIES 3 – EPISODES 1-5)

  1. The Stand Off (HD – 7:20)
  2. The Coconut (HD – 7:20)
  3. The Shepherd (HD – 7:20)
  4. You Missed a Bit (HD – 7:20)
  5. Let’s Spray (HD – 7:20)

DISC FOUR (SERIES 3 – EPISODES 6-20)

  1. The Crow (HD – 7:20)
  2. Shaun the Fugitive (HD – 7:20)
  3. Hard to Swallow (HD – 7:20)
  4. Mission Inboxible (HD – 7:20)
  5. Bye Bye, Barn (HD – 7:20)
  6. The Rounders Match (HD – 7:20)
  7. Film Night (HD – 7:20)
  8. Fossils (HD – 7:20)
  9. The Skateboard (HD – 7:20)
  10. The Piano (HD – 7:20)
  11. The Snapshot (HD – 7:20)
  12. Prickly Heat (HD – 7:20)
  13. The Hang Glider (HD – 7:20)
  14. Bull Vs Wool (HD – 7:20)
  15. The Shadow Play (HD – 7:20)

DISC FOUR (SERIES 4 – EPISODES 1-13)

  1. Cones (HD – 7:20)
  2. Caught Short Alien (HD – 7:20)
  3. Happy Birthday Timmy! (HD – 7:20)
  4. The Genie (HD – 7:20)
  5. 3DTV (HD – 7:20)
  6. The Smelly Farmer (HD – 7:20)
  7. DIY (HD – 7:20)
  8. The Rabbit (HD – 7:20)
  9. Prize Possession (HD – 7:20)
  10. The Spider (HD – 7:20)
  11. The Loony-Tic (HD – 7:20)
  12. Men at Work (HD – 7:20)
  13. The Dog Show (HD – 7:20)

DISC FIVE (SERIES 4 – EPISODES 14-30)

  1. Missing Piece (HD – 7:20)
  2. Wildlife Watch (HD – 7:20)
  3. The Pelican (HD – 7:20)
  4. Bad Boy (HD – 7:20)
  5. Remote Control (HD – 7:20)
  6. Phoney Farmer (HD – 7:20)
  7. Ground Hog Day (HD – 7:20)
  8. The Intruder (HD – 7:20)
  9. Bitzer for a Day (HD – 7:20)
  10. Bitzer’s Secret (HD – 7:20)
  11. Ping-Pong Poacher (HD – 7:20)
  12. Hidden Talents (HD – 7:20)
  13. Picture Perfect (HD – 7:20)
  14. Save the Dump (HD – 7:20)
  15. Duck (HD – 7:20)
  16. The Stare (HD – 7:20)
  17. Fruit & Nuts (HD – 7:20)

DISC FIVE (SERIES 5 – EPISODES 1-11)

  1. Out of Order (HD – 7:20)
  2. Karma Farmer (HD – 7:20)
  3. Spoilsport (HD – 7:21)
  4. Baa-d Hair Day (HD – 7:20)
  5. The Farmer’s Nephew (HD – 7:20)
  6. Babysitter Bitzer (HD – 7:20)
  7. Dodgy Lodger (HD – 7:20)
  8. Dangerous Deliveries (HD – 7:21)
  9. Timmy and the Dragon (HD – 7:20)
  10. Bitzer’s New Whistle (HD – 7:21)
  11. Turf Wars (HD – 7:21)

DISC SIX (SERIES 5 – EPISODES 12-20)

  1. A Prickly Problem (HD – 7:20)
  2. Wanted! (HD – 7:20)
  3. Rude Dude (HD – 7:20)
  4. Keeping the Peace (HD – 7:20)
  5. Happy Farmer’s Day (HD – 7:20)
  6. Checklist (HD – 7:20)
  7. Return to Sender (HD – 7:20)
  8. Cone of Shame (HD – 7:20)
  9. Sheep Farmer (HD – 7:20)

DISC SIX (SERIES 6 – EPISODES 1-20)

  1. Baa-gherita (HD – 7:20)
  2. Get Your Goat (HD – 7:20)
  3. Super Sheep (HD – 7:20)
  4. Space Bitzer (HD – 7:20)
  5. #farmstar (HD – 7:20)
  6. CSI Mossy (HD – 7:20)
  7. Squirrelled Away (HD – 7:20)
  8. Room With a View (HD – 7:20)
  9. Go Bitzer Go! (HD – 7:20)
  10. Prize Porker (HD – 7:20)
  11. Teddy Heist (HD – 7:20)
  12. Costume Drama (HD – 7:20)
  13. Express Delivery (HD – 7:20)
  14. Pond Life (HD – 7:20)
  15. Hot to Trotter (HD – 7:20)
  16. Box Fresh (HD – 7:20)
  17. Tour De Mossy Bottom (HD – 7:20)
  18. Sheep Sheep Goose (HD – 7:20)
  19. Pumpkin Peril (HD – 7:20)
  20. Farm Park (HD – 7:20)

DISC SEVEN (SPECIALS)

  • The Farmer’s Llamas (HD – 29:19)
  • The Flight Before Christmas (HD – 31:18)

DISC SEVEN (MOSSY BOTTOM SHORTS)

  1. The Picnic (HD – 1:18)
  2. Penalty!/Five a Side (HD – 1:18)
  3. Babysitting Timmy (HD – 1:18)
  4. Bitzer Over Easy (HD – 1:18)
  5. The Art Class/Duck Drawing (HD – 1:18)
  6. Sprout-Shooters (HD – 1:18)
  7. Members Only/Blaze Maze (HD – 1:18)
  8. Down the Loo (HD – 1:18)
  9. Story Time/Lights Out (HD – 1:18)
  10. Kite/Fly a Kite (HD – 1:18)
  11. Shaun Goes Old-School/Video Arcade (HD – 1:18)
  12. Shaun’s Bale Out/Hay Bale (HD – 1:18)
  13. Sheep Shoot Hoops/Basketball (HD – 1:18)
  14. Beware! Sheep Crossing/Stand Off (HD – 1:18)
  15. Lamb Salsa/Stomp (HD – 1:22)

DISC SEVEN (SHAUN THE SHEEP CHAMPIONSHEEPS)

  1. Relay (HD – 1:13)
  2. Shot Put (HD – 1:13)
  3. Synchronised Swimming (HD – 1:13)
  4. Ping Pong (HD – 1:13)
  5. Diving (HD – 1:13)
  6. Fencing (HD – 1:13)
  7. Gymnastics (HD – 1:13)
  8. Archery (HD – 1:13)
  9. Weightlifting (HD – 1:13)
  10. Steeplechase (HD – 1:13)
  11. Beach Volleyball (HD – 1:13)
  12. Hockey (HD – 1:13)
  13. Swimming (HD – 1:13)
  14. 100 Metre Dash (HD – 1:13)
  15. BMX (HD – 1:13)
  16. Rings (HD – 1:13)
  17. Hammer (HD – 1:13)
  18. Trampoline (HD – 1:13)
  19. Judo (HD – 1:13)
  20. Ribbon (HD – 1:13)
  21. Pole Vault (HD – 1:13)

Technically, as broad and encompassing as this release is, it’s not really The Complete Series. First and foremost, more episodes of the show are on their way, but there also are a few things missing. This includes the 3D versions of the Mossy Bottom Shorts, which were featured on the Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system, as well as the two films (the latter of which can be acquired easily). As for the show itself, Shaun the Sheep has been released on DVD by Lionsgate multiple times in the past with several episodes per disc, usually by theme, and some of which had minor extras like sing-alongs and mini-featurettes. Those haven’t been ported over either, nor have the interstitials between episodes on those DVDs, which contain exclusive Aardman Animations work.

Still, it’s nice to have a mostly complete compendium of Shaun the Sheep in one Blu-ray package, which is a first for US audiences. Perhaps a more robust release with even more episodes and extras will be released sometime down the road, but for now, this is a mighty fine stop along the way. If you’ve yet to give Shaun the Sheep a spin, now’s a better time than any. Highly recommended! (Now let’s get a complete series release of Timmy Time on DVD and Blu-ray while we’re at it!)

- Tim Salmons

(You can follow Tim on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook. And be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel here.)

 

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