Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth

Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth                                                                        3-19-24

This movie is about Trevor Anderson, a volcanologist with a deceased brother named Ben. When his nephew Sean comes over for the weekend, Trevor discovers notes in Ben’s copy of the book A Journey to the Center of the Earth, and the two set off to Iceland. They meet an Icelandic mountain guide named Hannah, who was also the daughter of fellow volcanologist Sigurbjorn Asgeirsson. Hannah points out that Ben was a Vernian, a person who believes whatever Jules Verne wrote was actually true. The three of them head to Mount Sneffels, which Verne believed could lead to the center of the Earth, propelling them into an adventure filled with mine carts, floating rocks, giant mushrooms, and even dinosaurs!

Journey to the Center of the Earth is best described as a better written Strange World: It may not be as good as Indiana Jones, but ‘Journey’ is still a solid film with lots of action, a decent score from Andrew Lockington, visual effects that have aged surprisingly well, and gorgeous sets for the movie’s small 60-million-dollar budget.

Trevor, Sean, and Hannah at the world within the world.

What makes this movie unique for its time was that it was originally released in stereoscopic 3D (which was a fad at the time), and you can see that the filmmakers had a lot of fun playing around with 3D effects.

A 3D model of a razorfish in the movie.

If I were to complain about one thing, I feel that the characters aren’t that interesting. I guess that’s a curse that comes with movies featuring a Brendan Fraser.

In conclusion, even though it’s not the best family movie out there, Journey to the Center of the Earth is still a lot of fun. For those who were disappointed by Strange World, give this movie a shot.

Rating: 3.4 stars out of 5

PS. I changed the rating of Strange World to 3 stars. Sorry, Disney. Perhaps you should green-light more interesting projects like My Peoples or Gigantic.

The Animal Show- Clownfish and Oxpecker Part 2

Jake: And now, let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen with Yves St. La Roche.

Stinky: Speaking of which, I want to see if I can help him. (runs off to find Yves)

(cuts to Yves in his kitchen)

Yves: Bonjour, bonjour little animals out there! Today, we will be making… (Stinky arrives in the kitchen)

Stinky: Hi, Yves.

Yves: What are you doing here?

Stinky: I want to help around to be symbiotic.

Yves: You’re just in luck, since today, we are making a symbiotic sandwich! First, we grab two slices of wheat bread. (Stinky grabs two slices of bread and gives them to Yves)

Stinky: Here you go!

Yves: This is white bread. I need WHEAT bread! Wheat bread is a darker color.

Stinky: Sorry. (gives Yves two slices of wheat bread)

Yves: Thank you. Now, we need tomato slices. (Stinky gives Yves potatoes) These are potatoes. Tomatoes are red, potatoes are brown.

Stinky: I’m a skunk. I have poor vision, but here you go. (gives Yves tomatoes)

Yves: Now, we need lettuce. (Stinky gives Yves lettuce) Then, some turkey. (Stinky gives Yves a live chicken) This is a chicken!

Stinky: I’m sorry. (the chicken flies off) The only experience I had in the kitchen was helping mom with groceries.

Yves: If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself! (grabs turkey slices and provolone cheese, grabs the other ingredients, and quickly makes a sandwich) There, a symbiotic sandwich!

Stinky: Looks like a regular sandwich to me.

Yves: It is a regular sandwich, but it is healthy with all five food groups.

Stinky: I better get going. (walks off to see Jake)

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, all the way from Africa…

Stinky: Africa.

Jake: Give it up for Kusai the Oxpecker!

Kusai: Jambo, Stinky. Jambo, Jake.

Stinky: Jambo?

Kusai: That’s Swahili for hello.

Jake: It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kusai. You’re called an oxpecker because you stand on oxen, right?

Kusai: Correct, though we also take rides on zebras, impalas, hippos, rhinos, and giraffes. Here, take a look!

Those are my parents, hitching a ride on a zebra.

Stinky: How do you help the zebra?

Kusai: We eat bugs and arachnids that may harm our hosts, such as ticks, botflies, and mosquitoes. Here, my wife Nala is eating fleas off of a kudu.

Stinky: Wow, that must be cool!

Kusai: However, we may overstay our welcome and start picking at certain areas so much that we may infect wounds and scars!

Stinky: Yikes. Good thing skunks don’t need oxpeckers.

Kusai: I may not be a songbird, but can I sing a song for you guys?

Jake: Sure. And now, here’s Kusai singing ‘The Oxpecker Song’.

Kusai: Have you heard of a bird

Some call the Rhino’s Guard?

We stand on the backs

Of mammals we regard

Symbiosis is the name

Of the friendship we share 

Both benefitting from each other

Our relationship isn’t rare

Many animals treat each other 

With this same respect

For it makes both lives better

And has a positive effect

We oxpeckers lives in Africa

The land of Sahara and grass

Picking parasites and bugs

Off of another animal’s……….. backs!

Jake: Very nice. Anyway, here are Bunnie and Armstrong with the Animal Award!

Bunnie: Today, the award… (Stinky runs into the room)

Stinky: Can I help host today’s Animal Award?

Bunnie: Sure thing, Stinky! Today, the award for the most colorful fish! Could it be… the Moorish idol?

Armstrong: The mandarinfish?

Stinky: The regal tang?

Bunnie: Or the queen angelfish?

And the winner is, the mandarinfish!

Stinky: Wow, that is a colorful fish! Maybe he could be a guest star one of these days.

Jake: Come on, Stinky! You’re gonna miss today’s story!

Stinky: I don’t want to miss that! (runs over to see Jake) What’s the story about today, Jake?

Jake: It’s about a bird called the plover, and he’s also symbiotic. Want to hear the tale?

Stinky: Do I ever!

Jake: Okay. “Once upon a time in Egypt, there was a plover named Ktari. She was flying across the Nile River, until one day, she noticed a crocodile in pain. ‘Ow, ow, ow!’ Bellowed the crocodile. ‘I have an ache in my teeth!’ ‘Is that all?’ Asked Ktari. ‘I’ll help you with that. Open your mouth, and I’ll clean your teeth.’ The crocodile opened his mouth, and Ktari pecked at his teeth until every last germ was gone. ‘Thank you so much, little bird!’ Thanked the crocodile. ‘How could I ever repay you?’ ‘Maybe I could live with you.’ Said Ktari. ‘I used to have a nest, but then a giraffe ate it.’ ‘That’s horrible.’ Said the crocodile. ‘You can live with me. Besides, I need someone to watch over my teeth in case I get them dirty again.’ And so, Ktari decided to live with the crocodile, and they lived happily ever after. The end.”

Stinky: That was a good story, Jake. Was I being symbiotic by helping out with the show?

Jake: For the most part, yes. But next time, you should ask first.

(cut to Armstrong and Bunnie in front of the habitat door)

Bunnie: Okay, Armstrong. It’s Habitat Time! Today, we’re going to Kenya. That’s in Africa.

Armstrong: If I had a quarter for every time we went to Africa, I’d have enough to buy three Choccy Hawkies.

Bunnie: But Armstrong! At least 71 animal species that have appeared on our show have homes in Africa.

Armstrong: 71?! Africa must be a popular place.

Bunnie: It is, Armstrong. (opens the door) Let’s go!

Here we are in the Grasslands in Kenya. Here, we have zebras, buffalo, a gazelle, and a baboon.

Armstrong: Why is that zebra rolling around in the dirt?

Bunnie: This helps rub off dead skin and remove parasites, such as fleas and ticks.

Armstrong: Maybe he should wear a flea collar.

That looks like a rhino.

Bunnie: That is a rhino! Rhinos once flourished throughout Africa, Asia, and even Europe, but humans have been killing them for Centuries to rip off their horns to sell them for money.

Armstrong: That’s horrible!

Bunnie: It is, Armstrong. It’s gotten so bad that some rhinos have to have their horns cut off to discourage poachers.

Armstrong: That looks like Swifty.

Bunnie: Swifty?

Armstrong: He was a cheetah in an older episode.

Bunnie: That’s not a cheetah- That’s a leopard!

Armstrong: What’s the difference?

Bunnie: Cheetahs are taller and slender in build compared to a leopard, which is stronger and bulkier. Also, cheetahs and leopards have different-looking spots.

Armstrong: Finally, some birds!

Bunnie: This is a weaverbird. They build nests shaped like little balls that they live in.

Armstrong: I spotted an elephant. Want a peanut?

Bunnie: Armstrong! Wild elephants don’t eat peanuts. They eat grass, fruit, leaves, bark, twigs, and roots.

Armstrong: With all that food, good thing it knows how to back its trunk! (laughs)

Bunnie: And here is a monitor lizard.

Armstrong: A monster lizard?

Bunnie: Monitor lizard, like hall monitor. These are some of the largest lizards in the world, with Nile monitors being seven feet long!

Armstrong: Watch out! Humans are the most dangerous animals out there! My cousin has a couple thousand of them living near his home.

Bunnie: Don’t worry, Armstrong. Humans in Kenya care about the environment, and some even feed the local animals. This human, for example, is throwing a fish at an eagle.

Armstrong: I wish I was an eagle in Africa, then I would have the luxury treatment.

Bunnie: Sorry Armstrong, but we have to get going. We’ve been in Kenya long enough.

(Bunnie and Armstrong leave Kenya and head back to the Animal Show studio)

For Habitat Time, it’s Bunnie Bear-

Armstrong: And Armstrong the chickenhawk.

Bunnie: Just back from Kenya.

(Tizzy flies around Stinky and Jake again)

Tizzy: Quiz time!

Jake: And what’s the quiz this time?

Tizzy: Well, here it is! (cuts to the screen below)

Which of these birds also lives in Africa? The cockatoo, the emu, or the hornbill? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(Cuts to Stinky and Jake trying to answer the question)

Stinky: I believe it’s the emu.

Jake: Stinky, emus live in Australia. Hornbills live in Africa. We had one as a guest before!

Tizzy: You’re actually right! There are five different kinds of hornbills found in Africa, such as this southern ground hornbill. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Jake: Thanks for the quiz, Tizzy. That's all the time we have today, and until next time, keep seeing the world through the eyes of animals. Bye!

Author's Notes: I don't know if Owen the hippo had a calf, but I imagine he would.

Kusai's wife IS NOT named after Nala from The Lion King; Nala just happens to be Swahili for 'queen'.

I did the math, and at least 71 of the Animal Show guest stars so far (including official and unofficial) have homes in Africa.

I'd like to thank my sister Angela for writing The Oxpecker Song. I was in a real slump that day.

Swifty the Cheetah was a character featured in the Animal Show episode 'Cheetah and Gazelle', in which he and Tommy (a Thompson's gazelle) demonstrated predator and prey. Luckily, Tommy didn't end up getting eaten.

Jake was right: There was a hornbill on The Animal Show before with Hortense the Hornbill, who appeared in the episode "Hornbill and Woodpecker".

Well, that's it for the first half of my Animal Show reboot season. Very soon, I will finally share with you my next Pokemon Region, Pinghei!

The Animal Show- Clownfish and Oxpecker Part 1

Stinky and Jake: Here on the Animal Show.

Here on the Animal Show.

Here on the Animal Show!

Bunnie Bear: From under the ocean, over the clouds, and around the world…

Armstrong the Chickenhawk: Here comes the wild side of wild life.

Bunnie: The Animal Show!

Armstrong: And now, let’s have a wild welcome for your furry friends-

Bunnie: Stinky and Jake!

Stinky and Jake: Now it’s The Animal Show!

Jake: Hello, all you animals out there!

Stinky: I’m Stinky.

Jake: And I’m Jake. And today, we are going to meet the clownfish and the oxpecker, both of which are animals that are symbiotic.

Stinky: What does symbiotic mean?

Jake: Symbiosis, Stinky. It’s when two animals help each other out. For example, a suckerfish may attach itself to a shark to eat the parasites that may harm the shark.

Stinky: Would it be symbiotic for me if I helped around with the show?

Jake: I guess, but we really don’t need your help. (Stinky runs off anyway to the next scene)

Armstrong: And now, it’s time for…

Bunnie and Stinky: That’s amazing!

Bunnie: Stinky, what are you doing here?

Stinky: I’m gonna pop up from time to time to help out with the show.

Bunnie: We’d appreciate it very much! Anyway, for today’s That’s Amazing, we look at an unusual friendship between a hippo and a tortoise: Owen and Mzee!

Stinky: How do they help each other?

Bunnie: Not much, but they have become great friends. Twenty years ago, Owen was separated from his herd by a storm, but humans adopted him, and he immediately bonded with a tortoise named Mzee.

Armstrong: Why is he called Mzee?

Bunnie: Mzee is Swahili for ‘old man’.

Stinky: Are they still friends?

Bunnie: Humans aren’t sure, but from what I heard, I heard he had a calf with another hippo named Cleo.

Armstrong: Now that’s something that will make you say…

Jake: That’s amazing! But where’s Stinky? (Stinky runs back to join Jake)

Stinky: Here I am! And now, from the tropical oceans of the world, here is our first guest Clarence the Clownfish!

(Bunnie carries over Clarence in a glass of water)

Clarence: Hi, Stinky. Hi, Jake.

Jake: I thought clownfish were orange with white stripes.

Clarence: Not all clownfish are orange. Others come in black, red, and white.

Stinky: How are clownfish symbiotic with other animals?

Clarence: Just look at the screen.

Stinky: What’s that clownfish doing in that plant?

Clarence: That’s no plant- That’s an anemone.

Stinky: What’s an anemone?

Jake: They’re like jellyfish, but they stay in one place.

Stinky: You live in a JELLYFISH?! But don’t you get stung?

Clarence: No, because we’re protected by a special mucus.

Stinky: Mucus? Yuck!

Jake: Stinky, frogs have mucus.

Stinky: Oh. I knew that. How do enemies help clownfish?

Clarence: Well, the anemone provides us with protection and shelter, while we provide nutrition in the form of waste.

Jake: So, that means if a predator tries to eat you from inside the anemone, it will get stung?

Clarence: Correct! We also scare away fish that may eat anemones, such as butterfly fish. We clownfish can be very aggressive.

Stinky: Really? Then try biting my finger.

Clarence: Okay, but you’ll be sorry. (Stinky places his finger in the jar, only for Clarence to bite it)

Stinky: Ow!

Clarence: Told ya! Can Bunnie take me back to the ocean? I’m homesick.

Jake: Sure. And while we wait for Bunnie, here’s another edition of…

Jake and Stinky: Baby talk!

Ant 1: Why do we have to take care of these nymphs? They’re not even ants!

Ant 2: Their droppings taste just like honey! That way, we don’t have to bother the bees.

Ant 2: Maybe I was taking you for granted. Besides, you’re cuter than my own children!

(later)

Leafhopper nymph: Who are you? Are you a leafhopper?

Ant 3: We’re ants, and your, eh, gifts, are nutritious to us. C’mon, Anthony!

Leafhopper nymph: This is embarrassing. Time to take out my secret weapon.

Anthony: You didn’t tell me he had a dew gland. That’s it! Let’s hunt a worm or something.

Tizzy the Bee: Hi, everyone! Time for a quiz! (cuts to the screen below)

How do gobies help snapping shrimp? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(Tizzy flies back to Stinky and Jake, who are having a hard time finding the answer)

Jake: Since you’re being the helper today, why don’t you help answer Tizzy’s quiz.

Stinky: I already forgot the question.

Tizzy: Maybe you should hear the question again. (flies back to the previous screen) How do gobies help snapping shrimp? The goby helps watch for animals that eat shrimp. Bee-lieve it!

Snapping shrimp are great diggers, but they have poor eyesight. Luckily, the goby has good eyesight, and it helps the shrimp serve as a bodyguard. When the shrimp finishes digging the hole, it shares it with the goby. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Ton be continued in Part 2...

The Animal Show- Tuatara and Salamander Part 2

Jake: And now, let’s see what’s cooking in the kitchen with Yves St. La Roche.

(cuts to Yves in his kitchen)

Yves: Bonjour, bonjour little animals out there! Today, we will make fly soup. First, you need soup. Easy, no? (grabs a can of soup and pours it into a bowl) Now, we wait for flies. (flies soon fly around the soup) Look, flies. Now, we need to trap them. (places a small dome over the bowl) There. Simple, no? Now, we bring this to our next guest, who I’ve been told is a salamander, which eats flies.

(cuts back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, from the swamps of the world…

Stinky: World.

Jake: Give it up for Ned the Salamander!

Stinky: Wow, you’re huge!

Ned: I know. I’m a Japanese giant salamander. (Yves runs over to give Ned his soup)

Yves: Here you go! Fly soup. (takes off the dome, only for the flies to fly off and laugh)

Jake: Sorry to see your lunch fly away.

Ned: That’s okay. I’ll still have the soup! (eats the soup while Yves walks off)

Stinky: You have legs like a frog, and a tail like a fish. That means you’re not a lizard.

Ned: Of course, not. We’re amphibians!

Jake: Tell us more about giant salamanders, Ned!

Ned: Glad to.

We normally need to live in water at all costs, but if necessary, we can walk on land. While other animals have two lungs, giant salamanders only have one.

Stinky: One lung?! That must be tough. Can we see more salamander species?

Ned: Sure!

This is a mole salamander. He’s called that because he likes to dig burrows.

Here’s my cousin from Iberia, the gold-striped salamander. You can guess what it’s named after.

Stinky: The gold stripe on his back?

Ned: Correct!

And this is my blind cousin from Europe, the olm.

Stinky: Blind? Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.

Ned: Not really blind, but their eyes are underdeveloped due to living in caves their whole lives. It makes up for it with a strong sense of smell and hearing.

And finally, here’s some newts, which is what many people think is a separate species.

Jake: So, that means newts are a type of salamander?

Ned: Correct! Before I leave, can I sing a song to encourage those tadpoles out there?

Stinky: Can I join, too? I have a washboard I got from my beaver friend Harvey.

Jake: Alright, Stinky. And now, here’s Ned singing ‘Take the First Step’ with Stinky and Armstrong as backup singers.

Ned: Tadpoles, get your chins up. It could be worse.

You could have your feet stuck down in the Earth!

But I don’t see roots growing from your toes.

Just four stubby little feet, and they’re revving to go!

Armstrong and Stinky: Take the first step!

Ned: And soon, you will see

Just how brave your heart can be!

Come on up to the sky and take that first step!

Stinky: And kiss those fears goodbye!

Ned: Destiny is calling, so listen up please!

And you can hear the rhythm down deep in your knees.

One foot, then the other, your journey has begun.

And before you even know it, you're ready to run!

Armstrong and Stinky: Take the first step!

Ned: And soon, you will see

Just how brave your heart can be!

Come on up to the sky and take that first step!

Stinky: And kiss those fears goodbye!

Ned: Now that you’re on land, life is a breeze

You can jump and swim anywhere that you please!

Just remember that you need to keep your skin wet

And you also don’t want to end up as a human’s pet!

Armstrong and Stinky: Take the first step!

Ned: And soon, you will see

Just how brave your heart can be!

Come on up to the sky and take that first step

Stinky: And kiss those fears goodbye!

(Bunnie walks over and sees Armstrong singing)

Bunnie: Come on, Armstrong. We need to host the Animal Awards!

Armstrong: Alright. Let’s get over to the counter.

Bunnie: Today’s Animal Award goes to the animal that has been on Earth the longest! Could it be… the horseshoe crab?

Armstrong: The nautilus?

Bunnie: The sea sponge?

Armstrong: Or the coelacanth?

Bunnie: And the winner is… the sea sponge, which has been on this planet for 760 million years!

Armstrong: 760 million years?!? How long have hawks been around?

Bunnie: A few million years.

(cut back to Stinky and Jake)

Jake: And now, it’s time for a story. Today, it’s about a quail and a turkey.

Stinky: Are they examples of convergent evolution?

Jake: Yes, as a matter of fact. It's about two different birds, but they ultimately become good friends. "Once upon a time in California, there was a quail named Quincy. Quincy was shy and didn't like to make friends, but one day, a very social turkey named Tammy found Quincy sitting on a rock. 'Why are you all alone?' She asked Quincy. 'Birds of a feather flock together! 'Go away.' Said Quincy. 'I want to be alone.' 'No one should live alone! Come on and join my group!' Since Tammy was bigger than Quincy, she grabbed Quincy with her beak and placed her on her back. 'Next stop is who knows where!' Tammy exclaimed as she rejoined her flock. 'Who's that on your back?' Asked John Turkey, the leader of Tammy's flock. 'A turkey chick?' 'No, it's my new friend Quincy! He's a quail who was alone by himself, so I decided to make him my friend.' 'As long as he doesn't eat turkeys,' Said John. 'Then he's welcome to join our flock! Lunch time, everyone!' The turkeys dropped to the ground and started digging for worms. 'What are you doing?' Asked Quincy. 'We're digging for worms. Birds love to eat worms.' 'Worms? Yuck!' Said Quincy. 'I'm strictly a vegetarian. That means I eat plants, like seeds, leaves, and bulbs.' Suddenly, Quincy saw something that caught his eye. 'There's a dandelion on the ground.' 'A mountain lion?!' The other turkeys misheard. 'Run for your lives!' As the turkeys ran off, Quincy walked towards the dandelion and ate it. 'You don't have to be chicken.' He said. 'There is no mountain lion.' As the turkeys walked back, they realized that the 'mountain lion' was gone. 'Huzzah!' They cheered. 'Quincy defeated the mountain lion!' Tammy put Quincy back on her back and she started talking again. 'You know, I think we'll make the best of friends.' And so, Quincy became more social with the turkeys, and they all lived happily ever after. The end."

Stinky: That was a good story, Jake, though a little long. Don't the turkeys know the difference between a mountain lion and a dandelion?

Jake: To put it simply, Stinky, turkeys are four cents short of a nickel.

(cut to Bunnie and Armstrong in front of the habitat door)

Bunnie: Okay, Armstrong. It’s Habitat Time! Today, we’re going to New Zealand!

Armstrong: New Zealand? Where is that?

Bunnie: A few miles away from Australia.

Armstrong: So, we’re going to Australia?

Bunnie: Despite being next to Australia, the two countries aren’t affiliated with each other. In fact, the humans of New Zealand are closer related to those from Hawaii than Australia!

Armstrong: How about that?

Bunnie: (opens the door) Let’s go!

Even though it’s not as popular as Brazil, Africa, or Australia, New Zealand still has a unique variety of animals.

Armstrong: I thought penguins only live in the South Pole.

Bunnie: There are, in fact, some penguins found outside of Antarctica. This yellow-eyed penguin is native to only New Zealand, and is rather rare.

Armstrong: Hey, that looks like Toby!

Bunnie: That’s because it is! Tuataras have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, yet they remained unchanged. They also have a third eye on top of their heads.

Armstrong: A third eye? I don’t see an extra eye.

Bunnie: That’s because only hatchlings have visible third eyes.

Armstrong: I didn’t know there are seals in New Zealand.

Bunnie: There are, in fact. These are New Zealand fur seals, otherwise known as kekono. They were hunted by humans, but they’re now a protected species.

Armstrong: Good thing I only eat mice and poultry.

I see a lizard!

Bunnie: That’s an otago skink. Skinks are lizards found throughout New Zealand, and otago skinks are the rarest of them all.

And last, but not least, a kiwi!

Armstrong: You mean like Clive?

Bunnie: Exactly! Even though they have no wings, kiwis still thrive by digging holes in the ground. Kiwis are so iconic that humans call themselves kiwis!

Armstrong: Does that mean kiwis call themselves humans? (wetas chirp)

Bunnie: I don’t think they thought it was funny, Armstrong. Besides, we have to go home.

(Bunnie and Armstrong leave New Zealand and head back to the Animal Show studio)

Bunnie: For Habitat Time, it’s Bunnie Bear-

Armstrong: And Armstrong the chickenhawk.

Bunnie: Just back from New Zealand.

(Tizzy flies around Stinky and Jake again)

Tizzy: Tizzy here! Time for a quiz! (cuts to the screen below)

Can a tuatara grow back its tail when cut off? Give it a think. Back in a buzz!

(cut back to Stinky and Jake, who are having a hard time finding the answer)

Stinky: I think tuataras can grow back their tails. We had guests like that before!

Jake: I don’t think so, Jake. There are reptiles that cannot grow back their tails.

Tizzy: Maybe you should hear the question again. (flies back to the previous screen) Can tuataras grow back their tails? The answer is yes, but it takes a long time. Bee-lieve it, because it’s true!

Jake: Thanks for the quiz, Tizzy. That's all the time we have today, and until next time, keep seeing the world through the eyes of animals. Bye!

Author's Notes: The song that Ned sings, Take the First Step, was actually taken from the Sesame Street movie The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. However, the lyrics were tweaked a little to fit in line with The Animal Show.

Take the First Step Elmo - YouTube

There actually was a kiwi on The Animal Show before: Clive the Kiwi, and his puppet was recycled from Lindbergh on The Jim Henson Hour. Lindbergh was best described as Beauregard from The Muppet Show as a kiwi.

For those unfamiliar, wetas are a type of cricket found in New Zealand. While other crickets have wings, wetas don't have any. Weta Workshop, Peter Jackson's visual effects company, is named after this insect.

Stinky getting a washboard from a beaver named Harvey is a nod to Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, a 1977 Muppet special that I strongly recommend watching every Christmas.

Next week, you'll learn all about symbiosis when the guest stars are a clownfish and an oxpecker!