Here is the first review for a Sooty episode in ages. Mainly because
writing my type of Sooty Reviews take time to write but i promise
more will be on the way Starting with the First Season of Sooty & Co
and then the two episodes of Year 52 of Sooty.
So this is my review of 'Moving In' and please discuss what you
think of the review, do you agree the episode rating of 9 out of 10
and what is your comments on the first episode of Sooty & Co as
there needs to be some active chat on this board to comment about
all things Sooty so start with this discussion.


MOVING IN
(1st episode of 1st season of Sooty & Co and 41st Series of Sooty)
Matthew Corbett introduces us to the new shop in Manchester that he
and Sooty, Sweep, Soo and Little Cousin Scampi have just moved in
to. Exhausted at the end of the day, Matthew goes to bed relieved to
hear that Scampi has sold a large item for £20, but he gets an
unpleasant surprise!
Rating: 9 out of 10

Just picture the scene, a heartbroken 7 year old hears from the CITV
host that the upcoming The Sooty Show was the last ever episode and
then in the middle of watching this episode his mother comes to
collect him because he was at his baby-sitters. And when he arrives
home just in time to see the final moments of the final episode.
That was I and I felt something missing but just for one year, as
there was the launch of a brand new sooty series `Sooty & Co'.

I felt great that dear Sooty returns as the much-loved The Sooty
Show now becomes Sooty & Co. He's back and waiting for him to come
on while CITV show a Japan Imported Cartoon called `Wowser' was made
watchable because you knew what was coming after this dreadful
cartoon. So it begins with a cartoon titles featuring Sooty and his
chums Sweep, Soo and Scampi, which made you, think at the time that
Sooty should be made into a cartoon and other people agree with the
spin-off `Sooty's Amazing Adventures' coming soon.

Plus to hear Matthew Corbett sing was awesome and the theme tune has
become an all time classic. The episode begins with Matthew greeting
us and does say sorry for not telling us we move and glad you found
the place and everyone can agree we forgive him. Glad to know
everyone made the safe trip to the North of England to their new
adventure of running a junk shop called `Sooty & Co'. All are
friends get a warm introduction in a way that lets people know who
they are if they haven't see the show before and like the first
episode of Sooty Heights it has the feel of a first episode to be
proud of.

We find Sooty home sick of his new home already and Soo tries to
cheer Sooty up. Sweep tries to give Sooty support by giving him a
bone, so nothings change with him after the move. Matthew agrees to
do anything to make Sooty smile so he throws a cream pie in his
face. Then Matthew shows off his bedroom to us and finds Scampi who
is jealous that Matthew allows Sooty to throw a cream pie in his
face. So instead Scampi is allow to squirt Matthew with his little
water pistol and then the first of many laugh out loud moments.
With Scampi off camera, we see Matthew getting wet by a hose pipe
full of water in the face with Sooty, Sweep and Soo arrive just in
time to see the mayhem unfold. Like Matthew says to us `We have
moved, but some things remain the same'.

So while showing off The Desk/Kitchen/Lounge/Dining Room area,
Matthew gets squirted by Ink from Sooty and Soo. Then Matthew shows
us the shop and says `We Have Everything and Anything and we sell
everything and anything'. With that in mind Sooty made an order and
it arrives at that moment but the bad thing is it's 2000 Empty
Boxes, which soon fills up the shop. Crazy Stuff but the boxes will
come in handy later on in the episode.

But then a telephone call comes about the new transport for the
Sooty & Co Shop plus something for Matthew to get about also. The
following we see Manchester's Tram Service in action if you ever
wanted to know how things work or what a journey is like, then this
episode delivers those questions for you. But Matthew misses the
tram and is running after it knowing are friends our on the tram.

Later on we arrive at the Transport place and see our first glimpse
of The Sooty & Co Camper Van. It looks so cool and it doesn't matter
if you're 8, 18 or 80 you will be impress by this little machine and
wonder how its made and think its so cool. And like the Burglar Box
from The Sooty Show, Sooty's Camper Van will be those toys you wish
you can own but sadly will never get made. Then we see Matthew's
transport and find out that it's a bike called `Matt's Machine'. And
then we see both transports first journeys and overall its very
impressive and we look forward for more appearances.

And finally we find out that while Matthew and the others were away,
Scampi sold something (which proves something can be sold in the
shop and this fact has a habit of being forgotten in later episodes)
very large for twenty pounds, which is Matthew's bed and is replace
by the 3000 empty cardboard boxes that Sooty order earlier.

This was a fantastic start to a brand new series of Sooty under its
name Sooty & Co. What Moving In does, which is key to Sooty's
future, was to change the format it runs on. Matthew Corbett changes
the show from a normal puppet show to a Children's Sitcom and if
this change didn't took place then Sooty would struggle. But for
it's first attempt in a sitcom format, Moving In is a success with
better episodes upcoming in the future episodes and series.

Laugher 09
Classic Appeal 10
Slapstick 09
Sooty's Magic 08
Returning 10
093

Writer: Matthew Corbett
Puppeteers: Brian Sandford
Peter Saxon
John Seaton
Soo's Voice: Brenda Longman
Sooty's Camper & Props: Brian Holman
Action Propman: Joe McLoughlin
Production Buyer: Dave Copus
Stage Manager: Jinty Goventry
Floor Manager: Peter Beaver
Cameras: Rolie Luker
Sound: Ian Parkinson
Animation: A Shot In The Dark
Music: Dave Corbett
Production Designer: Stuart McCarthy
Executive Producer: Edward Puoh and Matthew Corbett
Director: Alan R. Vardley
Producer: Helen Stephens
A Sooty Films Production for Granada Television

[Review by Brian and posted on Yahoo Group: Reaching Brand New Sooty
Heights on day 23rd March 2005, 00:31 am. No other site can have
claim of this review or any information featured in this review
without contacting me, the Webmaster at
reachingbrandnewsootyheights-owner@... first].

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