I have a craving to make fun of a video that I liked as a kid. Don't know which video I'm talking about? Here's a hint: Barney.
Yep, seeing how I was and still am (somewhat) a Barney the Dinosaur fan, Barney was every imagination-seekers dream come true. He seemed like a close friend for me. But, unlike LarryBoy, Barney had his flaws. Everything about his character is one-dimensional, and he never confronts real-life issues. What he's really good at is letting kids forget their problems for a day by taking them on adventures or just being someone to hang with. Case in point: Barney's Imagination Island.
Well, people remember this special or forgot it. This special first aired on NBC on April 24, 1994 during prime-time (Don't believe me? Look it up on Wikipedia). For those of you that do remember this special, either you loved it or hated it. But for me, this was one of my favorite Barney videos when I was a kid. But now that I'm an adult, seeing this special again seemed... I don't know. Does it still hold up?
Well, today, we're going to find out. So, sit back as we dive into Barney's Imagination Island.
Intro:
We see the special start with the "Bedtime with Barney" title card.
-Eh?
-Why is that even there? Was this special shown around nighttime?
Then Barney tells the audience how "fun" the special is gonna be.
-Got it... Can we get to the real special now?
Opening Scene:
The special (officially) starts with two girls, Min and Tosha, listening to Tosha's mother read them a bedtime story that's obviously foreshadowing what'll happen later on in the special.
The story is interrupted when Tosha's starts crying in the hallway. And, despite Tosha's dad offering to take care of the little ones that are crying, Tosha's mom, for some reason, still thinks that she can put the bedtime story on hold.
-Geez! At least finish the bedtime story, lady! Well, then again, the book was just the special's foreshadowing device. So, don't spoil it.
Anyway, Tosha wants to show Min her new necklace...
-(mimicking Tosha's mom) That I'm gonna allow; but finishing your bedtime story isn't gonna happen.
So Tosha's mom gets going, but not before she tells the girls that they'll have 5 more minutes of playtime until they have to go to bed.
-Trust me; that 5-minute warning is gonna bite this special in the rear later on.
So... what will these girls do to pass the time? Pillow fight, of course!
But they accidentally hit their Barney doll with a pillow, causing them to stop and tuck the doll into bed. Plus, they decide to read him their bedtime story... since Tosha's mom was too dang lazy to finish the job for them.
More of the Bedtime Scene: (45 seconds in on their "playtime." Thank you, Tosha's mom.)
So the girls read more of the story, reading about a storm that threatens the story's ship, when suddenly, an actual flash of lightning and actual clang of thunder strike outside their window, causing the Barney doll to come to life.
-Oh no! It's Godzilla in your bed! Hide your family! Call the police!
So Barney comes to life (obviously breaking the laws of reality, just like in most viewings of his videos) and says hi to the girls, saying that he enjoyed the story that was being read to him. He also explains that... but it's self-explanatory with what he says next:
Barney: "You can do anything, if you just imagine."
And this leads to the special's first song, "Just Imagine."
-Yeah, we're in 5 minutes of the special, and also nearly 2 minutes of the girls' issued "playtime," and already we have our first musical number. Okay, fair enough.
-You know, whenever I hear this song mashed up with such a whimsical premise, I think of the "Make Believe" song from the Lamb Chop in the Haunted Studio special. But it's hard to tell which special came out first.
After 1st Song: (1 minute left until the girls must "go to bed," because Tosha's mom said so)
So the girls decide to give their imaginations a try, and they're blown away to see a flash of light come from out of their storybook and fly into their closet, in which the light turns into a magic portal.
-Yeah, that was 100% radiation. Or... did the girls get into the Vicodin?
-Plus, look at Tosha's face when she reacts to the storybook lighting up.
It's like Hush Puppy's reaction from Shari's Passover Surprise, when he learns the truth about chicken soup.
Barney: "Twinkle, twinkle, little stairs. Up you go to who... knows... where..."
-Um...
One, two,
Freddy's comin' for you.
Except that it's actually Barney,
'cuz Freddy Krueger couldn't get away with a G-rating.
So Barney goes up the stairs first, and the girls are delighted to follow him up.
-Some kids may find this charming... while some adults may find this creepy in today's standards-You'd pull those girls the fuck away!
-Besides, where's that mom from earlier that said that the girls had 5 more minutes until bedtime? It's obvious that their playtime is up!
On the Ship:
The girls find themselves on the ship now dressed in... pirate attire? The ship is sailing in the ocean...
-Geez! A toy boat in a bathtub is more exciting than this cheaply-animated ship in the sea!
Tosha then remembers that she needed to put away her necklace, so she and Min try to get back to their bedroom, but find out that they can't go back.
Min: "You know, this isn't the way to your bedroom anymore."
-Well, no shit! Y'all followed the dinosaur during such a time of whimsy. Clearly, you two didn't give this a second thought!
But that's nothing, 'cuz Barney wants to sing another song.
-Yeah, trying to go back home can wait, because it's Barney's time, not yours!
And during this song, we're introduced to Shawn, Derek, Baby Bop, and BJ- together at last!
After That Song:
-Wow, that was enough song. Let's go back to talking!
Derek: "So Barney, what are we all doing here?"
-Did you even read your own script? You're called Barney's Imagination Island. That should've been a dead giveaway!
Barney: "Well, thanks to Tosha and Min, we're on a sailing adventure to find Imagination Island..."
-(mimicking Barney): So if anyone get hurt or dies on this trip, please feel free to sue these girls for compensation.
BJ: "Wow. What kind of surprises, Barney?"
-Yeah, enlighten us, Barney, on what to expect on this delightful trip.
Barney: "Oh! Well, uh, first we're gonna go... hey uh... But then after that, there's gonna be, uh... Oh, and, and... And there's a, uh... Uh... Oh gee, uh... I don't know..."
-Well, shit! That's just great! Barney has no clue, whatsoever, on what to expect on this trip! I mean, this was the guy that sincerely said earlier: "You can do anything, if you just imagine." What the hell happened?!
Anyway, Min and Tosha say that this trip is like the story in their storybook, but they only read part of it.
But that's nothing! The more exciting stuff happens when:
1. Everyone finds that no one's manning the steering wheel
2. Baby Bop running to control the wheel
3. Baby Bop losing to the wheel... Seriously?
BJ: "Yep! That's my little sister!"
-(mimicking BJ): Too bad I can't say that with a straight face.
So the kids let Baby Bop steer the ship, after that terrible slap-stick attempt, really?
-What's next? Are they gonna put her in charge of affairs whenever they're attacked by pirates?
(pause)
Oh, sorry. Wrong movie...
BJ, on the other hand, goes back up to the crow's nest to be the "look-out." This pays off, when he announces that he's spotted Imagination Island.
-Really, guys? This "island" is just a green rock sticking out of the ocean! Apparently, the budget for this production was so cheap, that it resulted to cheap animation. Or... are we to assume that that's...
(pause)
Kinda, sort of?
The gang is so excited to finally make it to Imagination Island, but there's just one problem: the storm from the book comes to (literally) rain on their fun.
-(mimicking our main characters) Help! We're badly reenacting Titanic!
To make matters worse, Baby Bop abandons the wheel and (literally) speeds off into her hiding place with her blanky.
-(sarcasm) Yeah, vote Baby Bop for this year's Captain of the Steering Wheel Award.
Shawn: "This is fun! It's like a roller coaster ride!"
Tosha: "It sure is! I'm not scared!"
-Wanna know what they're actually thinking?
But oh no! A giant wave is coming their way. What's a dinosaur to do?
Barney: "Okay, there's just one thing to worry about. Hold on, everybody!"
So the gang gets attacked by the cheaply-animated wave...
-I should be worried about the well-being of Barney and the gang, but I'm too busy laughing my ass off at the crappy animation to even care!
After the Storm...:
It looks like everyone is okay, as they survey the damage. They see that they're on the island, but there' s a twist: their ship is stuck in the palm trees.
-Yeah, this is why you don't let your three-year-old model some of the storyline.
So what's the gang gonna down to get down? They let Baby Bop do some more slap-stick by pulling a rope ladder out of the storage.
-Well, at least she's making herself useful, because all she's done so far on this trip is spin out of control on a steering wheel and hide from the storm.
On the Island:
After another quick costume change...
Barney: (singing) "Very far away from the homes we know..."
-Oh good! Another song! Rescuing the ship from out of the trees can wait. Let's have our next song here!
-The island is a great place, next!
So the gang finally think about their ship being stuck, so Barney and the kids go into the jungle to find help, while BJ and Baby Bop stay behind to look after the ship.
Jungle:
They sing another song... let's cut back to BJ and Baby Bop!
Ship Scene:
BJ is frustrated by Baby Bop's obsessive bell-ringing... let's cut back to Barney!
Meanwhile:
Barney and friends come across... the Between the Lions house and knock-I mean- ring the doorbell to the place.
Barney: "I guess it's one of those do-it-yourself things..."
-Ain't that obvious?
So they get greeted by a guy named Professor Tinkerputt (played by Barry Pearl), who loves saying obnoxious hellos rather than just saying hi.
So after that awkward greeting, the professor invites the gang inside his workshop. However, there's a catch:
Professor: "Please don't touch!"
-(sarcasm) Yeah, vote Tinkerputt for the Gracious Party Host Award.
And then the guy pulls out a guest-book and calls Barney and friends that are so racist that you'll wonder how this scene got past the TV-Y rating.
Professor: "Ferdinand (Derek)... Elvira (Min)... Rupert (Sean)... Katrinka (Tosha)... and... Rex (Barney)!"
And you wanna know what makes that seen even more pointless? They tell him that those weren't their real names, and...
Professor: "Of course not! But nobody reads this book away."
-This pointless scene brought to you by Lyrick Studios, dealing with lawsuits for over 15 years.
Now, would you like to hear the professor's full name?
Professor: "Professor Erasmus Q. Tinkerputt!"
-(sarcasm) Yeah, 'cuz every child would remember that name.
Professor: (singing) "These toys are mine, so please don't touch!"
-He won't share his toys, next!
So, when asked if he gets lonely on the island...
Professor: "Maybe... a little... sometimes..."
-Uh... no comment.
So the professor explains that he used an airplane to get to the island. The gang wonders if they could use the plane to fly home, but the dick that he is... the professor says that he used the plane parts to make toys.
-Dang! That plane could've cut the show-time in half. The show would've been over already! The plane would've been Barney's and the kids' salvation, you bastard!
So the gang finally tells Tinkerputt about their ship dilemma.
Barney: "It's sort of a long story, professor..."
-Well, we can sit back and watch Barney explain to the professor their problem in full detail...
Ship Scene (with parrot):
...
-Or... we can quickly cut to Baby Bop having fun with a parrot, and BJ getting bored out of his mind... Um. I'd rather check back with Barney and Tinkerputt...
Back at Tinkerputt's:
Barney: "... the wave was so tall..."
-Still explaining to the guy? Geez! We're in almost a half-hour of the special, and nothing was epic-worthy, except for the giant wave and being stuck in the trees!
So Tinkerputt agrees to help the gang with their problem.
Professor: "I'll help you get it down..."
-Oh boy! What ideas do you have for us, professor? Are you gonna build us another plane or build us something useful...?
Professor: "...or my name isn't... George Washington!"
-So... is that it? Are you just gonna fuck with us or keep hinting out that we're not welcome inside your workshop with all your precious toys?
So seeing his multiple-personality mishap, Tinkerputt corrects himself that he can't help the gang with their dilemma. Why?
Professor: "Because I have a problem of my own to solve."
-Well, that makes sense... Selfish!
So Tinkerputt shows the guests his "problem": a balloon machine that's no more than colorful trash cans. He explains that he doesn't know why it won't work, and he just quits on it and then finally tells the gang to leave.
Professor: "Thank you for coming. Farewell. Au revoir. Auf Wiedersehen. And good luck."
-(mimicking Tinkerputt) Just leave me to my self-created isolation, if you will...
So before the professor could kick them all out, Barney points out Tosha using her necklace to take the place of a missing mechanism on the balloon machine, and... what was surprise! It works, and balloons fly out like hotcakes!
Later on in the workshop:
Having being touched by Tosha sharing her necklace to make the machine work, Tinkerputt decides to give sharing a try.
-And I gotta admit, the toys that he shares with the children are pretty cool.
So... seeing that the sharing "experiment" that he got going was a huge success, Tinkerputt decides to ride in his band-bicycle or bicycle-band, and get everybody into the next song...
Barney: "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!"
-Yeah, since this special has like a bajillion songs, we might as well let them get away with this one...
So, after the song, the professor makes an announcement about leaving the island to make more toys to share to the world.
-Yeah, it had to one girl's act of sharing to get him to that proclamation...
But the thing about the ship still being stuck in the trees is in the question. So, what's a professor to do, but put on his thinking cap.
-No, really.
He literally puts on his "thinking cap" and comes up with the brilliant plan of...
Nighttime Ship Scene:
... making balloons to turn the ship into a hot-air ship balloon thing... letting the balloons lift the ship off the trees and into the sky.
-Not a bad idea, come to think of it...
The plan actually works, and the gang is on their way home. And plus, they see the song "Just Imagine."
-We'll let them get away with that song, too, because finally, the plot is going somewhere.
Later on, on the flying ship:
The gang finally spots home. BJ and Baby Bop get going. And Tinkerputt gives Tosha back her necklace, saying that learned so much about sharing, thanks to her.
Barney: "Well, looks like our adventure has come to an end..."
-I remember when I was a kid, I was disappointed when it got to this point of the special. I wanted more adventure, I kept saying. Most kids would think this...
Anyway, before everyone calls it a night, they share on final song...
Barney: "It's good to be home..."
-Our last song. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Back home:
Min and Tosha return to Tosha's bedroom, back in their pajamas, just in time for Tosha's mom to come into the room and say:
Tosha's Mom: "Okay, girls. It's been five minutes."
-That was no five minutes; believe me.
Anyway, the show ends when Min and Tosha say good night to Barney and go to bed, as the Imagination Island ship sails off into the sky outside their window.
End Credits:
As the credits roll, we see that it took 4 people to write this special.
-Seriously? 4 people? I don't know; I always thought that all this corniness and whimsy came from one child-like adult.
And that was Barney's Imagination Island. So, is it still a good special to this day?
I gotta say that out of all the Barney specials, this is one of my all-time favorites. Despite its clichés and corniness, it still holds up. Now I know that this special can be too whimsical at times, but it just adds to the innocence and charm that the characters have.
Yeah, the animation was questionable. Remember, this special came out in the 90s; this was when every animation studio wanted to take down Disney by coming up with CG animation. I don't know; I felt the animation was cheap to contrive that they should've stuck with green-screen effects.
But who cares? I liked the premise; the characters were memorable; the songs were perfectly mashed up with the story (although there were a lot of songs in this special); and the story itself was engaging. Plus, the character-based jokes may be corny, but people get the jokes. Also, have you ever gone on a really cool vacation trip where there was stuff to do and so much to see? That's this special.
The biggest advantage that this special had was that the lesson in sharing was consistent; it wasn't tagged on. All movies and specials must keep their lessons consistent.
Despite its minor flaws here and there, for what it is, this special is worth checking out.
Whatsoever Critic
Sources:
Barney's Imagination Island
Shari's Passover Surprise (that one pic)
Mario Party 7 (that one pic that was photo shopped with Nintendo DSi)
Nintendo DSi
All rights go to HIT Entertainment, Shari Lewis, and Nintendo.
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