VeggieTales Comes to NBC

VeggieTales is coming to national TV. The computer-animated children’s series has been available on video since 1993. NBC added VeggieTales to its Saturday morning lineup in the 10 a.m. Eastern time slot on Sept. 9. Here’s a guide to VeggieTales if you’re coming late to the party.

Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber open each episode by talking directly to the audience from the kitchen countertop. Bob is the straight man, while Larry is the crazy guy. They read mailbag letters and introduce stories to help answer the kids' questions. 

The videos teach lessons through Bible stories or pop-culture parodies. The first Veggie video (Where’s God When I’m S-Scared?) started with "Tales from the Crisper," a horror-movie spoof. Bob and Larry sang “God Is Bigger Than The Boogie Man” to Junior Asparagus, who had just watched a FrankenCelery movie. Then, after a break for “Silly Songs With Larry,” the show continued with the Bible story of "Daniel and the Lion’s Den."

Other Bible stories in the VeggieTales series include Esther, The Girl Who Became Queen (courage), Rack, Shack & Benny (handling peer pressure), Josh and The Big Wall (obeying God), Dave and the Giant Pickle (believing in yourself). Larry the Cucumber also portrayed Joseph in a Western called The Ballad of Little Joe. Larry will also play Moses in another Western called The Lone Stranger in 2007.

Some of the pop-culture parodies have included Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler (friendship), Lord of the Beans (using your gifts) and Minnesota Cukeand the Search for Samson's Hairbrush (dealing with bullies).

VeggieTales has also done shows in the style of Dr. Seuss, such as A Snoodle’s Tale (self-esteem); and musicals in the style of Gilbert & Sullivan, like Lyle, the Kindly Viking (sharing).

My personal favorites are Madame Blueberry, about a shopaholic who overindulges at Stuff-Mart; and Sumo of the Opera, a mash-up of Rocky and Gilbert & Sulivan’s The Mikado.