Claudia Silver — Writer
Episodes 26
Good Times
Everyone has slept over at the Big Blue House, and with the rising of the Sun (who shares some words with Bear), they're soon waking up and starting a new day. Before they can go out on their adventures, Bear helps them with some healthy morning rituals, from breakfast to brushing teeth. Children will relate to the various experiences on display, from coming to terms with a wild but believable dream to having to immediately take a bathroom break.
Read MoreBack To Nature
Bear gets a new Spanish-language tape in the mail, but just as he's about to try it, he's waylaid by Tutter, who, it seems, has a touch of laryngitis. He cant talk at all. A concerned Bear gives him a small bell to call him when he needs some-thing, and Tutter keeps bear running back and forth his Spanish lessons with Pip&Pop to a misunderstanding between Ojo and Treelo. During the course of Bear's busy day, we discover how to communicate with words and without them.
Read MoreOops, My Mistake
Everybody's pretending and having a great time, expect for Tutter, who, after a little questioning, blurts out that he really doesn't know how to pretend. Through a little friendly trickery, Bear shows Tutter that he's better at pretending than he thought.
Read MoreTutter's Tiny Trip
Last night there was a big storm, but today it's a warm, sunny day outside, so Bear and the kids have decided to go swimming out at the Otter Pond. They've even come up with something tempt Tutter out of the Big Blue House and into the water --- a floating chair that even includes a place for him to put his cheesarita. Everyone goes outside for some summer fun, but they find that the pond is covered in debris blown in by the storm --- leaves and branches everywhere. They all work together to clean it up, but then it starts raining. Tutter scatters at the first sign of rain. Pip and Pop want to stay outside, but when the lightning comes, in they go. Inside, Ojo and Treelo find themselves bored, until Bear gets their imaginations going for a weather-filled trip to Ojo Island. Pip and Pop despair the rain, but learn that without the rain, they could never have fun at the pond. Then, once the rain stops, Ray provides a special surprise for everyone. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells a story of a robin who manages to have fun even in snowy weather.
Songs
■Good Morning
■Weather
Notes
■In "Summer Cooler," Tutter creates his own swimming club using the kitchen sink and remains inside on a summer day. In this episode, Bear and the kids finally manage to tempt him to go outside for a swim in the pond.
Read MoreDance Fever!
Bear is really excited about building the new birdhouse kit that he got in the mail, but Pip & PopTM and TutterTM are more excited about making something out of the box it came in. After gladly surrendering the box to his friends, Bear sets out it build the birdhouse on his back stoop, only to find that Jacques, an industrious local beaver, has bigger plans for Bear's seemingly simple subject.
Read MoreYou Go, Ojo!
Pip & Pop can hardly wait for their grandma Etta and grandpa Otto to visit. But when Bear unexpectedly has to leave the Big Blue House, the gang is a little uncertain what to do with their elderly visitors. That is, until they find out that grandparents just want to have fun.
Read MoreScientific Bear
The characters of the Big Blue House find themselves feeling many different ways and Bear is there to help sort it out. Things all start when Pip and Pop are happy and excited after they receive a fantastic new toy in the mail --- Clammy, a talking clam. Later, they're extremely sad when they think Clammy's broken. Elsewhere, Treelo gets angry with Ojo for spilling his feathers out the window, but Ojo is hurt and worried because it was only an accident. Treelo says he wants to stay angry forever, but Bear helps to see that this may not be what he really wants. Later, Tutter's hilarious impressions have everyone feeling silly. In the Shadow segment, Shadow explores the feelings of a girl who's good at rock and roll but has a curl of hair pointing out of her forehead.
Songs
The Way That You're Feelin' Today
Notes
This episode was adapted in book form as The Way I Feel Today.
Bear in the Big Blue House episodes typically include a single segment featuring thoughts from real kids. This episode features a series of three of these segments in which kids talk about feelings.
The dog in the Shadow Projects logo in the closing-credits says "yep yep" in a voice that sounds like a child's.
Read MoreWish You Were Here
When Bear reads Tutter the story of "Mousy the Great," Tutter wants to be just like his hero. But when Ojo rescues him from the "dragon," he's not too sure he's very good at it. With a little help from Bear, Tutter learns that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. And every single one is great.
Read MoreCall It A Day
When the gang all leaves the Big Blue House for the day to go to a square dance, BearTM is looking forward to getting a lot of chores done. However, each chore he starts somehow reminds him of one of his friends, and before long, the house seems awfully quiet. By the time his friends return, Bear has realized that the Big Blue House just isn't the same without them.
Read MoreNothing To Fear
When Bear receives a package from "L.L. Bear" in the mail, he's surprised to find that he received a skunk clock rather than the bear clock he order. Rather than returning it, he decides to give it a try and hangs it up in the kitchen. He hears Ojo and Treelo outside and finds Treelo swinging on a swing. He gets off and asks Ojo to try, but finds that she doesn't want to. She admits to being somewhat scared, but finds a compromise in starting out by first taking small swings. As Bear heads off into the living room for a nap, Tutter is disturbed by the "tick-tock" of the skunk clock, mistaking it for a real skunk. He's scared by it, but eventually comes to realize that it's actually alive and is nothing to be afraid of. Out at the Otter Pond, Pip and Pop play a game called "Double D Dare." When their daring starts to get dangerous, Bear suggests that they think of things to do that are silly, but not potentially dangerous. Sometimes, if you're scared to do something, there may be a very good reason for it.
Songs
What's in the Mail Today? (Shortened Version)
Everybody's Afraid of Something (lyrics)
Notes
There is no Shadow segment in this episode.
In this episode, Bear sings that "everyone's afraid of bats" and that "anyone who says they're not is tellin' you a little white lie." Bear would later change his tune in "Bats are People Too" when he befriends a bat and tells the kids that they're nothing to be afraid of.
In an unusual move, this episode reuses the exact same theme, "Afraid," from the second season episode "Afraid Not."
Allusions
Bear receives his skunk clock from a catalog called "L.L. Bear." This is a spoof on the popular L.L. Bean catalog, a mail-order catalog generally known for outdoor equipment and clothing.
Read MoreLost And Found
Ojo loses his favorite teddy bear and the members conducted a search party to help search for it, but in vain.In the end, they played hide-and-seek and Ojo found his bear back.
Pip and Pop are out playing ball when they find a little duck who seems to be looking for something. He introduces himself as Harry and says that apparently his family got lost while they were flying south. Bear takes the opportunity to remind the viewers about what they should do if they were ever lost and promises to help reunite Harry with his family. Meanwhile, the kids of the Big Blue House get acquainted with Harry the Duck. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells a story about a dame who's lost her shoe and a master who's lost his fiddle-stick.
Songs
You Will Find Your Way
Notes
This episode introduces the character of Harry the Duck. He and his family live at the Duck Pond, which is actually what Pip and Pop know as the Otter Pond. They fly south every winter. Bear invites Harry to come back to visit the Big Blue House when he returns in the spring.
In this episode, Harry says that he's been separated from his Mom, brothers and sisters. No reference is made to his brothers and sisters in future episodes and none are present when Hallie is born in "When Harry Met Hallie."
The dog in the Shadow Projects logo in the closing credits quacks like Harry.
Read MoreWhat's Mine Is Yours
A package comes in the mail for Ojo --- a book from Ursa titled Bears Around the World. Ojo wants to keep it all for herself at first and read it alone, despite Tutter and Treelo's pleas for her to share it. Bear explains to them that sometimes when somebody has something new, they might want to keep it to themselves at first. But as Ojo becomes excited by the book, she begins to change her thinking. Meanwhile, Bear finds himself sharing quite a bit. He shares his food, he shares his berry-picking bucket with Pip and Pop and he lets Ojo, Tutter and Treelo use his bed as a comfy reading spot.
Songs
What's in the Mail Today?
What's Mine is Yours
Notes
This episode is somewhat similar to the first season's "Share, Bear." It involves a picnic, just like in "Share, Bear."
Bear reads the names of two potential alternate Bear in the Big Blue House shows from Ojo's book --- Bear in the Big Bamboo House and Canadian Bear in the Big Log Cabin (from Canada, near Saskatchewan).
Read MoreSmellorama
Spring has come to Woodland Valley and Bear is delighted by all of smells of the season. It's a veritable smellorama for him. As he makes his way to the kitchen, he finds smells there as well. Tutter has created his own "smellseum." Bear loves the smell of lilacs in his collection, but doesn't think much of his limburger cheese sandwich smell.
Later, he finds Ojo with Treelo in the living room. As Mademoiselle Ojo, she's trying to create special perfumes to capture the essences of her friends. She's creates "You de Treelo" and then invents a perfume for Bear. Later on, Bear helps Pip and Pop to track a rather stinky smell. They find Ojo and their old friend Snook the skunk, who's found a new way into Bear's secret cave that even Bear can fit into. He also tells them all about his favorite smells, some of which are rather stinky. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells a story about an entire town that seemed to have lost its scent. As it turned out, though, everyone living there simply had a cold.
Songs
What's That Smell?
Smellorama
Read MoreWords, Words, Words
Bear wakes up early on a sunny day and finds himself thinking about words. He enjoys reading the words in the Woodland Valley Gazette, as it helps him to keep up-to-date on what's happening in Woodland Valley. While reading the paper, he hears a commotion in the kitchen and finds Harry and Tutter playing there. Tutter wanted to play knights and shining armor, but something about what he's saying is causing Harry to quack up a storm. He told Harry that he could be "Big Beaky the Dragon" and now every time he says "big beak," Harry goes "all quacky." Bear has the two talk things out and Tutter finds that Harry is sensitive about the size of his beak. He apologizes, saying that he likes his beak. Next, Bear helps Pip and Pop when they can't find the "whatchamacallit" that stops the water from draining out of the bathtub --- the plug. Pip and Pop find that they'e good with words, and rhyming. Later on, Ojo and the others hold a tea party in the attic. Harry's shy and afraid to join in, but Bear tells him that if he uses his words, the others will let him join in. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the tale of Peter Piper, who picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Songs
Good Morning (Shortened Version)
Find the Words
Notes
Headlines in the edition Bear reads of the Woodland Valley Gazette include "Mating Season Begins - Sparrows All A-Twitter", "Bears Blissful as Berry Bushes Bloom", "Snail Marathon Planned - Race to Last All Summer" and "Snake Wrestling Ends in a Tie".
Allusions
In this episode, Bear quotes William Shakespeare and comments "I hear he was pretty good with words." The lines quoted by Bear are from Shakespeare's Sonnet 18.
Bear reads in the Woodland Valley Gazette that there's a new movie opening down at the multiplex --- Citizen Crane. It's described as "the story of a young bird's rise to fame and power." This is a reference to Citizen Kane. This popular film from the 1940s was directed by the prolific Orson Welles and is #21 on IMDb's top 250 films.
Read MoreOn a nice day, Bear decides to make a trip to the General Store to pick up some things he needs. Hearing that he's going to the store, everyone in the Big Blue House asks if they can come too, and Bear agrees. They ask him just how the whole process of buying things and getting money works, so he tells them all about how to earn money and how clams are used as currency in Woodland Valley. Bear wants to get going to the store, but instead they all split up to find ways to earn money. Finally, they all get going to the store. But something happens at the store that teaches them another lesson entirely. Also, Bear spends some time with Shadow at the store, and she tells him a story about a turtle who saved money.
Songs
General Store
Notes
To make money, Ojo, Treelo and Tutter create a lemonade stand. Sales are slow, but they sell Bear cookies and lemonade for a total of four clams. The lemonade was made with salt instead of sugar and Bear gets a horrified look on his face after he gulps down an entire pitcher full. Pip and Pop make money by gathering clams, which they sell to Lois, who says that she'll make jewelry out of them. They receive two Woodland Valley clams for their sale.
Two rabbit characters are introduced in this episode --- a little boy named Billy and his mother Bonnie. Their home was flooded in the storm that wrecked the library in " Welcome to Woodland Valley."
Jeremiah Tortoise is the sole proprietor of the Woodland Valley General Store.
Goofs and Nitpicks
In this episode, the characters all use a form of currency unique to Woodland Valley --- clams. However, in "The Yard Sale," they all used dollars and cents.
Read MoreLet It Go
When Bear visits the kitchen for a glass of water, he finds Pip and Pop wanting one as well. They make a dash with the water for the Otter Pond, saying that they have a "serious situation." They tell Bear that they're worried the Otter Pond is going to dry out and Woodland Valley will turn into a desert. Bear offers them reassurance and then seeks to find out the origin of this rumor. It turns out to have come from a rather surprising source. Later, when rain finally does come in the form of a storm, both Bear and Shadow do their best to assuage the kids' worries.
Songs
Come on In
You Got to Let It Go
Shadow Is Here
No Harm (Alternate Version)
Read MoreOoh, Baby, Baby
Grandma Flutter drops her granddaughter, Baby Blotter, off at the Big Blue House while she goes to her dance class. Bear helps Tutter learn how to care for a baby -- but everyone's at a loss when Blotter starts to cry. The day is saved by Treelo, who comforts the baby and gives her his rattle.
Read MoreFriends At Play
Ojo is excited about a visit from her friend, Christine. The two quickly get involved in one of Ojo's imaginative games --- a pillow castle. Tutter arrives and asks if they'd like to play checkers, but Ojo tells him she's in the middle of her game with her "best friend," Christine. Tutter is hurt by the use of the term "best friend." He creates his own friend to play with, "Mr. Cheese," but Bear helps to mend his friendship with Ojo. He also finds Pip and Pop at odds with Treelo out at the Otter Pond. He keeps pretending to be a monster during their Deep-Sea Divers game and they don't like it at all. Bear, however, introduces them to a game called The Treasure of Kalamazoo Bay. In the Shadow segment, Shadow retells the story of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." The lamb in this version drives a car, skies and scuba dives in its efforts to follow Mary everywhere she goes.
Read MoreBats Are People Too
As the viewer arrives, Bear decides to try something a little different --- he wants the viewer to sniff him! It turns out that Bear's idea may have been prophetic because some very different things are happening around the area of the Big Blue House. Pip and Pop were out playing by the Otter Pond when they found something they've never seen before --- something with wings hanging upside-down from a tree. Bear explains to them that it's a bat. He tries to tell them all about it, but they disappear in a flash. Bear returns to the Big Blue House, where Ojo and Tutter both express the same sentiment. They're scared of the bat and don't want to have anything to do with it. Things only get worse when they all sit down and talk about it. Bear, however, meets the bat, whose name is Benny, and asks everyone else to meet it too. They reluctantly agree and find that not only is he not like what they expected --- Treelo is already his friend!
Read MoreStep By Step
Tutter is getting ready to start Mouse School. His teacher, Miss Maxwell, is coming to visit him at the Big Blue House. Tutter is excited about the visit, but worries over things like what tie he should wear and how he should introduce himself. Then, Ojo, Pip and Pop tell him that he'll have to know a lot to go to school, and he begins to worry that he's just not ready. As he frets, Treelo helps Bear to make a cake. And when they all pay a visit to the General Store, Pip and Pop note the training wheels on Ojo's bike. Worried they make her seem like a little bear, she borrows Bear's wrench to remove them.
Songs
(Take It) Step By Step
Read MoreLet's Hit the Road
At Mouse School, Miss Maxwell announces a field trip and gives all the mice a permission slip for their parent or guardian to sign. Tutter is excited about the trip at first and eagerly tells the kids at the Big Blue House about it when he gets there. When he tells them that Miss Maxwell said the location would be a surprise, Pip and Pop figure that the trip must be to a field. The kids think about all of the fun things they could do on a trip around the world. Tutter, however, becomes very worried that he's going to be stranded in the middle of nowhere. He hides his permission slip from Bear and later decides to fake being sick. Meanwhile, Ojo plans a big trip on her bike. She plots out her course, but finds that sometimes you need a guide, such as a responsible adult, to help out. When Miss Maxwell hears that Tutter is worried about the trip, she provides him with some reassuring, but also a bit surprising news.
Songs
The Wide, Wide World
Read MoreHistory, Herstory, Bearstory
When Bear plays hide-and-seek with Tutter and Ojo, Ojo puts an abrupt end to the game when she calls for the two of them. It turns out that she's discovered something interesting --- some sort of old stones or bricks. Bear says that it looks like the remains of an old house and so Tutter and Ojo decide once again to be detectives and figure out what the deal with it is. Bear takes them to the library where they find a picture of the house as it once was in a book titled Houses of Woodland Valley. Otto and Etta recognize the name of the home's owner --- Hephaestus as being the name of Jeremiah's great-grandfather. So Bear, Ojo and Tutter head to the General Store, where Jeremiah has a quite a story for them.
Songs
The Mystery of History
The Mystery of History (Reprise)
Notes
According to production order, this is the 100th episode of Bear in the Big Blue House.
There is no Shadow segment in this episode.
Read MoreThe Great Bandini
Bear and our friends from the Big Blue House are on their way to attend a performance of the famous musician, the Great Bandini. All of them are in awe of the Bandini's skill and on their way, they meet somebody headed to the concert --- Edwina Badger. Edwina Badger helps them all to see the musical talents that they also possess. They learn that there are all sorts of ways to make music and that the voice can be a powerful instrument. In the Shadow segment, Shadow sings a song about jazz music.
Read MoreShow Your Stuff
One weekend, Bear decides to start a new hobby --- "whittlin'." He gets a block of wood and an instruction book, but finds that his early efforts don't look much like the duck in the book. He determines, however, to keep trying. Meanwhile, the kids in the Big Blue House are exploring talents of their own. Ojo continues working on her bike-riding, while Pip and Pop have developed a synchronized-swimming routine. Treelo searches all over for his talent. Tutter, however, experiences a lack of confidence when he learns how great Rita is at kicking the ball in soccer. He tells Bear that he's quitting the team. Songs Do Your Thing Notes There is no Shadow segment in this episode.
Read MoreThe View from You
At Mouse School, Miss Maxwell shows the mice a fruit bowl and asks some of them to tell her what they see. She explains the idea of point of view and assigns everyone a project to demonstrate their point of view to the class. Tutter struggles with the assignment --- as far as he's concerned, he sees things from a "boring old Tutter point of view," and not any differently than anyone else. After hearing about the assignment, Treelo paints some paintings to show his point of view. Meanwhile, Tutter finds a camera his Grandma Flutter gave him and decides to make a film called Mouse on Mars --- but not only does he not know much about Mars, it doesn't really represent his point of view. He joins Bear in listening to a Shadow story about the point of view of a duck and a ladybug. Afterwards, Treelo's paintings provide inspiration.
Read MoreIf At First You Don't Succeed...
Bear is expecting Doc Hogg to show up for lunch, but busy ol' Doc keeps changing the plan. Bear and his friends learn to "roll with it" in a day of all kinds of change.
Read More