“Reduce!… Re-use!… Recycle!…”
When
Bob hears that his childhood haunt of Sunflower Valley is on the verge
of
development, the world’s most famous builder quickly
evolves a Big Plan. And it’s
a plan that’s set to take us through 78 ongoing
episodes as it come to fruition.
Bob intends to create a fully-fledged eco-town,
using natural materials found
locally and incorporating designs in keeping with
the countryside location.
Quite an undetaking then, but if anyone can
build this dreamtown, it’s Bob!
“Project: Build It” picks up from
the original Bob the Builder series
and specials.
It’s not a spin-off as such, rather, it’s a
continuation of the show in a new direction.
To those keeping tabs, this is in fact Series
9 and onwards, but it’s such an
extensive new vision, it deserves a separate
indexing. Indeed, “Project: Build It”
breaks new preschool ground, being the very
first sequential series to reach
UK screens…
The first seeds of the project are sown via a 24minute
special. “Bob’s Big Plan”
introduces us to Sunflower Valley. Bob and his
brother Tom used to camp there
when they were kids. Now a competition is being
held to find the best design for
the proposed valley development. Bobsville architect
Mr. Adams has put together
a garish design involving skyscrapers and restaurants,
and our Bob is determined
to better him and win the contract from under
his nose. It’s young Roley the
Steamroller who inspires the direction of the final
design, when he directs Bob
to a bird building its nest in a tree. The natural-look’s
the way to go. And sure
enough, Bob’s eco-town plan wins. What’s
more, alongside the prized contract
comes a prize new vehicle to assist the work, in
the shape of Scrambler the
Quad Bike!
The series proper starts from scratch, with
Bob and the gang arriving in the
valley to begin building their dreamtown. They
have to operate out of a mobile
home, without electricity for heating or illumination
as they start to build, from
the ground upwards. Over the course of
the early episodes we watch them
constructing a caravan home for Wendy, a new
cottage for Farmer Pickles,
and a brand new sunflower factory. “Project:
Build It” puts environmental
concerns at the top of the agenda, so stories
feature much recycling and
reusing of materials, eco-friendly planning and
construction. The theme is
echoed in the new series catchphrase “Reduce!
Re-use! Recycle!”
So Bob may has moved to Sunflower Valley, but
it’s very much business as
usual. The stories are still breezy and bright,
and HOT’s animation as flawless
as ever. Bob’s lost none of his appeal, and
there’s always enough going on in
each adventure to keep us adults interested too.
Plus there’s the episodic
storytelling, which shows the new town developing
as the series progresses.
It’s a great hook. Couple this with Bob and
Wendy’s “will they/won’t they”
relationship and the new format makes it
feel like you’re watching
a preschool Soap! – Hmm. How might it all end..?.
Some
Bob bites…
•
“Bob’s Big Plan” premiered on BBC2, on Monday 2nd May at 08.30am.
“Project: Build It”
took up a regular week day slot the next day…
•
Wise old Wendy doesn’t join the gang in the valley until episode 5.
Well, she has an excuse, because
someone needs to keep their eye
on Bob’s builders’ yard up to that
point. Scoop reminds them all about
the help Bob’s father has given
hem in the past. And so it’s settled.
Bob’s father and mother take over
the yard, leaving Wendy and Bob
to concentrate on the eco-town…
•
In episode 8, “Two Scoops”, poor old Scoop finds himself needed
in two
places at once, until Bob’s Dad
has a plan. He hires another scoop. This
friendly red robo-digger is
called Benny, and he soon becomes a permanent
member of the valley team…
•
As with the original series, HOT Animation have produced a series of
short
escapades to sit alongside the
main show. “Bob’s Mini Projects” are 2minute
interstitial adventures, broadcast
separately on BBC2 and made available as
extras on the DVD releases…
Bob the Builder Project Build It and Eco-Town Dreams overview
“Reduce!… Re-use!… Recycle!…”
When
Bob hears that his childhood haunt of Sunflower Valley is on the verge
of
development, the world’s most famous builder quickly
evolves a Big Plan. And it’s
a plan that’s set to take us through 78 ongoing
episodes as it come to fruition.
Bob intends to create a fully-fledged eco-town,
using natural materials found
locally and incorporating designs in keeping with
the countryside location.
Quite an undetaking then, but if anyone can
build this dreamtown, it’s Bob!
“Project: Build It” picks up from
the original Bob the Builder series
and specials.
It’s not a spin-off as such, rather, it’s a
continuation of the show in a new direction.
To those keeping tabs, this is in fact Series
9 and onwards, but it’s such an
extensive new vision, it deserves a separate
indexing. Indeed, “Project: Build It”
breaks new preschool ground, being the very
first sequential series to reach
UK screens…
The first seeds of the project are sown via a 24minute
special. “Bob’s Big Plan”
introduces us to Sunflower Valley. Bob and his
brother Tom used to camp there
when they were kids. Now a competition is being
held to find the best design for
the proposed valley development. Bobsville architect
Mr. Adams has put together
a garish design involving skyscrapers and restaurants,
and our Bob is determined
to better him and win the contract from under
his nose. It’s young Roley the
Steamroller who inspires the direction of the final
design, when he directs Bob
to a bird building its nest in a tree. The natural-look’s
the way to go. And sure
enough, Bob’s eco-town plan wins. What’s
more, alongside the prized contract
comes a prize new vehicle to assist the work, in
the shape of Scrambler the
Quad Bike!
The series proper starts from scratch, with
Bob and the gang arriving in the
valley to begin building their dreamtown. They
have to operate out of a mobile
home, without electricity for heating or illumination
as they start to build, from
the ground upwards. Over the course of
the early episodes we watch them
constructing a caravan home for Wendy, a new
cottage for Farmer Pickles,
and a brand new sunflower factory. “Project:
Build It” puts environmental
concerns at the top of the agenda, so stories
feature much recycling and
reusing of materials, eco-friendly planning and
construction. The theme is
echoed in the new series catchphrase “Reduce!
Re-use! Recycle!”
So Bob may has moved to Sunflower Valley, but
it’s very much business as
usual. The stories are still breezy and bright,
and HOT’s animation as flawless
as ever. Bob’s lost none of his appeal, and
there’s always enough going on in
each adventure to keep us adults interested too.
Plus there’s the episodic
storytelling, which shows the new town developing
as the series progresses.
It’s a great hook. Couple this with Bob and
Wendy’s “will they/won’t they”
relationship and the new format makes it
feel like you’re watching
a preschool Soap! – Hmm. How might it all end..?.
Some
Bob bites…
•
“Bob’s Big Plan” premiered on BBC2, on Monday 2nd May at 08.30am.
“Project: Build It”
took up a regular week day slot the next day…
•
Wise old Wendy doesn’t join the gang in the valley until episode 5.
Well, she has an excuse, because
someone needs to keep their eye
on Bob’s builders’ yard up to that
point. Scoop reminds them all about
the help Bob’s father has given
hem in the past. And so it’s settled.
Bob’s father and mother take over
the yard, leaving Wendy and Bob
to concentrate on the eco-town…
•
In episode 8, “Two Scoops”, poor old Scoop finds himself needed
in two
places at once, until Bob’s Dad
has a plan. He hires another scoop. This
friendly red robo-digger is
called Benny, and he soon becomes a permanent
member of the valley team…
•
As with the original series, HOT Animation have produced a series of
short
escapades to sit alongside the
main show. “Bob’s Mini Projects” are 2minute
interstitial adventures, broadcast
separately on BBC2 and made available as
extras on the DVD releases…