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Private Notes
Bear tours his new home with his pals.
One morning, Bear finds Ojo playing pretend, having created a tent that's she's pretending is her home. Her imaginary home gets him thinking about his real home, the Big Blue House. He decides to take us all on a guided tour of the home. He takes us to the kitchen, which we learn is Tutter's favorite room. The bathroom is the favorite haunt of Pip and Pop. Treelo likes Bear's bedroom, mainly because of the bed. Shadow retells the story of the little old lady who lived in a shoe. Finally, Bear also enjoys going up to the attic, because he gets to talk there each night with his friend Luna, the moon.
Songs
■(It's) Great to Be at Home
■No Place Like My Bedroom
Notes
■Pip and Pop perform their short bath song to the tune of the classic opera song La donna è mobile.
■This being the first episode, Bear's asking of Luna if she'll sing the "Goodbye Song" is a bit different than other episodes. He asks her if she'll sing a goodbye song with him, rather than the "Goodbye Song." A subtle difference in phrasing to note that this is a routine that is being established.
■This episode, as the premiere, features the first use of the opening theme, "Welcome to the Blue House" and the "Goodbye Song." There are also two other original songs "(It's) Great to Be at Home" and "No Place Like My Bedroom." The first song is Track 11 on the album Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House and is titled simply "Great to Be at Home" on that album. It is Track 4 on the first Playhouse Disney album and is titled "It's Great to Be at Home" on both that album and the closing credits for this episode.
■This episode includes a brief real-kids segment in which kids talk about their homes (or fantasize about them.)
Bear and his friends are interacting with water in this episode --- be it real or imaginary. Ojo, for example, is pretending to sail a ship in the living room. Pip and Pop join her in the fun. Bear contemplates some questions of his about water --- just what shape it is and why it's so wet. He finds Tutter in the kitchen trying to get some water of his own. He's trying to build something to make his way to the sink, but Bear helps him by giving him a lift. Bear also finds Treelo in the bathtub playing with bubbles. When the bubbles start to overflow, Bear has him pull the plug, but he's worried he'll go down the drain. Bear assures him that the drain is only for water (and bubbles).
In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the story of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider".
Songs
■Oh, Water, Water, Water
■Need a Little Help Today
Notes
■This episode includes a brief segment in which real kids talk about some of the shapes that water takes on. These include raindrops, drops from a sprinkler and waves.
■Tutter uses various boxes in his attempt to construct something to help him reach the faucet. Some of the boxes being used are Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and Nabisco's Ritz Bits. The letters of the brand's name on the boxes are somewhat obscured to prevent Trademark and Copyright Information.
Today is Tutter's birthday, and the friends in the Big Blue House decide to throw him a special surprise birthday party. Pip and Pop are placed in charge of the decorations, but run into trouble with the balloons. All the noise attracts Tutter, but Bear manages to head him off with our help. Tutter learns that having a birthday means becoming a year older. He speculates on all the great things he'll be able to do while he's older. Ojo works on the cake and Treelo wraps Tutter's present. Treelo, though, gets so excited about the birthday that at first he wants to keep the present for himself.
Songs
■When I'm Older
■Happy, Happy Birthday
Notes
■A big deal is made about Tutter's present in this episode, but viewers never find out what it is.
■Luna is so old that she doesn't remember when her birthday is.
■Shadow does not appear in this episode. The time normally spent on her story is taken up by Tutter's birthday party.
■The events of this episode were the basis for the stage show Bear in the Big Blue House Live: Surprise Party. This stage show no longer tours, but is available on video.
■The "Happy, Happy Birthday" song is listed as simply "The Birthday Song" in the closing credits. Additionally, the closing credits run longer than usual.
Tutter is excited because Bear has promised to bring him a box, but he's getting a bit impatient at the wait. Viewers learn that the box is a rectangle and that there are shapes all around. They also find out that everyone has their own unique shape --- something that Ojo, Pip and Pop learn when they become shape explorers. Treelo also learns about shapes when Bear plays with him in a "tent" he made out of a bedsheet. Shadow also pays Bear a visit and tells a story of a very special shape --- a star.
Songs
■Me, I'm the Shape of the Bear (and Reprise)
■Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Notes
■When Ojo is playing with her blocks, she sings "Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho. I love my blocks, you know." This is a play on "Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho. It's off to work we go" --- lyrics from the song "Heigh-Ho" in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
■The Bear-only version of the song in this episode is Track 18 on the album Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House. On the album it is titled simply "Shape of a Bear," but on the credits at the end of the episode, it is listed as "Me, I'm the Shape of the Bear."
While Bear gets ready for his Woodland Workout with Pip and Pop, he stops at Ojo and Treelo playing doctor. Tutter is trying to put his cheese in his mouse-hole and Bear tells Tutter to have quiet time. Except Pip and Pop did the workout without him.
Bear is excited and ready to do his Woodland Workout at the Otter Pond. When he heads into the living room, he finds Ojo and Tutter, who give him a pretend checkup. They diagnose him with "big bear-itis," but give him just the right medicine to feel better. As he heads into the kitchen to leave the Big Blue House, he comes upon Tutter, grunting and groaning. He discovers that Tutter is tired from trying store cheese in his mousehole for the winter and advises him to take "quiet time." Reluctant at first, Tutter eventually takes the advice. When Bear learns that Pip and Pop went ahead with the workout themselves due to his lateness, he ends up taking some quiet time himself. In the Shadow segment, Shadow retells the story of the five little monkeys jumping on the bed.
Songs
■Picture of Health
■Quiet Time and Reprise
■The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha
On a nice day at the Big Blue House, Bear is doing some gardening and friends are playing together quietly. At least, they were, until Ojo and Treelo have a disagreement when Treelo wants to play with Ojo's favorite stuffed toy Snow Bear. Bear suggests a way they could both play together. Meanwhile, Tutter has created a large sandwich and Pip and Pop want to have some. Tutter, however, thinks that he can eat it all himself. In the Shadow segment, Shadow retells the story of Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Songs
* Always Something to Share
* Clean Up the House
Notes
* This episode was adapted in book form as Two Can Share, Too.
* The closing credits run unusually long. At the end of the closing credits, the dog in the Shadow Projects logo quacks like a duck.
* This episode includes a brief Real Kids segment in which some kids talk about things that they share.
* It is revealed that Bear had his own Snow Bear when he was a kid.
Pip and Pop invite Bear to the Otter Pond for a game of catch, but he keeps getting distracted by other events in the Big Blue House. Ojo and Treelo are pretending to fly and it gets Bear thinking about gravity and things that fly. When Ojo takes a fall and hurts herself, however, after trying to fly for real, Bear has to tell her that bears and kids can't fly, no matter how hard they try. He also helps Tutter to use gravity to get eggs into his mouse hole. In the Shadow segment, Shadow retells the story of Humpty Dumpty.
Songs
Gravity (Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek)
It's fall / autumn in the Big Blue House. Treelo asks Bear to come into the living room, where Ojo is standing completely still. She's pretending to be a tree and so Treelo and Bear join and pretend to be an entire forest. When the leaves start falling off for all, Treelo begs for them not to go and Bear realizes that Treelo doesn't understand about why the leaves are falling off. As Bear begins hunting for Treelo, he comes upon Tutter, who's pushing a pumpkin into his mousehole. Bear helps him to push the pumpkin and learns that fall is Tutter's favorite season because it's a time when everything changes. He's making pumpkin pie this year and he promises Bear a special something. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the story of "Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater" and also gives Bear a tip to help find Treelo. He eventually finds Treelo with Pip and Pop, trying to glue leaves back onto trees. He explains to Treelo that the leaves fall off to make way for new leaves in the spring and Treelo realizes that nothing is wrong with the leaves after all.
Songs
Falling for Fall
Notes
This episode includes a brief segment in which real kids discuss what they love best about the fall. Much it involves leaves --- leaves falling, changing color, throwing leaves, jumping in them and making collages with them. Other favorites include wearing sweaters and jackets, it not being so hot and eating apples.
One morning, Bear steps just outside the Big Blue House to check the mail. There's plenty of mail, but Pip and Pop are disappointed to learn there's none for them. Bear cheers them up by letting them deliver the mail to everyone and personally takes a letter to Tutter --- his first ever. It's from his Grandma Flutter and he's very pleased to receive it. Pip and Pop deliver a package to Treelo, which turns out to contain a feather. Tutter decides to write a letter back to his Grandma. Ojo also receives mail --- a postcard from her Uncle Koala. Shadow tells a story of a girl who wrote a letter, but lost it.
Songs
"What's in the Mail Today?"
Dear Grandma
Notes
The first song in this episode, "What's in the Mail Today?" is Track 2 on the album More Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House. The second, "Dear Grandma" is Track 4 on the album Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House The first song is listed in the closing credits of the episodes without a question mark and the second is titled "Dear Grandma Flutter" in the credits. "What's in the Mail Today?" is sometimes heard in a shortened form in later episodes. The version on the album contains additional lyrics and a backup choir not heard on the TV version.
There is no mention of Jeremiah Tortoise in this episode, but as the Woodland Valley mailman, he will become an important figure later in the series.
This episode appears in most online listings with neither a comma nor a question mark in the title.
Bear feels like dancing and everyone else in the Big Blue House is dancing too. Bear would really like to dance the cha cha cha, but his friends would like to show him their dances as well.
Bear is feeling great, so great that he rather wants to dance. His favorite dance is the cha-cha-cha, but he finds that the kids of the Big Blue House are dancing as well. Bear finds Ojo dancing a dance created herself --- a variation on the flamenco called the "flamingo." When Bear turns on the radio in his room, but leaves to go find his maracas, Treelo comes in and dances. Bear's search leads him to the kitchen, where he finds Tutter taking a nap in the dish rack. Tutter tells Bear that he has "no rhythm, no beat," but Pip and Pop arrive to school him in dancing. Shadow sings a song about a dancing teddy bear.
Songs
"Dancing the Day Away"
"The Otter Dancing School"
"The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha"
Notes
"The Otter Dancing School" is listed as "Otter Rap" in the closing credits.
After Bear finds coupons for the market, he decides to take everyone in the Big Blue House to the market. He runs into an unexpected delay when he finds out that Ojo has decided to repaint the wagon. Bear teaches her all about mixing paint to create different colors, Treelo admires all of his own colors in the mirror, and Bear plays fashion consultant when Tutter can't decide what color outfit would be best to wear to the market.
Songs
What's in the Mail Today?
Some of the Colors I See
Notes
The events of this episode were loosely adapted as the book Bear Loves Colors!
Tutter shows off his tendency to shout out names of cheeses as if they were epithets in this episode. He shouts out the names of no less than three different cheeses (cheddar chunks, brie and gorgonzola) when he gets upset over being unable to decide what to wear to the market.
Things you can do with dirt. Planting a tree; digging for buried treasure; sweeping; making mud.
Songs
Why Can't the Dirt Just Leave Me Alone?
Notes
Adapted as the book Dirt is Delightful!
Ojo has formed an orchestra and has invited everyone in the Big Blue House to participate. Viewers are invited to participate too as Bear and the kids hold a concert out at the Otter Pond. Ojo is the orchestra "constructor," and Pip and Pop are using pot and pan lids for cymbals. As Bear searches for his kazoo, he comes across Treelo and asks for his help. When Treelo spots a radio, he turns it on and starts singing and dancing to music. He then goes off to create his own instrument. Bear finds his kazoo and also finds that Tutter wants to play the clarinet, but it's too big for him. Bear helps Tutter to come up with another way to participate in the orchestra. In the Shadow segment, Shadow presents the tale of the cat and the fiddle.
Songs
Everywhere There's Music
Hey, We Can Play
Notes
Tutter says that he received his clarinet from the Klutter Tutters. This performing musical trio consisted of his Auntie Klutter Tutter, cousin Skitter Tutter and Uncle Nutter Tutter.
Bear, along with his friends, Ojo, Pip & Pop, Treelo and Tutter, teach us about the different kinds of 'connections' - from ojects including zippers, hinges and telephone wires, to relationships between siblings and friends.
It's a hot summer day and Bear and everyone else in the Big Blue House are taking it easy. Bear receives a checkers set in the mail and plays checkers with both Pip and Pop and Treelo. To his surprise, they win handily, despite never having played the game before. They seem to have developed a wild move to take all of Bear's checkers in a single flurry of jumps. Pip and Pop also beat the heat by hanging out at the Otter Pond. They're later joined by Ojo, Treelo and Bear, but Tutter has own way of staying cool. He's created his very own Club Tutter in the kitchen, using the sink as a swimming pool.
Songs
In the Middle of the Summer
Notes
Bear states in this episode that his favorite drink is wild berry soda. Tutter, on the other hand, enjoys a "cheesarita."
The dog in the Shadow Projects logo in the closing credits makes a "beep beep" noise like a car honking its horn.
Tutter receives a letter in the mail that his Grandma Flutter is paying a visit to the Big Blue House. Bear informs Tutter that the letter says she's coming today, which sends Tutter into something of a panic. His Grandma likes for things to be clean, but Tutter doesn't feel there's enough time to get ready. Everyone in the Big Blue House helps Tutter to make a go of it. They clean up the house, Tutter cleans out his mousehole, and Pip and Pop weed the flowerbeds with Ojo's help. Having all gotten dirty, they take a bath. But then, Bear does the cha-cha-cha and Tutter joins, leaving him all hot and sweaty. Grandma Flutter arrives and Tutter learns she's just happy to see him. He even finds out some things he never knew about her before. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the story of "Hickory Dicky Dock," about the mouse who went up the clock.
Songs
Clean Up the House
The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha
Notes
This episode was adapted in book form as A Surprise in the Mailbox.
Bear comments that Grandma Flutter's letter must have been delayed in the mail. This is no surprise, as viewers later learn that the mail in Woodland Valley is delivered by a tortoise named Jeremiah. In the fourth-season episode, "A Strange Bird," Bear learns that a penguin named Puck is coming to the Big Blue House when he finds a two-week old postcard at the post office.
The closing credits refer to this episode as including the songs "What's In The Mail Today?" and "Everybody in the Tub." However, these two songs are heard only in brief instrumental forms.
On a cold winter day, Bear puts on his nightcap and decides to take a nice winter's nap. However, it would seem that others in the Big Blue House have other plans for Bear. Ojo comes to Bear in alarm --- concerned about the sudden disappearance of her duck friends from the Otter Pond. Bear makes her a cup of cocoa and tells her about migration. Treelo takes Bear outside, telling him there's feathers falling from the sky. Bear introduces him to the delights of snow. Bear finally settles down for the nap, but is woken up by Pip and Pop. They take him outside, where all the kids have a special surprise for him. Tutter's been trying to take a nap too, but with all the noise, he finds himself just as awake as Bear. In the Shadow segment, Shadow tries to help Bear get to sleep. She sings "Rockabye Baby."
Songs
In the Middle of Winter
Notes
In this episode, Ojo talks about her duck friends out at the Otter Pond. Duck characters were first seen on the program in the third season, with the introduction of Harry and his Mom in "Lost and Found."
It's time for Bear to go to work, and a bear's work is berry-picking. He invites the viewers to join him as he locates his berry-picking bucket and hunts for berries to fill it, including strawberries, boysenberries, blueberries, blackberries and huckleberries. Before he finds his bucket, he finds Ojo and Treelo playing in the living room. Their game has come to a halt, as Ojo is tired of Treelo pretending to be a baby. Bear helps her to find something new to play and shows her how Treelo can still be the baby in the new game. Bear learns about Tutter's work, which includes cleaning up his mousehole and shopping for cheese. Shadow sings the song "I've Been Working on the Railroad" and gives Bear a tip as to where to find his berry-picking bucket. Later, after Bear finishes his work, Bear talks with Pip and Pop and helps them to see that they too did work today.
Songs
Workin' Like a Kid
Everybody in the Tub
Notes
This episode deals with work. A later episode from the fourth season, "A Trip to the General Store," deals with the idea of money and spending. Bear's work is berry-picking, but whether he makes any profit from it (or if it in some way supports the continued operation of the Big Blue House) remains unclear.
Bear has just gone inside the Big Blue House for some relaxing swinging in the living room in the kitchen. Ojo, however, is soon there to remind Bear of a promise he made. She's very hungry and Bear had promised to make her his "incredible banana berry whole-wheat pancakes with maplely syrup." So Bear heads to the kitchen to get cooking, and Ojo offers to help out. She goes to get Snow Bear and soon after, Pip and Pop join in the cooking. Tutter and Treelo appear soon after and Tutter's a bit annoyed with Treelo for taking him flying through the trees. Still, they join in the preparation as well --- Bear has them set the table. Tutter disagrees with Treelo as to how to fold the napkins, but Bear gets them working together on a new way to do it. In the Shadow segment, Shadow sings the song "Muffin Man." In her version, however, the Muffin Man is a super treat that's able to fly into your mouth (with a little help.)
Songs
Magic in the Kitchen
Clean Up the House
Spring has sprung! And everyone in the Big Blue House has spring fever, Pip & Pop help Bear do his spring cleaning; Tutter and Ojo plant seeds in their garden; while Treelo is just bursting with excitement and energy.
Bear, along with his friends, Ojo, Pip & Pop, Treelo and Tutter, teach us about the many things that grow. Pip & Pop plant a see and wait, while Tutter tries on his baby clothes realizing they don't fit because he's grown a lot.
Bear and his friends, Ojo, Pip & Pop, Treelo and Tutter prepare for a picnic. They all decide on the different foods to bring, including clams, cheese sandwiches and bananas - a little something for everyone.
Bear hears a shout coming from the kitchen and finds Ojo begging Tutter to let her peek inside his mousehole. When he won't let her, saying that she's too big, she cries. It turns out that she's lost her favorite toy, Snowbear. Not wanting to see her cry, Tutter agrees to help her find it --- mice are great at finding things. Pip and Pop soon join the hunt, but Bear's bedroom gets rather messed up in the process. Ojo begins to despair, but Bear helps ro raise her spirits by encouraging her to keep up the hunt. Treelo then comes up with a great idea that could help her to find Snowbear.
In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the story of the "Three Little Kittens" --- the ones that lost their mittens.
Songs
Lost Thing
Snow Bear Where Can You Be
Notes
This episode was adapted in storybook form as Lost and Found.
Bear has caught a cold and his nose is so stuffed up that he just has to take it as assumed that the viewers smell good today. Tutter suggests he get a little rest on the couch and then the kids all decide that they'll do their best to help Bear feel better. Tutter recalls that when he needed some water, Bear helped him to reach the faucet. Ojo brings Bear her favorite toy, Snow Bear, to help cheer him up. She recalls the time when he helped her to feel better when she fell down while trying to fly. Pip and Pop deliver Bear a package containing a clam with the message "Get Well Soon." They recall the time when Bear let them be postal delivery otters. Treelo gives Bear a hug and recalls the time that he was afraid of going down the drain in the bathtub. And Tutter recalls a time when he wasn't feeling all that well himself.
Songs
Need a Little Help Today
Quiet Time
Notes
This episode consists in large part of flashbacks to scenes from past episodes. As such, there is no Shadow segment in this episode and no real-kids segment either.
Bear receives a package in the mail containing a tape of soothing sounds. He's eager to sit down and listen to them, but Ojo is worried that the tape will disturb the game of "camping in the woods" she's playing. When she learns it's soothing sounds, she's eager to hear them, but then Treelo shows up and starts making noises of his own. At first, Ojo is irritated, but then Bear helps Treelo with making some sounds that won't bother Ojo. All of this gives Ojo a great idea for a real camping trip. Meanwhile, Tutter is busy dancing, and doesn't want any part of the camping trip when he hears about it. Pip and Pop are interested, though, after Bear tells them about it on their plastic cup telephone.
Notes
Ojo, Tutter, Treelo, Pip and Pop join in the singing of the second half of the Goodbye Song.
Pip and Pop refer to Bear as "Smokey." This is a reference to Smokey Bear of the United States Forest Service, who encourages people to remember that "Only YOU can prevent forest fires" and more recently "Only YOU can prevent wildfires."
Pip and Pop are playing hide-and-seek, but disagree on where they should play. Bear introduces them to the method of flipping a coin. Bear stops to contemplate friendship and then finds Treelo waiting for Ojo. He wants to play their favorite game --- Rock Boy and Snow Bear, but Ojo keeps dashing off outside. Treelo tries to get Tutter to play the game instead, but finds that Tutter's not interested in the game. Both of them eventually join Pip and Pops' game of hide-and-seek and then find out the reason why Ojo has been so busy.
Songs
Friends for Life
When You Make Yourself a Friend
Notes
Ojo makes a new friend in this episode --- a little bunny rabbit who hangs around the Otter Pond. Although no name is given for this character in this episode, she will later be known as Christine.
