The folks creating these Berenstain Bears collections are getting smarter about the mix of content. This DVD, The Berenstain Bears: Springtime Surprises, contains two episodes from the early '80s and two special shows that came out in about the same period. Readers and watchers that have been following the series will remember that some of the compilations released earlier had a jumble of shows with old and new animation, making for a less cohesive feel. It's doubtful that kids are bothered by this, but they do tap into continuity and pay more attention when a story is told well. The worst we could say about The Berenstain Bears: Springtime Surprises is that it could have included an additional episode or two to fill out the DVD.

The spring theme is immediately evident in "Easter Surprise," which looks like it was released as a television special or straight to VHS in 1981. The best thing about this story is that it introduces Sister Bear! Parents will know in advance that Sister is actually the surprise for Easter, but kids have to piece it together through little clues like Brother telling his mom that her "lap got smaller" because of her growing belly. Nice little touches like all the baby animals being born are included, but the main focus isn't birds and bees. The real issue is that durn Easter Bunny, who has decided delivering all those eggs is just too much work. Brother sets out to convince him otherwise...

"Play Ball" is another special that almost immediately followed "Easter Surprise" in the show's sequence, coming out in 1983. The specials are easy to distinguish from the episodes because specials include lots of songs, similar to the shows we grew up with around the holidays. "Play Ball" maintains the spring theme in the sense that baseball is a spring sport, but the main focus of this show is Papa coming to grips with the old adage (no pun intended) that you can catch more bears with honey. His initial attempt to rouse the cubs' interest in baseball is a dismal failure, but he eventually comes around.

"The Truth" and "Save the Bees" were episodes #5 and 6, respectively. This puts them into the same context as the specials and makes The Berenstain Bears: Springtime Surprises feel like a snapshot of the Bear Family's earliest days on television. "The Truth" is a morality tale, typical of later Bears' fare. Brother and Sister think they'll be able to cover their tracks after they cause a big mess in the house, but they realize that lies only make a bad situation worse. "Save the Bees" is a weird formula that thankfully didn't continue in the series, where there is a plot by bad guys to destroy Bear Country... Weird, right? It isn't a bad episode, but most viewers of The Berenstain Bears love the show because it doesn't focus on battles and bad guys. Older kids may like seeing a bit more action injected into the traditional formula. All four shows contained here have something to offer, and we just wish there were more on the DVD. Fans of the show won't be disappointed, and if you've been buying the compilations, this is definitely one you'll want in your collection.