Having moved from eastern Canada to Vancouver, BC in the year that the legendary clown JP Patches finished his long run as the king of kids programming on Seattle TV, I heard many wistful references to his greatness. Much like the New York cable access Uncle Floyd Show, I knew of JP's supposed wacky wonderfulness but had not had the pleasure of seeing the show. So I was pleased to come across the JP Patches DVD Collection.
Well, this hacked together two disc set may not be a fair representation of JP's many years of zany antics but what is here does not hold up well. More a reminiscence than actual full episodes, it is difficult to get a sense of the performer's appeal. And the originally interspersed cartoons that would have kept a child's interest are not included. I can watch kids' shows that were before my time and enjoy them - Soupy Sales comes to mind - but JP Patches' skits play more like time fillers than comedy. For Patches Pals only.
Well, this hacked together two disc set may not be a fair representation of JP's many years of zany antics but what is here does not hold up well. More a reminiscence than actual full episodes, it is difficult to get a sense of the performer's appeal. And the originally interspersed cartoons that would have kept a child's interest are not included. I can watch kids' shows that were before my time and enjoy them - Soupy Sales comes to mind - but JP Patches' skits play more like time fillers than comedy. For Patches Pals only.