“Gumby Essentials” spans three decades of the lovable clay character and his sidekick Pokey. It is interesting to see the evolution of the claymation as it starts in the 1950s and works it’s way through the 1980s. There are several things in this DVD that are judgment calls for parents of young children, things such as: an outlaw that shoots at any and everything complete with flashes and smoke from his gun, Don Quixote using his sword to “slay” stuffed animals and an ice-cream saloon fight involving ice-cream and jeering. There are a few other parts where characters laugh at or tease the other ones, but in each episode, the right prevails and the good guys are the winners.

The stories are fun and full of color, and the creativity is amazing. “Gumby Essentials” is a wonderful compilation of this vintage favorite. Dove happily awards “Gumby Essentials” the Dove “Family-Approved” Seal.