The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek

I don't remember this being among the episodes of this show I watched during its mid to late '90s repeats, but I believe a few months ago when I watched this episode on Youtube, it was the first time I saw it. Can't compare and contrast it with the original story, as I never read it, but it's another one I still enjoyed nonetheless. There are interesting parallels and similarities between this and the ABC Weekend Special, "The Bunjee Venture". This features two siblings, brother and sister (Joey and Joan), as does "The Bunjee Venture" (Andy and Karen), who come across a prehistoric creature (George the Stegosaur, who was named by Joan, in this; Bunjee in the ABC Weekend Special) one way or another. With Joey and Joan, they cross paths with George in some plateaus; Andy and Karen cross paths with Bunjee by using their dad's time machine, which took them to prehistoric times. Both pairs of siblings have a mom and dad. I had to point out those three things I noticed, but that's where the parallels and similarities end. Therefore, both each book and its adaptation just may be somewhat of an answer to the other.

Set in the titular locale somewhere in the Southwest, the family's home is a ranch. Joey and Joan's dad is a paleontologist, and after they bring him his lunch, they go horseback riding into town. But little do they know they're about to be in for a huge surprise. On the way there, Joey falls off his horse and encounters a rattlesnake. Joan attempts to protect him, but both she and Joey are saved, thanks to a live, talking stegosaur who comes to their aid. The twins never would've thought they'd see the day when they'd actually come across a dinosaur of any kind in the flesh, much less one that can speak and he happens to be the last one in existence. Although the stegosaur is normally shy when it comes to showing himself to people, he makes an exception for Joan and Joey. The things of more modern times are foreign to the stegosaur, such as his unfamiliarity with chewing gum and mistaking an airplane for a pteranodon. After Joan christens her and Joey's new friend George, George has to go into hiding whenever others are nearby, and he has the ability to do this by camouflaging himself when he's near a plateau, changing himself to the same color as it, and appearing as if he's made of stone. In addition to this, there's a caper involved, committed in town by three men. Joan is in trouble when one of the men finds her alone after George seemingly disappears and catches her learning of their plans. Will George be able to muster the courage to come to her rescue again and will the law enforcers be able to apprehend the robbers?

This story is just as good as the other episodes I've seen so far in this series. The art with both the characters and the depictions of the backgrounds, and layouts, such as with the plateaus, are well-designed. The animation is a paragon of the quality being better than some, certain, other '80s cartoons. George himself is great, as while usually shy, he can summon bravery at times as well. Joey and Joan are the same. The incidental music consists of a ear-catching country/Western feel. I know of only some of the cast this episode features, but everyone sounded fine in their voice roles. Everything technical about it is top-notch. It's a mystery how George managed not to go extinct after prehistory. Another entertaining story/episode. What more can I say? Other than it's another winner. Recommended.