Brum: Soccer Hero and Other Stories

Your kids may not connect with this heroic car instantly (the way they do with a little red furry monster, for example), and there is a decisively British flavor to these. (In one episode, Brum helps Mr. Brillo recover his prize garden gnome.) But the theme song played at the end of each installment is quite catchy, and the exaggerated acting and constant gags are sure to elicit some giggles (a fan blows off a man's wig in one episode, revealing his bald head, while in another a teen thug gets his head stuck in a bucket).

Each segment is short (about 10 minutes, over two of which is intro and outro). Adults won't likely find anything objectionable here, except perhaps for one homeless man who's sort of played for laughs. You'll probably consider this pretty hokey fare. But if you're looking to give your kids -- and yourself -- a break from Elmo and Barney, give this title a test drive.