4 Seasons

Episode

Home is Where the Bear Is (1997)

One morning, Bear finds Ojo playing pretend, having created a tent that's she's pretending is her home. Her imaginary home gets Bear thinking about his real home, the Big Blue House. Bear decides to take us all on a guided tour of the home. He takes us to the kitchen, which we learn is Tutter's favorite room. The bathroom is the favorite haunt of Pip and Pop. Treelo likes Bear's bedroom, mainly because of the bed. Shadow retells the story of the little old lady who lived in a shoe. Finally, Bear also enjoys going up to the attic, because he gets to talk there each night with his friend Luna, the moon.

Water, Water Everywhere (1997)

Bear and his friends are interacting with water in this episode --- be it real or imaginary. Ojo, for example, is pretending to sail a ship in the living room. Pip and Pop join her in the fun. Bear contemplates some questions of his about water --- just what shape it is and why it's so wet. He finds Tutter in the kitchen trying to get some water of his own. He's trying to build something to make his way to the sink, but Bear helps him by giving him a lift. Bear also finds Treelo in the bathtub playing with bubbles. When the bubbles start to overflow, Bear has him pull the plug, but he's worried he'll go down the drain. Bear assures him that the drain is only for water (and bubbles). In the Shadow segment, Shadow tells the story of "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". Songs ■Oh, Water, Water, Water ■Need a Little Help Today Notes ■This episode includes a brief segment in which real kids talk about some of the shapes that water takes on. These include raindrops, drops from a sprinkler and waves. ■Tutter uses various boxes in his attempt to construct something to help him reach the faucet. Some of the boxes being used are Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and Nabisco's Ritz Bits. The letters of the brand's name on the boxes are somewhat obscured to prevent Trademark and Copyright Information.

Mouse Party (1997)

Today is Tutter's birthday, and the friends in the Big Blue House decide to throw him a special surprise birthday party. Pip and Pop are placed in charge of the decorations, but run into trouble with the balloons. All the noise attracts Tutter, but Bear manages to head him off with our help. Tutter learns that having a birthday means becoming a year older. He speculates on all the great things he'll be able to do while he's older. Ojo works on the cake and Treelo wraps Tutter's present. Treelo, though, gets so excited about the birthday that at first he wants to keep the present for himself. Songs ■When I'm Older ■Happy, Happy Birthday Notes ■A big deal is made about Tutter's present in this episode, but viewers never find out what it is. ■Luna is so old that she doesn't remember when her birthday is. ■Shadow does not appear in this episode. The time normally spent on her story is taken up by Tutter's birthday party. ■The events of this episode were the basis for the stage show Bear in the Big Blue House Live: Surprise Party. This stage show no longer tours, but is available on video. ■The "Happy, Happy Birthday" song is listed as simply "The Birthday Song" in the closing credits. Additionally, the closing credits run longer than usual.

Shape of a Bear (1997)

Tutter is excited because Bear has promised to bring him a box, but he's getting a bit impatient at the wait. Viewers learn that the box is a rectangle and that there are shapes all around. They also find out that everyone has their own unique shape --- something that Ojo, Pip and Pop learn when they become shape explorers. Treelo also learns about shapes when Bear plays with him in a "tent" he made out of a bedsheet. Shadow also pays Bear a visit and tells a story of a very special shape --- a star. Songs ■Me, I'm the Shape of the Bear (and Reprise) ■Twinkle Twinkle Little Star Notes ■When Ojo is playing with her blocks, she sings "Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho. I love my blocks, you know." This is a play on "Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho. It's off to work we go" --- lyrics from the song "Heigh-Ho" in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. ■The Bear-only version of the song in this episode is Track 18 on the album Songs from Jim Henson's Bear in the Big Blue House. On the album it is titled simply "Shape of a Bear," but on the credits at the end of the episode, it is listed as "Me, I'm the Shape of the Bear."

Picture of Health (1997)

While Bear gets ready for his Woodland Workout with Pip and Pop, he stops at Ojo and Treelo playing doctor. Tutter is trying to put his cheese in his mouse-hole and Bear tells Tutter to have quiet time. Except Pip and Pop did the workout without him. Bear is excited and ready to do his Woodland Workout at the Otter Pond. When he heads into the living room, he finds Ojo and Tutter, who give him a pretend checkup. They diagnose him with "big bear-itis," but give him just the right medicine to feel better. As he heads into the kitchen to leave the Big Blue House, he comes upon Tutter, grunting and groaning. He discovers that Tutter is tired from trying store cheese in his mousehole for the winter and advises him to take "quiet time." Reluctant at first, Tutter eventually takes the advice. When Bear learns that Pip and Pop went ahead with the workout themselves due to his lateness, he ends up taking some quiet time himself. In the Shadow segment, Shadow retells the story of the five little monkeys jumping on the bed. Songs ■Picture of Health ■Quiet Time and Reprise ■The Bear Cha-Cha-Cha