"Smallville" does it pretty well. That's the only one that comes to mind.

LBT is definitely not the worst offender of this, though. I agree the average background dinosaur is usually little more than an uneducated armchair-complainer who seems prone to side with Cera's dad on everything from water rations to the luckiness of guest stars, but some of the closer relatives serve multiple purposes. Littlefoot's grandparents are definitely voices of reason, Cera's dad never fails to cause internal strife and heighten the conflict, and Ducky's mom, whenever she has a large part, usually provides cousel for Ducky in times of need.

Sounds right to me. Have we mentioned Rhette?

Like I said, as a writer, I can recognize these things. I've graduated college with a degree in writing and I now do freelance editing work and also work in a publishing press.

That's exactly what I'm doing, except I haven't graduated college yet. That might be the reason why I completely agree with you.

Pokeplayer, it is true that one can mix up the order of what one reveals in their writing, but remember that this is a kid's show that, despite it's inherited fan base, still needs to start off on a good limb. To do that, especially for a younger audience, one needs to start off with a clear introductory story. As Ryuukokoro said, it has all the markings of a TV pilot. This is what any show must do to ensure that it gains fans from the start. (as a corollary, this is also why most shows start getting really developed, complicated, and multi-episode story arcs in and around the 3rd season, because the authors feel like they've sufficiently set up the all-around story and characters. If you listen to the special features and interviews usually included with DVD collections, this is a common thing for directors and scriptwriters to say.)

Also, if this wasn't the pilot episode, which do think was? None of the other episodes I see look like they've been written to start the entire series off.

If the Rainbow Faces had built a human-style civilization, it'd go without saying that that would be a pretty awesome place to live. Yet in most of the narrator's opening monologues, he talks about how the entire planet is harsh and dangerous, and "the one place" where dinosaurs can live in safety and harmony is the Great Valley. That would imply that there are no other dinosaur sanctuaries on earth, such as your city.

On Wikipedia, I read the following tidbit:

"The only song (not counting Adventuring and Friends for Dinner) played in the TV series that never shares its original melody is The Amazing Threehorn Girl. People who have seen the episode believe that the theme for the song is original. They also believe that the song melodically different than other songs played on this show."

However, before I'd even finished hearing it for the first time, I immediately recognized the melody from somewhere else. I don't know where, but I'm absolutely positive I've heard that tune from somewhere. Does any one else recall it, maybe from one of the movies?

Welcome to the GOF! Have fun and post lots!  

It's like that one Thomas Jefferson quote "We're holding a wolf by the ears, and therefore can neither safely hold on to it or let it go."

Would that be: "flying through the air with the greatest of ease?"

Does that mean I misinterpreted the info again? D'oh!

-ness