Since the release of the outstanding Shaun the Sheep Movie back in early 2015, the episodic TV series went into something of a hiatus with only one special released at Christmas of that year. At the end of 2016 though, Aardman Animations finally brought the flock of Mossy Bottom Farm back onto our screens with a new series of shorts, and this latest release, Pizza Party, consists of the first ten episodes of Series 5. In case you are new to this (and if you are, where have you been!?), the show deals with Shaun and the flock getting into all manner of fun and mischief with Bitzer the dog trying to reign them all in and prevent the Farmer from finding out, with each episode lasting around seven minutes each. These ten mini-adventures revolve around an escaped prisoner hiding out at the farm (“Wanted”), Shaun messing about with a boomerang (“Return to Sender”) and the flock trying to regain control over their private club from the troublesome pigs (“Turf Wars”).

This set of episodes are hugely enjoyable and consistently fun, but that is pretty much what to expect when it comes to Aardman and their other Shaun the Sheep episodes. There are huge bundles of entertainment throughout that works well for adults, as well as kids, and you’ll just find yourself feeling swept up in its charm. What this show demonstrates, and has been demonstrating ever since it started back in 2007, is that this is arguably still one of the best family shows on TV to date, and the one that has been consistent in terms of quality, charm and humour. That is all down to the talented individuals working at Aardman, who just know how to appeal to their audience and give them the kind of entertainment that’s needed right now. They put a lot of effort into their animations and that makes these episodes just as special as all their other brilliant animations.

This is evidenced in the excellent documentary that’s included on this DVD release, ‘A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman’, which was shown on BBC One during the 2015 Christmas period. If you are a huge, mega fan of Aardman, this hour-long documentary is definitely worth a watch as it chronicles the journey of Aardman from their early beginnings with Morph and A Grand Day Out to the most recent Shaun the Sheep Movie and TV series, while also briefly glimpsing their upcoming feature film project, Early Man. This latest DVD entry in the Shaun the Sheep line will leave you marvelled by its beautifully handcrafted animation and its brilliant sense of humour and wit. As ever, life’s a treat with Shaun the Sheep.

Special Features: A Grand Night In: The Story of Aardman documentary

SHAUN THE SHEEP: PIZZA PARTY / CERT: U / DIRECTORS: DAVID FINE, ALISON SNOWDEN, RICHARD STARZAK / SCREENPLAY: VARIOUS / STARRING: JOHN SPARKES, JUSTIN FLETCHER, RICHARD WEBBER, KATE HARBOUR / RELEASE DATE: 13TH FEBRUARY