Friday, April 25, 2008

Bessy Higgenbottom is a spaz. She talks nonstop -- the words a bit distorted by missing teeth and a lisp. She's optimistic: only 4,584 Honeybee badges to go before she becomes a superhero. Or a rock star, actress, politician or brain surgeon.

But most of all, Bessy -- star of Nickelodeon's new show "The Mighty B!"-- is hilarious. The 9 3/4 -year-old "funny and sweet girl-tornado" is voiced by "Saturday Night Live" comic Amy Poehler, who created the character with writer Cynthia True and artist-writer Erik Wiese.

The hyper-energized Mighty B, who shows up at your house Saturday mornings at 10:30, will be familiar to many viewers. She's the little girl next door who rings the doorbell at least twice a day to ask you to play Barbies. Or have a tea party. Or ride bikes. Or walk the neighbor's dog. Or look at her rock collection.

But, unlike that annoying kid, Bessy is very funny. "We've been really pleased at how much little boys seem to relate to and like Bessie," True said. ". . . They seem to get her and laugh at her just as much as the girls do."

Also this week:

· "Moondance Alexander" is a pleasing family story featuring Kay Panabaker as a friendless girl who (with uplifting background music) blooms after finding a runaway horse. The seemingly far-fetched movie, available Tuesday on DVD, was inspired by a true story.

· Disney goes south of the border with "The Classic Caballeros Collection," featuring two releases from the 1940s: "Saludos Amigos" and the Donald Duck toon "The Three Caballeros." . . . The three-DVD "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" has all 31 episodes of the 1970s animated series.

-- Scott Moore