Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video Ever!

Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video Ever! is the second video of the Richard Scarry's Best Videos Ever series. It was released on August 31, 1989 on VHS and rereleased on October 16, 2001 on DVD.

Synopsis[]

Join Lily Bunny as she spends her counting day from 1 to 20!

Description[]

Children will love helping Lily Bunny count from 1 to 20! "Tra la la, 1, 2, 3, come along and count with me," is the song that Lily sings as she starts off on her counting adventure. Along the way she meets Huckle Cat, Lowly Worm, Wrong-Way Roger, Bananas Gorilla, and many other delightful Richard Scarry characters who each help her find funny things to count. Learning to count has never been more fun than in the Best Counting Video Ever!

Plot[]

The video starts off with the entire Busytown. Then we fade with the busy people working in Busytown and Mr. Frumble chases his hat. Then it goes on to Lily Bunny reading a counting book at the Bunny Family's house. Her father decides to make today a counting day and tells her to start by counting 1 of something, and then count 2 things, until she reaches to 10, in which it is her lunch time. Lily starts by counting one of herself, and then counts her two hands, feet and ears. Then she goes outside to find 3 of something while she sings the counting day song (Won't You Come and Count With Me? (Tra La La, 1, 2, 3)). She counts 3 friends riding 3 tricycles with 3 horns. On the way to the farm, she counts 4 mooing cows, and 5 funny frogs splashing in a pond. Then, Lily goes to Farmer Fox's farm, where she counts 6 crows and 6 scarecrows, and then the wind blows away the hats. She counts the 6 silly hats, including another one making 7, which she wonders where that hat came from. The hat appears to belong to Mr. Frumble, who is still chasing it. Lily counts seven airplanes flying in the sky. One of them crashes into Farmer Fred's tractor, then 8 watermelons roll off and bounce away. Lily counts them and Farmer Fred has to chase them. Then, Lily goes to Farmer Fox's farm stand while she sings the counting day song again. By the time she gets there, Farmer Fox is helping Bananas Gorilla order 9 banana cream pies, with Lily counting them. Then, Farmer Fox shows Lily a surprise - 10 baby chicks hatching from their eggs, thinking Lily is their mom. Lily is glad that she's counted up to 10. Lily says goodbye to Farmer Fox as she goes home for lunch.

Back home, Lily sings to her parents about her day counting up to 10 (Lily's Counting Day Song). Next, Lily's dad has her count all the way up to 20, so Lily comes over to Huckle's house and tells him it's her counting day. She asks him if he and Lowly wants to come with her to help her count what they see. Huckle and Lowly agree, so they go to Busytown while they sing another reprise of the counting day song. Lily and Huckle spot a car count a family of 11 pigs coming out and going to Busy Burger for lunch. At Busy Burger, they count 12 pancakes... and one hungry hippo (Mr. Hippo), who eats them all in one bite. Lowly sneaks in and eats his own stack of pancakes, when is called to come back by Huckle convincing him that they have to find 13 of something. Outside, Huckle and Lily count 13 scouts crossing the street. They then go to the zoo, where they see Lowly buying 14 balloons, and gets lifted off by them, but luckily, Erholz, the giraffe saves him. At Father Cat's grocery store, Huckle and Lily count 15 delicious apples as Mrs. Crocodile buys them. Lowly is hiding in one of the apples, scaring her, causing a mess in the store. Mr. Frumble continues to chase his hat, but trips over the apples and falls on the ground. In the playground, Huckle and Lily count 16 children sliding down a slide. In the library, they count 17 books, which Mr. Lion is carrying. He tries to juggle them, but fails. Then they see Lowly at a florist buying 18 roses. Lowly brings them to Mrs. Hippo on her birthday. She sneezes them away, leaving 18 beautiful stems. Next, the trio watches a musical parade and count 19 big bass drums, followed by Lowly being in a tuba and being blown out when it sounds. As it begins to get late, Huckle and Lowly are about to go home, but Lily tells them they haven't counted to 20 yet. However, Huckle apologizes, saying he and Lowly must go home in time for dinner. This makes Lily sad, as she however agrees with Huckle and Lowly that she must go home, too. So Lily sadly says goodbye to both Huckle and Lowly as she watches them go out of sight. Then she goes home alone.

Upon returning home, Lily tells her family that she and Huckle only counted up to 19, but they didn't make it to 20. Lily’s dad tells her that her counting day isn’t finished and she might be able to find something to count at home. Lily realizes that there are no more things around her at first, until she sees what's on the table. She finally counts 20 carrots at the dinner table and her family applauds for her.

At bedtime, Lily’s parents tell her that she'd had a very busy day. Her mother sings Tomorrow You Can Count Again to Lily. As the video ends, a silhouette of Mr. Frumble chases his hat and the fireflies arrange the words "THE END."

Characters Featured[]

Songs[]

Won't You Come and Count With Me? (Tra La La, 1, 2, 3)
Won't You Come and Count With Me? (Tra La La, 1, 2, 3) (reprise)
Lily's Counting Day Song
Won't You Come and Count With Me? (Tra La La, 1, 2, 3) (reprise with Huckle Cat)
Tomorrow You Can Count Again

Voices[]

Trivia/Goofs[]

This title of the video is based on and named after the book, Richard Scarry's Best Counting Book Ever.
A running gag in the video is Mr. Frumble constantly seen trying to catch his flying hat. The same thing would happen again in Richard Scarry's Be Careful, Mr. Frumble, The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Busytown Mysteries.
This is the second video of the Richard Scarry's Best Videos Ever series.
This is the only episode where the plot focus is on Lily Bunny.
It was Mrs. Hippo's birthday on the same day as Lily Bunny's counting day. Also, it’s revealed that she is allergic to roses.
This is the first video Huckle asks "Where's Lowly?". Next time, he would ask the question again in Richard Scarry's Best Sing-Along Mother Goose Video Ever.
This is the first time that Busytown takes place in nighttime at the end of this video.
The 6 birds Lily counted are called crows. But on Richard Scarry's Best Sing-Along Mother Goose Video Ever, those birds would be called blackbirds.
This is the first time where we see Lily Bunny in her pajamas in Tomorrow You Can Count Again from this video. The second time would later then be in the song "Mixed Up Sounds" in the second story Mr. Fixit Fixes It from Richard Scarry's Best Silly Stories and Songs Video Ever.
This is the first time where we see Lily's father is wearing the same suit. The second time would later then be in the song Mixed Up Sounds in the second story Mr. Fixit Fixes It from Richard Scarry's Best Silly Stories and Songs Video Ever. Especially, Richard Scarry's Best Busy People Video Ever in the pilot and captain segments and Richard Scarry's Best Learning Songs Video Ever.
Able Baker Charlie appears as a silent character.
This is the first appearance of Lily Bunny, Mr. Lion, Lucy Fox, Mr. Hippo, David Cat, Alex Cat, Pablo Cat and Mrs. Crocodile.
This video marks the first for several things:
- This is the second and last video that this episode has been produced by Jerry Lieberman Productions.
- This is the first video Huckle Cat's voice is high. His voice sounds like he's a little excited.
This is the first video the Narrator narrates the introduction, and later, he names each number from one to twenty after Lily Bunny or both she and Huckle Cat count things.
This is the first video the animation is slower and choppy.
When Lily's Mommy and Daddy ask "What is it, dear?" before Lily counts the 20 carrots, Daddy is not on screen.
The font Neue Hass Grotesk Black is used for the numbers in the video.
The line, "And one hungry hippo," is likely a reference to the popular game, Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Reception[]

Unlike the previous video that was made first ("Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video Ever!"), this video was a much bigger success, as it was partial improvement on the previous installment, received generally positive reviews from critics and consumers alike, and likely even got nominated and won a couple of awards (including an Emmy) for "Best Animated Children's Video".

The Video was found extremely engaging by kids, and the song that were made for it were considerably catchy. Lily Bunny has even became a fan-favorite to people who loved the videos and Richard Scarry's work.

Quotes[]

Daddy Bunny: Lily, what book are you reading?
Lily Bunny: It's my counting book, Daddy. I'm learning my numbers.
Daddy Bunny: That's nice, Lily. What have you learned so far?
Lily Bunny: I've learned how to count to 10. Listen. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
Daddy Bunny: That's wonderful counting, Lily.
Lily Bunny: Thank you, Daddy.
Daddy Bunny: I have an idea. Why don't you make today a counting day?
Lily Bunny: What's a counting day?
Daddy Bunny: It's a day when you count all the things you see. First, you find something there's only 1 of. Then you find 2 of something. And so on until you've counted all the way to 10. Then, you can tell your mother and me about all the things you counted.
Lily Bunny: That sounds like fun. I'll start right away. First, I need to find 1 of something. Now let me think. What is there only 1 of? Me! There's only 1 of me! I am 1!
Daddy Bunny: That's right! 1 bunny!
Narrator: 1.
Lily Bunny: Now I have to find 2 of something. Look! I have 2 hands! And 2 feet... and 2 long ears!
Narrator: 2.
Daddy Bunny: Good. You've got the idea. Now, why don't you go outside and see what other things you can find to count?

Farmer Fox: Hi, Lily!
Lily Bunny: Hi, Farmer Fox! Today is my counting day! I'm trying to find things to count!
Farmer Fox: That sounds like fun, Lily! When I'm finished plowing, I'll meet at my farm stand. You'll find lots of things to count there.
Lily Bunny: Thank you, Farmer Fox! I'll see you later!

Huckle Cat: Hi, Lily!
Lily Bunny: Hi, Huckle! Hi, Lowly! Today is my counting day! I've been counting things all day. And I counted all the way up to 10, but now I want to count to 20. And I'm not sure if I can do it by myself. Can you and Lowly please help me?
Huckle Cat: Sure we can! Can't we, Lowly?
Lily Bunny: Well, I just finished counting to 10. So now we need to find 11 of something.
Huckle Cat: Let's go to Busytown! There are lots of things to count there today!

Huckle Cat: Come on, Lowly. It's getting late. I think we'd better get going home.
Lily Bunny: But Huckle, we still haven't counted to 20.
Huckle Cat: I'm sorry, Lily, but now we'd better be going.
Lily Bunny: Thank you for helping me today. I guess I'd better be going home, too.
Huckle Cat: Thank you so much for letting us be part of your counting day.
Lily Bunny: You're welcome, Huckle. I had a wonderful time.
Huckle Cat: Me, too, Lily. Lowly and I had a great time, too.
Lily Bunny: May I come back soon?
Huckle Cat: Sure, you can. We'd better go now, okay?
Lily Bunny: Okay.

(Huckle and Lowly leave)

Huckle Cat: Goodbye, Lily. See you tomorrow.
Lily Bunny: Bye, Huckle. Bye, Lowly. Thanks for everything.
Narrator: Lily watched until Huckle and Lowly went out of sight.

(Lily sighs sadly and turns away)

Narrator: Then she went home alone.

(scene changes to Willy Bunny playing with a toy car. Lily arrives and Willy looks up at her)

Willy Bunny: Oh, hello, Lily. I'm really glad you're back, just in time for dinner. How's your counting day today?
Lily Bunny: Huckle and I only counted all the way up from 1 to 19. But not 20.
Daddy Bunny: The day's not finished yet, Lily. Maybe tomorrow you'll find some things to count.
Lily Bunny: Awwww, but there are no more things to count around here.
Mommy Bunny: Well, you'll see. Now let's sit down and have our dinner.
Lily Bunny: Mommy, Daddy, look!
Mommy and Daddy Bunny: What is it, dear?
Lily Bunny: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. 16, 17, 18, 19... 20! 20 carrots!
Narrator: 20.

(Her family applauds for her.)

Lily Bunny: I did it! I counted all the way up from 1 to 20!
Daddy Bunny: We knew that...you could do it!

Mommy Bunny: Settle down, Lily. It's time to go sleep. You had a very busy day.
Daddy Bunny: We're very proud of you, Lily. You did a wonderful job counting up to 20.

(Mommy and Daddy Bunny kiss Lily Bunny goodnight)