As Told By Ginger: The Wedding Frame

Mystery, moody tunes and melodrama are prevalent in this little slice of Ginger Foutley’s life. As Told by Ginger is an animated series about a teenage girl whose journal entries provide perspective on the daily dealings of her, her family, and her friends. "The Wedding Frame" is obviously the culmination of numerous storylines that ran throughout the series and it seems to be the show’s last hurrah. (Internet research suggests this is the series finale. Sure it’s not the most reliable source, but it’s all I got.)

The special three-part episode featured on the disc is billed as a "Never-Before-Seen One-Hour-Feature!" It’s set in the days leading up to Lois Foutley’s nuptials to Dr. Dave. Her mother’s remarriage means Ginger and her younger brother Carl are not only getting a new step-father, but are moving to the swanky side of town. Carl’s thrilled at the prospect but Ginger’s inexplicably nervous. It seems she has to deal with her own commitment issues and her lingering feelings for her ex-boyfriend and soon to be ex-neighbour, Darren. Meanwhile, a hired gun tries to frame Dr. Dave as a cheater and break up the wedding before it can happen.

"The Wedding Frame" is designed to be both emotional and amusing, but if you’re not already invested in the characters the heart-felt moments can feel overdone. For example, I thought it was bit much that Ginger made not one but two guys cry. Worse, it’s "manly" crying, suggesting guys should always turn away so girls won’t notice when they’ve hurt them. On the other hand, the naive self-absorption that sends Ginger trampling over their hearts is a state of mind many can relate to.

Mostly thanks to Carl and his best friend Hoodsie, "The Wedding Frame" is entertaining, but it’s more about providing closure. For anyone not familiar with the show, this is hardly the disc to start with. Luckily there are two older episodes included that help to set the stage if you watch them first.

The two bonus episodes – "Stealing First" and "Dare I, Darren?" – and both are from the first season. In "Stealing First" Ginger is torn over going on a ski trip where she is led to believe she will receive her first kiss from a hottie exchange student. In "Dare I, Darren?" Ginger considers crossing the line from buddies to couple with her own best friend. The second of these episodes rings truer, as Ginger’s dilemma over Darren is a more natural one than the contrived ski trip romance. Beyond the bonus episodes there are previews and some cookbook recipes accessible as a DVD ROM feature.

Basically, as a culmination of story threads and character arcs that have been built up over the series, this is a good disc for fans but an unlikely choice for anyone else.