DVD Review: Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season

Writers: John Esposito, Richard Elliott, Amy Wolfram, Simon Racioppa, Melody Fox, Rob Hoegee, George Perez, Bob Kane
Directors: Michael Chang, Ben Jones, Matt Youngberg
Cast: Hynden Walch, Scott Menville, Greg Cipes, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Glenn Shadix, Ashley Johnson, Ron Perlman, Kevin Michael Richardson, Wil Wheaton
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: July 8, 2008

Cartoon Network is nearly as bad as the primetime networks. Any time a show seems to be interesting it is canceled. Instead, other, less desirable cartoons are played over and over on the channel. My son won’t even watch the network anymore. I can’t say I necessarily blame him. I really liked Teen Titans. While it definitely had its corny moments, I’m not ashamed to say I could watch it with the kids or on my own. This show was funny, action-packed, and overall entertaining. By default, that meant Cartoon Network just had to cancel it.

I don’t know who is more disappointed at the somewhat abrupt ending with the unresolved Season Five episode, “Things Change”, the kids or me. I wanted to know what happened to Beast Boy, if Terra was back and what the heck that villain was made of that they couldn’t seem to defeat. I wanted to see the Teen Titans go out on a high note. By jove, I wanted to know what was in Robin’s suitcase! The finale didn’t give me any of that. I feel robbed and so do many other fans who didn’t want the series to end.

Release Information:
Made in part by Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation, Teen Titans premiered on Cartoon Network on July 19, 2003. The show ran for five seasons before being canceled unexpectedly following the fifth season. The fifth season ran for 13 episodes from September 24, 2005 to January 16, 2006. The last show featured a rather open-ended sequence that left many fans disheartened by its lack of finality. The series also aired many of its episodes on Kids WB, which is when my son (and I) first started watching the show.

Warner Home Video is set to release Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season on DVD. This two-DVD set features all 13 episodes plus a special features section on the second disc. Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season is set to be released on July 8, 2008. It can be pre-ordered online at Amazon for $14.99 USD. After Tuesday, you should be able to pick up a copy of this DVD at most retailers where you can purchase DVDs.

The Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season Plot
Teen Titans is based on the various Teen Titans comic series’, specifically the Teen Titans series from the 1980s ‘The New Teen Titans’. This was the most popular incarnation of the comic book series and it included all of the main characters that are featured on this animated series. Following the success of this animated show, two new comic series based on the animated <em>Teen Titans</em>, the most popular being ‘Teen Titans Go!’, were released by DC comics.

The Teen Titans are made up of a group of teenage superheroes. The leader of the Teen Titans is Robin (Scott Menville), half of the Batman and Robin duo who has decided to play it solo. He ends up meeting the other Teen Titans (this is shown in the fifth season episode, “Go!”) and they are a very good team, so that is how the force if formed. The main Teen Titans group is also made up of Cyborg (Khary Payton), a half-man, half robot he’s super strong with way cool mechanical/technological abilities, Raven (Tara Strong), a somewhat cynical empath with telepathic/psychic abilities and other intense powers, Starfire (Hynden Walch), a naïve yet caring alien with the ability to shoot glowing green blasts of energy and fly, and Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), a green colored animorph who can change into any and every animal he wants.

The fifth season is made up of 13 episodes. They are split up across two discs. Here is a list of each episode with a brief description for each of them.

-DISC ONE-
#5.1 – “Homecoming – Part One” – This explores Beast Boy’s life before the Teen Titans. He used to be a part of the Doom Patrol. Even though the Doom Patrol was his adoptive family, Beast Boy has felt bad ever since the time when he was told to destroy the Brain, the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil. Beast Boy chose to save his family and eventually leaves the Doom Patrol over this decision. Now the Doom Patrol needs him. They’ve been captured by the Brotherhood of Evil and it’s up to Beast Boy and the Teen Titans to help them.

#5.2 – “Homecoming – Part Two” – Taking place from when the last episode left off, Beast Boy has chosen family over destroying the Brotherhood again. He must redeem himself in order to win back favor with the Doom Patrol, but at a price he might not be willing to pay when it comes to the members of both the Patrol and the Teen Titans team.

#5.3 – “Trust” – As the Brotherhood of Evil establishes the Teen Titans as their newest enemy, allies of the Titans (all young superheroes) are targeted and eliminated. In this episode, Madame Rouge takes on Hot Spot.

#5.4 – “For Real” – With the Teen Titans gone from Jump City (off to fight the Brotherhood of Evil) the Titans East team is hanging out in Titan Towers. It is their job to be looking over the city. When Control Freak attempts to take on the Titans he is shocked to realize the ‘true Titans’ are gone. Miffed, he sets up a set of challenges to see if Titans East are worthy of being called Teen Titans.

#5.5 – “Snowblind” – A Siberian town is being attacked by what they believe is an abomination. In the meantime, Starfire gets separated from the team in a snowstorm. She’s rescued by a nice stranger named Red Star. What she doesn’t know is he’s somehow related to the village attacks.

#5.6 – “Kole” – When the Titans team are destroying Dr. Light’s newest invention (at the North Pole) they discover an under the surface prehistoric land. There they meet Gnarrk (a caveman) and Kole who has the ability to control crystal. In fact, she can turn herself into one. Needing crystal to make his invention work, Dr. Light sets out to capture Kole and use her, in crystal form, for his invention.

#5.7 – “Hide and Seek” – Raven gets stuck with the duty of transporting three kids, Melvin, Timmy and Teether. The three are developing their superhero powers and are targeted by the Brotherhood of Evil. With Monsieur Mallah trying to capture them, Melvin insists her imaginary friend, Bobby, will protect them.

-DISC TWO-
#5.8 – “Lightspeed” – After the Titans East gang returns to Steel City, Kid Flash must ensure the HIVE FIVE behave themselves. Their leader Jinx is anxious to do something notorious to get noticed by the Brotherhood of Evil. When Kid Flash tries to befriend her, she comes up with the idea to turn him over to Madame Rouge. Prepared to prove the HIVE FIVE are worthy of being a part of the Brotherhood, Jinx is shocked to learn that things aren’t always what they seem when it comes to the Brotherhood.

#5.9 – “Revved Up” – Ding Dong Daddy has stolen a suitcase containing Robin’s most prized possession. He’ll only give the suitcase to Robin if he wins a race. He has more than enough tricks up his sleeve to keep the Titans from winning the prize.

#5.10 – “Go!” – This is an origins story. In it, we see the way the Teen Titans met, as Starfire escapes from imprisonment and makes her way to the Earth. Of course, Starfire’s captors don’t want to let her go so it’s up to the Titans to keep her safe and defeat them before they destroy the city.

#5.11 – “Calling All Titans” – The Teen Titans split up to recruit young superheroes for their cause against the Brotherhood. Before they can make it back to Jump City to rest up for the final battle, the Brotherhood makes their attack.

#5.12 – “Titans Together” – The final battle is here. The Teen Titans and their allies take on the Brotherhood of Evil (and all their new recruits) in the final showdown of good vs. evil.

#5.13 – “Things Change” – After the final battle has ended, the Teen Titans return home. Things have changed in the months since they’ve been gone. A new foe that can transform into any substance it touches takes on the team, but Beast Boy has other thoughts on his mind. He thinks he has seen Terra, alive and well. So, he sets out to see if it really is her.

There were some really great episodes in this fifth season of Teen Titans. My favorites include “Go!”, “Homecoming – Part Two”, “Hide and Seek” and “Calling all Titans”. I really liked “Things Change” though the episode left me thirsting for more. The episode ended as it should have, but there were so many unanswered questions. It makes me angry that Cartoon Network canceled this show.

Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season features a set of episodes designed for an audience between the ages of 9-14. This is a show kids and parents can enjoy together. It is fun, sometimes corny, full of adventure and wholly entertaining. I wish they’d revive the series because sadly, cartoon animation for this age group will have a hole unfilled by new shows that were once occupied by Teen Titans and the soon to be ending The Batman unless something new that’s just as good comes along.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The animation for Teen Titans is a cross between typical Japanese anime and American animation styles. This is where the show has received criticism, but I really like it. That being said, the video for the show is your standard full frames in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Typical for animated shows, this works for Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season. The animation appears to be flawless, as it should for a show that is only a few years old. The colors are stunningly vibrant. There is no dirt, noise, grain or other visual errors. Everything looks excellent. For such a standard format, this show looks amazingly great.

There are a plethora of audio options available on the Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season DVD. I, obviously, used the English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. This sounds great for an action packed show. I would have liked to have been given the option of a much more dynamic, 5.1 surround track, especially since the show is driven by sound effects and action sequences, as well as music montages and standard dialogue. While things come through clearly, I’m just saying a bigger and better soundtrack would have been nice.

I liked the fact that I didn’t have to toggle with the sound at all. The sounds were even and came through clearly. Other sound tracks available are in Spanish and French. Both are Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo tracks, which I’m sure are magnificent. I recommend the English, but that’s just me. Closed Captioning and subtitles are available in English, for the hearing impaired.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season includes one primary bonus feature. This is called “The Friends and Foes Featurette Gallery”. The gallery gives an overview of the most prevalent friends and foes of the fifth season of Teen Titans. More than just a look at the characters, each group is featured with the Teen Titan creators and crew explaining why they were included in the particular season.

The Friends and Foes included in this bonus feature are the Doom Patrol, Titans East, the Brotherhood of Evil, Honorary Titans and the Gordanians. While there is only a few minutes of material presented for each foe or friend, the information is relevant and interesting. Overall, this bonus is excellent and provides a little extra something for fans of the series. This bonus is available on the second disc.

The second disc also includes trailers for The Richie Rich/Scooby Doo Hour Season 1, Vol. 1, Ben 10: Race against Time and “Speed Racer: The Game”. On the first disc, you can find web info for websites such as the one for DC Comics. This also lists copyright information for the characters used in the Teen Titans series and comic books.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
I love the cartoon Teen Titans. Beast Boy is hilarious and the characters all have great dynamics with one another. The writing might be fading a bit this season, but I think part of the problem is the storylines were never completely resolved. Overall, I highly enjoyed the final season of Teen Titans. If you liked this show, like comic-themed animation, have a sense of humor and you like watching shows that any audience can watch (kids or adults) then you need to pick up Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season. This is one of the best cartoon sets Warner Home Video has released this year. Pick this one up while you can.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Teen Titans – The Complete Fifth Season, Warner Home Video, DVD Review, DC Comics, Kids Show, Kids WB, Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Brotherhood of Evil

Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!