DVD Review: Tom and Jerry Tales – Vol. 5

TV Show Info:
Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Don Brown, Sam Vincent, Michael Donovan, Colin Murdoch, Reece Thompson, Frank Welker, Nicole Oliver, Jake D. Smith
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Warner Home Video

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: October 27-December 1, 2007
DVD Box Set Release Date: August 12, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $8.99
Episodes: Season Two – Episodes 18-21

I had the chance to review Tom and Jerry Tales when the fourth volume was released by Warner Home Video earlier this year. What I said then remains true today. Tom and Jerry Tales just isn’t the Tom and Jerry cartoon many of us (over the age of 20) grew up watching. Sure, Tom and Jerry Tales is kid-friendly and those who are still under the legal adult age will get a kick out of this cartoon. Still, those who expect the same exact Tom and Jerry, cat and mouse fare (perhaps even obscene in nature) will be sadly disappointed.

When it comes right down to it, the show isn’t so horrible that it is unwatchable. In fact, I have to say, of all the Tom and Jerry Tales episodes I’ve seen (and my 13 year old son is a huge fan of the show) these were amongst the best. With school starting and Halloween on the horizon, these episodes all seem to have a semi-Halloween theme to them (or at least their titles). The show does seem to follow the formula that the show was established on, with the cat and mouse games that made this duo so famous. These are the good points of the show.

What might be considered bad by some (and I consider it a minor annoyance) is the fact that the slapstick routines are less violent, more kid-friendly and a bit more PC. I understand that parents don’t want their kids seeing violent cartoons, but Tom and Jerry aren’t violent just for gratuity’s sake. They are violent in the same way that Wile E. Coyote and the other Looney Tunes made a career for themselves. Personally, I don’t care if my kids see this kind of violence, because if they can’t realize that a cartoon chicken (cat/rabbit/mouse/coyote) is not real and separate the idea of violence in real life from violence in cartoons then that child has other problems that need to be addressed.

So, Tom and Jerry Tales is more cartoons-y, parent-approved and geared towards a younger audience. Old fans of this due, especially those that are parents, can still enjoy spending time with their children/nieces/nephews/neighbors/etc. while watching this show, myself included. Sure, the old Tom and Jerry shorts are much more up my alley, but I’m willing to make the sacrifice in order for some time with the family.

The Tom and Jerry Tales Plot
Like all of the volume DVDs for the Tom and Jerry Tales television show, there are only a few episodes included on this disc. This is one of the most discouraging parts of this DVD. For fans of this show it would be nice if the series was released in season sets. Maybe it will be eventually, but for now these volumes are all that fans have.

Since the original Tom and Jerry cartoons were shorts, each episode of the Tom and Jerry Tales television show features three cartoon shorts. The show aired on the Kids WB for the first time on September 23, 2006. The show aired for two seasons, ending sometime in 2008 and 4KidsEntertainment, which took over the Kids WB lineup, has officially confirmed that the show won’t be airing in the 2008 Saturday morning lineups. As of now, the fate of this show (and whether it has officially been canceled or not) is unknown.

The four episodes, each with three mini-sodes are as follows:

“Invasion of the Body Slammers” / “Monster Con” / “Over the River and Boo the Woods” – This season two episode was the 18th Tom and Jerry Tales episode to air. In mini-sode one, the typical Tom and Jerry cat-mouse chase is interrupted when a shapeshifting alien, whose spaceship lands nearby, uses its powers to wreak havoc. In mini-sode two, Tom becomes the assistant of Van Helsing, the famous monster hunter. When they head to Monster Con at a local hotel, Van Helsing heads off to hunt for monsters. In the meantime, Tom uses some of his monster hunting equipment to try and catch Jerry. When Tom ends up catching ghosts and is bit by a werewolf (becoming a werewolf cat) he quickly becomes the hunted. Finally, in the last mini-sode, Tom and Jerry are in a cursed forest. There they meet a vampire cat who turns out to be Butch. When the three decide to race, it becomes a race to the finish with the last stuck in the forest forever.

“Xtreme Trouble” / “A Life Less Guarded” / “Sasquashed” – Aired in season two as the 19th episode of the show. The first mini-sode has Jerry as a skateboarder, trying to snatch a snack from the fridge. After that it is off to get cheese from a cheese truck as Tom chases Jerry with a dirt bike. In the second mini-sode, the local pool is having a competition for a new lifeguard and both Tom and Droopy want the job. Jerry, obviously, wants Droopy to win and he is willing to help make that happen in any way that he can. The final episode has the duo heading to the woods. Tom’s owner goes camping and takes Tom with him. They just happen to be staying near Bigfoot sighting locations. Jerry and Nibbles are also camping. After Tom learns there is a reward for capturing Bigfoot, who is really named Sheldon, Jerry and Nibbles must protect him from capture.

“Summer Squashing” / “League of Cats” / “Little Big Mouse” – Episode 20 in the second season of the show starts with Tom guarding the garden of his owner. He must guard it from pests, which include mice. Tom thinks this is a piece of cake because all he has to do is catch Jerry, but when the garden is filled with mice, Tom realizes the job is much harder than he first anticipated. The League of Cats is a secret organization that gangs up on mice, something they believe is the way to catch them. When Butch invites Tom to join, Jerry decides to form the League of Mice, which uses its numbers to take on the cats. In the last mini-sode, while Tom is sleeping with his owner, Jerry steals all Tom and his owner’s food. Since there is a heatwave, the owner and Tom are sleeping by the fridge, so after Jerry’s thievery, Tom gets blamed and thrown out of the house. Before Jerry can enjoy the food, an ant steals it and he must take on the role Tom usually has when chasing him.

“Bend It Like Thomas” / “Endless Bummer” / “Game, Set, Match” – When Tom gets the best of Spike and Jerry with a soccer ball, the two plot to get back at him. When Droopy, Jerry and Tom enter a surfing competition everyone is stunned when an unexpected winner claims first prize. When Tom is forced to teach Tyke, the son of Spike, how to play tennis, his efforts are thwarted by Jerry and Spike.

Out of these four episodes, the first one, “Invasion of the Body Slammers” / “Monster Con” / “Over the River and Boo the Woods”, was by far the best!

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
The video quality for the episodes on the Tom and Jerry Tales – Vol. 5 DVD all look pretty good. I’m assuming this quality is similar to what it was when the show aired on Kids WB. Presented at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, this is pretty standard for a television show, especially a cartoon. The full frame animation gives Tom and Jerry a more modern look with a bright and vibrant color palate. The animation serves its purpose and contrast is nice. There were very few, if any visible visual flaws. Overall, everything was pleasing to the eye.

The audio quality for these Tom and Jerry Tales – Vol. 5 episodes is as good as the video. I listened to the English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound. Everything sounded clear from the dialogue and music to the sound effects. There was no need to volume toggle. Though I’m not sure why, Warner Home Video really packed on the audio options. There are tracks in French, Spanish, Japanese and Portuguese, all of which are Dolby Digital stereo. Additionally, there are subtitles in English, Spanish, Japanese, and Portuguese.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
There are absolutely no bonus features included on the Tom and Jerry Tales – Vol. 5 DVD. Warner Bros. needs to start adding bonuses.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
While I’m not a huge fan of Tom and Jerry Tales, I didn’t really mind watching the fifth volume of episodes. This show is going to be a kid favorite, and not all parents (or other adults) are going to dig this series. While likely to leave you longing for the un-PC, uncensored, possibly even blasphemous original Tom and Jerry cartoon shorts, this show is good for a laugh or two. Fans of the show and people with kids should pick up all the volumes of Tom and Jerry Tales because it is something that a younger audience is more likely to appreciate.

Overall Rating:

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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