Release Info:
DVD Release Date: May 4, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

We are both children of the 80s. The Saturday morning cartoons of the 80s were what we grew up watching. Having reviewed Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 and Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1970s, Vol. 1, we’ve been waiting for a chance to watch classic cartoons from the 80s. Well, here it is and while some of it is cool, there are some disappointing aspects to this release.

We expected The Smurfs, The Flintstone Kids, and other Hanna-Barbera shows to dominate this set. Instead, we have a lot more of Hanna-Barbera competitors, Ruby-Spears’ cartoons represented. That is okay because Ruby-Spears isn’t all bad. BUT, most of these cartoons aren’t as well known as the Hanna-Barbera titles. Some we had never even heard of and others are just plain awful, like the Chuck Norris animated show, Karate Kommandos. We assume some didn’t air as prominently in the Midwest, like Goldie Gold and Action Jack. We never even remember these shows being on.

Don’t get us wrong. There are some cool shows on here. We’ve been waiting for The Flintstone Kids to be put out, in any form, on DVD. Both of us watched this show all the time, as kids. We’d all but forgotten about The Biskitts, those cute “little” puppies, every person from the 80s knows Mr. T, unless they were living in a cave, and I (Dom) finally got to refresh Ashtyn’s memory of what a monchhichi was. So, essentially, in this set, fans of 80s cartoons are going to win some and lose some. Ultimately, it will be up to each person to determine whether there are enough winners in the bunch to merit a purchase.

While we’ve been waiting for Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1 to come out, we cannot help but feel a sense of disappointment that more of our favorite cartoons were not included in this set. The source material for some of these cartoons isn’t as great as today’s but most of it has held up well. If nothing else, it has given us a chance to introduce the kids to a bunch of retro, lesser known cartoons they have never seen.

Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1 Episode Synopsis’
There are 11 different cartoons in the Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1 set. Some of the shows feature multiple segments and episodes. These shows are spread out across two discs. Here is a list of the episodes with a description of the shows and episodes.

Disc 1

Goldie Gold and Action Jack
Episode: “Night of the Crystal Skull”
Original Air Date: September 12, 1981

Think Richie Rich, a little ditzier, in female form and you have Goldie Gold. Goldie Gold is the richest person ever. She has more money than anyone else in the world. With so much money and time on her hands, Goldie has to do something to pass the time. Goldie owns the newspaper, the Gold Street Journal. Her boyfriend, Jack, aka “Action Jack” works for the paper. Jack, Goldie, and her dog, Nugget, use the paper to allow them to investigate crimes and save the day.

In “Night of the Crystal Skull”, Goldie arrives at her party to find men dressed as Incan warriors kidnapping two astronauts and a professor/scientist with the knowledge of how to create a space shuttle. When Goldie and Jack go to the Gold Street Journal, they are attacked by the Incans. The two chase them back to Peru. There they discover the Crystal Skull Masked man’s plot to take over the world, which they must stop.

Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos
Episode: “Deadly Dolphin”
Original Air Date: September 15, 1986

Chuck Norris is a douche and his cartoon just seeks to prove that. I think he just likes hearing his name (if parents played a drinking game for every time anyone says Chuck or Norris, they’d have alcohol poisoning in the first 2 minutes). Hearing it makes Chuck Norris giddy. Sure, he wants to teach kids lessons, and his show supposedly has moral values, but who wants to spend 20+ minutes seeing a badly drawn, bushy mustached, Chuck Norris kick butt? The funny part is, Chuck Norris really takes himself seriously in the live action sequences before and after the main show. Wow…

I will give Chuck credit. He has a crew that help him, including a totally annoying kid. I never watched this show when it originally aired, and I can definitely see why. In “Deadly Dolphin”, Angel Fish and Super Ninja capture Dr. Sanford. Angel Fish reads Dr. Sandford’s mind to discover how to get in Sealab. With control of Sealab, they can control the seas, something their boss, the Claw, has hired them to do. It is up to Chuck Norris and his rag tag team of Karate Kommandos, Tabe, the fat sumo champ, Pepper, the Tech expert/mechanic, Pepper’s brother Reed, who is Chuck’s apprentice, Too Much, the young Asian boy, and the samurai, Kimo, to stop them.

The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley
Episode: “Tall, Dark & Hansom”
Original Air Date: September 10, 1988

There were quite a few cartoons based on live-action actors in the 80s. One of the later shows was The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley. This vehicle for Martin Short has the comedian playing the spastic and weird Ed Grimley. The show is part live-action, part animation. Ed Grimley is just as weird as you’d expect Martin Short to be in cartoon form. His quirks are on full display in the episode presented in this 80s cartoon set.

In “Tall, Dark & Hansom”, the spike-haired E, is sad that his Cousin Lamar is sick, but is happy because this means that he is taking over driving Lamar’s horse and buggy for the day. Ed is celebrating with music, when we meet his talking rat, Sheldon, and his biting fish, Moby. Ed gets excited when his attractive neighbor, Miss Malone, says hi to him. He also is friends with Miss Malone’s little brother, a young, destructive boy named Wendall, who introduces him to a walkman and some loud music. Unfortunately, when he goes to do Cousin Lamar’s job, Ed has trouble getting the horse to move.

The Amazing Gustav Brothers interupt the action right before the horse looks sure to get it when a piano is about to fall on him. The brothers, Emile and Roger, teach about gravity. Emile jumps out of a plane with no parachute to show how gravity works, before returning to the cartoon with Ed. Ed manages to get the horse, Leonard, to move, but loses his cousin’s job for him, in the process. The show is interrupted again with a live action portion. In it, Count Floyd (Joe Flaherty) tells kids scary stories. This story is about an archeologist, Dr. Smite, who was investigating inside a pyramid, when he discovers a headless mummy. The kids seem unimpressed. The animated show returns with Leonard the horse entering a horse race to impress a female horse he has a crush on. In the end, Ed saves the day, though we won’t tell you how.

The Flintstone Kids

The Flintstone Kids was our favorite of all the shows in this set. We have fond memories of watching this show when we were kids. The segments are all from different episodes of the show. The first is a full length episode of the show, while the other are segments that became a central part of the show. These segments are, Captain Caveman and Son, Dino’s Dilemmas, and Flintstone Funnies.

In this quirky, Flintstones spin off, Fred, Barney, Betty, Wilma and the rest of the gang are young kids. They have the same kind of wacky adventures the adult Flinstone cast has, only they are much shorter and have to answer to their parents!! The regular characters are joined by their friend, Philo Quartz, the mean bully, Rocky Ratrock, and a spoiled, filthy rich girl who thinks Freddy is cute, Dreamchip Gemstone.

Episode: “The Bad News Brontos”
Original Air Date: October 4, 1986

Fred is the pitcher of the kids’ losing baseball team, the Bedrock Brontos. When Edna, Fred’s mom, takes on the job of coach, they start to improve and start winning. With the Brontos set to be the town champs, Rocky, who is on the Bedrottens team, bullies Fred into betting on the game. The prize is a seat next to Wilma at the baseball banquet afterwards. Rocky uses Dreamchip Gemstone to keep Fred up late the night before the game. With Wilma mad because Freddie can’t stay awake, things turn from bad to worse when she finds out about the bet!

Captain Caveman and Son
Episode: “Invasion of the Mommy Snatchers”
Original Air Date: September 27, 1986

The Flintstone kids are watching their favorite TV show, Captain Caveman and Son. In Bedrock, on the show, mothers are being kidnapped. Their only hope is Captain Caveman and his son, Cavey Jr. Unga-Bunga!! Kids are crying, running around causing trouble, and upset because their moms are gone. Captain Caveman and son try to search for the women. A man has a clue and after getting it, Cavey Jr. has Captain Caveman dress up as a mom to get abducted. When Riff and Raff the two headed alien arrive in their UFO to get him, they realize these child aliens aren’t willing to do what they are told and release the moms.

Dino’s Dilemmas
Episode: “Dreamchip’s Cur Wash”
Original Air Date: September 27, 1986

Freddy and Dino visit Dreamchip at Gemstone Manor. There, she asks Freddy to convince Dino to test out her new dogasaurus washing machine. She doesn’t want to ruin her expensive pet, Fluffy’s fur. Dino is forced into it by Fred, but it is humiliating, as is Dreamchip constantly calling him a mutt. Dino has a plan to get even and Freddy apologizes for letting Dino be humiliated in the first place.

Flintstone Funnies
Episode: “Princess Wilma”
Original Air Date: December 16, 1986

A sick Wilma is stuck in bed. Her dad won’t let her meet Betty at the Bedrock Mall. Sad about missing her mall trip, Wilma imagines being a real princess and doing whatever she wants. Princess Wilma has a magic mirror. She wishes for a true fairytale. When Sir Rocky of Ratrock shows up, her father, King Slaghoople, makes a decree. Whoever beats Sir Rocky wins Wilma’s hand in marriage. Enter Sir Freddy of Flintstone, who sets out to win the hand of the fair princess.

Mister T
Episode: “Mystery of the Golden Medallion”
Original Air Date: September 17, 1983

In a more successful live-action inspired, Ruby-Spears production, Mr. T, an 80s hero, fights the bad guys. AND…he’s not nearly as annoying as Chuck Norris while doing it. After a brief live action intro (in which Mr. T says, “I Pity the Fool!”), Mr. T joins his team, a group of young gymnasts in San Francisco, in cartoon form. The team solves mysteries and kicks butt while doing it, but you probably already figured that out.

The team gets a new gymnast, Woody, and they are none too pleased While Woody is performing, someone swipes all the gold medallions and Woody is unable to get his first place medal. Spike, gymnast Robin’s little brother and the boy who has hero worship for Mr. T, stumbles upon the thieves and he is kidnapped by them. The team must set out to find him, but nobody wants to work with Woody to find Spike. With Woody helping Mr. T and his mohawked dog, Dozer, the team soon realizes just how much they underestimated Woody.

Disc 2

The Biskitts
Episodes: “As the Worm Turns/Trouble in the Tunnel”
Original Air Date: September 17, 1983

Imagine The Smurfs living in a castle instead of mushroom houses, and as little dogs instead of tiny blue creatures. These dogs even sound like Smurfs. We think some of the same actors that voiced The Smurfs voiced The Biskitts. The pups live in a castle on an island in the swamp. They are protecting royal treasure. Of course, they have a Gargamel-esque character, King Max, who wants nothing more than to take the treasure. His entire quest revolves around finding the island castle and, in turn, the treasure.

In “As the Worm Turns”, Sweets gets a pet caterpillar, Fuzzy. Fuzzy is hungry and eats up their entire garden. In the meantime, King Max has the hounds out to find Biskitt Island. With King Max looming near the castle, the Biskitts have as much trouble hiding their castle as they do with Fuzzy, who the other Biskitts say must leave due to his destructive eating.

In “Trouble in the Tunnel”, The Biskitts are flying bone kites. It is a beautiful day, and Shiner convinces Scat to polish the treasure, by saying it is a big honor. Inside the castle, Scat heads off to polish. Outside, the ground begins to shake and quake. Something is going on beneath the island, and they soon realize it is a mole. When King Max discovers the mole has some of the Biskitt’s treasure, he realizes he can use it to his advantage to find the island. Scat, who has followed the mole, learns of the plot, so it is up to the young Biskitt to warn the others.

Monchhichis
Episode: “Tickle Pickle”
Original Air Date: September 10, 1983

Dom had a Monchhichi when he was 2. His little monkey sucked his thumb. This show is definitely for the younger crowd. These monkeys are simply adorable. The cute little Monchichis live in the trees. They have to live high up to avoid the Grumplins. The Grumplins are evil looking monkeys who wish to ruin the lives of the Monchhichis.

Go to Page 2 of the Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1980s, Vol. 1 DVD Review.

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: September 12, 1983-October 1, 1985
DVD Box Set Release Date: July 14, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

The 80s was the best time to grow up. That’s because the 80s had the best cartoons. I would have loved to watch G.I. Joe. I was the perfect age for this kind of show, yet I never watched it. That was because one of my parents decided G.I. Joe was bad. They believed that the show glorified and promoted war, without even having seem an episode. While I could watch shows like Transformers (weren’t they always at war? Decepticons vs. Autobots?) and He-Man (who was always fighting the forces of evil, too), since G.I. Joe featured ‘real men’ in cartoon form, who just happened to be a part of a special sector of the military, my brother and I were banned from watching this show.

That doesn’t mean we never saw it. We had neighbors and friends who were allowed to watch the show. Actually, we didn’t know any other kids in our neighborhood who were banned from watching G.I. Joe. Some of the other kids would even laugh when we told them why we couldn’t watch the show. We’d sometimes watch it at their houses anyway. I saw brief glimpses of the show and because I was banned from it, it made me want to watch the series even more.

Regardless, I’m now grown. I can watch G.I. Joe if I want to. I can let my kids watch G.I. Joe if they want to watch it, as well. Seriously, with as much about Iraq as this generation has seen on TV, the Joes are actually pretty good role models. When something bad happens in the world, sometimes the good guys have to fix the problem. I’d rather have my kids (yes, even the ones between 2-6, which is how old I was when the first G.I. Joe miniseries premiered until the end of the television show) watching a show about the All-American Hero then have them watching the news. It’s a cartoon and it’s not even really about war, per se. It’s more about military men stopping evil forces taking over the world. Now how many television series came out of the 80s with that message? Yep, more than I can count, too.

I was actually really excited to watch the 22 episodes compiled in the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1.1 box set. Call me a guy just trying to re-live his childhood in a much cooler way, because really, that’s what I am! I even had Ash watch the episodes with me. She’d never seen G.I. Joe because she was too busy watching The Smurfs, Strawberry Shortcake and other shows that were big in the 80s. G.I Joe really wasn’t her forte back then.

You know what I’ve discovered? G.I. Joe is really interesting. It’s entertaining. The show doesn’t talk down to kids like so many other cartoons do, but it has elements of 80s humor and pop culture that would appeal and speak to kids. I credit this to Ron Friedman. It was his goal to write G.I. Joe with the vision that it spoke to children in a way they’d understand. As a child of the 80s, I get the message loud and clear.

What’s interesting about this set is that this isn’t just the first 12 episodes from the G.I. Joe series. There are five episodes from the G.I. Joe A Real American Hero miniseries (it only had five episodes), which aired in 1983 and the follow up, five episode miniseries, The Revenge of Cobra, which aired in 1984. The television show subsequently aired throughout 1985 and 1986. In all honesty, this Season 1.1 box set contains a whole lot more fans of the Joes can enjoy. This set is also a great way to introduce new audiences (the new generation) to the real American hero!

The G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1.1 Episode Guide
The G.I. Joe A Real American Hero: Season 1.1 box set is comprised of four discs. Disc One is made up of the five part miniseries, “A Real American Hero: The M.A.S.S. Device.” Disc Two contains a five part miniseries called, The Revenge of Cobra. Disc Three is the five part episode opener for the G.I. Joe television series, which debuted in 1985. Finally, Disc Four offers seven episodes from season one of the 1985 series.

Note: In Disc Two, the phrase ‘Yo Joe’ gets a bit repetitive (to the point of overkill), but this is about the only complaint I have. Disc One I don’t remember it being used at all!

While the show has the occasional cheesy line/moment (Duke likes to call people meathead, for example – Remember the 80s, when calling people Pizza breath (and other food related names) was cool?), those lines are actually rather endearing! There aren’t enough of them to make the show a total cheesefest and I get that 80s nostalgia feeling when I watch this because the dialogue is so 80s!

With those little tidbits discussed, let’s get into the meat and potatoes of the DVD, the episodes! Here is a list and synopsis of each of the 22 episodes as they are spread out across four discs.

DISC ONE

“The Cobra Strikes”
Original Air Date: September 12, 1983
The show starts with a brief introduction to the G.I. Joes, a group of men (and women) who fight for America’s freedom. It isn’t long before Cobra is attacking the G.I. Joe base, and Duke is certain Cobra is up to something. In the meantime, the military must answer to the Pentagon, who want to know how capable the Joes are. Cobra Commander and Destro work together in a plan to take over the world. Destro develops a weapon for Cobra, the M.A.S.S. device. This weapon is capable of transporting whatever Cobra needs to win against the Joes (troops, weapons, etc.) to anywhere in the world. When Cobra steals one of the U.S. military satellites, it’s up to the Joes to get it back, but when Duke is captured with the intent to make him one of Cobra’s mindless slaves, the stakes in this mission rise.

“Slave of the Cobra Master”
Original Air Date: September 13, 1983
Duke is forced with the headband device to fight in the Cobra arena at Cobra Mountain. Being under Destro’s control leaves Duke vulnerable to the attack of the arena gladiator. When Destro turns the headband off, Duke is able to defend himself, but he cannot go far. Dr. Vandermere, who was working on the original M.A.S.S. device, helps the Joes to construct a new one. Unfortunately, they must go to the ends of the Earth to find the three elements that power the M.A.S.S. device. In the meantime, Duke gets assistance from another slave named Selena, who shows him how to deactivate the power the headband has over him (and in turn escape), though it will cause him excessive amounts of pain.

“The Worms of Death”
Original Air Date: September 14, 1983
Snake Eyes has managed to escape with the crystal element, despite being trapped in a radioactive trap set by Cobra. Poisoned by the radiation, he can barely move let alone survive in the harsh Arctic conditions. Luckily, he’s found by a strange man who seeks to help him, and manages to get him out of the cold. Duke keeps trying to remember where Cobra’s headquarters is, but all he can remember is the face of the girl who helped him. The Joes head into the depths of the ocean, to retrieve the heavy-water element. Within the depths of the ocean they find the element and Cobra, but when these massive, underwater worms attack them, the only way to escape is for the Joes and Cobra to team up.

“Duel in the Devil’s Cauldron”
Original Air Date: September 15, 1983
Stalker tells the Joes that he’s been ordered to assemble the team and have the Joes surrender to Cobra (who has threatened to destroy New York City if they don’t). Cobra Commander and Destro are listening in and Cobra Commander is certain that they’ve won, but Destro won’t be satisfied until they have more of the third element. Breaker had discovered Cobra was listening in, so the Joes actually planned the ‘fake surrender’ in order to get the third element without Cobra’s interruption. Cobra has used up all of the third element, so Destro and his crew must fight the Joes in a head to head, all out battle. Of course, when Scarlett is kidnapped the Joes must do whatever it takes to get her back.

“A Stake in the Serpent’s Heart”
Original Air Date: September 16, 1983
After Scarlett helps to save Destro and herself, she is taken by Cobra and it isn’t long before she’s wearing a headband, making her a slave in the process. Scarlett recognizes Duke’s ring on Selena. The two team up to lead a slave revolt. The doctor gets the M.A.S.S. Device in working order, so the Joes set out in a final showdown between them and the Cobra team. Destro has a second plan, having made the leaders of the world his slaves, who he plans to execute in the event his plans are foiled. When the action is brought to Cobra Mountain, it’s an all out battle of good vs. evil!

DISC TWO

“In the Cobra’s Pit”
Original Air Date: September 10, 1984
When the G.I. Joes are transporting the laser core, Cobra attacks their convoy. The Cobra team captures the laser core along with Duke and Snake Eyes. The Joes capture Cobra Commander, taking him to Blackwater Prison. Before Col. Sharpp can meet them at the prison, he is kidnapped by Zartan and the Dreadnoks. Zartan is able to transform himself into the Colonel. At the prison, Zartan and Baroness break Cobra Commander out. When the Joes who captured him realize they are escaping, they chase them into the swamps where they disappear. In the Meantime, Flint and Scarlett lead their sky squadrons on a mission to go after the laser and try to save Duke and Snake Eyes. The only problem is that Destro has developed a Weather Dominator, which becomes unstoppable (controlling the forces of nature) when hooked up to the laser core. Of course, Cobra Commander lets the world know he’s ready to take over the world, again.

“The Vines of Evil”
Original Air Date: September 11, 1984
When the Weather Dominator make Flint, Roadblock, Mutt and Junkyard crash in “In the Cobra’s Pit,” they are sent into the Pit of Chaos. There, they are attacked by killer creeper vines. At the start of this episode, they use the Sky Striker’s jets to fend off the vines, all while trying to work out a plan of escape. Duke and Snake Eyes fight in Cobra Arena. They also manage to get a message to the Joes HQ warning of an impending weather attack on Washington D.C. As the city is evacuated, Doc’s energy mirrors deflect the power of the Weather Dominator, causing it to backfire and break the weapon into fragments. Back in the Pit, Roadblock is captured by the vines. The rest manage to escape, crash in a Cobra controlled area, and steal uniforms. However, when a sandstorm interrupts their escape, Mutt is thrown overboard, leaving two men down.

“The Palace of Doom”
Original Air Date: September 12, 1984
The Joes must hide under the skiff until the sandstorm ends and then they return to HQ. Roadblock, having escaped the vines, steals a ride on a truck. In it, he finds a tied up woman named Honda Lou West. The Joes and Cobra set out for the Island of No Return, where they are trying to get the ion corrilator. At the island, the two groups are sucked into a whirlpool, but the Joes manage to escape. Spirit heads to the island, duking it out for the fragment with Storm Shadow. Major Bludd and the Cobra team head through the jungle to get the hydromaster, in the Palace of Doom. When the Joes parachute into the palace, a ginormous robot snake sets out to stop them, but the surprise is that the palace is booby trapped!

Note: The best line ever from this series is in this episode.

Doc: “Don’t worry; I’m wearing my asbestos underwear!”

“Battle on the Roof of the World”
Original Air Date: September 13, 1984
The Weather Dominator leads to unstable weather patterns near the palace. The weather causes an Earthquake, and some of the Joes are caught in the thick of it. When the Joes lose the fragment, Major Bludd is sure to take it for himself. Storm Shadow gets trapped with Spirit in a cavern with limited air supply, on the island. When Spirit saves Storm Shadow, he lets Spirit have the fragment. The truck with Roadblock in it ends up at the Cobra temple. The Joes must find the laser core,which is on the Roof of the World. Cobra, Zartan (and his gang) and the Joes fight for it. The laser core is involved in a hockey style game between Cobra and the Joes, but when the Drednoks interrupt to steal it, the Joes’ biggest challenge turns out to be an avalanche.

“Amusement Park of Terror”
Original Air Date: September 14, 1984
Roadblock and Honda Lou try to remain inconspicuous as they break into Cobra Commander’s control room. When they are captured they are taken to where Duke and Snake Eyes are battling against electric snakes (in the Arena). With the power of four on their side, they find a way to escape. Zartan has the laser core at his hideout, an amusement park in the thick of the bayou. When he contacts both Cobra and the Joes, to negotiate, they both intercept the signal and track down his location. Storm Shadow steals the ion corrilator while at the Joe HQ. While the Cobra’s are being attacked, Ripcord and Breaker parachute into the park, destroying the power generator. As the Joes arrive, Destro captures Zartan, who gives him the laser core. With Duke sending out a tracking signal to bring the Joes to the Cobra Temple, an all out assault between good and evil breaks out with the fate of the world and it’s weather at stake.

DISC THREE

“The Pyramid of Darkness Part 1″
Original Air Date: September 16, 1985
The Joes are accompanying a space shuttle to a launch pad. The shuttle is heading to Space Station Delta. Cobra attacks, but the Joes are prepared. Cobra retreats, but not before slipping some cargo onto the shuttle. The Crimson Twins and Cobra Commander escape underwater, with the help of water robots. The Joes head underwater led by Shipwreck and Snake Eyes. Roadblock manages to distract the robots, when Snake Eyes and Shipwreck are hit, so they can head into the underwater Cobra Headquarters, disguise themselves as Cobra forces, and get themselves in trouble. In the air, Lady Jaye and Flint chase Destro in his Rattler. When he disappears into thin air, they have no choice but to return to Joe HQ. The extra weight is weighing the shuttle down. The addition includes something called Fatal Fluffies, who are controlled by Zartan (disguised as a Joe) and the Dreadnoks. Worried about the space shuttle and Delta, the Joe HQ is relieved when they hear from the station, but this has disastrous results. It’s just another part of Cobra’s plan to create a Pyramid of Darkness.

“The Pyramid of Darkness Part 2″
Original Air Date: September 17, 1985
Shipwreck’s canary, Polly, is able to input the password, letting them into the control cube factory. Shipwreck puts a tracker on a control cube. He and Snake Eyes steal a laser disc with the plans for the cubes, as well, though they must soon plan their escape. The Joes make their temporary HQ on a aircraft carrier, run by an old school officer not fond of women in the force. The tracker leads them to The Devil’s Playground, a volcano where Destro is taking the cube. In space on Delta, the Joes are forced to work for the Fluffies and Dreadnoks. Dusty creates a diversion, playing with the gravity controls and attempting to get to the communications room where Zartan has been making big plans. Dusty is captured again, but not before seeing Cobra’s plans. At the volcano, the Joes attack. Flint and Lady Jaye are shot down. As Destro attempts to align the cube, these two are forced into the lava.

“The Pyramid of Darkness Part 3″
Original Air Date: September 18, 1985
Lady Jaye manages to save herself and Flint from the lava with a bubble javelin. Their freedom is short lived, when they attempt to take the cube, but are captured by its tentacles. Shipwreck and Snake Eyes are in the ghetto, where they are being pursued. To evade capture, they duck into a nightclub and meet the singer, Satin. She hides them and they are able to escape. Oh, but not before Snake Eyes breakdances! The Crimson Twins head to the City of the Dead, where they align the second cube. Roadblock, Airtight, and Footloose head in after them, but are stopped by awakening the Ancient Guardians, giant statues that guard the temple. The twins think this will give them time to align the cube, but they can’t anticipate what the temple holds in store for them. On the mountain of Glass, Major Bludd is aligning the third cube when the Joes (Bazooka and Apline) show up. They are lost in an avalanche attempting to stop Cobra. Finally, on Delta, Zartan attempts to activate the cubes, as the Joes try to stop him.

To continue reading this review, go to Page Two…

TV Show Info:
Writers: Various
Directors: Various
Cast: Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, Chris Latta, Corey Burton, John Stephenson, Dan Gilvezan, Casey Kasem, Michael Bell, Don Messick, Scatman Crothers
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Shout! Factory

Release Info
Original Air Dates: September 17, 1984-December 29, 1984
DVD Box Set Release Date: June 16, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

I can’t tell you how excited I am to review the 25th Anniversary Edition of Transformers: The Complete First Season. I wasn’t sure we’d be receiving this DVD set, but lo and behold, here it is! I grew up with the Transformers. This was one of my favorite cartoons. I loved to watch this with my brother. We even had our own transformers Hasbro toys. I know we had Optimus Prime. He was always my favorite, but I was the younger kid, so I never got to be him!

Has it really been 25 years since the Transformers television series first aired? The show first debuted in September of 1984. At the time, I was three, almost four, years old! I loved this show so much. How cool is the thought of robots that can turn into cars, planes, and dinosaurs? While I never understood the point of transforming yourself into a gun, which I thought was pointless unless you had someone to shoot for you, the entire transforming process fascinated my little three year old brain.

The Transformers franchise is one of the biggest and most successful franchises having produced not only this hit television show (cartoon series), but also a successful, live action movie, multiple cartoon series’, a Hasbro toy line that is as popular now as it was in the 80s, and a variety of products from lunchboxes to clothing. Three decades (80s, 90s, 2000s) of children (and adults) have enjoyed the various Transformers incarnations, as they have graced their decade. Of course, it all began with the 1980s series my generation grew up watching.

I know I said it before, but I really can’t believe it has been 25 years since the show debuted. It’s good to know that Shout! Factory is planning to release a 25th Anniversary Complete Series Collection with all four seasons of Transformers later in 2009. This DVD set is more than enough to get me excited for the full series release. I don’t care if this show was designed for kids and the plot is somewhat simplistic. I have many happy memories of this show. For being simple, its entertaining and engaging with only occasional amounts of cheese. That’s what makes it the Transformers though and that’s what I love about it!

I must say that Shout! Factory has gone out of their way to make this 25th Anniversary Edition incredibly special. The peeps at Shout! Factory have researched the original series extensively. Apparently, some of the scenes from the past releases were excluded. The company made sure to include the laser blasts, other missing animation and Startscream has been remade into the whiny bi–…well…baby you always remember him being!

The Transformers: The Complete First Season Episode Guide
There were 16 episodes included in the first season of Transformers. These episodes are spread out across two discs. All of the episodes are around 23 minutes in length and include the “We’ll Be Right Back” messages that aired when the show debuted in the 1980s. These intros are so retro, but they make me giddy with memories of my childhood!

Here is the list of episodes, with a synopsis for each:

Disc One

“More Than Meets The Eye, Part I”
Original Air Date: September 17, 1984
The Transformers, who live on the planet Cybertron and are fighting a war between the good Autobots and the evil Decepticons, end up crashed on Earth on their quest to find a new energy source. When the Decepticons discover the new planet they’ve arrived on is abundant in energy, it’s up to the Autobots to stop them before they create the ultimate weapon and take over the world!

“More Than Meets The Eye, Part II”
Original Air Date: September 18, 1984
After a confrontation with the Decepticons that left the Autobots more than determined to stop them from their quest to steal the Earth’s energy, Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots meet two humans, Sparkplug and his son Spike. The men agree to help them because they know more about the Earth than the Autobots do. With the Autobots on their trail, Megatron decides to take over the Earth and steal its energy, by force, so he can build a ship and return to Cybertron with the new found energy.

Note: Some of the scenes at the Autobot’s base remind me of scenes in Michael Bay’s live action film, Transformers. I have to wonder if Bay was inspired by this episode!

“More Than Meets The Eye, Part III”
Original Air Date: September 19, 1984
After a fierce battle that left the Autobots defeated and Optimus Prime nearly unable to Transform, the Decepticons are able to create their ship. Despite being trapped within a rocky tomb, the Decepticons escape and resume their quest to take over the world. While all seems lost for the Autobots they have just one last chance to stop the Decepticons before they can return to Cybertron, and it all comes with the help of the whiny, wannabe Decepticon leader, Starscream.

“Transport To Oblivion”
Original Air Date: October 6, 1984
The Autobots believe they sent the Decepticons to the depths of the ocean floor, but Optimus Prime isn’t convinced they are completely gone. From their watery grave, the Decepticons get a message from Shockwave on Cybertron. The supply of energon cubes is incredibly low, so Megatron decides to come out of his underwater hideout to create a Space Bridge to transport energon cubes to Cybertron. Using a local plant and zapping a nearby city of its energy, the Autobots discover the Decepticons are alive, but when Bumblebee is captured and reprogrammed, the Autobots may be in more trouble than they anticipated.

“Roll For It”
Original Air Date: October 13, 1984
With Megatron stuck on Cybertron, Starscream decides he is the new leader of the Decepticons. Stoked by his newfound power, he crashes a plant where he tries to make energon cubes, before being foiled by the Autobots. Megatron returns to Earth to continue his plan of universal domination by stealing an anti-matter formula from a laboratory. With Starscream unwilling to trust Megatron, the Decepticons are split between who to follow, but when they work together to capture Chip, a man who has memorized the anti-matter formula, its up to the Autobots to save him.

“Divide & Conquer”
Original Air Date: October 20, 1984
Chip is helping factories to create weapons that can destroy the Decepticons. Starscream manages to invade a factory and steal its energy to fill energon cubes. Wanting his back patted by Megatron, Starscream delays returning and is attacked by Optimus Prime. The Decepticons manage to escape while Optimus is saving the humans and they believe he has been permanently deactivated. With Optimus believed to be out of the way, Megatron and the Decepticons believe they are free to continue their plan to take over the world.

“Fire In The Sky”
Original Air Date: December 8, 1984
Spike is excited to be having a snowball fight in the middle of July, but Prime sees this as a sign of trouble. He realizes the Earth’s heat is being drained from its core, dropping the temperature of the entire Earth. This can only mean one thing. The Decepticons are draining the heat from the Earth’s core, to make energon cubes. While draining the Earth, at the Arctic Circle, they discover a huge, frozen robot (Sky Fire), an Autobot from Starscream’s past that Megatron uses to turn into a Decepticon and take out the Autobots.

“S.O.S. Dinobots”
Original Air Date: October 27, 1984
When the Autobots experience several quakes they think the Decepticons might just be behind it. They end up finding dinosaur fossils and Spike tells the Autobots about these huge yet primitive creatures. The Autobots decide to create robot versions of dinosaurs, the Dinobots, to use them against the Decepticons. In the meantime, Megatron attacks a waterfall that produces energy. This is the next chapter in his quest to rule the world. With the Dinobots created, they seem like the perfect weapon, but when they turn on the Autobots Prime has more problems than he anticipated.

Disc Two

“Fire On The Mountain”
Original Air Date: December 22, 1984
The Decepticons find out about a mythical crystal that is full of so much power they hope to use it in a weapon. The weapon they seek to create will have enough power to destroy anything and everything that stand in its way. The Autobots find Sky Fire frozen in the ice and seek his help, in investigating activity at some previously abandoned temple ruins; the location of the crystal and the Decepticons.

“War Of The Dinobots”
Original Air Date: November 24, 1984
When the Decepticons are beaten by the Dinobots, Megatron blames Starscream. He and the rest of the Decepticons have no leadership ability nor strategy. Megatron sends Soundwave off to find out the Dinobots’ weaknesses. After discovering that they do have weaknesses (Slag is hostile, Grimlock is arrogant and Sludge is stupid), Megatron sets out to turn the Dinobots against the Autobots. To do so, he uses those weaknesses against them. This will allow Megatron to use an unstable meteorite for its power source.

“The Ultimate Doom, Part I”
Original Air Date: November 3, 1984
When a Maharajah converts his temple into a solar power station for his people, the Decepticons take it over. With the Decepticons having to take on the Autobots, and pulling out from the battle at the temple (much to Optimus’ suspicion), it gives them the perfect time to take Sparkplug prisoner. He’ll be used as a guinea pig by a crazy doctor that works with Megatron to make the humans slaves of the Decepticons.

“The Ultimate Doom, Part II”
Original Air Date: November 10, 1984
With Sparkplug a human slave of the Decepticons, it’s up to his son Spike to try and save him. The doctor has helped the Decepticons to create an army of human slaves who will help create energon cubes. In the meantime, Optimus has to choose between Earth and Cybertron, but his decision may destroy one of the planets and his friends on it. As Cybertron comes into the Earth’s orbit, it has the potential to destroy the Earth, something Megatron’s is hoping will happen. The energy from Cybertron in the orbit is enough to create enough energon cubes for the Decepticons to return to their home planet and take over.

“The Ultimate Doom, Part III”
Original Air Date: November 17, 1984
With Sparkplug having betrayed Spike by warning the Decepticons, the Autobots are in trouble on Cybertron. Spike promises to save his father, who is trying to fight the mind control of the doctor, though he isn’t entirely able to shake off the power of the microchip. With the Autobots attempting to foil the plan of Megatron and the Decepticons, it’s up to the Autobots and their human friends to try and fight to save both the Earth and Cybertron and protect life as we know it before its too late.

“Countdown To Extinction”
Original Air Date: December 1, 1984
With the aftermath of “The Ultimate Doom”, the Autobots must repair the Earth. With enough energy harnessed to knock Cybertron back out of the Earth’s orbit, the destroyed planet is able to be rebuilt. When Megatron returns to the Decepticon headquarters, he finds the Decepticons fighting amongst themselves. Starscream has taken over leadership of the group having left with the doctor to hatch his own destructive plan against the Earth. In the doctor’s lab, Starscream finds an exponential generator, which is the ultimate source of power. If disturbed it could destroy the Earth and all its inhabitants. Starscream alters the generator to release excessive amounts of energy, and when it does, it will destroy the Earth!

“A Plague Of Insecticons”
Original Air Date: December 29, 1984
In Demon Swamp (Bali), innocent humans encounter a weird breed of Transformers, the Insecticons. The insecticons are somehow affiliated with the Decepticons and they are attacking the humans on Bali. When the Autobots get an S.O.S. from Bali, they head to the island to find out what’s going on. It isn’t long before the Decepticons discover the Insecticons are evolved Decepticons that crashed on Earth before them and their entire purpose is to destroy, destroy, destroy!

“Heavy Metal War”
Original Air Date: December 15, 1984
At a construction site where there are energy discs to make heat and electricity, the Decepticons send the Constructicons to steal the discs. On top of the energy discs, they end up stealing a power converter in yet another plan by Megatron. The Decepticons create the Devastator who seeks to destroy the Autobots super computer, Teletraan-1. With Megatron and Optimus Prime going head to head in a duel, only one side can win! It’s up to Optimus to win in the name of good and hopefully defeat evil and Megatron with it.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Compared to other releases, the animation for the episodes included in this Transformers: The Complete First Season (25th Anniversary Edition) set looks stunning. The episodes look nearly flawless. Shout! Factory restored the episodes, set at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, to their original broadcast format. This includes everything you would have seen had you been watching this when it first aired in 1984.

Sure, the picture isn’t 100% perfect, but it almost is. I had trouble finding any flaws save for the occasional flickers of dirt and specks that are a natural part of the original source files. The colors are vibrant with realistic black tones and a vibrant color palette is used for everything from backgrounds to transformers body parts.

In the booklet that accompanies this set, Shout! Factory had this to say about their correction over previous DVD releases:

“Transformers DVDs released prior to out 25th Anniversary Edition were missing animation seen in the original broadcast. We did extensive research, found the discrepancies between the original broadcast masters and the restored masters used for the last DVD release, reinserted the correct animation, and color corrected it as best we could to match the shots before and after. But because a one-inch master tape simply can’t hold up to the quality of the restored masters, you may notice occasional shots – or even scenes – in some episodes that seem slightly softer than others, just take comfort in knowing that laser blasts have been reinserted, backgrounds have been corrected and Starscream is Starscream once again.”

The audio is excellent. It’s a new English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stero mix that was created from the original sound files. In previous releases, new effects and other sounds were added, ruining the mix. I prefer this 2.0 to any 5.1 version, which souped up a show that didn’t need anything added to it. The volume is consistent with great use of both the front and back speakers. The dialogue is crisp. The music/soundtrack is robust. The sound effects are realistic, memorable, and not overpowering.

The English track is the only audio track on this DVD. The only disappointing part is that there are no subtitles or closed captioning, so the hearing impaired have to miss out on this great set. This is the only area where Shout! Factory and this DVD set lose points.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are some very nice bonuses included in this three-disc set. The third disc is reserved for the majority of bonuses. The bonuses start with some previews which show up at the beginning of Disc One. Before the menu there is a FBI Anti Piracy Warning and previews for Oban: Star Racers The Complete Series in two volumes and Mystery Science Theatre 3000: Vol. 14.

On Disc Three, the bonuses start with a featurette, “Triple Changer: From Toy To Comic To Screen.” This bonus is close to 20 minutes in length. This looks at Transformers and its franchise as a part of pop culture since its debut in the 80s. There are a variety of people who discuss the Transformers lasting appeal including Bob Budiansky, a comic book writer and the show’s executive producers Tom Griffin and Joe Bacal. This is a behind-the-scenes (making of, if you will) look at the series with original concept art included.

Next up is a series of Archived Transformer Hasbro Toy Commercials. These commercials are for Optimus Prime, Megatron, the Dinobots, the Insecticons, and G2 Optimus Prime. This is just a short feature, but boy does it bring back memories. I had some of these toys! There is a PSA, which were huge in the 80s. Apparently, the media thought us kids would listen to PSAs. This one is “Bumblebee: Running Away From Home,” which is exactly as it sounds and it encouraged kids not to run away from home.

There is a printable script for one of the season one episodes, “Transport To Oblivion”. You’ll have to pop the disc into your Computer DVD-ROM to access it. That’s all that’s available.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Shout! Factory has gone out of their way to present the first season of the Transformers television show exactly as it aired on television 25 years ago. This makes Transformers: The Complete First Season (25th Anniversary Edition) well worth the upgrade from past releases of the series. No other set can compare. For a show that is quarter of a century old, this show looks exceptional. Can you tell that I love this set? Do the right thing and buy Transformers: The Complete First Season (25th Anniversary Edition) for your children, husband/wife, and yourself! You won’t regret the purchase.

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Transformers: The Complete First Season, 25th Anniversary Edition, Hasbro, Shout! Factory, Optimus Prime, 80s, cartoons, Megatron

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: September 16, 1985-October 22, 1985
DVD Box Set Release Date: June 2, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $29.99

Not only did I grow up watching The Jetsons in syndication, apparently I also watched them air live in the early 80s. I didn’t realize that these episodes were new, but they were. Despite having a hiatus of over 20 years between seasons one and two, the formula for the show was so similar it was as if time had not passed. The only difference is in the visual quality, with the 1985, second season looking far superior to that which aired in the early 60s.

I love the Jetsons. I think of them as the futuristic version of the Flintstones. From the time The Jetsons first aired in 1962, the show has been a part of the lives of generations of children and adults. I grew up in the 80s and I loved the show. I remember watching it as a small child, a teenager, and today I still catch episodes on Boomerang.

You know what’s nice about shows like The Jetsons? This cartoon is timeless. No matter your age, you will find something you can enjoy within it. This isn’t like the cartoons of today, which often seem restrictive to a hyper-active, sugar induced audience. I get just as many laughs off this cartoon as I did as a 4 year old in 1985. I know my grandparents laughed at this when it aired back in the 60s, as adults, and that the children of the 70s and 80s remember when this show aired on a regular basis.

What’s so amazing is that all of the voice actors came back, after 22 years. The animators invested more time into developing a second season for all of us to enjoy. Some of my favorite episodes of the show come from this second season. I’m lucky enough to have Boomerang, which airs episodes of The Jetsons daily. For those without the station or who wish to watch episodes on their own time, it is pertinent you pick up these DVD sets. You can watch these lovable, futuristic cartoons whenever you want and share them with your children, a generation who may only know them from the classic cartoon channel, Boomerang, if they even get it.

The Jetsons: Season Two Episode Guide
The Jetsons: Season Two, Vol. 1 contains 21 episodes. These are 21 random episodes from the second season that do not always play in the order they premiered. As I mentioned previously, the second season aired 22 years after the first season aired. This is because the show became popular only after it was in syndication. There was enough of a fanbase for Hanna Barbera to invest in a second season in the early 80s.

Here is a list of the episodes included on this DVD with a brief synopsis of each of one:

“Elroy Meets Orbitty”
Original Air Date: September 16, 1985
While on a field trip to an asteroid, Elroy picks up a pink rock. When he returns home, the rock hatches, producing Orbitty, an endangered species that lives on the asteroid. Elroy is excited to have a new pet, but Astro is soon jealous of the attention the family gives to Orbitty. Ultimately, he decides it’s time for him to find a new place to live.

“Rosie Come Home”
Original Air Date: September 17, 1985
When Rosie’s internal processing seems to have a short circuit, George and Jane head to the robot store to get parts that will fix her up. Seeing them at the store, Rosie assumes they are replacing her. A very sad Rosie runs away, thinking she’s no longer needed.

“Solar Snoops”
Original Air Date: September 18, 1985
When Mr. Spacely receives a mysterious package, which turns out to be a robot guard dog, Sentro, he’s inclined to let the dog guard his latest invention, the Chocolate Microchip Cookie. Little does he know that Cogswell Cogs has hired Galactic Sneak, a spy, to hide inside Sentro and operate the dog’s body so he can steal the Chocolate Microchip Cookie.

“Judy’s Birthday Surprise”
Original Air Date: September 19, 1985
Judy breaks plans with all the ‘cool’ kids at school because she is sure her family has something exciting planned for her birthday. When no one is home on the date of the festivities and it appears they have all forgotten her birthday, she tries to make new plans. Everyone is busy save for an unpopular kid who really likes Judy; someone she blew off earlier in the week.

“Super George”
Original Air Date: September 20, 1985
With broken appliances, George tries to get new ones, but the salesman ends up convincing him to purchase a Thinko machine instead. Whenever a person has a wish, the Thinko machine will give it to him/her. Wanting to prove the machine was worth it, George wishes to become a superhero, and he does, with disastrous results.

“Family Fallout”
Original Air Date: September 23, 1985
When the Jetsons take on the Spacelys in a ‘Family Feud’ type of setting, the Spacelys are out for blood. After Jane confronts Mr. Spacely and Rosie finds out incriminating evidence having to do with George’s work computer RUDI, the tables are turned on George’s boss and the Jetsons get a fair shot at winning the game!

“S.M.A.S.H.”
Original Air Date: September 26, 1985
When Jane accidentally crashes Mr. Spacely’s car, something she borrowed, she feels horrible. Of course, Spacely is thrilled to make George pay for this by making him his slave. George unwillingly sees to his bosses’ every whim, until he finds out the true reason behind the crash.

“The Mirrormorph”
Original Air Date: October 11, 1985
The Mirrormorph is a transmuting alien with shape shifting abilities. It can become a replica of a person or thing it emulates. Things get sticky when it starts emulating the Jetsons. The only problem is, the shape-shifted Mirrormorph is an exact replica that cannot talk!

“Mother’s Day for Rosie”
Original Air Date: October 1, 1985
Mother’s Day is a happy occasion for everyone, but Rosie. She can’t seem to get the thought of her own mother out of her mind. Ever since her mother was deactivated, Rosie has been sad. George has a surprise for Rosie though. He wants to bring her mother back, but that’s definitely easier said than done.

“Jetsons’ Millions”
Original Air Date: November 4, 1985
The Jetsons are venutiaires! When Mr. Spacely gives George what he believes is a worthless raffle book for the Venutian Sweepstakes, he’s flabbergasted when George wins the grand prize. With $10 million Venuties on the line Mrs. Spacely demands he get the winnings from George.

“Fugitive Fleas”
Original Air Date: September 25, 1985
Astro develops a bad case of the fleas. What he doesn’t know is that these are fugitive fleas. Trying to get rid of the escapees, Astro tries to do everything he can, but these fleas are persistent in their need to stay put, since they escaped the Solarini flea circus.

“Rip-Off Rosie”
Original Air Date: October 24, 1985
George is praised for fixing a malfunctioning robot, but his success is short lived. When Rosie starts malfunctioning, her bad side comes out. The next thing you know she’s a rip off artist and a thief. George must do something before Rosie and his reputation are ruined.

“Far-Out Father”
Original Air Date: November 13, 1985
It’s Father’s Day! Elroy has a school assignment for the big event. He must make a special Father’s Day video. Unfortunately, all his hard work and determination to make a good video are foiled by Astro’s love affair with the poodle next door!

“Astro’s Big Moment”
Original Air Date: November 1, 1985
Astro is sure to be a shoe-in for winning the big prize when George is assigned to be a judge by Mr. Spacely at the Spacely Space Sprockets Space Dog Show. Unfortunately, his family isn’t the only one who wants George to choose a dog. He is faced with the pressure of disappointing his own family by not choosing Astro, disappointing his boss and possibly getting fired by not choosing Mrs. Spacely’s poodle, and getting hurt by a mobster named Mangler Mars, who wants George to choose his dog, Starbite.

“The Cosmic Courtship of George and Jane”
Original Air Date: October 14, 1985
It’s George and Jane’s anniversary and George forgets the big event. He has no choice but to make it up to Jane when they discover the minister that married them was a fraud. The two decide to renew their vows by eloping to Las Venus, and finally make their marriage legit.

“Fantasy Planet”
Original Air Date: October 28, 1985
In this Fantasy Island spoof, the Jetsons head to Fanatasy Planet for vacation. George definitely needs a break from work, and what better way to spend his vacation then at a place called Fantasy Planet? There, they meet Mr. Rocket, who with the help of his short assistant (the plane boss!) lead the family to capsules where they can live out their greatest fantasies.

“S’no Relative”
Original Air Date: October 2, 1985
Things go awry when an alien inhabitant shows up on the Jetsons’ doorstep. Of course, they are expecting their Moongolian nephew, Hunky Moonrock, who is scheduled to visit the Earth. From here you can obviously see where the comedic mishaps occur in this episode!

“Instant Replay”
Original Air Date: September 24, 1985
George meets an old man on the bus who gives him a Replayola machine. With it, George is able to live the high life with success and money. However, it comes with a price. In the end, George must decide what is more important to him; all the dough and power he has now retained or his normal, family-oriented life with Jane, Judy, Elroy and Astro.

“Haunted Halloween”
Original Air Date: October 31, 1985
It’s Halloween and the curator of a museum is interested in making a new exhibit to celebrate the holiday. He wants to include Oribitty, the alien pet Elroy found on an asteroid at the beginning of this season. It is up to the Jetsons to decide to let their beloved Orbitty be a part of the crazy exhibit, even if the curator has something up his sleeve to get them to give in.

“Future Tense”
Original Air Date: November 12, 1985
Jane has the ability to see into the future. Before there was Lady Cleo, there was Jane Jetson! When Jane puts on a pair of glasses she found while shopping on Planet Bevdayo, things go awry. Suddenly, Jane has the gift of clairvoyance, which proves to be much more than she expected!

“The Wrong Stuff”
Original Air Date: November 5, 1985
Time really flies when you’re sent off to deep space! When Elroy wins a science contest at school, he’s excited to get to see a space shuttle launched into deep space. However, when Elroy and Astro accidentally get shipped off while in the shuttle, their return from deep space comes with a disastrous consequence.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
It’s not surprising that the visual presentation for The Jetsons is at a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. That is fairly common for cartoons, especially older, ‘classic’ cartoons. For as old as these episodes are they look really good. The opening sequences feature some dirt and specks, but nothing is wrong with the majority of the actual episodes. The colors are bright and vibrant with strong blacktones and great saturation. The occasional line and dirt speckle will appear, but other than that, this transfer is good!

The English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track has been remastered. Everything comes through loud and clear. The dialogue is crisp. The soundtrack music and sound effects don’t override the dialogue. No volume toggling was needed, since the volume remained consistent throughout. The theme song played out well, with a well balanced speaker arrangement.

There are additional audio tracks, both in Dolby Digital Stereo. These tracks are in Spanish and Portuguese. Subtitles are also available in English, French and Portuguese.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There isn’t much here in the way of bonuses. That’s to be expected for cartoons, especially those from Warner Bros. I have to give WB credit though as they usually have more offerings than what is available from Paramount.

The first feature is the option of playing the Jetsons closing sequence from the menu. This is a weird bonus, but it’s available nonetheless. The true, meat and potatoes bonus is a featurette called “The Jetsons Return To The Future: Explore The Evolution Of The Series.” This looks at what it was like to make a second season 20 years after the first. Overall, this is a fairly interesting bonus.

BUT…other than a couple previews, that’s all there is.

Bonus Features: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
As funny as season one, The Jetsons: Season Two, Vol. One is a must have for fans of the series. With a decent visual and audio quality, this three disc set is the perfect way to introduce a new generation to some of the coolest cartoons ever made. I cannot recommend The Jetsons: Season Two, Vol. One more highly than I already have. Pick this up either online or at your favorite place to purchase DVDs, when you get the chance!

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Jetsons, Season Two, Volume One, Hanna Barbera, Warner Bros, Cartoons Family

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: Various Dates in the 1960s
DVD Box Set Release Date: May 26, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

Growing up in the 80s meant that a resurgence of 1960s cartoons aired regularly. The reruns were sometimes on Saturday along with other, regular 80s shows. Some also aired right after school let out in the 3:00-5:00 PM block. In particular, I remember watching Looney Tunes, Top Cat, Quick Draw McGraw, The Flintstones, Yogi Bear, earlier shows like Huckleberry Hound and later shows like Scooby Doo and The Jetsons.

As an adult, I still watch many of these shows. Thank goodness for Boomerang. Many of the aforementioned shows, from the 60s or otherwise, air on Boomerang on a daily basis. The shows offered in the Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 Two-Disc set, from Atom Ant to Quick Draw McGraw, are frequently shown on the network. So, if you like Boomerang, you should like what is available in the Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 set.

While I watch The Flintstones every day, I hadn’t seen the episode in this set in years. Many of these shows weren’t as popular, and some I barely remember or only know by name. Still, if you are a child of the 60s, you’ll have plenty to reminisce about. There is a nice collection of episodes, and a wide variety of shows represented, from Hanna Barbera’s shining era, the 1960s.

I have to say, they don’t make cartoons like this anymore. These cartoons are fun and harmless. Some might point out they aren’t very PC (Fred does say a woman belongs at home in the episode of The Flintstones), but rather than dwell on this fact, depending on the age of your child/children, these cartoons might make excellent history lessons (yes, women in the 1950s were still primarily housewives, kids). Still, I see no harm in the un-PC nature. Frankly, I think we’ve become too PC. I like these old shows, and would recommend them for children (and adults) of nearly any age.

The Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 Episode Plots
There are a variety of episodes from all the top animated shows of the 1960s. These episodes are spread across two discs. Here is a list of the episodes and a brief synopsis of each.

DISC ONE

“The Tycoon” from Top Cat: Top Cat and his gang are watching a show called “The Wacky Tycoon,” who is going to give the poorest guy in the city a million bucks. Top Cat wishes that this would happen to him, but he has other plans to make a million bucks on his own. He will sell raffle tickets to people throughout the city and the winner gets their money back. With the gang heading out to sell, they have to worry about Office Dibble stopping them in their tracks. When a real millionaire gives Benny a check for $1 Million, Top Cat doesn’t believe it is real. When merchants around town end up schmoozing him, he has no idea why. Of course, the episode ends in typical Top Cat fashion.

“Up & Atom” from Atom Ant/”Precious Jewels” from Precious Pupp/”Woodpecked” from Hillbilly Bears: The first minisode features Atom Ant. When Big Fats Dynamo, a ruthless criminal, escapes from Rebel’s Island with two other prisoners, it is up to Atom Ant to stop the criminal and send him back to the clinker. Of course Big Fats doesn’t realize how powerful Atom Ant really is. In minisode number two, Granny is going to a drive-in movie and is leaving Precious Pupp alone. With a burglar on the loose, it is up to Precious Pupp to defend the house and his owner’s jewels. The third minisode features the Hillbilly Bears. The bears are sleeping when a Woodpecker wakes them with its constant pecking on their house. They decide they have to get rid of the woodpecker. Unfortunately, the woodpecker is smarter than the bears!

“Fe Fi Fo Fun”/”All Riot on the Northern Front”/”The Volunteers from The Peter Potamus Show (w/ Breezly and Sneezly and Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey)”: In the first minisode, Peter Potomus and So-So encounter the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk. The giant is after Jack, so he tosses Peter and So-So to the side. They decide to warn Jack, but he doesn’t believe them because he thinks they are after the goose that lays the golden egg. It is up to them to try and save Jack. In minisode two, Breezly and Sneezly are up north and Breezly orders a refrigerator, which is delivered and drops in on him, literally. He decides to plug it in with a long extension cord at Camp Frost-Bite. Of course this has disastrous results. The final minisode has the king sending for three fumbling guards, Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey. The king wants his guards to get into tiptop shape and he’s worried about these three doofus guards.

“Sub Swiper” from Secret Squirrel/”Way Out Squiddly” from Squiddly Diddly/”Prince of a Pup” from Winsome Witch: When a submarine (military weapon) disappears during its launch from a dock, it is up to Secret Squirrel to discover its whereabouts in the very first minisode. Unfortunately, it has been stolen by Captain Ahab, the international submarine thief, who doesn’t make it easy for him. In minisode number two, Squiddly Diddly is upset because he isn’t allowed to watch television. Bored, he wanders out of Bubbleland to greet visitors who are actually aliens. They kidnap Squiddly and take him to their planet where they perform a series of tests on him. With diabolical intentions, it is up to Squiddly to protect the Earth and himself. The final minisode features Winnie Witch, who has to go to the Queen castle. She’s been talking to her mirror and needs Winnie’s help because it tells her Snow White is the fairest of then all. Winnie is hired to get rid of Snow White, who is busy caring for the seven dwarfs.

“The Happy Household” from The Flintstones: Wilma has a bad shopping habit. She fights with Fred constantly because he feels he doesn’t make enough to support her habit. Wilma and Betty decide to get jobs. They are applying for jobs filing and typing at the Bedrock Television Corp. There they are mistaken for girls who are trying out to be on a television show, The Rockenschpeel Show as the Happy Housewife. The only problem is Wilma gets the job and signs the contract for 39 weeks to star on it during dinnertime, much to Fred’s chagrin.

“Often an Orphan”/”Mice Follies”/”The Super Snooper from The Porky Pig Show: When Charlie the dog is tricked into going on a picnic, he is abandoned by his owner. He has no choice, but to find a new master. In this first minisode, he tries to convince Porky to be his new master, but Porky doesn’t want a dog. Of course, Charlie won’t give up easily. In “Mice Follies”, Martin and Ralph are heading home. Along the way, they harass a cat, who follows them home in order to make them pay for what they did. In the final minisode, Daffy is Duck Drake P.I. He is hired to go to the Axehandle estate where weird going-ons are happening. He’s greeted by a beautiful, female duck who is kissing on him while professing her innocence. Of course, its up to Duck Drake to find out the truth.

“Dynamite Fright”/”Outer Space Case”/”Growing Growing Gone” from The Quick Draw McGraw Show (with Snooper & Blabber and Augie Doggie): After Dynamite Kaboom steals some money, the sheriff decides to go after him. When Dynamite informs him he’s blowing up the new dam, the sherriff calls in Quick Draw McGraw and Baba Looey. Snuffles helps them track Dynamite Kaboom so they can stop him, but not without Quick Draw blowing up once or twice. In the second minisode, Snooper and Blabber are hanging out in their office. Blabber receives a book about Mars and Outer Space in the mail. Blabber takes a case on Mars where a monkey stole a ruby (a layor ybur). Its up to them to to stop the monkey. In the final minisode, Augie Doggie is writing his life story. When his pencil breaks, he asks his dad to sharpen it with the carving tool. This leads to a discussion on when he’ll be an adult. Augie decides to run away because his dad said time and the outside world will lead him to grow up.

DISC TWO

“Rosey the Robot” from The Jetsons: This episode introduced audiences to the Jetsons, a futuristic family who depend on machines and robots to do everything for them. When one of the machines malfunctions at home, Jane feels that she needs a new Food a Rack-a-Cycle. Sick of pressing buttons to do housework, she decides to hire a robot maid. Rosey the Robot shows up and makes life very interesting for the Jetsons. In the meantime, George decides to ask his boss, Mr. Spacely for a raise. Instead, Mr. Spacely invites himself for dinner.

“Battle to Save the World” from Marine Boy: When a hole is cut into the S.S. Slosh, a supposedly sinkproof ship, it can only mean trouble. Captain Rex Rancid and his goons have broken into the Slosh to steal the gold that is being transported on board. Marine Boy responds to the calls for help from the ship’s crew, and heads to the scene of the crime, where men in scuba gear are moving the gold into their underground ship. It is up to the Ocean Patrol to figure out what Rancid has done and get the gold back before its too late.

“The Heat Thing”/”The Worm People”/”Zorak” from Space Ghost and Dino Boy: When Jace picks up a strange disturbance over Jupiter he lets Jan know. It is some kind of monster that spews lava and hits Jace’s ship. When Jan loses contact with Jace she calls Space Ghost, who picks her (and Blip) up so they can go after Jace. Unfortunately, the massive lava/fire monster stands in their way of saving him. In part two, Dino Boy and Bronty are playing around when a Pterodactyl snatches up Dino Boy. When he is dropped in the middle of Horror Swamp, he encounters the dreaded Worm People. Surrounded by the Worm People it is up to Bronty and Ugh to save him. In part three, Omegan Prison is under attack. One of the prisoners, Zorak, escapes and head to the Ghost Planet to get revenge on Space Ghost. When Jan and Jace are taken hostage, Zorak will only trade them for Space Ghost’s life.

“The Beaked People”/”The Raiders” from Herculoids: In the first part of the episode, one of the Parrot Men (aka the Beaked People), named Krokaw sends his henchmen off to attack the flying monkey people. He has plans of taking over Amzot. All of this is a trap to capture Zandor of course. Luckily, Dorno and Zok have followed him. It is up to them (and Tara) to save Zandor, so he can stop Krokaw. In the second part of this episode, Sta-Lak captures Tara after landing on Amzot. He plans to steal all of the riches from the planet. Using a death ray, Sta-Lak attacks the Herculoids, so it is up to Zandor, Igoo, and Zok to try and stop this evil villain.

“The Bubbler”/”The Shocking Electric Monster”/”The Spinner” from Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles: The Impossibles are performing in a gig where a teen queen will be crowned in Shish-ka-Bob. The young Shah of Shish-ka-Bob has been bubblenapped by the Bubbler, so The Impossibles turn into their crime-fighting alter egos. When they are placed in a Bubble, they have no choice but to break out and head underwater where The Bubbler has an underwater palace, and where he’s taken the Shah, to save the boy before the evening’s festivities. The second episode slice is at the eerie Island of Ion. When a mad scientist, Dr. Shock, on the island changes his assistant Igor into a massive Electric Monster, there are some definite problems. The monster heads out to rid the world of electricity. Once the world is at a standstill, the scientist can take it over. Professor Conroy and his son, Buzz, call out Frankenstein Jr. to save the day. The third minisode features The Impossibles again. They are performing at a party when their hostess’ tiara is stolen by The Spinner. The Impossibles must retrieve the expensive item and subdue The Spinner.

“Gridiron Gorilla” from The Magilla Gorilla Show (with Punkin Puss and Richochet Rabbit): Magilla Gorilla is hanging out at the pet shop eating bananas (after ensuring he never needs to eat banana mush). When a football coach sees Magilla in the window, he decides he wants to make him his new football player. He takes Magilla and puts him in a uniform. He is playing for the Pennsyltucky Lions, as their new fullback. Magilla does great, and is helping them win, but all of the players are getting injured by him. If the other team wants to win they will have to find out his weakness before all the players are too injured to play. When Punkin Puss is away, Mushmouse tries to sneak into his fridge. Unfortunately, Punkin was stuck in there and isn’t happy Mushmouse stole some cheese. Mushmouse decides to use witchcraft to get Punkin Puss. He puts a spell in the water and when Punkin drinks it, he shrinks down to the size of a mouse. When gold is being sent from Glower Gulch by train, Ricochet Rabbit and Droop-a-Long are hired to accompany the shipment since A-T Sam Jose has threatened to steal it. Ricochet and Droop-a-Long head off to help J.P. Nugget promising to watch the gold, but unfortunately A.T. Sam Jose is already on board, so the two have their work cut out for them.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
There are moments when these cartoons look good and other moments where there age really shows. The full frame aspect ratio allows for a generally clear picture and the colors are as cartoon friendly as you expect a retro cartoon to be. In the good moments, these will really take you back to when cartoons were at their very best. Of course, there are some moments that just do not cut it. Two that easily come to mind are “Fe Fi Fo Fun” and “The Porky Pig Show.” The transfer with “Fe Fi” is just generally poor. The quality is annoying, with large amounts of grain and an abundance of dirt. “Porky Pig” is not much better, with the same issues that are even more intense, making it the worst of all the cartoons, transfer wise, in the bunch. A funny thing worth mentioning is that you can tell that they tried to clean up the cartoons as best they could, but the intros were left untreated. When you watch you will notice that the quality for the intros are often really poor, but that clears up during the cartoon phase.

The audio did not suffer from the same problems that the video seemed to have. While this is equally as old, the transfers allowed for the animated audio that you would expect from these amusing cartoon shorts. I did not notice any problems with the English transfer. In fact, I found it to be lively and supportive of each cartoon. Adults and kids should enjoy the audio with few, if any, issues. Along with the English audio, Portuguese has also been included. Subtitles are available in English for the Hearing Impaired and in Portuguese.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are quite a few special features available that should delight the average retro cartoon fan. Both discs offer previews for The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season One, Volume One, Green Lantern, and Peanuts: 1960′s Collection. Both discs also come with a warning that appears before the menu. This notice informs viewers that some of the cartoons did not hold up in parts, so they will not be in perfect condition. The rest of the bonuses are disc specific and are listed below.

The first disc includes the following:
“Saturday Morning Wake-Up Call” – This feature is actually a television promo that probably aired in the 1960s. It takes a look at many of the various Saturday Morning cartoons that once graced television screens on a regular basis. The cartoons included are Secret Squirrel, Squiddley Diddley, Atom Ant, The Flintstones, Looney Tunes, and Quick Draw McGraw. Upcoming episodes are discussed, which means that these aired long ago when the shows were actively on television.

“The Good, The Bad and the El Kabong” – Cartoon lovers should enjoy this history lesson for Hanna Barbera and the cartoons that they made famous. This featurette is a sounding board for animation experts, producers, writers, and other cartoon experts. The group offers a candid discussion on Hanna Barbera cartoons and how they have always been a powerhouse in the cartoon industry. This is easily one of the most interesting features in this set.

The second disc includes:

“Dough-Nutty” – This bonus features Augie Doggie and includes “El Kabong was Wrong” and “Gem Jam” (featuring Snooper & Blabber) from The Quick Draw McGraw Show. It’s not a bad episode, but I am hesitant to call it a special feature because it could have easily been added in with the rest of the cartoons.

“Saturday Morning Wake-Up Call” – While this bares the same name as one of the features on the first disc, it is a different promo. The general idea remains the same, but this time different cartoons are looked at. On the hot seat this time around are The Jetsons, Marine Boy and the Ocean Patrol, Space Ghost, Dino Boy, Sandor and the Heculoids, and a variety of other shows.

“The Herculoids: First Family of Planet Quasar” – This serves as an analysis of the cartoon. You hear from historians, writers, and other creative forces during this featurette. An in depth look into the show occurs from the fighting styles to how things looked in the show. Perhaps the most interesting portion of this featurette is learning what everyone thought The Herculoids brought to the table as a 1960′s cartoon.

“Monster Rock: The Adventures of Frankenstein Jr. and the Impossibles” – This is more of a retrospective on this interesting series. Again you hear from the creative types and some cartoon historians. The main thing discussed is the overall purpose of the show. The purpose was rooted in pop culture, with a mix of superheroes and The Impossibles, most easily described as a Beatles style spoof band. The group talks about how the show impacted its generation.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Take a step back in time to a better era when cartoons were simple, fun, and worth watching. Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 is a great way to introduce new fans to the way cartoons used to be. For old fans, this walk down memory lane is bound to make you giddy with nostalgia fever. Though some of the shows are more obscure and not as popular as, say, The Flintstones, Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 is well worth the purchase.

Overall Rating: 4.21 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Saturday Morning Cartoons, 1960s, Vol. 1, Warner Bros, Hanna Barbera, Top Cat, Atom Ant, Winsome Witch, Secret Squirrel, Squiddly Diddly, Quick Draw McGraw, The Flintstones, Porky Pig

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: November 13, 1993-
DVD Box Set Release Date: April 28, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99
Episodes: #2.4-#3.7

The first time I happened to see the X-Men cartoon series was when I reviewed X-Men, Volume 1. The two-disc DVD was released on the same day as this X-Men, Volume 2 two-disc set. I’m a huge fan of the X-Men comics, so it was nice to get a chance to review what is considered one of the most faithful adaptations of the comic book series.

One thing I never mentioned in my previous review was how retro the characters’ looks are. I love the late 80s/early 90s hair styles and fashion sense. The outfit of Jubilee, especially, is so early 90s, and both Rogue and Jean’s hair (sans Phoenix) remind me of the styles many top actresses wore back in the late 80s. While this cartoon tries to capture the unique look the X-Men have been given over the years throughout the comics, the television animation also distinctly reflects the era in which this show aired.

I have a minor complaint with the episodes in this set. It concerns the storyline with Magneto and Professor X. For many of the episodes, especially those on the first disc, Magneto and Professor X are only seen in brief snippets. In each of these snippets, they are shown enduring harsh conditions and that’s it. I know that the point was to get the X-Men to work together, on their own, away from Professor X, but the storyline seemed rather pointless as it dragged on from episode to episode. By the time ‘The Reunion’ episodes came around, I was bored by this storyline. Luckily this set ends with a bang!

On the other hand one thing I really liked about this set concerns the back stories of many of the characters. We see part of Logan’s past, Gambit’s history, and a peek into Rogue’s past. We even get a very brief glimpse into Beast’s childhood in “Beauty and the Beast.” I really like these episodes, because they reveal a lot about the characters, and how much they have in common with their comic book alter egos is appealing.

Storm doesn’t get on my nerves quite as much as she did in the Volume 1 set. I think this is because she isn’t as central to the plots of these episodes, like she was in the first Volume of episodes. The voice talent is pretty good, and the storylines are excellent. Some of the dialogue is a little goofy, but for the most part, everything flows together nicely.

The X-Men (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) Episode Plots

Just like on the Volume 1 DVD, <em>X-Men, Volume 2</em> offers a wide selection of episodes. There are 8 episodes on the first disc and 9 on the second. This finishes up Season Two (which was started on the Volume 1 set) and delves into a healthy portion of Season Three. I’m not sure why this wasn’t released in seasons. StillI’m grateful I had a chance to see part of season three, thus far.

Here is a list of the 17 episodes included in this two-disc set.

DISC ONE

“Red Dawn”: Magneto is saved by Professor X in the Savage Land. Without his powers, Magneto has to come up with an inventive way to defeat a hungry dinosaur who wants to eat them. A living weapon by the name of Omega Red is brought back to life by three Russian generals. The corrupt generals have Omega Red attack the capital, which falls, but the crumbling world is too fragile to endure the wraith of Omega Red. Colossus returns to ask for the X-Men’s help in ending Omega Red’s diabolical scheming and he ends up saving Jubilee in the process.

“Repo Man”: Vindicator sends for Wolverine, recruiting nearly every mutant in Canada. They are upset he left their group, Alpha Flight, and want to take him somewhere. Naturally, Wolverine resists, learning they want to send him to a lab. This flashes Logan back to a time at a lab when Dr. Cornelius and the Professor coated his bones with adamantium. Jean tries to mentally connect with Professor X, who is still missing, trapped in the Savage Land with Magneto. When Logan is finally captured, he learns the truth behind why they want him and who is behind his capture.

“X-Ternally Yours”: When the team is doing an exercise, Gambit is in charge. He receives a phone call from someone named Pierre mid-exercise and accidentally turns the simulator up, nearly killing Scott/Cyclops. Gambit is given the news that something bad is going to happen to his brother. Every ten years, an offering is given by The Assassins Guild and The Thieves Guild to The X-Ternal. The chosen one, this year, is Gambit/Remy’s brother Bobby. It is Bobby’s time to offer the tithe for the Thieves, and if he doesn’t offer it, he will end up dead. Bobby shows up missing and Gambit heads down to save him. When he finds out who has taken him, he’s shocked because they want Gambit in exchange for Bobby and the tithe, and they have interesting, ulterior motives.

“Time Fugitives (Part One)”: Apocalypse’s troops are attacking Cable, and other mutants fighting with them. The year is 3999 AD and this is New York City, which is pretty much being destroyed. Time is changing, so it has affected the future. Bishop realizes that when he traveled back to the present from 2055 AD to the present, he stopped a plague, which continues to rage on for ages, since the antibodies that were created to protect from further plagues have not been created. Bishop heads back in time again, to warn the X-Men and help them stop the plague before it destroys them all.

“Time Fugitives (Part Two)”: With Apocalypse responsible for the plague, Cable time travels to the present to save his own future. He must stop Bishop from completely stopping the plague, though his fight with Bishop and the X-Men does not go well. Eventually, Cable is able to find an alternative route he might be able to use in order to keep the current world in tact and still save his and Bishop’s own worlds.

“A Rogue’s Tale”: Mr. Sinister sends Mystique to get rid of the X-Men now that they don’t have Professor X watching over them. Mystique, Rogues former foster mother, wants to reclaim her as her daughter, but her presence in Rogue’s life gives her very painful visions. The visions are so realistic, as Rogue is tormented, mentally, by her very first enemy, Ms. Marvel. With Rogue turning deeply into her psyche, Jean must use Cerebro to try and reach her and help her stop the tormenting visions. The rest of the X-Men have to fight Mystique who is trying to destroy all of them.

“Beauty and the Beast”: Beast/Dr. Hank McCoy is working at a hospital for the blind. He ends up falling in love with one of his patients, Carly. Carly is blind and she too loves Beast. She is the daughter of a man who absolutely abhors mutants. Her dad refuses to accept their relationship, even though Hank is responsible for developing the surgery that gives Carly her sight back. When Carly is kidnapped by the Friends of Humanity for loving Beast, her father wants the X-Men to find her. Its up to Wolverine who leads the rest of their team to the Friends of Humanity headquarters, where he confronts Graydon Creed, their evil leader. In the meantime, Magneto and Charles are barely surviving in the Savage Land.

“Mojovision”: Mojo, an alien, rules a world that is dependent on television for everything. The X-Men are kidnapped by Mojo who turns them into the next television, action/superhero hit show. Using his abilities, he turns the X-Men against one another and the show is popular across the entire galaxy. When Longshot, the original action hero, frees the X-Men, betraying Mojo, the tables turn on the alien. Meanwhile, Magneto and Professor X still struggle as they travel through the Savage Land.

DISC TWO

“Reunion (Part One)”: Morph sends a message to the X-Men. Jean, Cyclops, and Wolverine show up, but are ambushed by Mr. Sinister and the Nasty Boys. In the Savage Land, Charles and Magneto finally make it to their ship. They are ambushed by mutates, who have turned their back on Magneto, the man who created them, for a new master. During their escape, they are assisted by Ka-Zar and his sabertooth tiger friend, Zabu, who lets them know that all of his people have been kidnapped by the mutates and are being held in the citadel. He blames Magneto for all of this. Mr. Sinister ends up kidnapping Jean, taking her off to the Savage Land to join Charles.

“Reunion (Part Two)”: The X-Men discover where Jean is and head to the Savage Land thanks to a message from Professor X, who has been brainwashed by Mr. Sinister. When they get there, they realize they’ve lost all their powers and are easily defeated by the mutates. Only Wolverine escapes. He teams up with Ka-Zar to save the X-Men and to stop Mr. Sinister. Ka-Zar flies him to the citadel, where he plans to free his people.

“Out of the Past (Part One)”: When Leech steals a weapon for Callisto, who wants to use it to open an alien ship in the underground tunnels, Lady Deathstrike, the person who Leech stole the weapon from, heads underground with her cyborg friends. Disarming and disposing of all the Morlocks, Deathstrike is drawn to the ship for its power. Wanting it so she can seek revenge on someone from her past, Deathstrike calls upon Wolverine, her past lover, when she went by Yuriko, to open the ship for her.

“Out of the Past (Part Two)”: When Wolverine accidentally opens the ship, a Shi’ar vessel which is actually a prison cell, an evil entity, the M’Kraan Spirit Drinker is released. As he sucks the life from everything around it, including Yuriko, the X-Men must find a way to defeat it, or risk dying themselves.

“Phoenix Saga, Part 1: Sacrifice”: Professor X keeps having disturbing visions and hearing a woman call out to him. He knows that a major battle will be happening in space, so he has the X-Men sneak on board a ship piloted by Dr. Corbeau. They are heading to the Eagle One Space Station. It is a trap, and Jean realizes it too late. The Shi’ar emissary Erik the Red has taken over the space station. Luckily, the X-Men are able to escape, but not before Jean must sacrifice herself by piloting the plane through fiery heat that is filled with radiation.

“Phoenix Saga, Part 2: Dark Shroud”: Unable to hold her shields up the entire time she pilots the ship through the radiation layers, Jean crash lands into a bay on Earth, emerging as the stripped down, super powerful Phoenix. Scott takes her to the hospital, where Professor X recommends she stay until they find out what is going on with her new powers. With Professor X’s visions becoming more vivid, he heads to Muir Island to recuperate under the watchful eyes of Moira McTaggert and her new love, Sean Cassidy/Banshee. While Moira and Sean are outside Charles is visited by Lilandra Neramani, the Shi’ar Empress who is essentially his other half. Lilandra needs his help. She is the woman from his visions. Unfortunately, Black Tom Cassidy and Juggarnaut kidnap her, and Moira believes Charles dreamed the entire thing up, his delusions getting worse.

“Phoenix Saga, Part 3: Cry of the Banshee”: When Wolverine smells Juggarnaut in Charles room they know he isn’t lying or too crazy to know the truth. The X-Men and Banshee head out to Sean’s home castle where his brother, Black Tom, is keeping Lilandra. Black Tom is planning to trade her for a lot of money. She alone knows where the M’Kraan Crystal is, something she hid so her evil brother, the evil Shi’ar Emperor cannot use it to destroy the world. When his top military guard, the Gladiator shows up, only the Phoenix can stop him.

“Phoenix Saga, Part 4: Starjammers”: Jean teleports the X-Men and Lilandra to her ship where she has hidden the M’Kraan Crystal. When the Starjammers, led by Corsair (who is actually Christopher Summer’s, Scott/Cyclops’ dad – a fact neither of them know), a group of intergalactic pirates, steal the M’Kraan Crystal and Scott/Cyclops. They plan to offer the crystal and Cyclops as a slave in a trade, with D’Ken, but Corsair has ulterior motives that involve Scott getting close to D’Ken and destroying him for his past misdeeds.

“Phoenix Saga, Part 5: Child of Light”: D’Ken manages the get into the crystal, where Jean ends up trapping him. In a tough, but necessary decision, Jean, as Phoenix, says goodbye to the X-Men. She takes the crystal to the sun and is presumed to be dead. Scott takes the loss the hardest, and Charles has to say goodbye to the woman he loves, as well, Lilandra. She is now the new Empress of Shi’ar and has a lot of changes to make to her planet.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The video for was decent, if not good. The 1.33:1 aspect ratio worked well for the cartoon. For the most part, the colors are bright and the level of detail was high. There really wasn’t much to complain about here. There weren’t any real problems with compression, noise or dirt. It was a pretty steady transfer from start to finish.

The Dolby Digital audio got the job done nicely. It wasn’t perfect, but it was certainly passable for this sort of cartoon. The sound effects came through nicely, the dialogue was always easy to understand, and the music was fairly dynamic. Man is that X-Men theme song catchy. I’ve probably heard it over 100 times in the past few days, but I still like it.In addition to the English track, French and Spanish tracks were also included. Subtitles are available for English for the Hearing Impaired, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The only thing you are offered in the way of special features are previews and sneak peeks. When it comes to previews you have them for G-Force, Monsters Inc. (Blu Ray), Lost: The Complete Fourth Season, and a Disney Blu Ray Promo. The included sneak peeks are for The Black Cauldron, Lost: The Complete Fourth Season, G-Force, Monsters, Inc., Morning Light, and a Disney Blu Ray Promo.

This is a very lame offering. There should at least be a featurette or a commentary, but alas. There is nothing.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The X-Men, Volume 2 (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) two-disc set continues where Volume 1 left off. Each episode is as engaging as the last. X-Men fans will definitely want to own both Volume 1 and Volume 2. There are a nice selection of episodes available in these sets, so there is more than enough X-Men action to whet your appetite. X-Men, Volume 2 (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) comes highly recommended for both parents (adults in general) and children age 5 and above.

Overall Rating: 3.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, TV Show, X-Men, Volume 2, Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection, Stan Lee, Wolverine, Rogue, Professor X, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops, Jean Grey

Release Info:
Original Air Dates: October 31, 1992-November 6, 1993
DVD Box Set Release Date: April 28, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.99
Episodes: #1.1-#1.13 and #2.1-#2.3

“A better, more faithful adaptation of the X-Men comics than the live action films, X-Men released in a two disc, volume one set is a rare gem in a world full of inconsistent, childish, and cheesy comic book adaptations…”

Though I wasn’t really into comic books as a kid, I’ve been a fan of the X-Men since I was an older teenager. Where I grew up, not many kids were reading comic books. It is a shame I didn’t because I would read just about anything I could get my hands on, back in those days. I didn’t really even know about the X-Men until the 90s and once I learned about the comic book series I was hooked.

X-Men (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) aired on television in 1992. I didn’t watch it then. I don’t even remember it being on television. I would have only been 11 back then, so X-Men would have been right up my alley. Well, now I am glad that I have seen this series. It is excellent. The characters, their personas, their back stories, and their attitudes all parallel the comic books pretty well. Sure, there are a few changes (i.e. Jubilee’s back story is slightly different), but nothing so big that hardcore fans are going to have a fit.

I like this show because it doesn’t dumb down the X-Men. I’ve found that many shows, these days, are sugar-induced, dumbed down, hyperfests. Parents cannot usually enjoy these shows with their kids. With X-Men, adults can watch this whether they are watching with their kids, nieces/nephews, grandkids, or otherwise. They can watch the series alone and still enjoy it. While the dialogue is occasionally stiff, it isn’t overtly cheesy and the entire concept of the X-Men is darker than in recent cartoon adaptations of this comic book group.

I think the fact that this tries to stick with the comics and it is as realistic as a comic about a bunch of mutants can be, enhances the overall series. While some of the X-Men that are more prominent in other X-Men incarnations are absent (at least from the first season and i.e. Nightcrawler), many favorites, including Jean Grey, Scott/Cyclops, Logan/Wolverine, Storm, Jubilee, Gambit, and Professor X are a part of the series. Favorite enemies like Juggarnaut, Magneto, Mystique, and various underground government groups set on destroying mutants, have strong roles throughout the series.

Before heading down to the plot section, I thought I should mention the voice acting. For the most part, it is good. Occasional voices get on my nerves, the worst being that of Storm. Still, the majority of the voice actors do a nice job, and the persona/voice of Rogue is much more faithful to that of the comic books then her portrayal in either the X-Men movies or any of the other cartoon, television-based comic adaptations. With such a dynamic character, it is nice to see her being a bit more realistically portrayed.

The X-Men (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) Episode Plots
There are 16 episodes included in this Vol. 1, Two-Disc, DVD Box Set. Of the episodes, 13 are from Season One of the series and 3 are from Season Two.

Here’s a list of the episodes, by disc and a synopsis of each.

DISC ONE

“Night of the Sentinels (Part 1)”: A young mutant name Jubilee is having problems with her newly formed mutant powers. Her foster parents, hoping to help her, register her with the Mutant Control Agency. It isn’t long before a large robot is chasing her. Luckily she runs into the X-Men, who take her home to Professor X’s school for mutants. Worried about her parents, Jubilee sneaks out to check on them, and is quickly captured. In the meantime, the X-Men including Storm and Wolverine head to the Mutant Control Agency Building to destroy files on mutants and hopefully find Jubilee.

“Night of the Sentinels (Part 2)”: With the X-Men in the Mutant Control Agency Building, they have to fight guards and government soldiers to accomplish their mission. Meanwhile, in a abandoned laboratory/factory in Detroit, Michigan Jubilee is being held captive by those in the government who seek to go at war with and destroy the mutant population by creating giant robots called Sentinels.

“Enter Magneto”: With Beast still imprisoned, he’s stunned when Magneto breaks in to free him. Beast is grateful, but feels he needs to stand trial to prove his innocence and show humans mutants really aren’t dangerous to their existence. Unfortunately, Magneto has other plans which involve destroying humankind and making mutants the far superior ruling race. With the trial a joke with no human willing to listen to Beast or his reasoning behind the attack, it doesn’t look like he’ll be winning the trial. This episode delves into Magneto’s past and his relationship with Professor X. Sabertooth also makes his first appearance.

“Deadly Reunions”: Xavier tries to explain why Magneto believes mutants are the evolved form of humans and a superior race. This has caused a major problem with Magneto plotting the demise of humans, and this time he’s pretty sure he won’t fail. Professor X is trying to rehabilitate Sabertooth, removing the rages within him, but Wolverine won’t have any of it. Magneto decides to attack a chemical plant to get X to come to him, knowing X won’t want him to kill humans. Of course, their reunion isn’t as Magneto planned, causing many of the X-Men to get hurt in the process.

“Captive Hearts”: During a training exercise, Storm has a flashback to her painful past. This causes a paralyzing case of claustrophobia. Wolverine shows his feelings for Jean, but she’s with Cyclops, who takes her out on a date. On their date, they encounter a dangerous group of mutants who call themselves Morlocks. When Jean and Cyclops are held hostage, Storm must overcome her fear, so she can join the X-Men and rescue them, before Callisto tries to make Cyclops provide her with a heir.

“Cold Vengeance”: Having left the X-Men because he is in love with Jean (who is with Scott/Cyclops), Logan/Wolverine heads north, to the arctic. Once he is home, he is attacked by Sabertooth, his enemy who has been tracking him. When Sabertooth threatens a local tribe, Wolverine must do his best to protect them after they rescue him. In the meantime, Cyclops sends Storm, Gambit and Jubilee to Genosha. Posed as tourists, the three decide to enjoy the visit to the island, which seems to be a safe, island resort for mutants.

“Slave Island”: With Storm, Gambit and Jubilee are kidnapped by the Genosha commander and his army, it becomes clear what the true purpose of Genosha’s welcoming of mutants is all about. All of the mutants captured on the island are being used as slaves to build a dam. Storm rebels and is captured. When Jubilee plans a slave rebellion, Gambit is the one who betrays them. With the rest of the X-Men heading to Genosha with no idea of what happened to the three the only help they have is a suspected mutant name Cable whom the Leader of Genosha fears.

“The Unstoppable Juggernaut”: When the X-Men return to the school it has been destroyed. They cannot communicate with Professor X, so they dig through the rubble to try and find him. In the war room, they find a message from the professor, who claims he is going on a journey. The group decides to look for him, and the person responsible for the destruction of the school. When Wolverine rushes off alone to find the professor, Storm Rogue, and Jubilee go after him. Jubilee ends up running into a mutant named Colossus who they believe totaled the mansion. The real culprit though, is Juggernaut, who is, as his name states, virtually unstoppable.

DISC TWO

“The Cure”: When a scientist/doctor claims to have found a cure for the mutant gene, Rogue travels to Muir Island Mutant Research Center. When Rogue arrives, she meets a Dr. Adler, with whom she discusses receiving the cure. After she leaves, it is revealed that Mystique is posing as Dr. Adler. With Apocalypse helping her and Cable trying to attack the doctor, the X-Men have to step in to try and take them down. What they don’t know is that Professor X is there investigating the cure, as well.

“Come the Apocalypse”: Muir Island is a sham and Apocalypse’s real plan is revealed as he turns mutants seeking the bogus cure into the Horsemen (Famine, Pestilence, War and Death). The X-Men have no choice but to fight them, as the Horsemen have gone off on a rampage, trying to destroy the entire planet.

“Days of Future Past (Part One)”: A mutant from the future, Bishop, travels in time from the year 2055. His goal is to find an X-Men who assassinates someone, but once he has left the future, his mission becomes fuzzy and he has no idea who the mutant is that he has to stop. In the end, he has no choice but to turn to the X-Men for help in discovering the truth, before it’s too late.

“Days of Future Past (Part Two)”: Bishop confronts the mutant who is responsible for the assassination that affects the future. Before Bishop can kill him, though, he’s stopped by the X-Men. The Brotherhood of Mutants have teamed up to murder Senator Kelly. When Mystique attends, disguised as the assassinating X-Men member, it is up to the real X-Men to keep his name from being dragged through the mud anymore than it already has been.

“The Final Decision”: Having kidnapped Senator Kelly, Magneto takes him to a sunken ship where he plans to kill him. He knows if he does, this will create the war between humans and mutants that he’s been wanting. The Sentinels attack Magneto and Senator Kelly is again taken. It is up to the X-Men to stop Magneto and save the Senator.

This is the last episode of Season One of the show.

“Til Death Do Us Part (Part One)”: Jean and Scott finally get married. Senator Kelly has been elected president. Having realized not all mutants are bad, he frees Beast and makes him a part of his cabinet, with an emphasis on forming mutant-human peaceful relations. Morph, who was believed dead returns, with a vengeance (having been brainwashed) and the public aren’t happy that Senator Kelly has changed his tune when it comes to mutants. This creates chaos in the streets.

“Til Death Do Us Part (Part Two)”: On their way to their honeymoon on a private island, Scott and Jean are stopped by Mister Sinister, who, with the Nasty Boys, kidnaps them. Morph, still brainwashed, seeks revenge on the X-Men. He plans to kill them all, one by one. The only hope Jean and Scott have is the X-Men who will have to come to the island to save them.

“Whatever it Takes”: After recovering, Storm returns to her leadership position with the X-Men. She heads to Africa where there is a tear in the astral plane. It is in the village where she was born and raised and her son, Mjnari, is being manipulated and possessed by the Shadow King. Wolverine spends this time looking for Morph and Professor X and Magneto meet up again, this time in Africa.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The video quality for X-Men was good. The 1.33:1 aspect ratio served the video well and provided little room for complaint. The quality was clear for the most part, with fair levels of detail and a nice color palette. There were no serious issues with grain, dirt, or compression errors. Kids should enjoy this and parents should find that it was a worthy undertaking, too.

Like the video, there is little to complain about when it comes to the audio. Everything sounded fine and the Dolby Digital surround provided for a lively, action-filled track. Volume toggling was not an issue. Along with English, there are comparable tracks in both French and Spanish. Subtitles have also been included in English for the Hearing Impaired, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Sadly, there are no real special features available in this set. Some previews occur prior to the arrival of the main menu. The previews included are for G-Force, Monster Inc., Lost: The Complete Fourth Season, ABC, and a general Disney Blu Ray Promo. Also available are a series of sneak peeks for The Back Cauldron, G-Force, Lost: The Complete Fourth Season, a Disney Blu-Ray Promo, Morning Light, and Monsters Inc in Blu Ray.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
One of the better, more faithful adaptations of the “X-Men” Comic Book series, X-Men, Volume 1 (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) is a must have DVD Collection for any fan of the X-Men. With intriguing storylines and characterizations that parallel that of their comic book counterparts, many consider this cartoon version amongst the best X-Men adaptations. If you’ve seen it and love it, pick the Volume One set up. If you or your children love the X-Men and haven’t seen this series or if you want to introduce your kids to the X-Men, X-Men, Volume 1 (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection) is the perfect DVD set to do so. It comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.64 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, TV Show, X-Men, Volume 1, Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection, Stan Lee, Wolverine, Rogue, Professor X, Charles Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops, Jean Grey

Release Info:
Television Release: September 9, 1989-July 20, 1991
DVD Release Date: March 17, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $14.99

You’ve probably seen both Ash and I write this before, but we are both children of the 80s. I was born in 1980 and she was born in 78. We grew up watching the coolest cartoons. Of all the decades, the 80s rocked for cartoons and big hair bands. They don’t make cartoons in the same way they did in the 80s. Sure, there were some pretty big flops and certainly there were some shows that seem embarrassing to like these days, due to their campy nature. BUT…the 80s was all about campy and even the most campy in the bunch (He-Man anyone?) is something I’m still proud I watched!

Near the end of the 80s, the team that made Scooby Doo a legend were trying to come up with a way to expand the series. The powers that be wanted to appeal to a younger crowd. I fit right in with that crowd. So, they decided to make Scooby and the gang much younger. It’s the same idea as Flintstone Kids, though with Scooby Doo. I loved both shows though I believe Flintstone Kids was the superior of the two.

Still, I really enjoyed watching A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. There is something rather silly about the Mystery Inc. gang being small. The glasses on Velma are ridiculously big, but she still maintains her Velma-ness from the original series. I also love when she says ‘Jinkies’! The characters all mimic their older selves in actions, movements, and style (excluding one, but I’ll get to that in a minute). You can see how they grew up to be the people they are in the original Scooby Doo series, which was good for the writers of this series. If they had made them completely different from the characters we know and love, then this show wouldn’t have worked out.

With just 26 episodes, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo wasn’t as successful for Warner Bros. as it should have been. Sure, this show is campy and corny, but it is also highly amusing and entertaining. Scooby is such a cute little pup in this, and he and Shaggy are the same goofy duo most of us grew up loving, even when not in their young forms. This set of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo episodes is a great way to introduce a show that many of us from the 80s grew up watching, to a new generation of Scooby Doo fans.

Before I get into the plot, I should mention just one complaint. Okay, it’s two, but it has to do with the same thing. After watching all the episodes in this set, I’m pretty sure I’m sick of hearing the name “Red Herring” or hearing Freddy accuse Red of every single crime. It was funny the first ten or so episodes, but by the end of the series it just got to be tired and old. My main complaint is Freddy in general. The rest of the characters tend to mimic their older counterparts, but Freddy is so dumb, and I always thought Fred from the Mystery Inc. gang was fairly intelligent. I thought his fashion sense was a bit odd, but I never got dumb from him. Sure, he’s no Velma, but who is? His dumbness annoys me to the point of disliking Freddy in this series. It’s the one main complaint I have.

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Complete 2nd, 3rd & 4th Seasons Plot
The final three seasons of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo make up 17 episodes. The series was over relatively quickly, with the show only lasting two or so years. All of the episodes follow the same basic plot. The Scooby Doo gang, calling themselves the Scooby Doo Detective Agency, discover a mystery. Scooby’s nose tracks clues and Velma helps to decipher them.

They get suspects and the ‘monster’ chases them. The chase scene always involves music and the crew escapes from the baddie. They come up with a plan (usually Velma does), which involves Scooby capturing the bad guy. The plan always falls short and they have to find another way to capture the nefarious one. Then Freddy accuses Red Herring and Velma reveals the true culprit.

Here is a list of each episode, split up amongst each disc. There is a brief synopsis of the episodes included:

DISC ONE

“Curse of the Collar” – It’s Scooby’s birthday. His parents, the Doos, have a very special present for him. As the oldest son, he’s given the family dog collar. The collar is pretty ugly, but Scooby wears it anyway (though not happily). Just then, the doorbell rings and the ghost of a mean dog catcher hops out of a present. It wants Scooby’s collar and it will stop at nothing to get it. Freddy believes the collar is cursed and pretty soon everyone else is believing it, too.

“The Return of Commander Cool” – Scooby and Shaggy pretend to be superheroes, Commander Cool and Mellow Mutt. After an encounter in which an alien attacks Shaggy and Scooby, Shaggy loses his memory and in his amnesiac state, he believes he really is Commander Cool. Velma’s Uncle Elmo believes they should all just play along as Commander Cool is fearless in his attempt to find out about the mysterious alien and what it has to do with an out of work toy maker.

“The Spirit of Rock ‘n Roll” – Daphne wants the best concert seats ever to see Buddy Chillner, the Bud Man of Rock n’ Roll perform at the Coolville Amphitheater. To do so, she buys out the entire concert. The performance is interrupted by the ghost of a supposedly dead rocker, Purvis Parker, who won’t leave Buddy alone. The gang must escape the ghost before he can kidnap Buddy.

“Chickenstein Lives!” – Freddy’s uncle Eddie is the owner of Freddy’s favorite paper, The Exaggerator. When the Scooby Doo Detective Agency is visiting Uncle Eddie, they are hired by him to find out why Chickenstein is trying to ruin his newspaper business and run everyone off in the process.

“Night of the Living Burger” – Scooby and Shaggy get into a fight about something stupid. Stubbornly, they refuse to talk to one another. This makes things very difficult when the Scooby Doo Detective Agency gets a case where the monster is a gigantic hamburger. Not only does the gang have to solve the mystery, they also have to convince Scooby and Shaggy not to ruin their friendship, especially over something dumb.

“The Computer Walks Among Us” – Velma, the genius that she is, enters a computerized robot into her elementary school science fair. It isn’t a big surprise when her robot that does everything its told, wins first prize. However, good fortune turns to bad luck when Velma and her robot are accused of a series of locker robberies. As the Scooby Doo Detective Agency investigates, Velma has to get her now out of control robot in control again.

“Dog Gone Scooby” – Nobody has time for Scooby, not even the gang from the Scooby Doo Detective Agency. Fed up that no one has time to play with him, Scooby decides it’s time to run away. When the gang finally discover he is missing, they feel bad for ignoring Scooby. However, their plan to find him is interrupted by a monster terrorizing Coolsville.

“Terror, thy Name is Zombo” (aka Roller Ghoster Ride!) – The Scooby Doo Detective Agency heads to the Coolsville amusement park. Scooby and Shaggy have won the chance to be the first to ride the new Monster Mountain ride since they earned more raffle tickets than anyone else. However, their fun is interrupted by a mysterious and terrifying clown ghost that is trying to take over the park.

DISC TWO

“Night of the Boogey Biker” – Freddy is obsessed with Red Herring. He’s so certain Red, the local bully, does everything bad that he always accuses him of every crime committed. The other kids that make up the Scooby Doo detective agency are so sick of it that Daphne bets him he can’t go 24 hours without accusing Red of a crime. When Red’s aunt, Hedda, has her motorcycle stolen, she’s sure it’s the ghost of a biker she once defeated in a race, but Freddy’s sure someone else is behind the crime, even if he can’t say his name.

“Dawn of the Spooky Shuttle Scare” – Velma is very excited when her experiment is picked to get launched into space. The experiment has to do with Scooby snacks, and how they hold up in space. The Scooby Doo Detective Agency is invited to tour the shuttle, but when the crew runs into a monster that shuts down the launch, they have to investigate who or what would want to prevent the shuttle from going into space.

“Horror of the Haunted Hairpiece” – Daphne’s dad has been an entrepreneur since he was a child. Having lived in the lap of luxury, she’s unprepared when her parents decide she needs to get her own job. They get her a management position at the arcade in the Coolsville Mall. When a monster starts terrorizing the arcade to make sure it gets no business, the hairy monster can only be stopped by the Scooby Doo Detective Agency.

“Wrestle Maniacs” – The Scooby Doo Gang, excluding Daphne, are totally in love with wrestling. They’re such big fans of the CWF (Coolville Wrestling Federation), which baffles the more refined Daphne. She’s even stunned by the fact that Velma is the biggest fan in the bunch. When the Ghost of a dead wrestler shows up to ruin the wrestling fun for everyone, the gang sets out to discover what’s up so they can get back to watching wrestling.

“The Weredoo of Doo Manor” – When Scooby and the gang visit Mom and Dad Doo, he’s stunned to learn that he’s next in line for the curse of the Weredoo. This means that he will turn into a weredoo during the full moon. When a Weredoo appears, Scooby is led to believe it’s one of his relatives, but the Scooby Doo Detective Agency decides to check out the story.

“The Wrath of Wait-Ro” – This is another episode that features Shaggy as Commander Cool and Scooby as Metal Mutt. The two superheroes along with the rest of the Scooby Doo Detective Agency have to investigate an evil caterer. The gang has to hurry though because this man of many dishes is setting out to take over the world.

“Catcher on the Sly” – Scooby Doo may be a dog, but he’s still a part of the Scooby Doo Detective Agency. It’s up to Velma, Shaggy and the rest of the gang to find out why a dog catcher by the name of Buster McMuttMawler is desperate to capture Scooby Doo. The mystery leads them on a wild goose chase to discover the truth.

“The Ghost of Mrs Shusham” – Who knew that the librarian would haunt you if you didn’t return your late library books? Scooby and Shaggy have no idea just how late their library book is. When the ghost of the late Coolsville Library librarian, Mrs. Shusham haunts them for not returning the book “Pizza Parrots Meet the Butter Bean Bunnies,” the Scooby Doo Detective Agency discovers something fishy is going on that doesn’t involve late books.

“The Mayhem of the Moving Mollusk” – Velma has invented a teleport device, which proves to be helpful for the Scooby Doo Detective Agency. In this episode, they are invited by a sophisticated, high tech, monster catching agency in New York, Critter Gitters to catch a giant monster, a snail, that is terrorizing the city. Without a resolution to the problem, Critter Gitters is bound to go out of business, so the gang teleports to New York to help them get to the bottom of this crime.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Complete 2nd, 3rd & 4th Seasons was made awhile ago, but it still comes out looking pretty good. There are some instances of lines, dirt, and grain, but everything is pretty clear for the most part. While the issues are there and occasionally show themselves there isn’t anything so bad that it becomes totally distracting. Most of the episodes play with little problem. The color palette is cartoon friendly and kids should be more than happy watching this. Adults that used to like the show should find it pretty close to what they remember, so they should be happy, as well.

The audio is fairly basic but gets the job done. In the basic sense, A Pup Named Scooby Doo has its fair share of action going on. That being said, the audio here does a decent job of bringing forth the excitement. The voices come out lively and the special effects sound acceptable. They are by no means like watching an action movie, but they are certainly passable for young children. Along with the English audio, subtitles are available in English and French.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Complete 2nd, 3rd & 4th Seasons does not come with any real special features. There is one episode from Shaggy and Scooby Doo Get a Clue, but that’s all there is. The episode “Party Arty” is all about Scooby and Shaggy’s housewarming party that kind of goes awry. Their neighbor threatens to try and get them evicted and Dr. Phibes sends a robot to the party to take out Scooby and Shaggy! At the end of the day this is just a new show for kids that will never be anything like the old shows. It’s mildly amusing but not on the same level that Scooby fans will truly appreciate.

Bonus Features: 1 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
I happen to be one of the people who likes A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. I grew up watching this show when I was a kid in the late 80s and early 90s. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo was one of my favorite incarnations of the Scooby Doo franchises. While not everyone is in love with this series, if you have kids, they are bound to enjoy Scooby, Shaggy and the rest of the gang in kid form. While I recommend buying season 1 of A Pup Named Scooby-Doo first, if you already own it, pick up A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Complete 2nd, 3rd & 4th Seasons to complete your collection. This DVD set is highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.36 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: A Pup Named Scooby Doo, Complete 2nd 3rd & 4th Seasons, Warner Bros, cartoon, family, Scooby Doo, Mystery Inc, animation, Turner Home Entertainment, DVD review

Technorati Tags: You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, Peanuts, Warner Bros, Warner Home Video, DVD, Video, Family, Lucy, Linus, Charles M. Schultz, Snoopy, Woodstock

Release Info:
Original Release Date: October 28, 1975
DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $14.99

I’ve quite enjoyed how Warner Home Video has released a new Charlie Brown DVD every few months. Charlie Brown is huge in my house. My son, CT, has loved Charlie Brown since he was only 2-3 years old. As a teenager now, he still loves the Peanuts gang. Now that my nephew Lil B is old enough to appreciate Charlie Brown and the gang, he too loves the Peanuts DVDs we’ve been receiving for review.

Of course, the Charlie Brown love extends as far back as my brother and I, to the 1970s and 1980s, when many of these specials were first being released. I was born in 1978, so I grew up with Peanuts on television and in my local newspaper. I read the comics in the paper every Sunday and I made sure to catch the specials every time they aired on television. Snoopy has always been one of my favorite cartoon characters.

When I was sent You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, I knew what to expect content wise. I’ve seen this special before though neither my son or my nephew had. I sat the boys down and we watched this together as a family. While the boys enjoyed this DVD immensely, they both stated this wasn’t their favorite Peanuts special. Lil B loves the Peanuts Christmas specials while CT loves The special about the Great Pumpkin. Still, they were more than willing to watch this DVD again and again.

All of the Peanuts specials are great for children. They have great messages, are funny, and deal with issues that all kids can relate to while watching. They also entertain the entire family. Snoopy is just a scream. As he interacts with the humans and with Woodstock your kids can delight in the pleasure of watching this one of a kind dog. I always wanted a dog like Snoopy. Instead I got a beast of a dog name Chucky (named after Child’s Play — and with good reason). I don’t think they make dogs as cool as Snoopy. He’s pretty much one of a kind.

The You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown Plot
You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is one of the less familiar Peanuts television specials. I’ve only seen it a few times and my son, a huge Charlie Brown and Peanuts fan, had never seen it at all. It’s nice that Warner is putting out some of the lesser known Peanuts specials on DVD, so we can add them to our collection with the more popular options like “Great Pumpkin”, “Easter Beagle” and a “Peanuts Christmas.”

You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is about sports, as you might have guessed. It starts with Snoopy on a tennis court. All starts out well when he uses a button to dispense balls from an automatic ball machine, but when the machine malfunctions, going out of control, the balls start hitting him, as Snoopy whines for help. At the same tennis court, Sally and Linus plan to play. Unfortunately, all the courts are full with big kids. When Sally tells the big kids to share the courts or Linus will beat them up, Linus runs away.

In the meantime, Snoopy is playing a fast paced game of tennis. He tries his hardest, but his opponent is too hard to beat. They go back and forth with Snoopy catching up, but always a step behind. In the end, Snoopy loses and we find out his opponent is actually Woodstock. The scene shifts to Charlie Brown. He’s playing football with Linus and Lucy is trying to get him to place kick so she can pull the ball out on him. Peppermint Patty soon arrives on her new motorbike. She invites everyone to the Motocross tournament. Linus is convinced he can train Charlie Brown to win this Motocross event.

Linus and Charlie Brown pool their money together, to purchase a motorbike. It’s a poor quality bike, but it’s all they can afford. Both take great pride in their purchase. By now, it is time for the race. Patty is sure she’ll win, but she has stiff competition with “The Masked Marvel” aka Snoopy in the race. When Charlie Brown and Snoopy wipe out right away, they are taken to the vet and the hospital though the ambulance switches them around. When Charlie Brown escapes from the vets, he takes Snoopy from the hospital back to the race. With no helmet, Linus gives Charlie Brown a pumpkin to wear on his head, and the race continues until the best man wins!

There is a second episode included on this DVD. This episode is You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown. This was done in 1979 and it was the last Peanuts special to air in the 1970s. This special is also about sports, which is why it was included on the Good Sport DVD. While both of these episodes are around 30 years old, they have held up amazingly well!

In the summertime, Charlie Brown’s family chooses not to go on vacation. Instead, he decides to enter the Junior Olympics on his school’s team. The only event he can enter is the decathlon. Charlie Brown knows this is going to be a lot of hard work, so Peppermint Patty decides to train him. The training is rigorous and Charlie isn’t exactly the best athlete out there. Peppermint Patty continues to encourage him, but she also has Marcy join the team so that their school has a hope of winning.

The day of the decathlon comes. The competition is stiff. Besides Marcie, Charlie has to take on Freddie Fabulous, the defending champ of this event from a school called Fremont, and a mysterious student from the Ace Obedience School, “The Masked Marvel” who is really Snoopy in disguise. Patty and the rest of the gang are sure that Charlie is destined to lose. When he does better than they expect, they begin to rethink the way they’ve been treating him and how they view Charlie Brown.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown is shown in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. For the most part things really do look good here. There are some occasional specks and there are some moments when you can see that this is just not something brand new. However, it never looks truly old. Kids will love it. There are plenty of bright colors and the detail is fairly defined. It could have been cleaned up a little bit, but all in all it’s not looking too bad. It’s obviously been remastered and though it could look a little better, there isn’t much to complain about.

Dolby Digital Mono is normally nothing to brag about, but it sounds just fine for Charlie Brown. It’s a children’s cartoon so it doesn’t need to be stellar audio. It just needs to be easy to hear and understand. The music sounds fabulous and the dialogue is crystal clear, so there is really nothing to complain about. Tracks are also included in Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese. Subtitles are available in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, and Thai.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 4 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The main special feature here, assuming you don’t count the second episode, is a twelve minute featurette called, “Dust Yourself Off and Pick Yourself Up, Charlie Brown.” It is both fun and interesting to hear from Schulz’s son, the now man (then boy) that had a hobby that inspired the Good Sport show in the first place. Some historians weigh in and an author is heard from as well. Some previews are also offered, but other than that not much is here.

Bonus Features: 1.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Everyone in our house loves the Peanuts gang. Whether your child loves Charlie Brown and the gang or not you should pick this up for them. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown might be a great way to introduce less familiar children to the Peanuts series of television specials. The lessons about perseverance and good sportsmanship are important for kids to learn and for its age, the quality of this DVD is excellent. On the whole, You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 4.21 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown, Peanuts, Warner Bros, Warner Home Video, DVD, Review, Family, Lucy, Linus, Charles M. Schultz, Snoopy, Woodstock