Underdog is here! … The complete series on DVD, that is – CartoonClack

While it was cancelled far before I was born, I am very familiar with Underdog thanks to its long syndication run during the ’80s and ’90s. Like Rocky and Bullwinkle, Underdog was lighthearted fun with slight tongue-in-cheek just under the surface — although if I’m being frank I liked Rocky and Bullwinkle a little better. All the same, this was one of the shows I’d stop everything to watch when I was really little. Needless to say, I enjoyed watching the episodes again in this 9 disc set.

The actual Underdog part of the show is just as entertaining as it was when I was a kid. The characters are likable, the animation full of nostalgia and the action exciting in a rated G sort of way. I even love how the episodes were cut at the cliffhanger with the narrator (voiced magnificently by George S. Irving) telling us to “stay tuned!” If you enjoyed the show when you were younger, I’d bet you’d enjoy this DVD set even more because of the subtle jokes from the narrator we often miss as kids. As the same time, the Underdog segments in particular are very kid-friendly and overall great for families to watch together.

One of the cartoons attached to Underdog is “Commander McBragg”, a rather puffed out retired officer who spends each episode telling a tall but charming tale about his many adventures. The “Go Go Gophers” … are not so charming. I hate to be that person who complains about the portrayal of race in old cartoons, but these Native American characters are hard to watch. Yes I realize it was another time. Yes, I realize even then it was a satire of the western trope. It doesn’t make it any less awkward, especially the way the two gophers jabber in broken English and brokener English. Another short, “Klondike Kat,” doesn’t really have the same charm as fellow Northern cartoon “Dudley Do-Right” while the other short called “The Hunter” just doesn’t have the charm of Underdog itself. It should be noted that most of the companion cartoons were actually older segments from other shows, and there is a definite difference story and animation quality between Underdog and some of the shorts. In short, Underdog is the reason to get this set, not necessarily the other cartoons.

It’s admirable that this set is the most complete collection of the show, with episodes organized as close to the original airing as possible. Something noted by the DVD producer on the back of the liner notes and at the beginning of the DVDs themselves is that the DVD makers had to put many of the episodes back together due to certain storylines reworked for syndication or segments that were just lost after the show ended. Because of that,the quality of certain segments isn’t as clean as others and the audio can fluctuate. This is a shame, but you really only notice it now and then, mostly in the opening and ending themes of the companion cartoons.

There are a handful of special features, including a few commentaries sprinkled throughout the seasons and an interview with co-creator Joe Harris. The set includes a featurette on the behind-the-scene history of the cartoon, but most of the information in the documentary can be found in the handy booklet also found in the box set. As for the box itself, the design is crisp with each season’s case color coordinated with the others. I’m a sucker for DVD sets that make the whole series look complete, so that’s right up my alley.

The entire collection (coming out February 21st, but available for pre-order now) contains 62 episodes totaling nearly 22 hours of entertainment. I’d recommend the set for any die-hard classic cartoon fans, especially those who want to introduce this highly enjoyable series to their children or grandchildren.

Clacked by Katie Schenkel
on Feb 14, 2012 @ 11:00 EST5EDT