Underdog:Chronicles

Once again, this is an excellent "Underdog" DVD. "Underdog" is a great cartoon and is one oof the best. "Underdog" RULES!

This classic cartoon was my absolute favorite as a kid. I thoroughly enjoyed it in my pajamas eating cereal and glued to the TV set early in the AM. While this digitally remastered version is well done, it lacks the true originality of the show. For instance, it is missing the intro 'Don't touch that dial! Watch this exciting seen from today's 4 part story of Underdog! Here it comes now!' It is also missing the segment clip of scenes from other shows that was in the middle of the original show 'You'll see all of this Underdog adventure, complete on today's show. And in weeks to come, you'll see exciting scenes like this:' Since it was in 4-part episodes originally, parts of the scenes are cut in order to remake it uninterrupted which tends to destroy the great suspense music as a part ends. Also, the credits are missing the part where the guy was pasting a poster on the wall and the cop points out the sign that says 'Post No Bills' The segments with the lyrics are complete and in original form, which is a great plus. It is sad that the lyrics and intro themes to the other cartoons affiliated with Underdog are not included. Wow, I am amazing myself how much I remember of this show which is 30+yrs old. Also, absent is the clip where the guy pulls the switch and the marqui says 'Scenes from Next Week's Show' And, eventhough a lot has been taken away from the original, I love this cartoon sooo much, I have to give you 4 stars for remaking it!

I picked up the Underdog Chronicles to add to my Underdog Collector's Edition DVD. Alas, this new DVD suffers from the same lack of completeness as the Collector's Edition. The cartoon episodes themselves are entertaining and remastered well (except for the audio sometimes, whose volume tends to fade out ever so slightly in places), but every one of the cartoons is missing the original title card and ending credits. All of the title cards have inexplicably been replaced by hokey _ad hoc_ opening titles that make no effort to match the look and feel of the original period. Why these glaring deletions to the body of work were made is unclear; the old title cards and credits contribute much to the nostalgic value of a collection like this, and to omit them detracts from the enjoyment of the experience. (A least the Underdog theme song is present in its several forms.)

Even worse, the auxiliary cartoons that accompanied the Underdog show (this DVD calls them "Cliffhanger Episodes") -- namely Tennessee Tuxedo, Go Go Gophers, Commander McBragg, etc. -- are missing their theme songs, title cards and credits. As a result, each cartoon ends abruptly (no outro music or The End card) and you're never quite sure if that's really the end of the cartoon, or if it has been truncated. I'd sure like to know who made these ... production decisions. They obviously know nothing about continuity or the difference between a great product and a mediocre one.

Still, I love Underdog so much, I've rated this product a 4. If you're not a fan of the series, the deficiencies I've noted probably won't annoy you as much as they did me. If you _are_ a fan of the series, you'll enjoy the cartoons despite the bad decisions made in transcribing them onto DVD.

But it could have been so much better.