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Spike TV Fall; Mini-DVD Reviews: TaleSpin Vol. 1 and Darkwing Duck Vol. 1 (Aug. 29)

Spike TV is actually adding some series this fall. In a surprise move they will re-add The A-Team (and will still air on sister station TV Land too) and add the 80s drama The Equalizer. Both will air weekdays starting October 2. They will also air The Shield 5-days a week. All three will air back-to-back-to-back from 9a-12p. CSI: New York will get its first off-network play every Sunday nights at 11 p.m. starting October 1. And coming in December, reruns of Star Trek: Voyager. For complete details click here.

Welcome to a special Tuesday edition of the Saturday mini-DVD reviews! Today we take a look at Walt Disney Home Entertainment's TaleSpin: Volume 1 and Darkwing Duck: Volume 1. Both series were very popular in the early '90s on Disney's very popular syndicated block called The Disney Afternoon. TaleSpin was about a bear working for a cargo company while Darkwing Duck was a crime-fighting duck. As with all of the shows in the Disney Afternoon, they were action and adventure filled! See my mini-DVD reviews of both sets:

TaleSpin: Volume 1 (Walt Disney, $34.99) brings the first 27 half hours of the high flying animated series to DVD. The episodes are in airdate order, which is sort of a surprise since DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale last fall were in production order. That's why the 5-part pilots for both of those sets were not included, as the pilots were produced much later. The four-part pilot for this set is included, since it is in airdate order. There is one problem though. The pilot episode would have been better as the original TV-movie version, because the four-part pilot cuts about 30 seconds from each episode because of the "last time on TaleSpin" introduction. The episodes all run just under 23 minutes, all unedited except probably for the 4-part pilot. The episodes are all high class and we see Baloo and Kit work for Rebecca Cunningham. They also battle villains like Don Karnage. Other characters include Rebecca's daughter Molly, Baloo's best friend King Louie, Wildcat the fix-it-man, and coroporate big shot Shere Khan. The menu screen has Play All, Set Up, and Episode Selection, with the theme song in the background. Disc one also has a Previews option, where see sneak peeks at other Disney movies/DVDs. When we go to episode selection, the episodes are listed with a screenshot from the episode. The menu is designed quite well and is easy to navigate. The video and audio are both very good. I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set, even though the 4-part pilot situation is not good. If you never saw the show, pick it up! It is great fun! Hurry today and order the DVD before Don Karnage and his evil Air Pirates pick it up before you!
-- Reviewed by Pavan
(3/5 stars)

To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
TaleSpin TV.com Page


Darkwing Duck: Volume 1 (Walt Disney, $34.99) brings the first 27 half hours on DVD for the very first time. Like TaleSpin, the episodes are in airdate order, which is sort of a surprise since DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale last fall were in production order. That's why the 5-part pilots for both of those sets were not included, as the pilots were produced much later. This series had a two-part pilot that aired as a one-hour special originally. Unfortunately, we get the two-part version of that. I am not sure if anything is cut out though, because there is no recap on part two. TaleSpin's pilots had recaps. As for DuckTales and Chip 'n Dale, when volume two is released the five-part pilots will be on those sets and I hope they are in the 5-part pilot forms actually, because on those we get additional scenes, unlike TaleSpin and possibly Darkwing. The episodes all run just under 23 minutes. Join Drake Mallard turn into Darkwing Duck, along with help from Launchpad (from DuckTales), and Darkwing's adopted nine-year old daughter Gosalyn keep the city of St. Canard safe from villains like Bushroot and Negaduck. Gizmoduck from DuckTales even pops in from time to time to help out. The menu screen has Play All, Set Up, and Episode Selection, with the theme song in the background. Disc one also has a Previews option, where see sneak peeks at other Disney movies/DVDs. When we go to episode selection, the episodes are listed with a screenshot from the episode. The menu is designed quite well and is easy to navigate. The video and audio are both very good. I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set. If you never saw the show, pick it up because it is very fun! Hurry today and order the DVD before Megavolt electrically charges you and The Liquidator covers you in water!
-- Reviewed by Pavan
(4/5 stars)

To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Darkwing Duck TV.com Page