This Canadian production, now airing on Cartoon Network, offers a Survivor cum Endurance (the kid show version of Survivor, for those of you without kids) set up, with 22 animated contestants vying for the title of "sole survivor" (to use yet another of Survivor's oft-quoted clichés) on an island that houses Camp Wawanakwa. Host Chris (obviously modeled on Probst himself, down to Probst's nasal idiolect) introduces each episode, insisting in Probst-like hyperbole, that it will be the most dramatic episode of Total Drama Island ever. The 22 contestants, each a little mini stereotype in and of themselves, are split into two teams, The Screaming Gophers and The Killer Bass, and are put through their competitive paces, tasks which often, in cooking show reality show parodies, often involve some sort of food preparation, frequently in conjunction with the show's manic chef, Hatchet.

Anyone who has followed the exploits of ostensibly "real" Survivor loons like Richard Hatch, the first season winner who has stayed in the news for such fun sidebars as tax evasion, child abuse and, most recently, being hauled back to Federal prison for breaking his parole by calling into radio interview shows to insist his being gay is the source of all his problems, will know that a lot of these reality show contestants are kind of living cartoons themselves. Total Drama Island does a frequently very funny job of lampooning these fame whores (in fact the theme song is about getting famous), while also gently satirizing various "types" of young people, from surfer guys and gals to geeks and nerds.

Total Drama Island is also interesting in that it follows the Survivor tradition of voting one character off each episode. As the various teams maneuver for dominance and one character after another meets their fate (revealed by not receiving a toasted marshmallow at the end of the episode), the reasons for any character's eviction can boil down to something as silly as a misplaced MP3 player, which, for anyone who has ever watched Survivor, sounds just about right. Interspersed with each episode's overall storyline are often hilarious confessionals, all delivered from a little fly infested space where the contestants need to dodge getting buzz bombed while trying to deliver their heartfelt commentary. There's also some interesting character development as the series moves through its season, with various characters' interactions leading to something akin to arcs, some of them feeling at least as real, if as equally manufactured, as anything you're likely to see on Big Brother.

Some would argue that "reality" television is a parody in and of itself, but Total Drama Island manages to take something patently unreal to begin with and then poke merciless fun at it. Kids, such as my two sons, obviously the perfect target demographic for it (13 and 10 years old), enjoy it on one level, but adults can pick up a whole, more sophisticated level of satire running through the series, one that says as much about contemporary viewing (and voyeuristic) habits as it does about the "real" people, animated or otherwise, who inhabit these shows. This is fun and engaging television that will bring a smile to anyone who has rolled their eyes at any reality television show. Viewers--ready? Watch!

The DVD

Video:
Kind of suprisingly for a recent animated series, Total Drama Island is presented in a 1.33:1 OAR. It makes up for that with a splendidly colorful palette, which is very well reproduced on this DVD. The animation style is pretty basic, almost Hanna-Barbera-esque at times (by way of more modern, angular designs like Powerpuff Girls). But overall this is a very fun show to watch, as long as you're not expecting any sort of CGI-fest.

Sound:
The DD 2.0 soundtrack is certainly fine, delivering all the dialogue cleanly and clearly, but (am I getting addle pated here?) I was sort of hoping we could have a more immersive experience, especially considering all the island noises that crop up in various episodes. This is certainly an acceptable soundtrack for an animated series, and one that is probably going to appeal, rightly or wrongly, to kids. No subtitles are offered.

Extras:
Two Cartoon Network promo pieces, one a "reunion special" and one featuring "interviews," are included.

Final Thoughts:
Making fun of Survivor may be like shooting pheasants in a Dick Cheney hunting party, but it still makes for some fun moments. Kids will love this show, but any parents who are fans of Survivor are certain to get a kick out of it as well. Recommended.

____________________________________________
"G-d made stars galore" & "Hey, what kind of a crappy fortune is this?" ZMK, modern prophet