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Tom and Jerry Tales, Vol. 1
Warner Bros. // Unrated // October 3, 2006
List Price: $14.98 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The classic Tom and Jerry cartoons were loaded with violence, the occasional embarrassing stereotype, and a whole lot of laughs. The 1970s Tom and Jerry television revival was pleasant, clean, and unbearably dull. "Tom and Jerry Tales," recently created as part of the fall TV season for the revamped Kids WB! network, splits the difference; it maintains the slapstick lunacy of the vintage shorts but adds a modern gloss and friendliness that strips it of much of its giddy wickedness.
We're back to the old routine of cat-and-mouse at their feistiest, with writers and animators carefully paying homage to our favorite sight gags. Yes, Tom still has his manic scream, and yes, his eyes still pop at the site of danger, and yes, he's still a trouble magnet. We even get a visit or two from a few familiar faces - Uncle Pesos, anyone?
Keeping in mind just what made the original cartoons so funny and clever helped make the recent direct-to-video Tom and Jerry movie series somewhat of a success. It's disappointing, then, to see all that effort slip a tad; "Tom and Jerry Tales" is a decent showcase for the characters, but it's not as consistent in its comedy, and rarely is an entire episode able to maintain the frantic humor for the entire running time. The result is a series that respects the characters but just can't quite match their comic genius.
Every show features three short episodes, each just slightly longer than the traditional theatrical short. These new shorts span the Tom and Jerry spectrum: in one, they're vicious enemies unleashing a barrage of cartoonish injury upon each other; in another, they're… well, not friends, but allies against a common enemy (namely Spike the dog), which is close enough to "friends" to bring back ugly memories of the 1975 series. While many of the gags work, there's not a single episode that really holds its own all the way through. Good jokes are followed by mediocre ones, premises get stretched a bit too thin.
For the record, my daughter, age six, enjoyed the show, but not with the same sort of glee with which she meets the classic cartoons. We both found this new version of Tom and Jerry to be cute, entertaining at times, but slightly missing that certain kick that gave the duo their flair.
The DVD
In a peculiar move, Warner Brothers is releasing its first DVD collection of twelve "Tom and Jerry Tales" episodes - four complete shows - a mere ten days after the series was given its premiere broadcast. As a way of drumming up interest in the new show, I suppose it works; if you buy the DVD its first week out, yet get a set of episodes not yet aired. (Instead of their usual 60 minutes of programming on their kiddie discs, Warner Bros. surprises by allowing 92 minutes here.)
The episodes included in this release are: "Ho Ho Horrors"/"Doggone Hill Hog"/"Northern Light Fish Fight," "Way Off Broadway"/"Egg Beats"/"Cry Uncle," "Joy Riding Jokers"/"Cat Got Your Luggage?"/"City Dump Chumps," and "Tiger Cat"/"Feeding Time"/"Polar Peril."
Video
Brand new animation? Of course it's going to look sharp. Nice colors, bold lines, solid stuff all around. Presented in the original 1.33:1 broadcast format.
Audio
Choose your Dolby stereo track of choice: English, Spanish, or French. All three sound sharp - a plus on a series that relies more on music and effects. No subtitles are provided.
Extras
None, unless you count the set of commercials and previews for other Warner Bros. products.
Final Thoughts
There's enough comedy here for a quick once-over, and younger kids are bound to ask for the occasional repeat viewing. Still, it's such a light set, and the episodes are so uneven, that I have to say Rent It. There's not much here that even a diehard Tom and Jerry fanatic needs to have in his/her collection.
We're back to the old routine of cat-and-mouse at their feistiest, with writers and animators carefully paying homage to our favorite sight gags. Yes, Tom still has his manic scream, and yes, his eyes still pop at the site of danger, and yes, he's still a trouble magnet. We even get a visit or two from a few familiar faces - Uncle Pesos, anyone?
Keeping in mind just what made the original cartoons so funny and clever helped make the recent direct-to-video Tom and Jerry movie series somewhat of a success. It's disappointing, then, to see all that effort slip a tad; "Tom and Jerry Tales" is a decent showcase for the characters, but it's not as consistent in its comedy, and rarely is an entire episode able to maintain the frantic humor for the entire running time. The result is a series that respects the characters but just can't quite match their comic genius.
Every show features three short episodes, each just slightly longer than the traditional theatrical short. These new shorts span the Tom and Jerry spectrum: in one, they're vicious enemies unleashing a barrage of cartoonish injury upon each other; in another, they're… well, not friends, but allies against a common enemy (namely Spike the dog), which is close enough to "friends" to bring back ugly memories of the 1975 series. While many of the gags work, there's not a single episode that really holds its own all the way through. Good jokes are followed by mediocre ones, premises get stretched a bit too thin.
For the record, my daughter, age six, enjoyed the show, but not with the same sort of glee with which she meets the classic cartoons. We both found this new version of Tom and Jerry to be cute, entertaining at times, but slightly missing that certain kick that gave the duo their flair.
The DVD
In a peculiar move, Warner Brothers is releasing its first DVD collection of twelve "Tom and Jerry Tales" episodes - four complete shows - a mere ten days after the series was given its premiere broadcast. As a way of drumming up interest in the new show, I suppose it works; if you buy the DVD its first week out, yet get a set of episodes not yet aired. (Instead of their usual 60 minutes of programming on their kiddie discs, Warner Bros. surprises by allowing 92 minutes here.)
The episodes included in this release are: "Ho Ho Horrors"/"Doggone Hill Hog"/"Northern Light Fish Fight," "Way Off Broadway"/"Egg Beats"/"Cry Uncle," "Joy Riding Jokers"/"Cat Got Your Luggage?"/"City Dump Chumps," and "Tiger Cat"/"Feeding Time"/"Polar Peril."
Video
Brand new animation? Of course it's going to look sharp. Nice colors, bold lines, solid stuff all around. Presented in the original 1.33:1 broadcast format.
Audio
Choose your Dolby stereo track of choice: English, Spanish, or French. All three sound sharp - a plus on a series that relies more on music and effects. No subtitles are provided.
Extras
None, unless you count the set of commercials and previews for other Warner Bros. products.
Final Thoughts
There's enough comedy here for a quick once-over, and younger kids are bound to ask for the occasional repeat viewing. Still, it's such a light set, and the episodes are so uneven, that I have to say Rent It. There's not much here that even a diehard Tom and Jerry fanatic needs to have in his/her collection.
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