Alternate Disk-Tractions: The Greatest American Hero complete series on DVD

Title: The Greatest American Hero: The Complete Series
Release Date: May 18, 2010
Format(s): DVD
Price: $29.99
Company: Mill Creek Entertainment
Rating: TV-PG
Length: 35 hours, 40 minutes.
Pros: It’s the complete series at a bargain price. Ah, go ahead and get it. You know you want to.
Cons: Image quality is typical for 1980s-era TV series (unmastered), some replacement soundtrack, hardly any extras and economy inner packaging.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one thumb sideways; 80/100; B-; * * * out of five.

With apologies to Joey Scarbury (and, of course, to the tune of “Believe it or Not”).:

Look what’s now out on DVD,
Make some more room on your shelf.
Suddenly it’s another Complete Set.
(Should have been released on Blu-ray).

Believe it or not, I’m watching this show.
That, like, totally screams Nineteen Eighties.
I never thought it’s be so cheap.
Oh, now I see,
They put all the discs in plain sleeves.

Looks like they skipped all the extras,
Changed a few song due to rights,
But it’s still got every episode,
Now you can watch it all day and night.

Believe it or not, I’m watching this show.
That, like, totally screams Nineteen Eighties.
I never thought it’s be so cheap.
Oh, now I see,
They put all the discs in plain sleeves.

To rent or (to) buy?
Go ahead, spring for the set.

I’m sorry. I really could not resist myself.

The Greatest American Hero: The Complete Series has been released on DVD by Mill Creek Entertainment featuring all 43 episodes in order as aired (and a few unaired) in the early 1980s.

While primarily a re-release of a set sold a few years ago, this is a bargain priced release (so don’t expect to see it on Blu-ray any time soon) with shiny-ink box art and each of the DVDs in its own CD-style paper sleeve.

Why the Red Pajamas?

Beginning as a simplistically masterful parody of everything superhero, American Hero focuses on Ralph Hinkley (whose last name was later changed), a good-hearted “special ed” schoolteacher (William Katt) who is given a super suit by aliens that will allow him to perform super human deeds. And within minutes, he loses the all-important instruction manual.

Making matters a little more complicated, and comical, a government agent is along for the ride (Robert Culp), always eying the suit and looking for the crash-grab-and-demand was of getting things done. Hinkley’s girlfriend (Connie Selleca) is in on the joke early, tagging along to help carry his street clothes and, as the series progresses, offering invaluable assistance.

The first half of the series is more cute and comical than the latter, choosing to poke fun at his inability to fly like a “normal hero,” taking on non-catastrophic issues and stumbling across abilities at odd times. It’s rarely acted with slapstick in mind yet much of the physical comedy has strong hints of it. Later, the show starts to slowly slide into becoming what it was parodying, introducing world-destroying plots and stereotypical international baddies.

He Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Manual

Much like the all-important guide is dropped, so are pretty much any extras or other bonuses save a 20-minute interview with the series’ creator, Stephen J. Cannell. Also do not expect any costly remastering (another reason it’s not n Blu-ray). This is strictly a bargain-priced set.

Due to some rights issues (which was also an issue with the series set released by another company years earlier), some of the series’ original songs are not included. Instead, strangely clearer yet still appropriate songs by Scarbury are used. Still, unless you are die-hard American hero fan gripping those VHS recordings you made when it originally aired, you may not even notice.

Gamers will also semi-appreciate the “Wizards and Warlocks” episode (from which most of the screen shots are taken for this review). In it some table-top gamers are put in the middle of a political kidnapping, all while donning crazy hats, using silly handshakes and periodically stopping to slam some buttons in the arcade (Taito cabinets aplenty). At times it’s a little too silly but, by the end, they at least try to inject a little (even if misguided) gaming respect. Note the scrawny Saget sighting as well. (PS: The super suit makes you kick ass at arcade games).

That’s No Bird

I would love to have seen the footage of the attempted followup series included with this set but, very likely, its locked in some vault with a price-tag key that very few could afford. The footage we do see is as good as it can be, unmastered, sometimes blurry with a few encoding trails and a little aged.

There are certainly some low-point episodes (especially late in the series) and, because of the way it was canceled, there is not a series finale. Even so, this certainly a series to get for historical (and hysterical?) value. And certainly don’t expect letterbox (the footage in letterbox just doesn’t exist).

There are so many cheesy moments, ye olde TV special effects (a few are even flipped), appearances by notable personalities (Joe Mantegna, Bob Saget, Rick Dees, June Lockhart, Andre the Giant), typical ’80s moments and goofy takes on heroes in tights that you cannot pass this up for a semi sober marathon. While you watch in red pajamas, of course.

Also Watch: SyFi will be airing a The Greatest American Hero marathon 9 a.m. to 5 p.m (ET), Sunday, July 4, 2010.

Photo Gallery [Greatest American Hero Photos @ Gamertell] Site [Mill Creek Entertainment] Read [Alternate Disc-Tractions]