DVD Review - Super Friends: The Lost Episodes

Nostalgia is a great thing, especially when it comes to looking back on the cartoons of our past. The Flintstones, G.I. Joe, Thundercats, Looney Tunes, and countless other cartoons from the 20th Century have joined the DVD release bandwagon. Now, adults can show off the cartoons they grew up on to the next generation or simply enjoy them alone, unlocking their inner child.

However, there are some cartoons that just don’t seem to survive the test of time. “Super Friends: The Lost Episodes” on DVD is just one of those animated releases. The 24 episode series will have you wondering just how you were ever fooled into believing that these cartoons were ever-epic adventures. The stories seem rushed and solutions seem to miraculously appear.

Most of the episodes are filled with several plot inconsistencies. For instance, the infamous Wonder Twins need to short circuit a fuse box at an amusement park in one episode. They claim there is no time to transform, and opt to instead waste precious time waiting for The Atom to short circuit the box. In another episode, Superman goes through a black hole, and automatically knew he traveled back in time. Superman doesn’t care about interfering with history and tries to change the past. Within seconds he saves Krypton from being destroyed, only to travel back to the present time and realize he has changed the future. So, he dashes back in time and lets Krypton explode. During the whole time, he is completely not remorseful for his actions. Maybe, back then, Superman was unfamiliar with the Spider-Man credo “with great power comes great responsibility?” You’ll also come to learn that Batman can open combination locks with just three quick turns; he doesn’t even have to put his ear up to the safe to listen for clicks.

Despite the poorly-thought-out story lines, you will still laugh at the hokey series and corny jokes. You’ll see apologetic gang members and a Golden Age Batman that constantly smiles in each episode. The best part of the Super Friends is the epic narration and the transitions between scenes.

The sound was not updated in this release. You’ll notice several moments when the EQ is off and the sound trails off, and then picks back up later. Also, nothing was done to improve the overall quality of sound.

“Super Friends: The Lost Episodes” will remind you that sometimes nostalgia isn’t enough to make a DVD set worth buying. If you just want to have a good laugh at the shows that somehow mysteriously captured your childhood attention, check it out. Just be sure to do it through Netflix.

Special Features:
- 2 Downloadable Super Friends Comic Book Adventures from the DC Comics Vault: “The Mindless Immortal” and “Wendy and Marvin Meet the JLA”