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Released by: Warner Archive
Released on: 12/14/2010
Directed by: Robert Alvarez
Cast: Charlie Adler, Lori Alan, Mark Hamill, Tress MacNeille
Year: 1993 - 1995
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The Series:
Created by Yvonne and Christian Tremblay for Hanna-Barbera, SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron was an animated kids show that ran on the Turner Network from 1993 through 1995 as part of The Funtastic World Of Hanna-Barbera program which was a two hour block of syndicated cartoon programs from the legendary animation production house. It aired once a week and was a mix of older, classic characters like Richie Rich and Yogi Bear and newly created ones, like the Swat Kats - the show even managed to work in the animated adventures of Bill & Ted. While The Funtastic World Of Hanna-Barbera was on the air from 1985 through 1995, the Swat Kats were only part of it for the last two years of its existence.
At any rate, the series is set in the sprawling futuristic city of Megakat City, a metropolis populated entirely by walking, talking humanoid 'kats .' Here Chance "T-Bone" Furlong and Jake "Razor" Clawson are removed from Megakat City's military law enforcement division, The Enforcers, by the higher up, Feral, who hasn't been able to bring in the arch-villain Dark Kat. It all comes to a boil when, when Chance and Jake are just about to capture Dark Kat, Feral allows him to escape.
Irritated by the bum deal they've been served, the two pals hit a scrap yard and rummage for parts until they've got what they need to build the ultimate fighting machine, a massive jet they name the Turbo Kat! With built in motorcycles, hovercrafts and underground mole digging machine thing, it's all they need to get back in action. Calling themselves the SWAT Kats, they head out to try and save Megakat City from the likes of Dark Kat and the crooked Feral before they take the city for all its worth. Unfortunately there are other bad guys to contend with, like The Pastmaster, Doctor Viper, and a gang of robot kat gangsters called the Metallikats.
The twenty-nine episodes that make up this complete series are as follows:
Disc One: The Pastmaster Always Strikes Twice / The Giant Bacteria / The Wrath Of Dark Kat / Destructive Nature / The Metallikats
Disc Two: Bride Of The Pastmaster / Night Of The Dark Kat / Chaos In Crystal / The Ghost Pilot / Metal Urgency
Disc Three: The Ci-Kat-A / Enter The Madkat / Katastrophe / Mutation City / A Bright And Shiny Future
Disc Four: When Strikes Mutilor / Razor's Edge / Cry Turmoil / Swat Kats Unplugged / The Deadly Pyramid
Disc Five: Caverns Of Horror / Volcanus Erupts! / The Origin Of Dr. Viper / The Dark Side Of The Swat Kats / Unlikely Alloys
While SWAT Kats was supposedly the number one syndicated show in America in 1994, it remains fairly unknown these days as once The Funtastic World Of Hanna-Barbera went off the air, it faded into obscurity pretty quickly. Fan sites exists and there's a fairly dedicated cult out there for the show, but it failed to remain in the public consciousness the way other HB productions have over the years. By the standards of the early 90s it's not a bad show - there's some good character design work and some interesting backgrounds that are evident throughout the entire series that gives it a solid visual style and makes it interesting to look at. The concept, a mix between Batman style super-heroics and Planet of the Apes style 'animals as people' sci-fi trappings, owes quite a bit to what came before it but it works.
The plots tend to get a bit predictable as the series plays out and the ending is rushed indicating that the creators probably never really got the chance to wrap things up the way that they might have wanted to, but if nothing else, the show entertains. It's obviously geared towards a younger demographic so keep that in mind but it's got enough action, plot twists and humor in it to work as a decent time killer.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The series was shown on television in the early nineties so a fullframe aspect ratio makes sense of the presentation here. As far as the video quality goes, these transfers were taken from existing materials and so they don't look as razor sharp or crystal clear as you might want. They're perfectly watchable, despite the fact that they are interlaced, and color reproduction is decent enough, but don't expect this stuff to look as good as some of the transfers on top tier Hanna-Barbera titles (you know, those ones that were actually restored and all).
The no frills Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo sound mix is in English with no alternate language dubs, subtitles or closed captions provided. The audio is clean and clear and you won't have any problems understanding the dialogue. The levels fluctuate a bit here and there and there are a few spots where the effects are a bit loud, but these are minor complaints. Generally the audio sounds just fine.
Aside from a static menu screen, this disc is completely barebones save for a brief 'greatest hits' reel that appears on the fifth disc entitled The Best Of Swat Kats.
The Final Word:
This complete series release from Warner Archive won't floor you with its presentation but it handily defeats the grey market tape dupes that have made the rounds over the years and hardcore Hanna-Barbera completists of established fans of the series will want to pick it up for that reason. The studio certainly released better series over the years than this one but there's enough that works about the show and its slightly off kilter enough that, if nothing else, it's some fun mindless entertainment, particularly for those with kids.
