There have been lots of Tom and Jerry iterations over the years, each trying to recreate the magic of the original Hanna-Barbera cartoon. With The Tom and Jerry Show, it stays true to the original elements that made the original series so successful: the crazy antics, gags, and rivalry between Tom the cat and Jerry the mouse.
The Tom and Jerry Show – Season One Part Two – Funny Side Up features the final 13 episodes from the first season of the show on two DVD discs. I’m not sure why Warner Bros. didn’t just wait to release the entire series at once in one big collection, but either way, it’s nice to have the entire first season available on DVD now.
Each episode is divided into two shorts, which again harkens back to the format of original series. The show also features a variety of settings from the witches’ home to a laboratory, so you never get bored because each short takes you somewhere new. This is also true since each segment is no more than 10 minutes long at a time. Also, Tom and Jerry do not talk, so the show has to rely on physical comedy to tell the story, which is rather refreshing since animation nowadays is filled with overly gabby characters.
The featured shorts are:
- Turn About/The Plight Before Christmas
- Tuffy Love/Poof!
- Top Cat/Mummy Dearest
- Domestic Kingdom/Molecular Break Up
- Just Plane Nuts/Pets Not Welcome
- Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’/Road Trippin’
- Magic Mirror/Bone Dry
- My Bot-y Guard/Little Quacker and Mister Fuzzy Hide
- Pipeline/No Brain, No Gain
- Cat Napped/Black Cat
- Hunger Strikes/Gravi-Tom
- Ghost Party/Cat-Astrophe
- Curse Case Scenario/Say Cheese
The actual animation of the show utilizes the modern, flash-based style that has become so prominent recently. While it’s not as pretty or sophisticated as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, it still looks good and doesn’t feel like the cheap Saturday morning cartoons of the 90s. With the animation taken care of, you can focus on the story and characters without getting distracted.
As for bonus features, there are none, which is fine. Perhaps now since the show has been picked up for a second season, they might put more effort into future releases, but then again, since it’s being released only on DVD, that probably seems unlikely.
Overall, The Tom and Jerry Show is an enjoyable reboot of the iconic cat-and-mouse duo. Those unfamiliar with the original will still be able to jump right into the action and find them self invested in the quick vignettes.
✮✮✮ 1/2
Purchase
The Tom and Jerry Show Season 1 Part 2: Funny Side Up: Amazon
