Several years ago, when I was writing for a local movie review newsletter, I was invited to see a theatrical presentation of the pilot film for the animated series “Gargoyles.” I knew Disney was involved, but beyond that I had no idea what to expect. I just know I was hoping that considering the subjects in the title, it wasn’t too cutesy. It wasn’t at all, and I spent that night in the theatre awestruck by the coolness of it all. The animation was very impressive for the time, and the storyline was far more complex than I expected. After all, it was supposed to be a kid’s show. The premise of the series is based on the thought that living gargoyles secretly existed in man’s history. They were a strong warrior race, and were often enslaved and used as protection by rulers. They had one minor drawback however, during the day they turned to stone. At night they would shed their stone outer skin and rise again. The series, “Gargoyles” starts off in 994 A.D., where the clan led by Goliath (Keith David) is protecting the castle Wyvern.

But through an unfortunate course of events, and the deceit of a trusted friend, many of the gargoyles are wiped out. Only a few survive, and they are put under a spell where they sleep for a thousand years.

Fast forward to 1994, when the castle is purchased by billionaire David Xanatos (Jonathon Frakes) and rebuilt atop a skyscraper. The spell is broken and the gargoyles are revived, but they face an alien world not knowing whom to trust. They finally find they can only trust one person, a police officer by the name of Elisa Maza (Sali Richardson).

I was completely blown away by the original pilot, and not just because it was shown in a theatre. I continued to watch the series after it debuted and found little disappointment over its initial 2 season run. (The 3rd season was rather short-lived and the series had been re-tooled, losing some of the quality that made it so great.) The series had enough action to keep the kids entertained, but the storylines were extremely deep, often carrying over into multiple episodes. Often the series would tackle tough issues, whether it was the simple act of learning to read or the tragic consequences of playing with a firearm, and I applauded its efforts.

There was so much to like about the series, from the powerfully dramatic theme music by Composer Carl Johnson (one of my favorite theme from any animated series), to its very un-Disney look. The animation was extremely dark and foreboding, a style which worked with the stories. Then there was the great voice work by some familiar faces. Aside from Keith David, who is awesome as Goliath, the series featured Jonathon Frakes as Xanatos, Marina Sirtis as Demona, Ed Asner as Hudson and Bill Fagerbakke as Broadway. These last two have done a surprising amount of voiceover work over the years, with Fagerbakke currently voicing Patrick the Starfish in “Spongebob Squarepants.” The series also boasted a ton of guest artists, including John Rhys-Davies, Rachel Ticotin, Michael Dorn, Richard Grieco, Matt Frewer, Nichelle Nichols and Clancy Brown.

You can till catch the series now on the various Disney Channels, but they seem to run them out of order, which takes away from the overall effect of some of the storylines. Really, the only way to watch the series properly would be on DVD. I had hoped that a set would make its way out eventually, and finally someone read my mind. Disney is releasing all 13 episodes of the first season onto DVD this week in a 2-disc set. Though that’s not all. Fortunately, there are a few extra features that definitely appeal to “Gargoyles” fans like me.

The first disc offers up commentary on the five part pilot episode by co-creator Greg Weisman and supervising producer Frank Paur, with actor David Keith chiming in for one episode. They are some of the best commentaries I’ve heard for a TV series and I highly recommend giving them a listen. There is also a lengthy featurette on the annual convention, where fans get to speak out about how the series has affected their lives and we get a little peek at what goes on at these gatherings. Finally, you’ll find the original show pitch that was used to sell the project to Disney.

“Gargoyles” built a strong fan base over the short period that it aired original episodes, I have high hopes that this DVD release will create a newer and younger legion of fans.

Episodes:
Awakening, Part 1
Awakening, Part 2
Awakening, Part 3
Awakening, Part 4
Awakening, Part 5
The Thrill of the Hunt
Temptation
Deadly Force
Enter Macbeth
The Edge
Long Way to Morning
Her Brother’s Keeper
Reawakening

Starring (the voices of): Keith David, Sali Richardson, Jonathon Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Bill Fagerbakke, Edward Asner, Frank Welker
Extras: The Gathering of the Gargoyles, Original Show Pitch by Greg Weisman, Audio Commentary on Episodes 1-5
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Disney
Release Date: 10/7/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Gargoyles: Season 1 an A.