Manimal The Complete Series [DVD]

I live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and this show has been a classic 80's one a lot of brazilians have been waiting for a long time! Me included!

It took exactly 29 YEARS to be released to the public (it's from 1983)

Only lasted 8 episodes, as follows: (with the air dates)

1- Manimal (pilot, 90 minutes-long TV movie) - 9/30/83

2- Illusion - 10/14/83

3- Night of the Scorpion - 10/21/83

4- Female of the Species - 10/28/83

5- High Stakes - 11/4/83

6- Scrimshaw - 12/3/83

7- Breath of the Dragon - 12/10/83

8- Night of the Beast - 12/17/83

Producer Glen A. Larson's crimefighting TV series of the 80's were typically a fusion of sci-fi & fantasy (Knight Rider, Automan etc). "Manimal" is basically a continuation of the genre. Central character, Dr. Jonathan Chase (played by the late Simon MacCorkindale) possesses the secret of 'metamorphosis' (a la "Maya - Space 1999") and offers his unique talents to assist the police in a variety of cases.

Chase most commonly morphs into a hawk or panther, but you also get the occasional horse/snake/grizzly bear thrown in for good measure. Joining Chase in his crimefighting endeavours are NYPD detective, Brooke McKenzie (Melody Anderson) and Tyrone Earl (Michael D. Roberts) who served with Chase in Vietnam. I kinda like the 3 main characters, Simon MacCorkindale is the quintessential English gentleman abroad, immaculately spoken, groomed & attired, while also bringing more than enough charisma to his role. Melody Anderson twinkles brightly as the streetwise detective, while Michael D. Roberts injects some warm humour into the series with his occasionally nervy character. A good team - good performances.

Most of the eight (seven, 50-minute) episodes are made up of familiar crime themes, including murder, espionage, gang violence etc, with the more offbeat "Female of The Species" seeing Jonathan offering sanctuary to a wild-girl raised by wolves in the wilderness... While running scared through the big city, the young woman discovers an affinity with Chase's persona, as our hero protects the girl from death threats. The episode "Breath of The Dragon" tells the story of a martial-arts criminal gang terrorising local businesses in Chinatown.

The most obvious anomaly in regards to "Manimal" is the fact that no detailed prologue to the series is provided.... How did Jonathan Chase acquire his special powers? Apart from a rather short exchange between a young Chase & his dying father in the opening credits of each episode, there's no detailed explanation offered. The 71-minute pilot episode was the perfect opportunity to present a thorough introduction to the character. Instead, the viewer is thrown in at the deep-end with a gun-running crime tale.

The more cynical viewer may point out the implausibility of Chase returning from his latest animal incarnation fully-clothed, but that would be nit-picking (besides, 'The Hulk' always managed to keep his trousers on didn't he?).... Many fantasy series require a "suspension of disbelief" from the viewer - a loosening of the grip on reality so to speak. The pre-CGI "morphing" special effects were expensive & still look good. Poor ratings contributed to the premature demise of the series. Not a great series maybe, but better than some critics would have you believe. Good entertainment - good fun!

The picture & sound quality is very good. There are no subtitles. Here is a list of the bonus features....

***SPECIAL FEATURES***
*MAN TO ANIMAL: A 17-minute interview with Glen A. Larson.
*CONCEPT & PRODUCTION NOTES.
*BIOGRAPHIES: Featuring Simon MacCorkindale, Melody Anderson, Michael D. Roberts & Donald R. Boyle.
*GALLERIES.
*ILLUSTRATED 18-PAGE EPISODE GUIDE BOOKLET.
*AUTOMAN TRAILER.

I remember when it was first on tv and thought it was good. Loved the opening sound track music and the special effects were amazing then. Now they do look quite dated. I also had a serious crush on the gorgeous Melody Anderson (truth to tell I still do).Sadly, it was a short lived series that was never allowed to develop. That said it's great to see it released I already have my copy and have indulged ina some serious retro tv enjoyment.