The Smurfs: Complete 2nd Series [DVD]

NOTE: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ONE EPISODE IN THIS SEASON.

So here we are again with the Smurfs for their second season, and if you thought the UK edition of Season 1 put the USA DVD editions to shame, this set certainly does the same thing. I watched the set in comparison with my Region 1 DVD "The Smurfs: Smurfy Tales". As we all know, the Season 2 release schedule in the US was a complete mess and a huge travesty. They only reached three separate DVDs, each containing only five episodes each, none of which had been remastered. If UK consumers are concerned that the same thing has happened here, worry not. Almost all the episodes here have remastered picture and sound quality, leaving only a few specks that probably come as a result of animation error. The only episode that doesn't seem to have had as much treatment is "The Lost City of Yore". The transfer for this episode is extremely inconsistent and messy, while some scenes look really good, others look awful, with picture and colours looking very washed out and dull. It doesn't look as bad as it did on the Smurfy Tales DVD, but it didn't look good either. I'm guessing this is probably the way the episode has always looked, which is a bit disappointing. However, the rest of the series looks excellent, picture and sound are restored but nothing has been changed or altered. Any animation errors that have been there since the 80s remain.

As with Season 1, the episodes are also fully uncut, and some of them really benefit from having those scenes restored. One clear example is the episode Squeaky, there is one scene which was cut out of the syndicated version, and it shows a potential and probable cause for Squeaky's death, rather than have it happen somewhat randomly overnight. The only possible downside to the set is that it isn't the "complete" Season 2, as while it contains every Smurfs episode, it leaves out all the Johan and Peewit episodes. I personally never thought they were that good, so it isn't a major loss for me, though it might be for some other people. The other disappointment is the "inclusion" of bonus features. It's as if someone put Lazy Smurf in charge of compiling them, as they are exactly the same as the extras on the Season 1 DVD. For me though, The Smurfs isn't something I'd be expecting a lot of extras for, just the episodes do very nicely.

Overall this is another top notch, smurferiffic box set, which proves that there are remastered prints of the Season 2 episodes out there. Stand out episodes here include Squeaky, one of the show's most sweet and touching, The Adventures of Robin Smurf, a wonderfully imaginative version of the Robin Hood story, and the two special seasonal episodes: My Smurfy Valentine (set at Valentine's Day), and The Smurfs Christmas Special (where goodness makes the badness go away). I just hope it sells well enough that Fabulous Films continue to release the series on DVD quickly, and particularly because Season 3 had some of the best episodes ever made. The third season includes Handy's Sweetheart, in which Handy rescues a mermaid named Marina, and soon afterwards the two fall deeply in love with each other. And who could forget Once in a Blue Moon, where we saw Baby Smurf for the first time? It was one of the most adorable episodes in the show's history. So if you are a fan of this show, or want to revisit fond memories, or want to introduce the Smurfs to someone less familiar with it, buy this to go with the Season 1 set, you will not regret it.

This set has kept my kids amused for hours - a brilliant purchase. Would recommend this to anyone who remembers the smurfs as a kid and wants to buy them for their children.

I have to give this five stars because it's another series of The Smurfs and (being an avid collector) my wife loves them. She's happy 'cause she's increasing (in her opinion) her hoard of valuable merchandise - I'm happy 'cause she is (ahhh). The quality doesn't seem to have been improved but the afficionados all say this adds to the asthetic (erm).

Just don't make me watch them...