There's No Need To Fear, Underdog Is Here!

Growing up I was a huge fan of “Underdog”. No, I’m not actually old enough to know the episodes from their first run, but it was syndicated repeats of cartoons like “Underdog”, “Rocky and Bullwinkle”, and such responsible for my developed sense of humor. But try not to hold that against these classic shows.

Because I’m a fan of the animated “Underdog”, I’m a little hesitant about this summer’s live action reimagining of the character. The classic Underdog and Shoe Shine Boy was a dog in a dog’s world. Dogs wore clothing. Polly Purebred was a reporter, a la Lois Lane. This summer’s incarnation of the character is a dog in a human world and that changes the dynamic enormously. Plus, as cool as it may be having Jason Lee voice the character, I just don’t don’t see this version of Underdog reciting rhyming couplets as he marches off to defeat evil. Truth be told, I’m not a terribly hard sell for the movie – just put in The Blanks barbershop version of the “Underdog” theme from “Scrubs” and I’ll be there.

Luckily, DVD makes it possible to relive those old cartoons I adore with such nostalgia. In fact, in honor of the movie (or to cash in on it’s failure/success), Classic Media and Genius Productions are releasing three volumes of “Underdog,” each with six episodes of the classic cartoon, some being released for the first time on DVD. These are complete episodes of the show, so you get more than just Underdog and Polly. You get other memorable characters like Commander McBragg, Klondike Kat, Tennessee Tuxedo, and Go Go Gophers.

Each volume has its own unique bonus materials, from interviews with series creator Joe Harris to sing alongs and trivia challenges.

All three volumes will be available July 24th, just in time to let you enjoy these 18 episodes before Underdog the movie hits theaters in early August. Check out the artwork for the volumes below: