Top Cat: Volume 1

Before dashing out and buying Volume 1 of what will doubtless ultimately be a five-disc set, thrifty shoppers may want to consider buying the full series - currently out in Region 1. That Warners has decided to carve up the release for the UK is doubly annoying, in that they haven't even bothered to insert new menus. This means that when you look at the list of additional features on the disc it taunts you with the phrase: "For additional features, see other discs."

The commentary track on the first episode, Hawaii Here We Come, is also six parts annoying for every one part interesting. Despite Jerry Beck, Earl Kress and Mark Evanier all being described as animation historians they seem to lack a lot of basic knowledge about the series. Particularly daft is a brief discussion concerning the renaming of Top Cat to Boss Cat in Britain. None of them seem to have a clue why this is. I realise they are American, so may not have this knowledge at their fingertips but given that virtually any adult over the age of 35 in the UK could tell you the series was renamed because there used to be a cat food brand of the same name on these shores, you would think they might have either not brought the subject up in the first place, or taken 10 seconds to Google the answer before making the commentary track. By far the most interesting input on the commentary comes from Leo De Lyon, the voice of The Brain and Spook, it's a shame there wasn't more of him.

The other extra on the disc - a storyboard showcase comparison on The Missing Heir - is nicely put together. It definitely adds to the viewing experience to be able to see the detailed storyboards alongside the finished animation and is a very welcome addition to the package.