TaleSpin: Volume 1

Disney's animated series TaleSpin, which aired for only one season (1990-91) and was obviously inspired by Raiders of the Lost Ark and other “retro” adventure movies, takes place in the 1930s and “stars” The Jungle Book's Baloo the bear as a happy-go-lucky pilot for a cargo company flying around the Pacific. Accompanied by navigator Kit Cloudkicker, Baloo encounters various characters familiar to devotees of the Disney “universe,” including tree-swinging nightclub manager King Louie and corporate big shot Shere Khan. Villainy aplenty is supplied by the evil Don Karnage and his band of Air Pirates, whose depredations make them the terrors of the sky. This extra-less three-disc set contains the first 23 of the 65 total episodes, as well as the four-part pilot that originally aired on the Disney Channel. While hardly must-see-TV (it did, after all, disappear quickly), TaleSpin will still entertain young audiences, and it contains just enough pop-culture references to make it entertaining for Disney-loving adults as well. A strong optional purchase. (E. Hulse)