Gargoyles: The Complete First Season--Special 10th Anniversary Edition

An unusually sophisticated animated series--part Gothic fantasy, part gritty urban myth--the popular Gargoyles (1994-1996) begins in 10th-century Scotland, where a castle protected by winged gargoyles (stone by day, flesh by night) is under siege by Vikings. Unfortunately, gargoyle leader Goliath (voiced by Keith David) and his mates are shunned by the very people they keep alive; worse, a magus casts a spell turning them all into stone for a thousand years…until they are ultimately freed by a Manhattan billionaire with a secret agenda. Slowly adapting to their new world, trying to determine who to trust, Goliath and his fellow gargoyles encounter plenty of action in each of the 13 first-season episodes compiled here, but the show itself is wisely driven by solid characters and fine writing (with more than a few literary allusions). The vocal cast (regular and guest) includes a number of Star Trek actors: Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes, Nichelle Nichols, and Michael Dorn, among them. DVD extras include a featurette, and the original pitch by creator Greg Weisman. Recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)