Younger audiences who are into darker teen dramas might know about Josie and the Pussycats from the CW’s long-running “hot Archie” drama Riverdale. Those with a slightly longer memory may remember the cult favorite comedy film of the same name from 2001 with a charming Rachel Leigh Cook in the titular role. Yet, there are some, such as myself, who choose to bask in the nostalgia of Saturday morning cartoons with a dive into the short-lived 1970 series Josie and the Pussycats. Lovingly made by the good folks at Hanna-Barbera, the show was conceived both as a response to the popularity of the Archie cartoon and its hit song “Candy Girl” along with attempting to continue the formula that made Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? such a hit. While the songs never broke out like they wanted and the series only lasted sixteen episodes, the adventures themselves were a fun bit of business that held your attention until the series was rebooted during its second year as Josie and the Pussycats In Outer Space (soon to be reviewed here).
The basic premise was nothing too complicated; the show follows the titular all-girl rock band led by Josie along with her Pussycats, Valerie and Melody, as they travel around the world spreading their catchy songs far and wide. Along for the ride are Josie’s boyfriend, Alan, their manager, Alexander, his nightmare of a sister, Alexandra, and her conniving cat, Sebastian. Alexandra is often the source of many of the issues that arise throughout the episode, especially due to her desire to have the spotlight Josie has along with her boyfriend. Where we get closer to Scooby-Doo territory are the diabolical antagonists that cross their paths who are trying to take over the world only to be foiled by the group. Yes, we have meddling kids in this series, but when we get a final chase sequence here we also get a bubblegum pop song accompanying it that just may latch onto your brain like the theme song has for all of these years. Like many shows from the era, it followed a blueprint, but it offered just enough variety in storytelling to distinguish itself in a sea of cartoons.
The show is quite a ways away from its Archie Comics origins, but it carries over many of the hallmarks of the original source material such as character designs (just look at the iconic skunk stripe on Alexandra’s head!). The series should be given credit for featuring one of the first regularly appearing Black characters in animation with Valerie. It seems like a small choice, but this early act of representation is monumental. The voice performances are pretty strong all around, and many members of the audience may get flashes of Shaggy as Casey Kasem gives life to Alexander. The show is not one with much depth, but it provides a breezy entertainment that works best when you do not try to binge too many episodes at one time.
Video Quality
Warner Archive brings Josie and the Pussycats: The Complete Series to Blu-Ray sourced from newly remastered origins. The quality of these episodes is visually dazzling with big, bright colors and nary a trace of damage to be found. There is the occasional softness with certain shots or a small amount of debris due to issues with the source material, but these issues are few and far between. There is an excellent amount of natural film grain present with a remarkable amount of detail and clarity to the picture. The textures of all of the environments look naturally filmic and give the series a nice sense of depth. You can still tell that the series is from a certain era, but the video quality is impeccable. The black levels hold up really well with no instances of black crush to be found. It is clear that Warner Archive has taken a great amount of care to restore these episodes to their most pristine condition.
Audio Quality
The audio quality of the Blu-Ray disc is likewise excellent with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio (mono) track that presents essentially no flaws or damage. While you may have previously seen some of these episodes on TV with all manner of age-related wear and tear, these tracks provide clarity to the dialogue, sound effects and music throughout. The effects featured in the series are given impeccable depth and are layered well to give the track a richer sound. The songs are one of the most important aspects of this series, and they are presented with a pleasing fidelity. This track will really impress even without the surround activity. This disc also includes optional English (SDH) subtitles during all 16 episodes.
Special Features
- The Irresistible Charm Of Dan DeCarlo: A 23-minute featurette in which various figures reflect back upon the life and legacy of Dan DeCarlo. This is a really nice piece that rounds out the package perfectly.
Final Thoughts
Josie And The Pussycats is not a revolutionary show in most respects, but it offers up some bubblegum fun that is hard to resist. The adventures are capably traversed by an intriguing array of characters who deliver clever one-liners and memorable songs each episode. This initial run of the show may have been more grounded than its spinoff, but it was just as infectious. Warner Archive has delivered a stupendous Blu-Ray featuring a nearly flawless A/V presentation and a nice legacy supplement. If you are a fan of Saturday morning cartoons, this fits the bill quite nicely. Recommended
Josie And The Pussycats: The Complete Series can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
