The following show critique portion of this review was written by my colleague Ben Belcher.
T’was a dark day in 2006 when Teen Titans officially aired its final episode. Many of us were left wondering if we would ever see our beloved team of teenage heroes on the small screen again. We got some great shows *cough Young Justice *cough but nothing quite scratched the same itch. Then in 2012 we heard the news. The Titans were coming back.
The following year we were treated to the long-awaited return in the form of Teen Titans GO! This series was VERY different from the original, aiming for a slightly younger audience in animation style, but still retained the same cast, both in character and their voice actors. It was met with SHARP criticism due to the changes, but found its footing and has managed to endure for more than three times as long as its predecessor! (Even branching out into a theatrical film!)
Teen Titans GO!’s first season, while a bit rocky in places, is charming, fun, and full of chaotic energy. There are hilarious musical bits, jokes that only the adults in the room are going to get, and unbridled joy to be had in nearly every episode. Whether you love it or hate it, the waffle song will be stuck in your head forever, but you will also know the perfect sandwich, how to confidently win at dodgeball, and how to deal with your demonic father from another realm.
There is so much attention to detail in this show it’s genuinely remarkable. Nearly every shot has some kind of easter egg for hardcore DC fans, hidden jokes, or just flawless recreations of the settings in the original series redone in the new “GO!” style.
The sound design is FLAWLESS in this series right out of the gate as well. Aside from all of the voice actors returning to lend these characters the voices we all remember, every sound effect is cranked up to 11 and the music is pumped up and accentuates everything happening on-screen. There are mellow beats for chilling on the couch with Cyborg, high energy triumphant music for the completion of your favorite breakfast treat, and everything in-between.
Teen Titans GO! is extremely self-aware, and it uses this to great effect. It knows its history and exactly how to pick fun at itself. While it may not have been what we expected when we heard that the Titans were returning, it is absolutely worth every second. Greg Cipes will always be my Beast Boy, Scott Menville will always be my Robin, and even if they’re a little different, these have always been and always will be my Teen Titans.
Video Quality
Teen Titans Go! comes to Blu-Ray with a vibrant 1080p transfer featuring 52 stories across two discs. The textures of each character and the stylized environments are extremely impressive and give the world a real sense of depth. The small touches that are added to each individual add a lot to them. The animation style does have some rough line edges, but this does not negatively impact the quality of the transfer. These animators put great care into each environment which looks more distinct here. Black levels are very strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. We did not even spot any banding against the harsher gradients. All of the colors present in this transfer are practically leaping off the screen with the wide range of candy colored hues permeating the frame. Of course, this is right in line with the more kid-friendly and outlandish aesthetic. This is a top tier presentation from the Warner Archive.
Audio Quality
This release boasts a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that is very favorable. While there are some scuffles, this is a more quippy, dialogue-driven affair that does not demand too much raw power. This dialogue is often accompanied by some spritely music or all manner of heightened sound effects, but all of the information comes through clearly without becoming a sonic mess. The track engages the front channels with panning effects and unique environmental sounds that really conjures a believable world. There is a decent amount of activity in the low-end during moments of action even without the dedicated channel. Warner Archive has really delivered a great experience. This disc provides English SDH subtitles.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Teen Titans Go! starts off much stronger than many new shows since it does have some foundational support from the previous iteration of these characters. Once you get over the change in tone with this new version, you are welcomed to a world filled with clever jokes delivered fast and furious, not to mention loads of fun references that will please comic book fans. This is the perfect silly superhero show that both children and adults can like all the same. Warner Archive has served up a top notch A/V presentation but nothing in the realm of special features. If you are a fan of the show, this is a solid addition to your collection. Recommended
Teen Titans Go!: The Complete First Season can be purchased directly through 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.