Ben 10 – The Complete Season 1

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: C     Episodes: C

 

 

New to DVD is Ben 10: The Complete Season 1.  The series centers on a teenage boy (Ben Tennyson) who has made a new and awesome discovery.  While on a trip with his Grandpa Max and Cousin Gwen, the young boy Ben stumbles onto a meteor rock that holds a deep secret power inside, a wrist watch that grants him the power to turn into any of ten alien creatures, each holding an amazing super power.  The name of this super technology is the Omnitrix and the evil alien lord Valigax will do anything to get this device off of Ben.  Valigax was injured right at the start of the Season and continuously sends drones to get Ben, but never seems to quite accomplish his goal. 

 

This series is setup much like other children’s series from the 1980s and 1990s with a classic hero/villain motif that is sure to entertain a younger audience, but does not have enough substance for this reviewer.  The series has great potential, but with current loose plot and seemingly dumbed down storylines without strong continuity it is hard to say.

 

The technical aspects of this animated series are of a good quality.  The picture is presented in presented in a simple but clear 1.33 X 1 Full Screen that remains colorful and solid throughout without many clarity issues.  The sound is simply adequate in Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, but it does bang and zap in all the right places.  The extras are just fair and nothing to write home about, only offering fans some episode commentaries and some less than entertaining character drawing lessons; though this reviewer may be a bit harsh since it seems to be primarily directed at children.  Overall, this first season set is nice for what it is; a children’s show.

 

 

-   Michael P Dougherty II