Robert’s Robots – The Complete First Series (1973/Network U.K./PAL Region Two/2/DVD Import)
Picture:
C Sound: C+ Extras: D
Episodes: C+
PLEASE
NOTE: This DVD can only be operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs
that can handle Region Two/2 PAL format software and can be ordered from our
friends at Network U.K.
at the website addresses provided at the end of the review.
A comedy
series for children, Robert’s Robots
attempted to be a comedy about funny robots and their wacky situations with
John Clive (Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange)
as inventor Robert Sommerby. Made to
look human or people-like, he is trying to hide his inventions from the public
with the help of his Aunt Millie (Doris Rogers) and fiancée Angela (Jenny
Hanley of Magpie, reviewed elsewhere
on this site), but some people are on to him and thus the show beings.
Child
safe and mildly entertaining, I am a bit surprised this show was not syndicated
to the U.S. (PBS could not
pick this one up?) or a U.S.
remake surfaced. In our increasingly
digital era, the show has its charms and debuted the same year as The Six Million Dollar Man, so its
subject matter was timely. The longtime
character actor Leon Lissek is also a plus here as Marken, the head of a big
electronics company that is obsessed with mergers, acquisitions and getting the
most for the least amount of (if any) money.
Not a bad show, its DVD arrival is welcome.
The 1.33
X 1 image was shot color, analog PAL videotape (with very limited 16mm) and can
be soft and limited in depth. Flaws
include staircasing, aliasing, some video noise, video banding, some tape
scratching, tape damage and even PAL cross color despite the fact that these
are all black and white. The Dolby
Digital 2.0 Mono is about a generation down throughout and can be distorted,
but it sounds better than these look, which is a plus. There are no extras.
As noted
above, you can order this DVD import set exclusively from Network U.K.
at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
