Wacky Races: The Complete Series (Blu-ray Review)

When you think Hanna-Barbera most people think The Flintstones, The Jetsons or Yogi Bear. But Warner Archive Collection has been deep diving into the archives and restoring some lesser known, but absolutely wonderful Hanna-Barbera shows on Blu-ray. We have seen such shows as Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles, The Magilla Gorilla Show, Top Cat, Wait Till Your Father gets Home.

Now there is one Hanna-Barbera show that I have loved ever since I saw it as a young child on Cartoon Network and that show was Wacky Races. I loved it so much that when I became an adult and I found it on DVD, I snatched it up. It has been in my collection ever since. When I saw the news that Warner Archive was releasing Wacky Races on Blu-ray, the little kid inside me jumped for joy. 

Synopsis: Start your Blu-ray engines! Diabolical do-badder Dick Dastardly, and his snickering canine cohort Muttley and their Mean Machine take you and all comers for the fast and furious fun of the complete animated series Wacky Races. Gear up to keep pace with this dimwitted duo as well as their rivals: Peter Perfect in his Turbo Terrific, Luke and Blubber Bear in the Arkansas Chugga-Bug, the Ant Hill Mob in the Bulletproof Bomb, and the glamourous Penelope Pitstop in her pink Compact Pussycat. Fasten your seatbelts for all 17 original episodes (each with two segments), plus hilarious High-Speed Extras that will keep you awake at the wheel straight to the finish line. 

The absurdity of the antics in these races is what made it so fun. You continuously waited to see what crazy thing Dick Dasterdly would do to cheat and Muttley with his trademark snicker. The show always seemed like it was so grandiose as a kid for me. And the grand scale of the show hasn't left me after all these years.   

This short-lived Hanna-Barbera series all 17 episodes have been transferred to 2 Blu-ray discs. They have been transferred in 1080p and presented in the original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. 

These episodes have been restored and look so crisp and clean the colors are bright and vibrant. This new Blu-ray release really brings new life to these classic cartoons. When I look at these episodes in comparison to the DVD release. These look so much better. And the DVD release was not that bad. In addition to wonderful looking restorations of these episodes Warner Archive Collection added some cool bonus features. Take a look at what is included.

* Review Mirror: A look back t Wacky Races Spin Out Spin-Offs
* Commentaries on 4 key segments from Hanna-Barbera veterans
* Wacky Facts Trivia Track 

For me to see these episodes looking as amazing as they do is enough for me to call this release a must own. But adding the featurette Review Mirror remembering spinoffs like Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop and Fender Bender 500 and the Commentaries from the Hanna-Barbera veterans really take this release to a whole other level of cool.

If you love Hanna-Barbera shows as much as I do this new Blu-ray of Wacky Races is one release you need in your collection. If your anything like me, I knew my Hanna-Barbera Bl-ray collection wouldn't be complete without Wacky Races. Now the priced release I have been longing for is finally here!

If you would like a copy of Wacky Races in your home video library, you can head over to Physical Media Land or Amazon and order your copy. Then you too can get in the race for all the wacky fun of Wacky Races in wonderful high definition. 


Out of 4 film reels (4 being the best) Warner Archive's Blu-ray of Wacky Races receives......