Animated Canon Based TV Series

[Princess Leia]

Have any of the TV Series that have been based on the Animated canon (Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, ect.) been released on DVD? Are there any plans to release them on DVD?

[milojthatch]

Do you know about Open Vault Disney and what we are trying to do?

Some of these shows have had a few episodes released on a DVD here or there, mostly "Disney Princess" titles, but as of now, none have had full on season or volume sets released. Over at Open Vault Disney, that is one of the things we are trying to do, is get these on DVD by campaigning for them via e-mail and letter writing efforts.

If you are not already a member, we could use your help!

http://openvaultdisney.com

[Princess Leia]

I used to have some VHS tapes of various "Little Mermaid" episodes and I really liked them; it stinks that they haven't been put on DVD yet.

milojthatch, do you happen to know how 'canon' these TV series are? I don't quite trust Wikipedia's claims about them.

I know "Aladdin: The Series" is bookended by "Return of Jafar" and "King of Thieves", so its status is beyond question. But what about "Timon and Pumbaa" and "Jungle Cubs?" The premises are really weird and it doesn't seem to me that they would be on the same level as the films. "101 Dalmatians: The Series" is a mish mash of both the 1961 and 1996 film universes, correct?

[kylemj]

Do you know about Open Vault Disney and what we are trying to do?

Some of these shows have had a few episodes released on a DVD here or there, mostly "Disney Princess" titles, but as of now, none have had full on season or volume sets released. Over at Open Vault Disney, that is one of the things we are trying to do, is get these on DVD by campaigning for them via e-mail and letter writing efforts.

If you are not already a member, we could use your help!

http://openvaultdisney.com

signed, hopefully they will start releasing stuff from their archives

[milojthatch]

milojthatch, do you happen to know how 'canon' these TV series are? I don't quite trust Wikipedia's claims about them.

I know "Aladdin: The Series" is bookended by "Return of Jafar" and "King of Thieves", so its status is beyond question. But what about "Timon and Pumbaa" and "Jungle Cubs?" The premises are really weird and it doesn't seem to me that they would be on the same level as the films. "101 Dalmatians: The Series" is a mish mash of both the 1961 and 1996 film universes, correct?

When I think of the term "cannon" when thinking about Disney Animation, especially when dealing with the various off-shoots from the original theatrical films, I have to grin. It's hardly the same concept as say "cannon" in a "Star Trek" show or a comic book film. Cartoons in the general sense of the word, normally exist outside of such things. Something like the latest Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny cartoon isn't part of a larger, continuing story. Rather, it's just another interpretation of a beloved character.

Keeping this in mind, you will find arguments all over the place trying to work the various Disney direct-to-video films and cartoon spin-offs in and out of "cannon." Honestly, some of them weren't ever meant to help further tell a continuous story so much as they were just meant to entertain with (at the various times) newly beloved characters. Cartoons like "Aladdin: The Series" and "Hercules: The Series" can be rather successively argued that they do pick up and add to the original stories presented via the various animated classics they are based on. Ditto shows like "The Legend of Tarzan" or "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" or even "Lilo & Sticth: The Series."

Then there are shows like "Brand Spanking New! Doug" or "Darkwing Duck" that clearly continue a continuity from a previous show. As you pointed out, "101 Dalmatians: The Series" boroughs from the original Animated Classic, the 1996 live-action film, and I'd have to add the original book, as well as a dash of it's own original content. "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" is a show that follows a "continuity" so far as elements from the first two "Toy Story" films that were presented, mixed with a lot of original content, to give us the show that the "toy" Buzz was supposed to be based off of.

In the case of shows like "The Little Mermiad: The Series" or "Timon and Pumbaa," if you compare them to "The Lion King 1 1/2" and "Little Mermaid 3" respectful, the two films will contradict the shows. However, each one of those shows came well before the various direct to video films, so it begs the questions, in matters of keeping things in "cannon," do the various tv shows supersede the direct to video films or is it the other way around?

I can't answer that question for anyone but myself. Each fans will have to figure that out if they even care. I would say that especially with "Timon and Pumbaa," that cartoon was a lot more "cartoony" then "The Lion King" was, but still. I can't tell you what is and is not "cannon" as it is very subjective when it comes to these Disney cartoons if that word even has a meaning. As I pointed out, some titles I suppose are more concerned with the word "cannon" then others. But I can tell you that I want nothing more then to see all of them, even the ones I most likely wouldn't buy personally (i.e. "The Little Mermaid: The Series"), to make it to DVD.

Do you know about Open Vault Disney and what we are trying to do?

Some of these shows have had a few episodes released on a DVD here or there, mostly "Disney Princess" titles, but as of now, none have had full on season or volume sets released. Over at Open Vault Disney, that is one of the things we are trying to do, is get these on DVD by campaigning for them via e-mail and letter writing efforts.

If you are not already a member, we could use your help!

http://openvaultdisney.com

signed, hopefully they will start releasing stuff from their archives

Thanks! Right now I'll be very honest, the biggest thing we need is just to get the word out to as many Disney fans as possible. The Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts present firm numbers that anyone at Disney Home Entertainment can base the strength of our campaign on, not to mention how many sign the "DuckTales" petition or actually send e-mails or letters. We have come a long way from almost two years ago, but our numbers need to be higher for Disney to take us seriously enough to actually start releasing these titles. They know about us, which is a start. But now we need to keep pushing those numbers. Once we have a few thousand at least, Disney will start listing to our complaints/ suggestions/ concerns/ requests.

So we thank you for what you do. Every single person makes a difference in this.