Are you a child of the 80’s? If so, then you will be thrilled to know that M.A.S.K., the Complete Original Series debuted on DVD this earlier week. The boxed set contains 12 DVDs with 65 episodes and retrospective featurettes.
But the real question is . . . how well does the series—which originally aired in 1985—hold up?
As I’ve said before, M.A.S.K. has one of the best opening sequences I’ve ever seen. As often as I’ve heard the song, I’ve yet to tire of it. And, once you load the DVD and the title menus appear, you’re greeted by screens resembling a computer. Choosing from the episodes listed sort of evokes the feeling of choosing the M.A.S.K. agents “best suited for this mission.”
While the nostalgia factor is certainly there, after watching several episodes a few things may get tiresome very quickly. For example, I really cannot stand Dusty Hayes’ country boy accent. Lines like “Well bust my britches! They’re V.E.N.O.M. varmints!” make this very easy to understand. Also, Bruce Sato’s fortune cookie wisdom seems a bit stereotyped and out of place.
The episodes follow a pretty simple formula: evil V.E.N.O.M. agents seek some object to use for, you guessed it, evil, and the good M.A.S.K. guys try to stop them. Led by multimillionaire Matt Trakker, the best agents are chosen by the super computer and summoned by handy wristwatches that blink when there is work to do. Whether they’re bathing a dog or putting a pizza in the oven, they immediately stop what they’re doing and dash to headquarters (often to the dismay of customers, bosses, taxi drivers, etc.)
Oh, and as they’re seated around the massive table in the secret lair, some really cool masks come down from the ceiling.
Scott Trakker, Matt’s disobedient son, always manages to sneak out and join the missions. He and his trusty sidekick (a nervous robot named T-bob), and the pair provides much of the comic relief in each episode. They also manage to help the M.A.S.K. agents as often as hindering them.
The music accompanying each episode is all 80’s, with a very electronic sound that reminded me a bit of my soundtrack to The Neverending Story. And, interestingly enough, each episode still contains the little clips that appeared before and after each commercial break with one of the characters saying “M.A.S.K. will be right back!” There’s also a segment at the end of each episode that serves as a PSA and reminds us to buckle our seat belts or look both ways before crossing the street.
Each episode is chock full of non-stop action, with the first episode involving a Jeep diving off a cliff into a river. Every kind of vehicle imaginable appears, from trucks to motorcycles to boats to jets, and the powers of the M.A.S.K. helmets contribute to some complex fight sequences. No wonder this show grabbed my imagination as a kid. (And yes, I still have my Manta vehicle with Vanessa Warfield figure).
The voice acting is a bit cringe-worthy, but overall I say M.A.S.K. is worth a visit to the past. The opening sequence—with that catchy song—more than makes up for any deficiencies in the show. I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the series, though it is certainly a different experience viewing it as an adult.
The boxed set can be purchased here at Amazon or wherever DVDs are sold.