Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series... Reviewed!

This is a serious blast from the past, and shout out to WB for providing a copy of this product for my review. My opinions are my own.

I've never seen this show before (like ever), but... when I heard the theme song, I was like... ohhhh. The theme song is connected to multiple things I've heard growing up, "Welcome back... Welcome back... Wel-come... baaaacckkk!", but I never knew the origin. 'Welcome Back', was created by John Sebation back in 1975 (before my time) specifically for the 'Welcome Back, Kotter' TV sitcom. Enough about the theme song though, is the actually show any good? Let's jump in and find out!

 Story: I recognized a few faces in this show, which includes John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton, Della Reese, Vernee Watson, etc. Never knew this was Travolta's breakthrough role, I was thinking of Saturday Night Fever, but that came out a few years after the show started (again, before my time). 'Welcome Back, Kotter" takes place back in 1970's Brooklyn (NY)... keep that in mind, because it will feel outdated in a number of aspects (especially the singing and dancing). That 'Jeppers Creepers' performance definitely felt like something from that time (I made it through without hitting the mute button, but... I've never been crazy about singing in tv/film).

I won't say that this show isn't digestible by anyone beyond the time it came out or the location, because there are certain comedic touches that can be applied today. Horshack is a prime example. He was running his mouth trying to fit in with the other members for the Sweathogs when they were talking smack to Carvelli and Murray (but mainly Carvelli), and wrote a check with his mouth... that his butt didn't care to cash. He tried to get out of it by acting as if he didn't say anything. Some of you can relate to that via the Trolls on social media alone.

I think the story can be appreciated by newcomers aswell, especially teachers... because Mr. Kotter returns back to James Buchanan High School for the purpose of making a positive impact on the slackers. He takes a creative approach to connecting with the class for the purpose of engaging them, and teachers of today come to mind because the saga continues for a number of reasons. It could potentially be inspiration to connect with the students even more and gain more inspiration for the sake of helping them reach the finishline. I wouldn't say let your students trade off the way Kotter did, but... he wasn't uptight to the point where they weren't receptive.

Although the show revolved around Mr. Kotter and the Sweathogs, there were other aspects that challenged work/life balance for the teacher... because he was also a husband and father. It was good to see that addition added in there to give more depth.

 Visuals: Visually speaking, the show was cleaner than I assumed it would. It wasn't super grainy, the colors pop... and if you're cool with visuals that primarily consist of mids, longs, and closeups, enjoy! Speaking of visuals, I think you'll get a kick out of seeing the fashion from that time.

Speaking of visuals, it's too bad Afro's like Boom Boom's are deemed a fad a lot of the time. I rarely ever see them. It's not a fade, it's... natural.

 Audio: The audio is good. It's nothing that wowed me, but it's what I would expect. Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.

 Price: Pricewise... the SRP for the 'Welcome Back, Kotter' complete DVD series is $74.99. But... you can get the hook up here for $55.99. You get all four seasons (95 episodes), which delivers a total of 35 hours & 30 minutes. If it were me, I would've added a fake gag mustache (similar to Mr. Kotter's) to the package. Overall, not a bad show at all and... I could see people crowding around the old telly back in the day. I think it's a good show for those of that time who want to revisit it, those who are curious and want to get a dose of that era + teachers and other faculty.

Story 4

Visuals 4

Audio 3

Price 5

4 out of 5 Cool Points

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