Aladdin TV Series DVD Release Debacle

The 1992 animated film Aladdin is one of the most beloved Disney films of all time. It was so popular that it generated video game adaptations, two film sequels, and even an animated television series. The series ran from 1994 to 1996 and by the end of its run it had produced an impressive 86 episodes.



I think a large part the show’s appeal stemmed from the fact that much of the cast from the film reprised their roles in the show. All to often when a TV series is made based on a film, the actors from the film are unavailable and therefore sound-a-likes must take their place. But being able to watch the Aladdin TV series and hear many of the same voices from the actual movie really added to the viewing experience.

The series came about shortly after the second Aladdin film “The Return of Jafar” was released. The series bridges the gap between “The Return of Jafar” and the third (and to date final) Aladdin film ‘The King of Thieves”. The series truly expanded upon the established universe of Aladdin, creating many unique stories and memorable characters. It has been a couple years since I’ve watched a full episode, but I still have fond memories of watching the episodes years back when it was being replayed on the Disney channel.

When I think back to all episodes I watched, I can’t honestly remember any instance in which the plot of an episode seemed half-hearted or hackneyed. The show really ran with the initial concept and succeeded on building upon the rich world established in the original film.

To date the series has not been released on DVD and Disney currently has no plans to release it any time soon. Many years have passed since the last film in the series and in many ways the Aladdin concept has died down. Yet at the same time, like with all Disney characters, Aladdin still remains in the hearts and minds of many people around the world. I am willing to wager that a lot of fans would purchase the show if Disney decided to give it a proper box set treatment.

Hopefully in the near future Disney will realize what a potential moneymaker they are sitting on and take up the task of rightfully giving the series a box set release. Until that day comes fans of the series will just have to resort to replays on Toon Disney and downloads via Bitorrent.