It’s always disappointing when something we thought was so cool as a kid turns out to be lame and cheesy when you revisit it as an adult. Has that ever happened to you? With so many old TV shows being remastered on DVD and Blu-ray, it’s actually becoming surprisingly common. Far too often I’m left trying to figure out why exactly I thought a show was so cool after seeing it again as an adult, and I was afraid that would happen all over again when I received the first season of Walt Disney’s 1950s show Zorro. I remember really enjoying it as a kid, but just how enjoyable could a children’s show from the 1950s really be? Well, what I forgot to factor in to my low expectations was that Walt Disney was personally involved with this project, and as he did with everything else, he made sure this show was well produced and most importantly, entertaining. That’s something that hasn’t changed in the past fifty years, and surprisingly enough, hasn’t changed as I’ve grown older.
Any fan of Batman is probably a fan of Zorro. After all, many of the trappings of Batman were liberally borrowed from Zorro. In fact, some versions of Batman’s origin have young Bruce Wayne and his family leaving a showing of the film Zorro on the fateful night when his parents are murdered. It’s the relation between Batman and Zorro that drew me to this show in the first place. Knowing what a profound influence this character was on beloved hero, I wanted to learn more about this other masked crusader, and in doing, he become another beloved hero of my childhood. Better yet, revisiting his TV adventures all these years later he’s still just as much fun.
One of the things I’ve really enjoyed about having this show on DVD is learning about the history of the show and the prominent place it holds in TV history. There really wasn’t anything like this show when it debuted in October of 1957, and it immediately became a huge hit. There wasn’t a single show during the 2008-2009 TV season that could match the ratings Zorro generated fifty years ago. Disney built their first permanent sets for Zorro, and Guy Williams ( the unknown actor who became an overnight sensation after Zorro hit the airwaves) did almost all of his own sword work, which while a bit silly at times is still actually pretty exciting. In fact, the biggest surprise for me viewing this show as an adult is what a great job it did at balancing humor, action, plot, and character development. This show is tightly paced and wastes little time in telling its story. Despite being just thirty minutes long, I find it more exciting and enjoyable than many of the shows we have on the air today not just because of the novelty value, but because it tells an entertaining and enthralling story that’s genuinely exciting, funny, and even dramatic at times.
It’s obvious that Disney studios understands what a prominent place this show holds in TV history, because everything about this DVD set is top quality. As a part of the Disney Treasures Collection, this is a limited edition set that comes with a certificate of authenticity, and a couple of rare collectors pins. Of more interest to me is the historical information included. Critic and film historian Leonard Maltin introduces the set with a brief history of the show’s conception, start, success, and the impact it had on television as a whole. On the last disc there’s a nice documentary that explores the impact of the show and the legend of Zorro himself. Also included are some bonus episodes that aired after the show itself had concluded, and some footage from The Fourth Anniversary Show. It’s not a bad collection of bonus features, and I’m glad space isn’t wasted with a bunch of pointless games.
As for the show itself, it serves as a fascinating time capsule into the different values our culture held fifty years ago. Many things stand out as elements that would either be omitted today or used entirely different. For instance, the role of the priest. He’s not comic relief, he’s not a severe zealot condemning everyone, but rather a respected member of the town who’s kind, compassionate, and a good friend to those in need. Can’t remember the last time I saw the clergy represented that way on TV. Speaking of the church, it was also interesting the high regard held for the church in general during the era of this show. It’s not viewed as an oppressive, narrow-minded force with its own agenda. It’s not an outdated, irrelevant institution. It’s seen as a divine oasis, a place of help and hope, and a cornerstone of society. Even the villain concedes to show respect and reverence for the church despite the way it interferes with his nefarious schemes. None of this seemed odd or out of place, but was just an expected part of how society worked. It’s fascinating how far we’ve come, how far we’ve fallen since then.
I think what makes this show work so well is how it’s painted with such broad strokes. The bad guy is just quite simply the bad guy. He’s selfish and devious, but not complex or ever sympathetic. We’re never asked to try and identify with the bad guy or to understand his motives, we’re simply expected to root against him. On the flip side the good guy is a genuinely good guy. He’s not an anti-hero who reluctantly helps others, but rather someone who does so selflessly simply because it’s the right thing to do. More than that, the show treats the fact that there are good people around as a matter of fact. It doesn’t have to explain why he’s so good, but it’s just expected that there are many genuinely decent people around who understand the difference between right and wrong. Considering the many shades of gray used to tell stories today, the black-and-white world of Zorro is very refreshing.
I could go on and on about what makes this show so much fun, but the simple fact that something that was so enjoyable from my childhood remains so in adulthood is the best endorsement I think I can give this set. This is a show everyone in the family can enjoy, and it’s a fascinating window into what our culture used to be like. More than that, it’s a rare piece of television history that we can now own. If you have a chance, snag a copy of this set, you won’t regret it. Also available, Zorro: The Complete Second Season. Trust me, they’re well worth it.
