Actors: Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta, Ron Palillo
Directors: Bob LaHendro
Number of discs: 16
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: August 26, 2014
Run Time: 2280 minutes
Series: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars
“Welcome Back, Kotter” was in the new this week since the internet was buzzing with the death of Ron Palillo aka Horshack. Of course, only if everyone actually knew that Ron actually passed away in August 2012, so don’t believe everything you read online. I remember watching repeats of the 70’s classic comedy “Welcome Back, Kotter” on TV. Shout! Factory is giving this series a Complete Series on DVD on August 26th, 2014. This is the first time that this show is available complete in one box set. This 16-disc release contains all 95 episodes from the series. If you are a fan of this show, I wouldn’t pass up this opportunity.
Official Premise: Meet the Sweathogs. They’re the rowdiest, goofiest bunch of students to ever step foot inside a high school. But if they think they’re too unruly for a good teacher to handle, they’re in for a rude awakening when they meet Mr. Kotter: a former Sweathog who’s returned to his alma mater to shape the minds of these remedial students as their new teacher! With the hilarious talents of comedian Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Travolta in the role that made him a star, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Robert Hegyes and Ron Palillo, the Emmy-Award nominated run of Welcome Back, Kotter will have you rolling with laughter and maybe even a little nostalgia from your own days as a Swea
Revisiting this show was proved this show was still hilarious and jam packed with great talented actors including Gabe Kaplan, John Travolta, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Robert Hegyes, Ron Palillo and Marcia Strassman. “Welcome Back, Kotter” was also lined-up with some amazing guest stars as well including George Carlin, James Woods, Pat Morita, Scott Brady, Richard Moll, Della Reese and Dinah Madoff. If you are looking for a little nostalgia, this is a good trip for sure. In terms of special features, we only have a featurette called “Only a Few Degrees from a Sweathog” and the Actors’ Original Screen Tests. I would have loved to see some commentary tracks or retrospectives for sure.