GI Joe Renegades was created for Hasbro’s own Hub TV channel. The series ran twenty-six episodes and starred a solid collection of some of the most popular Joes and Cobras, many of which were at least slightly redesigned and re-imagined, some far more than others. The series begins with an explanation that Cobra is an international conglomerate powerhouse, with a huge private army and hands in every conceivable industry. To the general public, Cobra is a force of good, but with a name like Cobra, you’d have to be suspicious.
Scarlett is indeed suspicious, and under assignment from General Abernathy, she and a small team of Joes (Duke, Tunnel Rat, Roadblock, and Snake Eyes) set off to investigate some of the leads Scarlett has dug up that might help expose Cobra. They wind up in the lower levels of a large Cobra pharmaceutical facility which is leveled by the end of the episode and the media (largely owned and controlled by Cobra) blames the Joes. Flint is dispatched to find and arrest the renegades with help from local authorities while Cobra is also trying to hunt and kill them. Thus, our heroes are on the run, with no one to trust but themselves.
GI Joe Renegade episodes are about twenty-two minutes long and there are a few two-part story arcs as well. There’s a lot to like about the show, starting with the characters themselves. Some characters are nearly identical to what many of us grew up with — Scarlett, for example, is still in intel and her appearance is a lot like her original toy figure. Snake Eyes is the badass silent ninja commando, although in the series he’s all about swords, jump kicks, and smoke bombs instead of firearms. Duke is a classic leader, and I thought his conversations and disagreements with Scarlett over the team’s next move were well done and a boost to each character’s robustness. Cobra Commander’s change in appearance and overall demeanor are nicely done, giving him a more sinister and far less whinny personality. Not all of the character changes were good though; I thought Roadblock was overly simplified and Storm Shadow’s appearance was disagreeable. But, overall, Jeff Kline and crew did a very good job with the characters, their interactions, and in taking their time introducing characters throughout the series.
While Renegades is a little bit different from your typical Joe series, it’s quite likable and entertaining. It’s not too surprising the series is already over given the one-way direction of its main plot (Joes on the run trying to clear their name while exposing Cobra), but from what I have seen of the series each episode is pretty darn good. I have not seen the second half of the series and it’s annoying that interested customers must once again decide if they should purchase this first Volume or wait for the inevitable complete series. The lack of any extra features whatsoever may help you decide, though. While I like the show, the box art, and the disc menus, the effort in other areas of this release are lacking. Besides this just being a half season, with zero extra features, the only option you have is to play in 5.1 or 2.0 English audio. I’m always an advocate for subtitles, but as with most Shout! releases you won’t find them here.
At the end of the day, this is a fun show, but this release is as about as barebones as it could have been. I’d suggest waiting to hear about Volume 2 or a complete series release before picking this one up for purchase.