TV Show Review: Adventures of Spin and Marty - Walt Disney Treasures

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great acting and charming story

Cons: Today's kids might find the story slow

The Bottom Line:

Spin and Marty live

Their adventures are still fun

Addicting story

"Way Up There on the Triple R"

I was born too late to watch the Mickey Mouse Club on TV and I never caught the reruns. Even so, as a life long Disney fanatic, I have heard lots of things about "The Adventures of Spin & Marty." Naturally, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this set and watch it. I immediately found the appeal of the serial.

Originally airing as part of the Mickey Mouse Club in 1955, this two-disc set contains twenty-five eleven minutes episodes about the adventures of a group of pre-teen boys spending a summer at the Triple R dude ranch.

Spin Evans is returning for his second year. He's got lots of horse knowledge and is quite popular.

On the other hand, Marty Markham is new to the ranch this year. He's a spoiled kid overly sheltered by his grandmother. In fact, their butler, Perkins, spends the summer at the ranch to keep an eye on him. Marty has a fascination with horses, yet is terrified of them. He tries anything he can to get the other boys to like him, causing rifts at the ranch, especially with Spin. Will he ever learn to get along with guys his own age?

Meanwhile, the guys will have lots of adventures, including a snipe hunt, an encounter with a bear, and an overnight camping trip to a haunted mine. As if that weren't enough, at the end of the summer, the ranch will compete in a rodeo with another ranch. Will this be the year the Triple R finally wins?

Starting this set, I wasn't sure what to expect. I got quickly hooked on the story, however. While it takes it time developing, it is charming from the start. You can't help but root for Spin, Marty, and the other guys. The great writing and acting help. These may be kids on a low budget show, but they do an impressive job with the material. The few special effects are poor by today's standards, but they fit with the charm of the show. The story takes the time to let us get to know the characters so we care about what happens to them at the various points along the way.

As previously mentioned, there are 25 episodes in this two-disc set. These cover the first season. After the serial proved to be popular, the cast came back twice more over the next two years. Hopefully those adventures will be released soon. The episodes are presented in their original black and white. Somehow, anything else would just feel wrong to me. While the occasional dust or grain betrays the shows age, the show is remarkably well preserved and very clear. Extras include introductions from Leonard Maltin on both discs, the complete Mickey Mouse Club episode that first introduced the characters (it spoils much of the series, so I recommend watching it last), Tim Considine's screen test as Marty (he actually played Spin), photo galleries, interviews with stars Tim Considine and David Stollery as they tour the area where the series was filmed, and an interview with Harry Carey, Jr., who played counselor Bill Burnett in the series.

This show, with its low-key action and slow story telling, would never make it on TV today. But this set gives us a chance to enjoy a truly wonderful piece of television history. Those who grew up watching "The Adventures of Spin & Marty" will love the trip down memory lane. Anyone willing to give this gem a chance will find it just as charming now as it was fifty years ago.