The Emmy Award-winning TV series originally entitled, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, ran back in 1992 until 1996. The show had a total of aired and unaired 44 episodes, which followed the early years of Henry Jones Jr. (aka Indiana Jones). In these years, Young Indy met many important figures and historical events on his travels. In these travels, he sometimes was with his parents and tutor and others just on his own, as he traveled all over the world. It’s a show that was created to both entertain and educate the viewer about history through the eyes of Young Indy. George Lucas wrote an extensive timeline that would have covered 70 episodes starting in 1905 and leading all the way up to the feature films.

The third and final volume of the series has finally been released entitled, The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Volume Three - The Years Of Change. Sean Patrick Flanery stars as the Young Indy in these final seven episodes. In DVD, the original 44 episodes have been re-tooled as 22 full-length features. These 90 minute films also include new footage George Lucas shot in 1996 for the reworking of these stories. Much like the 2 previous box sets, this one includes 10 discs that include the 7 features and a wealth of bonus material including 26 documentaries on all of the events and historical figures Young Indy meets in his travels. In fact, in order to experience all of the supplemental materials it would take over thirty hours to really experience it all.

These new Young Indiana Jones box sets are not just for entertainment, but to help educate the viewer as well. These documentaries, that add up to 94 total from all 3 box sets, were produced with the History Channel and are very in-depth and well made. One could see these used in the future as educational tools in the schools.

The stories here continue the struggles of youth and the progression of Young Indy into manhood. Along the way, he meets everyone from Ernest Hemingway to Al Capone as he learns lessons in life. The documentaries are then here to help flesh out the facts and fiction of the historic moments in time, and the real life people he meets. It’s a clever way to entertain yet educate.

Of course these stories were made and produced for TV, thus the budget here is obviously more limited then the feature films. This along with the fact that technology back then, wasn’t as upscale and the world of CGI had not come in to take special effects to an all new realm. Still, these stories are very well written and actor Sean Patrick Flanery does a nice job playing the young charming Indiana Jones in his teen years.

If you are a fan of history and more importantly, the Indiana Jones films, then you will certainly want to check out these box sets. Personally Volume 3 is the one to get, the Sean Patrick Flanery years are the closest to the film counterpart. Also, you even have a special appearance by Harrison Ford himself donning the hat in the “Mystery of the Blues” episode. Ford filmed a special appearance while he was shooting The Fugitive (that’s why he’s sporting a beard) and it was the last time he played Indy until the new installment. Right there it’s worth it even for curiosity sake.

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