Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series review by Bobby Blakey
In 1975 TV audiences were introduced to Gabe Kotter and his sweat hogs in the hit TV series Welcome Back, Kotter. The series stars Gabe Kaplan as Gabe Kotter, Marcia Strassman as Julie Kotter, John Sylvester White as Mr. Woodman, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Washington, Robert Hegyes as Epstein, Ron Palillo as Horshack.and John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino in his first principal TV role. Now fans can head back to school with Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series coming home.
Welcome Back, Kotter follows Gabe Kotter, a graduate of a tough Brooklyn high school who returns to teach a classroom of underachieving “sweathogs” – Epstein, Washington, Horshack, and leader of the pack Vinnie Barbarino. Comedy class is in session!
As a kid I had a select few sitcoms that I always watched with them being Different Strokes, Webster, Mr. Belvedere, The Jeffersons, Punky Brewster and Welcome Back, Kotter. Sure, there were others, but these were the ones that had to see anytime they were on. Getting to revisit the series was a real treat as I hadn’t sat down and watch any of them in so long. The show is still funny and
the banter of the sweathogs kept things at a faster pace than a lot of the other similar shows.
The show isn’t groundbreaking in anything in its execution as it keeps the usual format that all these shows had back then, but the cast gelled so well together it stood out. The only thing better than the cast of sweathogs and their famed one-line insults and catchphrases was the grumpy Mr. Woodman played to perfection by the late John Sylvester White. He cracks me up with his quips and his own self-loving laughter. The head butting between him and the entire cast makes the show all the better in every way.
Gabe Kaplan is the perfect front man in this series who understands these kids since he was one of them, but also can stand toe to toe with them without every demeaning them in a way that makes everyone at odds. Part of what I love about this show outside of the laughs is the true comradery it showcases with even those that are at odds. Every episode not only makes you laugh but just makes you care about everyone here and wonder when and if one of Juan’s excuses from his mother would actually be real.
Head back to Brooklyn high to hang out with Mr. Kotter and the sweathogs with Welcome Back, Kotter: The Complete Series that includes all 95 episodes across the shows four seasons together available now for the first time ever.