Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels - TV-G

If Scooby-Doo met Charlie's Angels.

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details

TV Rating: TV-G
Network: Boomerang
Cast: Mel Blanc, Marilyn Schreffler, Vernee Watson-Johnson
Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that although the appearance of some of the characters in this '70s cartoon borrows liberally from the then-hugely popular Charlie's Angels, it's actually surprisingly tame. Plus, for its era, it has relatively little minority or sexist stereotyping. All three girls are smart and adventurous and in control of their caveman, who's more like a pet than the Angels' Charlie. That said, villains do tend toward easy/cliched targets like Soviets and other Cold War enemies.

Families can talk about what other shows they think influenced this one. What does it have in common with The Flintstones? Scooby-Doo? Charlie's Angels? Josie and the Pussycats? Why do you think the people who make these shows would want to make a new one that has so much in common with other ones? Is it OK to "borrow" ideas from other movies or TV shows for your own? Why or why not?

Message
Violence
Sex
Language

Message

Social Behavior:

The Teen Angels appear to travel the country doing good for no reward, and they're smart, adventurous, independent female characters. But social behavior and messages are in no way the show's focus.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Violence

Cartoon violence -- capturing villains, conking them on the head -- on the Scooby-Doo level. Lots of kidnapping.

Sex

In spite of the Teen Angels' sexy appearance, there's no sex or sexual innuendo.

Language

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by KJ Dell'Antonia

CAPTAIN CAVEMAN AND THE TEEN ANGELS is one of Hanna-Barbera's classic formulas -- crime-fighting teens in a van with a mascot -- at its goofiest. In this case, the mascot is a caveman (voiced by Mel Blanc) defrosted by Taffy (Laurel Page), Dee Dee (Vernee Watson-Johnson), and Brenda (Marilyn Schreffler): Three smart, adventurous girls whose beauty is equaled only by the striking inappropriateness of their scanty clothing (apparently, even in the ice cave, mini-skirts rule.)

Is it any good?

The surprising thing about Captain Caveman is that it isn't worse than it is. The "mysteries" are up to the level of Scooby-Doo, clues are found and deciphered by all three young women (no matter how dizzy their voices may sound, they're all pretty capable), and Captain Caveman's antics are funny -- at least to the average 6-year-old. It sounds like a massively misogynistic Charlie's Angels knock-off, but while the angels are here, the sexism isn't. These girls are in charge, rollicking around in their van seeing the world -- apparently the ultimate idea of adventure to a late-'70s youngsters.