Super Friends - TV-Y7
TV Rating: TV-Y7
Network: Boomerang Cast: Casey Kasem, Danny Dark, Olan Sule
Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation
Available on: 
DVD
Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this classic series evolved from an almost-gentle cartoon to something much darker by the end of its run. The later incarnations kept the campy feel and quaint language of the early days, but the tone got a lot more ominous with the addition of the Legion of Doom, a cast of evil creatures bent on destroying the superheroes. Still, this show is tame by current standards and wins points for its focus on loyalty and solving problems.
Families can discuss the nature of teamwork. What makes each hero unique, and how does that help the group? How do the characters work together to combat evil? How can you tell who the bad guys are? Is it as easy to tell who's good and who's bad in the real world? Why or why not? Parents who watched the show themselves as kids can talk about what they remember about the show and how cartoons have changed over time.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Leanne Mos
Pack up for a nostalgia trip and bring the kids along. They just might enjoy it. The classic '70s and '80s Saturday morning cartoon SUPER FRIENDS lives on thanks to DVD and late-night cable reruns. There, the Justice League heroes are still going strong, banding together to save the world -- and themselves -- from evil.
The Super Friends are, of course: Superman (voiced by Danny Dark), Batman (Olan Sule), Robin (Casey Kasem), Wonder Woman (Shannon Farnon), Aquaman (Norman Alden), and a slew of other heroes who come and go.
Produced by Hanna-Barbera and based on the DC Comics characters, Super Friends underwent several transformations. The early episodes barely resemble the later ones, and parents of younger kids should keep this in mind.
In the original Super Friends (1973) and The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977-'78), the show was nonviolent and campy. Remember the Wonder Twins? ("'Form of... a gorilla!' 'Shape of... a waterfall!'") In these episodes, the villains weren't even a match for a pair of student superheroes and their pet monkey, Gleek. It was the quirky characters and their quaint language that carried the show.
But starting in the late '70s, when the show morphed into Challenge of the SuperFriends, the mood shifted to something quite menacing. Visual and sound effects intensified, and the Legion of Doom was introduced. These 13 villains, including Lex Luthor and The Riddler, were truly sinister and were constantly in battle with the heroes. Battle scenes took precedence, although the violence was other-worldly and limited to laser-beam punches, explosions, and kidnappings.
The female heroes are just as powerful as the men, although there are fewer of them. In one storyline, for example, a villain steals Superman's strength, and Wonder Woman rescues him: "By the power of my magic lasso, I command you to return Superman's powers," she says. "It's working. Thank heavens!" Superman replies. On Super Friends, justice always prevails.
Kids who like Super Friends might also enjoy Justice League Unlimited, Legion of Superheroes, and Superman: The Animated Series.
Rate It!
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Sexual ContentSkimpy/tight outfits on some female characters. |
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ViolenceCartoon violence involving laser-beam punches, explosions, and kidnapping. |
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LanguageNo swearing, but some strongish language: "Terminate them!" and "destroy them!" |
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Message |
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Social BehaviorHeroes problem-solve and work together to save the world from evil. The few female characters are equally powerful to the men. |
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CommercialismLots of associated products on the market, but nothing in the show per se. |
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