The Archie Show
Classic, clean-cut 'toon has '60s music and dance.
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The Archie Show
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that in The Archie Show, Archie and his teen pals get into nothing but innocent scrapes. Generally they lead carefree lives between their school and the local soda shop. Veronica's persistent plays for Archie's attention can be grating after a while, and Reggie's counterefforts to catch Veronica's eye sometimes sabotage Archie. The show's '60s-era music and dance moves (with instructions!) might not catch on with kids, it's still fun.
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What's the Story?
THE ARCHIE SHOW follows the misadventures of Archie Andrews (voiced by Dallas McKennon), a high school student and guitarist in his own garage band, the Archies. When they're not hammering out tunes together, Archie and his four best friends -- Betty (Jane Webb), Veronica (Webb again), Reggie (John Erwin), and Jughead (Howard Morris) -- can usually be found at the neighborhood hangout, Pop's Choklit Shop, with their canine mascot, Hot Dog (McKennon again). Each episode features two stories bridged by a segment that incorporates some of the band's rock music and a coordinating "Dance of the Week" tutorial given by one of the characters.
Is It Any Good?
Based on the Archie comic book series, The Archie Show was an animated version of the kind of musical TV series that populated the networks around this time, including The Monkees. The show's popularity manifested a few album releases from the fictional group, with one song ("Sugar, Sugar") topping the Billboard charts in 1969. Even though the style is very different from what kids listen to today, the incorporation of the tunes is still fun.
As for the content, there's little to worry about in the day-in-the-life structure. Each story sets Archie and the gang in some kind of ridiculous predicament they have to wriggle out of, and there are lots of laughs and wisecracks along the way. Even the less-admirable personality traits of some characters -- Reggie's plotting against Archie for Veronica's affection, and Veronica's undignified clamoring for Archie's attention -- stand out only because of the pristine innocence of the rest of the characters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what has changed in how cartoons look since The Archies came out. How is the animation outdated? How has technology allowed us to enhance cartoons? Does this make them more enjoyable?
Even though these stories are set in a different time, how similar are the characters' experiences to your kids'? Do they ever have problems with friends being mischievous or mean? What do they think of boy-girl relationships among their peers?
Kids: What is your favorite type of music to listen to? How does it make you feel? How can different musical styles suit different moods?
TV Details
- Premiere date: September 14, 1968
- Cast: John Erwin, Dallas McKennon, Jane Webb
- Network: Online
- Genre: Kids' Animation
- Topics: Adventures, Arts and Dance, Book Characters, High School, Music and Sing-Along
- TV rating: TV-Y7
- Last updated: February 26, 2022
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