Getting Schooled: Popeye in The Spinach Scholar (1960)

Maybe this is where Adam Sandler got the idea for "Billy Madison".

Popeye goes back to school in order to improve his standing with Olive in "The Spinach Scholar".



Not one of the better entries.

Rating: C.

Daytime Heroes: The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)

Running concurrently with his Saturday morning ABC series, Sonic the Hedgehog whizzed across TV screens on weekdays as well, albeit in syndication. Both series were produced by DIC, but the daily show was distributed through Bohbot, which handled a number of series back in those days.

On Saturdays, Dr. Robotnik (Long John Baldry) has already taken over the planet Mobius. Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, then, can be considered a sort-of prequel, as Robotnik has yet to succeed, and is routinely thwarted by Sonic (Jaleel White, Family Matters) and his best buddy/sidekick, Tails.

There were also short Sonic Sez messages at the end of each of the 65 daily episodes, which also set it apart from the Saturday show. After the syndication run ended, this series aired on cable on USA, then Toon Disney (now DisneyXD), before landing on This TV and Netflix.

Let's take a look at the opener:

Not quite as much fun as the Saturday show. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for the hero having a proactive sweetheart, such as Princess Sally, despite what the haters say.

Rating: B.

Animated World of DC Comics: This Little Piggy (Justice League Unlimited, 2004)

We've shown you excerpts from our next subject in the past. Now, finally, we've got the whole enchilada of what has to be one of the most popular episodes of Justice League Unlimited.

In "This Little Piggy", Batman (Kevin Conroy) and Wonder Woman (Susan Eisenberg) run afoul of Circe (guest star Rachel York), who turns Diana into a pig, prompting the Dark Knight to call on a former flame, Zatanna (Jennifer Hale), for help in restoring Wonder Woman to normal.

As you already know, Conroy made his singing debut in this episode, with a cover of Cole Porter's "Am I Blue". York performs "Lulu's Back in Town".

Edit, 11/11/22: We're going to insert Batman singing "Am I Blue":

Scintillating. Sublime. Divine. 'Nuff said.

Rating: A.

Getting Schooled: Rainbow (1972)

All this week over at The Land of Whatever, we're celebrating the 40th anniversary of a transcontinental programming initiative, Thames on 9, in which England's Thames Television, which operated the ITV network there until the network was shuttered at the end of 1992, exchanged a fair number of programs with WOR in New York.

This, then, is Saturday Morning Archives' contribution.

Rainbow was meant to be the British answer to the PBS series, Sesame Street, which, by the time Rainbow launched in September 1972, was already a cultural phenomenon. However, while Sesame continues today on PBS & HBO, Rainbow met its end when ITV did in 1992 after 20 years and change, 23 "series" in all, totaling over 1000 episodes. If I'm not mistaken, American audiences were introduced to Rainbow by way of Nickelodeon, which also acquired some other Thames properties for airing in the US, particularly Danger Mouse, its spin-off, Count Duckula, and the original Tomorrow People. Have to believe that Rainbow was part of the deal that brought Danger Mouse & Tomorrow People to Nick.

WOR aired one episode on September 8, 1976. Unfortunately, that episode isn't available. Here, then, is the intro:



No rating.

Rein-Toon-Ation: Pink Panther & Pals (2010)

MGM reacquired The Pink Panther several years ago, but how did they respond to the two live-action feature film remakes with Steve Martin as Inspector Cleuseau? Not very well.

Pink Panther & Pals bowed on Cartoon Network in 2010, reintroducing the Panther and Ant & the Aardvark to a new generation. Unfortunately, the classic style of animating the characters didn't come with them, especially in Ant & the Aardvark.

While the Panther remains silent, his nemesis, the Little Man, has been redubbed "Big Nose", because of his most outstanding facial feature. Still, their shorts are the usual 7 minutes of chaos, as if some older plots had been recycled over and over again for a new audience. It's just too bad the background animation is minimal and lacking in texture.

Just as unfortunate is the fact that the producers needed two actors for Ant & the Aardvark, giving the Ant a new, streetwise attitude, courtesy of Kel Mitchell (ex-All That!, Kenan & Kel). John Byner did it better back in the day. It's almost as if Mitchell is trying to mimic Chris Rock in voicing Ant.

Scope out this sample Pink Panther episode, and you'll see what I mean.

I don't like the idea of Ant & the Aardvark in the jungle. That isn't the right environment for them. A forest is one thing, but an African jungle? Fuhgeddaboutit!

Rating: C.

From Comics to Toons: Popeye in Little Olive Riding Hood (1960)

Popeye reads Swee'pea another story, this one a parody of Little Red Riding Hood, but instead of a wolf, "Little Olive Riding Hood" has to deal with the Sea Hag.

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Producer-Director Jack Kinney opted for these kinds of plots, demonstrating that by 1960, they were running out of ideas, regardless of the fact that 5 different animation houses worked on the shorts.

Rating: B.

Looney TV: Racketeer Rabbit (1946)

Bugs Bunny is at his zany best getting the better of a pair of mobsters who bear resemblance to Edward G. Robinson & Peter Lorre in "Racketeer Rabbit". Scope the inside reference to director Isadore "Friz" Freleng in the first couple of minutes.

Edit, 6/18/25: The video was deleted. In its place is the title card:

Of course, there would be another case where there was a Lorre analogue in one of these shorts, and we'll see that come Spooktober.

Rating: A-.