So what do a purple hooded skeleton, a Caped Crusader, live-action sci-fi show about kids in space, and a planet called New Texas have in common?
They are all from productions from a company producing the Saturday morning shows you, may or may not remember, called Filmation. Filmation Studios founded by Lou Scheimer has produced some of the most incredible TV shows for kids programming. Producing everything from the Groovie Ghoulies, to the pre-Super Friends Aquaman and Batman, to the Masters of the Universe, Filmation Studios created may innovative animated and live action projects for kids.
The live-action projects included Shazam, the secrets of Isis, Space Academy, and it short-lived but well-loved Arc 2. Shazam was the second live-action adaptation of the popular DC Comics character Captain Marvel. In the Saturday morning version, Billy Batson was no longer a radio reporter but roamed the countryside and RV with his caretaker named Mentor and went from town to town helping people in need. After the series was canceled, after two seasons, the concept of traveling the country in an RV to help others was actually adopted by the DC comics series for about a year or so. It’s companion show the secrets of Isis. utilizing her powers our school teacher term superhero, Help those in trouble especially teenagers had gotten over their heads. Due to the crossovers with it’s companion series, Shazam, Isis was scooped up by DC Comics and over the years, she has appeared as both hero and villain within the DC Comics Universe.
During the 70’s Filmation came out with a series of superhero adventures which were original takes on several superhero types and concepts. However, they also to tried take on cultural norms from hero cartoons. For example, in the anthology block, the Super 7, one show featured a husband and wife duo called Super Stretch and Micro Woman. What was unique about the show is that the two main characters were African American crime fighting spouses, this was clearly a borrow from the Thin Man series movies rather than the Fantastic Four as was claimed. It is often forgotten but, was a first for it’s time.
As part of their shorts that saw rotation on the Super 7 cartoon block on CBS, another show called Manta and Moray was in the rotation. Manta was an alien from the undersea city of Lemuria, and his wife Moray a human who trained to live in and stay underwater, that would use ecology and conservation of the seas long before Captain Planet ever shown his seaweed green locks to kids on weekday afternoons.
Of course, their best-loved, best-remembered show was He-Man and The Masters of The Universe. Although Mattel Toys came up with the original characters and concepts, Filmation created many of the characters and stories for them in the series. (Teela as The Sorceress daughter anyone?) And as such help to generate a cultural phenomenon that has still fired up and influence imaginations. Such as He_man’s literal sister show, She-RA, Princess of Power. Seen as a first in empowered female super characters, even She-Ra’s alter ego, a former bad guy turned good, Adora, was made cooler than her brother’s alter ego, Prine Adam.
For some these shows and characters such as Jason of Star Command, the Superhero Power Hour, or even even the first Flash Gordon cartoon series, Filmation’s productions have definitely been a big part of Saturday morning and after school programming for kids for well over 25 years and even though you may not recall them in your head, these shows now and again are still remembered in your heart.