Last Friday I tuned into Cartoon Network to watch the premier of the new Batman show, The Brave and the Bold. The show runs in the 8:00 PM time slot, and as animated superhero cartoons go, it seems promising. However, the show that followed Brave and the Bold really caught my eye and left me wanting more. Secret Saturdays is an animated show about a very special family of adventurers with an intense interest in cryptozoology. Created by animation veteran Jay Stephens, Secret Saturdays harkens back to the grand old days of Hanna-Barbera’s Johnny Quest. Combining the action and adventure of Johnny Quest with a 21st century sensibility and worldview, Saturdays possesses the potential to be a real hit.
It’s the kind of show adults and kids can watch together and everyone wins. The exciting animation and cool creatures are accompanied by engaging plots unafraid to challenge their target audience. There’s no way to tell where Secret Saturdays will wind up when considered against the broad history of cartoons, but Jay Stephens’ ability to channel the spirit and wonder of a show like Johnny Quest into this uniquely modern incarnation of the family adventure show is really exciting.
Scott
5 Comments
November 21, 2008 at 8:44 am
Scott:
Sweet!
Don
November 21, 2008 at 9:57 am
I LOVED Johnny Quest!
November 21, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Thanks!
I too love JQ. There is another show inspired by JQ called Venture Brothers that is definitely an adults only cartoon–which is why it’s featured on Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim” after hours line-up. It’s the smartest, zaniest send-up of superheros, action adventure, and pretty much anything related to heroic animation ever.
Scott
November 21, 2008 at 3:50 pm
venture brothers is on order for the main library, yo.
amy
November 24, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Thanks for recommending cartoons that adults will enjoy.