That. Was. Awesome. Anyway, yesterday I mentioned shows that I was gonna talk about shows that I felt were underrated from my younger days. Well, there were a couple of them that I remember plus a few that I don't (in which Griff will have to help me remember). First off, I want to give mad props to where I got the inspiration for the title of the blog. Yep, Chachi. Now although Scott Baio had used the name on Happy Days and Joanine Loves Chachi, I originally used the phrase after seeing an episode of a show that I was totally PISSED they cancelled. That show was Pepper Ann. Check out the theme:
Man, my senior year of high school Pepper Ann came on at 7:30 and I had to be at school by 9:00 so I used to watch it every morning. That show kicked the ass, man! I am so spacing on the episode, but someone said to Pepper Ann about her brother 'He's one cool chachi' and man I laughed. Griff used it off and on for about a year and then I ran with it. They had a musical episode (I'm sorry, but if you don't have an all-singing episode or close to it, your show ant JACK) and dealt with serious teen issues. Like when Pepper Ann was told she needed 'protection' in gym so she got a bra. That is funny on so many levels, because most women now a days don't understand that wearing clothes is a PRIVILEDGE, not a right. All in all, Pepper Ann was a good show. Sign the petition to get it on DVD so I can spend more money on stuff I can't afford!
Next on the greatness that people may not recognize is probably one of my favorite non-anime cartoons. Also, he is the only Batman rip-off (aside from the Authority member the Midnighter who is not only one of the few gay characters in print, he is married to another superhero AND adopted a daughter! Take THAT, Brokeback Mountain!) that I actually dig. I give to you the terror that flaps in the night...DARKWING DUCK!
One of the last shows I saw in Italy on SEB (Southern European Broadcasting, FOOL! Military brats rise up!) before coming back stateside. I loved this show so damn much it was sad. This man was like Batman with poor coordination and a sense of humor. Also, he was a duck so yeah a few more slight differences. But man, he had cool villains, a great supporting cast and GISMODUCK, FOOL! Can't beat that. Oh, and did I mention the theme song is SO bad-ass. Darkwing Duck was the mad toons, yo. Much love.
Next is one that only maybe 7 people in AMERICA remember but man, this show was funny. Problem was it wasn't supposed to be. Does anyone remember Swan's Crossing?
Man, that show was like Young and the Restless for kids. Minus the acting. I watched this show solely for the fact that one of the main characters got drunk and tried to drive a certain slayer home on his scooter and fell off a cliff. It was supposed to be tragic, but I laughed like I had never laughed before. That and take a look at these pictures:
For those of you who don't know, the second girl (l-r) is Brittany Daniel from Joe Dirt fame while that funny nosed girl on the end is none other that Sarah Michelle Gellar from Buffy and All My Children as that bitch daughter of Erica Kane, Kendall. I always blame her form Susan Lucci not getting an Emmy all those years. On the bottom is the brother of quasi-famous actor Dylan McDermot, Shane. Aint seen him in much else since. Also, the show had a young Mira Sorvino! All that acting talent, yet such a BAD show. I loved it none the less. It also had a dance which i am having mad difficulties finding. Imagine the wop meets the Electric Slide.
In the 80's, there were a few really good non anime cartoons (Transformers, Thundercats, GI Joe, The Littles) and a few really bad cartoons (Snorks, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Go-Bots, Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines). Then there was the muddled middle of 'average' was where about 70% of the cartoons were. One of the cartoons on the cusp of being good was Silverhawks. Now when you see the intro you are like 'wow this could be awesome!'
Then the show came on and it was actually good. It had a pretty interesting plot by 80's standards and the toys were pretty damn sweet. Except for that ship that was supposed to disappear over a mirror like it did in the cartoon but it ended up being bullshit. I was 5, what did I know? Not only that, Mon*Star was a very underrated bad guy. The dude breathed fire and rode on a metallic, evil space squid. Now THAT is evil.
The problem was it came out when toys were dominated by Transformers, GI Joe and He-Man/She-Ra. Yeah I had She-Ra's Pearl Palace, wanna fight about it? I would rather have had the 5th incarnation of Optimus Prime than the new Silverhawks space jet. Even still, I really liked this show, and it didn't hurt it came on right before Transformers. A Silverhawks movie would be quite the nice. You listening Joss Whedon? I saw Serenity; make it happen.
This last one is probably the best show aimed for girls EVER. You hear me, Bratz and Winx? EVER. She was a strong female lead that wore many hats including a powerful business woman. The made a difference by create a home for young girls. She ran a successful record label as well. A great role model you say? Damn right she is, and she also touched the hears of the world with here kick as jams. The greatest female character this side of Wonder Woman, I give you JEM!
Hell yes! I'm a grown man and I still will sing the Jem theme song when I hear it! Now I never had the toys (my sister did, though) but I did pilfer the cassettes and listen to them in secret. Before you go getting all giggly about it, really think about it. Jem was a role model, had actual good music (thing about songs in the 80's here. They all weren't Thriller, buddy) and a message with almost each episode including child abuse and drug addiction. I never saw Transformers deal with those kind of issues, peeps. Well, there was the Optimus Prime prostate episode so I will give them one. Jem had great villains in The Misfits (there was something about Pizazz that was just animated she-bitch-SEXY), a great supporting cast in her bandmates (had a thing for Kimber, too) and her metro-before-metro-was-in boyfriend Rio and to top it all off, Kimber and Stormer got their own albums. Not like I bought it or anything. Even still, I think Jem rocks! YEEEEEAAAHHH!
Well, that's all for the underrated cartoons. One of these days I'm gonna do the Sauciest Animated Ladies tournament as a reason to put pictures of Tifa. Don't worry ladies, I'll do one for the guys too. But Sepiroth would win, so I don't know why I would bother. Anyone else see Cillian Murphy as a great Sepiroth? Those eyes....my god those eyes. Anyway, I am out. Early update tomorrow as there won't be one on Thursday. Stay up, peeps. I'll be back again. Wait....
Now that's back. Aaahhh, t's good to be me.
Chachi out.
