A Stellar Cast.

Figures I'd post my thoughts about "Space Stars" on the 45th anniversary of the first moon landing. After all, it was trying to be one small step for 'toons, and one giant leap for Hanna-Barbera.

Since I already posted about the new "Space Ghost" and "Herculoids" episodes in previous threads, my thoughts are just about the remaining segments.

"Teen Force." Kid Comet, Elektra, and Moleculad thwarted the plots of Uglor, a despotic winged ape. Offering help were Plutem and Glax, the Astromites, brilliantly voiced by a pre-"Police Academy" Michael Winslow. They were like a younger version of "The Galaxy Trio," and a space-based version of "The Mod Squad." The other Space Stars were seen in some episodes, and they also showed up in the other segments as well. Come to think of it, so did Uglor.

"Astro And The Space Mutts." For some reason, Astro teamed up with Space Ace, Cosmo, and Dipper to pursue such odd criminals as Galactic Vac and The Cosmic Clown. This was intended to be the comedy part of the series, and boy, was it ever funny. But I'd like to know how Astro lost his trademark speech impediment here, but got it back for the new "Jetsons" episodes later in the decade.

"Space Stars Finale." The last segment had two teams joining forces against Uglor, or another alien villain. The teamups changed each week, and consisted of the following: Space Ghost and The Herculoids, Space Ghost and Teen Force, The Herculoids And Teen Force, and in a hilarious one-shot deal, The Herculoids And Astro And The Space Mutts.

Most of the new H-B shows of 1981 were cancelled after just one season. This was one of them, but it didn't deserve that fate, as nearly all the adventures kept me on the edge of my seat. At least I now have it on DVD, so I'm not disappointed. It was a great job on H-B's part.

And yes, this thread is dedicated to Armstrong and Aldrin, two of the greatest pioneers of space travel.

Trivia Question 32: In the Space Stars Finale episode "Uglor Conquers The Universe," what did The Herculoids and Teen Force use to strip Uglor of his newfound superpowers?

Answer: The Cosmic Cone.

"Space Stars" followed the "Superfriends" format with a melodramatic narrator (Keene Curtis) at work in every segment, 10 minutes adventures for each hero team, and a Space Star Finale team-up episode with the cast members of two of the segments.

The series was originally set to premiere in 1980 but the animators strike delayed the premiere to Fall 1981. Gary Owens as Space Ghost, Mike Road as Zandor, Igoo, and Tundro, Virgina Gregg as Tara, and Don Messick as Astro, Zok, Gloop, and Gleep were still in great voice acting form to reprise the roles they played a decade and a half earlier.

NBC had previously aired reruns of the 1960s "Space Ghost" and "Herculoids" and "The Jetsons" in the late 1970s Saturday AM schedule to decent ratings. NBC programming president Fred Silverman was in charge of CBS's daytime shows in the 1960s when he aired the original runs of "Space Ghost" and "The Herculoids" on that network. If it worked for him back then, the revival of the shows should work for Fall 1980 (the year of its expected premiere until the voice actors union strike delayed the premiere until Fall 1981).

I particularly liked "The Teen Force" segments and wished more was known about Kid Comet, Elektra, Moleculad, and the Astro Mites on the other end of Black Hole X and how they made Uglorr their arch enemy. It deserved a half hour series of its own.

The DVD release featured never-before-aired 2 or 3 minute segments including "Space Magic", "Space Science", "Space Mystery", and "Space Codes" with the cast from one of the segments demonstrating magic, learning about science in space, investigating and finding an answer in various short mysteries, and asking kids at home to decipher code words as clues in the "Space Star Finale" story, and a music video segment with laser and cel animation depicting various spaceship chases and hero action set to music (one laser/cel space animation segment was used in the final end credits sequence in the broadcasted series). It was expected for the "Space Stars" series to be 90 minutes long to accomodate the short segments plus additional story episodes with "The Herculoids" or 10 minute another segment but the hour-long format deleted those little segments from the running time. Nice bonus feature for fans.

The Space Star segments in sequence:
"Space Ghost" episode
"Teen Force" episode
"Herculoids" episode
"Space Ghost" episode
"Astro and the Space Mutts" episode
"Space Star Finale" team-up episode

Space Stars! *characters fly up* Okay so recapping a bit here. I never saw this show in it's full format growing up for obvious reasons. I remember the Space Ghost and Herculoids segments were dispersed with their 60s counterparts as they were often on Action blocks. Astro's segment was apparently on them too as seen in youtube clips, but I only ever once seeing a segment of this cartoon as a kid and it was used as a "Cartoon Extra" after a movie. I was actually surprised as all out to see Astro in a 7 minute cop show. Teen Force and the Finale were among the ones that Cartoon Network never aired for whatever reasons.

So my DVD purchase was a bit of a mix of "seen this" and "this is all new" for me. The SG and HC shorts are all fun for the period. I think i prefer the 60s better overall but the new ones get the job done. The Space Spectre is also pretty cool. Astro's segments are fun and enjoyable change of pace. I like Astro, cool to see he got a spinoff here. Teen Force is a fun new little show with another triad of heroes. The Finale segments are extensions but I do love HB crossovers so they are really fun to watch. The additional segments are unique to see too. Glad they were uncovered.

Overall I was rocketed into space with this show. Glad I can now enjoy whatever segments I want of it.

MattPriceTime said:Space Stars! *characters fly up* Okay so recapping a bit here. I never saw this show in it's full format growing up for obvious reasons. I remember the Space Ghost and Herculoids segments were dispersed with their 60s counterparts as they were often on Action blocks. Astro's segment was apparently on them too as seen in youtube clips, but I only ever once seeing a segment of this cartoon as a kid and it was used as a "Cartoon Extra" after a movie. I was actually surprised as all out to see Astro in a 7 minute cop show. Teen Force and the Finale were among the ones that Cartoon Network never aired for whatever reasons.

So my DVD purchase was a bit of a mix of "seen this" and "this is all new" for me. The SG and HC shorts are all fun for the period. I think i prefer the 60s better overall but the new ones get the job done. The Space Spectre is also pretty cool. Astro's segments are fun and enjoyable change of pace. I like Astro, cool to see he got a spinoff here. Teen Force is a fun new little show with another triad of heroes. The Finale segments are extensions but I do love HB crossovers so they are really fun to watch. The additional segments are unique to see too. Glad they were uncovered.

Overall I was rocketed into space with this show. Glad I can now enjoy whatever segments I want of it.

The Hanna-Barbera writers also had to contend with strict "pro-social" guidelines from the NBC censors and outside watchdog groups for the 1980s "Space Ghost" and "Herculoids" stories in toning down the violence and playing up the lesson-teaching such as cooperation in the hero team-ups and understanding alien/foreign cultures. That can not be avoided for network programming of the era.

The 1960s episodes had the heroes fighting back against the aliens in more violent and explosive scenes...just so that the hero teams prevail...if the network executives approve of it.