Johnny Quest is Still My Hero

Dog Blog

I was raised in the golden age of cartoons and TV shows (the late ‘60s and early ‘70s). Let’s face it: 20 years from now, no one is going to be following the “Friends” series or beaming happily as their children watch it. (Case in point: has ANYONE ever seen re-runs from “thirtysomething,” sort of a depressing “Friends” show that had a huge following in the ‘80s.)

But today’s parents live in a special time, even greater than the day Disney started putting its animated movies on VHS tapes. Yes, thanks to the magic of syndication and the compactness of DVDs, parents and children can easily share special bonding moments through a few classic TV shows, confident that these shows share important values and lessons on life that we learned as children when glued to the Boob Tube.

Probably the most prominent example of masterful retro TV exploitation today would be the Scooby Doo cartoon series. And what a great bridge has been created with this franchise. First my children fell in love with the first two seasons of Scooby Doo that I watched as a child (I try to avoid the regrettable subsequent extensions featuring animated celebrities like Sonny and Cher and then worse after that, Scrappy Doo). Near Nirvana hit when we discovered the new Scooby Doo movies found on the Cartoon Network, which managed to stay true to the original cartoon but contemporized it culturally, so that both new generation and original generation were sucked right in. Cha-ching. Love it. Son, let’s go buy that Scooby Doo beach towel or better yet, Nintendo game.

But that’s just pure entertainment. Then there are the classic series where kids can learn all they need to know about how domestic life should be—complete with sibling rivalry and parental discipline—from a couple of seasons of “The Brady Bunch” (bonus: how to incorporate a housekeeper into the family). Even single-parent families can benefit from lessons of the past: “The Partridge Family” (if you can get over the fact the young children perform in night clubs around the country), and the lesser known “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (with a housekeeper-modeling bonus here, too).

Up to this point, these case studies I’ve given you have been easily accessible on cable TV. Right now, the real test of my devotion to the past is the fact that I have begun shelling out a big pile of bones to make sure my little boys get to see my favorites from childhood that haven’t been readily available on TV the past several years.

I rationalize this financially because fathers need all the help they can get to raise their boys into men, and even show them some acceptable outlets for fantasy. In this politically-correct, Renaissance-man, do-the-dishes-equal-opportunity world, little boys need a few adolescent action heroes to identify with. For that, you need look no further than a few shows: Speed Racer, Lost in Space, and Johnny Quest.

Last year I made sure they got the special Collector’s Edition of “Speed Racer” (which had a cover on it made out of recycled tires!). Now granted, my sons aren’t asking for this stuff on their own (they still want Harry Potter and Pokemon). But it creates a little connection between us to see them “get it” when it comes to Speed Racer and his gadget-stacked Mach 5 race car (bonus: Speed’s “Pops” is a hothead who ran off the older son, making most dads look benevolent in comparison). They instantly see why this is classic cool and not some goofy outdated show, like “The Andy Griffith Show.” (Just shove some rusty nails in my fingers instead of making me sit through these episodes with my boys.) In contrast, I’m thrilled to relive old Speed Racer installments and sing the “Go Speed Racer” tunes, while my boys watch in amazement and ask numerous questions of their dad the expert.” {editor's note - David Dog needs to learn to LOVE Andy G. and all things Mayberry if he wants to go to Heaven!!}

And earlier this year, I really went out on a limb and spent a whoppin’ (don’t tell my wife) $60 for the first season of Lost in Space. The fact it was in black and white was hard for them to identify with at first, but they soon got into the show, and can’t wait for the next season, which they found out will be in color. Hopefully, of course, my boys will identify with Major Don West or young Will Robinson, and not the cowardly and conniving Dr. Smith.

But I could hardly place my pre-order on amazon.com fast enough a couple of months ago, when I discovered the original “Johnny Quest” series was coming out on DVD. If my sons thought “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was good, then they’re going to go crazy for 26 episodes of a young Indiana Jones type like JQ. In this series of course, there’s a dilemma because while the single-parent dad is cool enough to take his son on dangerous missions all over the world, he’s kind of nerdy and intellectual, risking that my boys will compare him to me. In contrast, there is the cool Race Banner, the military-fit, brave bodyguard of the family whom any kid would want to have for a dad. (May was an expensive month, because Johhny Quest was more than $50, and the second season of Speed Racer came out then, too, risking detection and questions on our credit card by...)

The Missus just shakes her head when I show her this stuff and says I’m trying to relive my childhood through my sons and these shows. I smile, and then ponder whether she’d think I’m crazy if I bought my older son a special GI Joe 40th anniversary Collector’s Edition action figure for his birthday. I think he’s just dying for one.

Comments

[zooeyhall]

I too, remember fondly the Jonny Quest cartoons. Looking back as an adult, I realize how much ahead-of-their time they were!

I think that Jonny Quest would be perfect for a modern movie series. Is there anything in the works along this line, by chance?

[Shadow]

Thanks Dog for recognizing true Racer X genius in me...I'm flattered. I can see what you mean by the lackluster performance of Trixie...you know, everything seems bigger/better when you're young.
X was always there to pull Speed's bacon out of the fire, wasn't he?
Is the 3rd born the monkey?
I'll probably buy a copy of the DVD for posterity sake...thanks
Shadow

[david dog]

Shadow, don't pass up the opportunity to relive your speed racer days through your kids with the Speed Racer DVD that's out. Season 2 just came out in May, which I quickly purchased for my kids to see. But be ready. Trixie's not as hot as you may remember. Kinda skinny and whinny. But she was rich, which is probably why Speed loved her. Racer X, Speed's long-lost brother was extra cool as well. Perhaps you would identify with him more as eldest brother who leaves home to be an international racer, while pretty boy second born momma's boy stays close to the womb and has fun?

Shadow "What I wouldn't pay to have had a girlfriend named Trixie!"

Most of the Trixies that I knew were street walking dirty foots, and not all of them were females.
What are you getting at Fly boy?

[Shadow]

I, for one, like Speed Racer. He's got that cool Mach One Race car... with all the neat buttons ...and he's got a babe of a girlfriend named Trixie. What I wouldn't pay to have had a girlfriend named Trixie!
You gotta believe the writers of this cartoon bet each other money they couldn't write something involving a chick named Trixie, a monkey and an old man named Pops.
Plus, who'da thought they'd name a razor after that cool race car?!
Shadow

[a.brain]

haha...(poor girl)

I know a girl who tried to date Hadji (Johnny's Paki side kick companion), but he showed little interest.