It's been a while since we've tried to do this, particularly because I've been having trouble finding more old comic book ads. The few unused ones I have access to are strikingly similar to seasons already attempted. At any rate, using this comic book advertisement as a guide, let us see if we can recreate the experience of watching NBC Saturday morning in the fall of 1972-73. And then for funs sake - we'll tune in and see what the competition has to offer.8:00 am - Underdog - The disloyal sumnabich, he's jumped networks! We had Underdog in the recreated CBS 1967 season.
8:30 - The Jetsons - Thus far NBC offers nothing new, just reruns of cartoons from ten years earlier. That is fine by me. The last clip is obviously not something that would air on NBC's Saturday morning (or any timeslot) since it's from the original ABC run - but its pretty cool.
9:00 - The (New) Pink Panther Show - A repackaging of old Depatie-Freleng shorts with new opening and end credits sequences. I guess NBC wasn't keen on spending any money in '72.
9:30 - The Houndcats - Depatie-Freleng continue their morning slab with the first new show of the day. This theme song has a little bit of everything: psychedelia, hillbilly twang, even a bit of a Davie Allen and the Arrows kinda feel. I don't even remember seeing this show but if I understand correctly ... they're half dog and half cat. For real?
10:00 - The Roman Holidays - Here is a new Hanna-Barbera show for the 72-73 season. Oh, whoops, I guess just the '72 season ... it was cancelled after thirteen episodes. The Flintstones lived in the stone age, The Jetsons in the future, and the cast of this cartoon lived in ... can you guess? I can't find a clip on the internet, so I guess you'll never know. Strike one.
10:30 - The Barkleys - This hour must have been reserved for the cartoons of the damned or cartoons that were about to be damned. I don't see The Barkleys, The Roman Holidays, or The Houndcats ever being released on DVD unless somebody does it accidentally. They would then be promptly fired. The Barkleys looks to me like a remake of The Beary Family. From your friends at Depatie-Freleng.
11:00 - Sealab 2020 - This is officially one of the strangest line-ups of the decade. Almost everything on NBC's platter this year was a failure ... except for the old reruns. Well, whatever, I would have still willingly watched all this junk without complaint and would have had a grand old time. This piece of Hanna-Barbera action was not generally in Spanish on NBC - but doesn't it seem kinda sexy all of a sudden?
11:30 - Roundaround - Live action - BAH! Granted, the line-up of cartoons might be shitty this season, but I'll still take shitty cartoons over no cartoons. Roundaround was a game show for kids hosted by legendary television ventriloquist Paul Winchell. It was produced by Heater-Quigley who had their finger on the pulse of game show fans everywhere. Maybe they were too busy touching pulses to realize kids didn't want a gameshow interrupting their cartoon schedule. Couldn't find a clip. Good. I'm glad. Strike Two.
12:00 pm - Around the World in 80 Days - Yawn. Better be shorter than eighty minutes. Wait - what - that's it!? The day is over already? Ah, man, maybe I shouldn't have been so harsh. The line-up seemed weak but maybe I just don't know a good thing when I see it. The chunk of time from eight am to eleven thirty was pretty entertaining compared to this bottom of the barrel stuff at the end. Let's see ... would I have fared better with a different channel?
ABC-TV's Saturday morning line-up in the fall of 1972 looked like this:
8:00 am - H.R. Pufnstuf - The character H.R. Geiger was surely named after. Terrifying and weird, Pufnstuf's head always looked like someone in the craft department fucked up royally.
8:30 - Jackson Five - Well, Rankin-Bass didn't have anything in the line-up over at NBC. The best thing about this show is the many musical sequences. For those brief moments the stilted animation actually looks kind of inspired. Then its back to general dullsville. Paul Frees did some funny voices on the show, however, and that opening with the human faces turning cartoon on yer ass is somethin' else! The opening sequence was always, without question, the most exciting part of the show.
Time for a commercial break!
9:00 - The Osmonds - They also turn from human people into cartoon people!!!! How do they do it!? Can you only do it if you were in a rock band? Rankin-Bass have discovered some kinda secret somethin' in their lab. Together The Osmonds and The Jacksons made a good one-two cartoon punch, although side-by-side I think it was obvious to most kids that they were reusing much of the same animation.
9:30 - The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie - Ugh, ABC, don't you know you're supposed to save this shit for the end of the morning? Otherwise kids all across the land are going to assume that's it for the cartoons.
Oh, so that's why it's smack dab in the middle of Saturday morning prime time! Because it's awesome! That's crazy. You've done it ABC. You've designed the only live-action Saturday morning show that will hold my four year old mind captive. Congrats. Filmation produced this hour-long special for The ABC Superstar Movie titled Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Meet The Groovie Ghoulies. There's no need really. I think Sylvester sums it up perfectly with that expression of disbelief on his face as he has never uttered "Sufferin' Sucotash!" any more sincerely. This program actually showcased an animated special most of the time. Phewf!
10:30 - The Brady Kids - IMDB states that if you enjoy The Brady Kids you might also enjoy A Charlie Brown Christmas. Well, I enjoy both, but I'm not sure they can be equated. This cartoon was done by Filmation - which explains why the Brady girls play tambourines in the same style as Betty Cooper. (But maybe they took lessons from her you say! C'mon, grow up!) They're not going to turn from human people into cartoon people in the opening credits are they?
I think I'm going to lose my mind.
Consider it lost. NBC could seriously learn a thing or two from this channel. Speaking of learning ... time for a break.
11:00 - Bewitched - Before we go any further, I just want to state how totally impressed I am with ABC right now. This line-up is just non-stop fun. Can a four year old experience orgasm? I think my local affiliate, KXLY, has answered that question this splendid morning. And now on with the fun. Hanna-Barbera animated an hour length Bewitched special for the aforementioned ABC Saturday Superstar Movie in which Tabitha and Adam travel with a circus for some reason. It had the unappetizing title: Tabitha and Adam and The Clown Family. Yipe! Now TV Guide has this timeslot listed simply as Bewitched each week. Were they actually showing reruns of the live-action sitcom in this timeslot? I don't know. Can someone help me out? Potentially strike one.
11:30 - Kid Power - Rankin-Bass junk. Paul Winchell's daughter apparently did one of the voices on this show. Today she is a Los Angeles radio "shock jock," for lack of a better term. I can't believe I can't find a clip. I remember it well. Strike One or Two depending on your perspective.
12:00 - Funky Phantom - Fantastic. Although I always resented the fact that Hanna-Barbera okayed Daws Butler's Snagglepuss voice for this role. Seemed totally ludicrous to me that they would have the same voice. Unless he is the ghost of Snagglepuss!
12:30 - Lidsville - What a day! ABC you floor me! Sid and Marty Kroft present a show about talking hats. Grunt like Billy Bob Thorton and say, "Mmmm hmmm!"
Time for a break.
1:00 - The Monkees - Godamn, that's the day! Cartoons are over. It was absolutely great. NBC - for shame.
I'm exhausted. Is it okay if we look at what CBS has to offer this season next week?
