Jabberjaw

An example of a low point in Saturday morning cartoons, this particular series lumped together several concepts into a mess of show. Jabberjaw (capitalizing on the popularity of the movie "Jaws") is a talking shark who sounds like Curly Howard (leading the way for other insipid Three Stooges-inspired cartoons, including "The Three Robotic Stooges") and who mutters "I get no respect" (a nod to Rodney Dangerfield?). He travels with a band "The Neptunes" (like "Josie and the Pussycats" and countless other H-B cartoons) in a futuristic undersea realm (Sealab 2020) taking on various villains' nefarious schemes ("Scooby Doo, Where Are You", etc.).

Thanks to Turner's Boomerang channel for reminding me how much I hated this cartoon as a kid. It was around this time that I realized that my favorite cartoons were "Looney Tunes" and "Rocky and Bullwinkle" - cartoons that were made in previous decades aimed at general audiences and not patronizing to kids.

All through the 70s Hanna-Barbera released cartoons with the same format(adventure,music,and mysteries). Jabberjaw lasted only a year (1976-1977) and aired reruns the following year. This cartoon was like Scooby Doo except it is set to be underwater and they are a musical band which the star of the show is the drummer. I don't know what Bill and Joe were thinking when they created this cartoon but it sucks. It's strictly a copycat of Josie & The Pussycats and Scooby doo. A guy that's the leader,two girls,and the star's sidekick buddy. Not only Jabber there was the Amazing Chan Clan,Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kids,the Partridge family A.D. bulls*** etc. These cartoons didn't last long and wasn't original. Hanna-Barbera most successful mystery,adventure,music cartoon will always be Josie & The Pussycats.

The short-lived animated mystery/musical/adventure series "Jabberjaw" was a prime example of a lowpoint in Saturday Morning cartoons during the mid-1970's. This particular series lumped together several concepts into a mess of a show that became one of the "worst" of the Scooby and Josie clones that were all over the place that clogged up Saturday Mornings. Produced by William Hanna and Joesph Barbera(who also served as executive producers of this show),under the direction of legendary animator Charles A. Nichols and under the creation of Joesph Ruby and Kenneth Spears(who also served as some of the writers of this show...Ruby and Spears were the head writers for a lot of Hanna-Barbera shows including "Scooby Doo,Where Are You?",and "Josie and the Pussycats" to name a few),"Jabberjaw" was nothing more than a train-wreck that happened with the quickness. Each episode had the same exact formula.

For one,"Jabberjaw"(capitalize on the popularity of the 1975 blockbuster hit "Jaws")was a whimpering talking great white shark who sounds like Curly Howard,(another one when it was the inspiration of "The Three Stooges" and some of its cartoons too including "The Three Robotic Stooges" that premiered some two years later),and mutters "I Don't Get No Respect"(a nod from comedian Rodney Dangerfield)whenever he gets in trouble and is sometimes very lame and clumsy. He travels with a band called The Neptunes(since the show is set under the sea)in a futuristic undersea realm that various on the same exact format.....stumbled into a mystery,with the lead character in tow while taking on various villains with sinister schemes. It was no wonder it lasted more than one season.

"Jabberjaw" originally ran on ABC-TV from September 11, 1976 until September 3, 1977. The series produced 16 episodes. However,ABC repeated these episodes when they moved the show to the Sunday Morning timeslot from September 11, 1977 until September 3, 1978,the last time this show was ever shown on network television. And for good reasons. "Jabberjaw",was one of the worst of the "Scooby" clones and its right up there with "Captain Caveman","The New Shmoo",and "Fangface" as the worst of that genre that featured moronic no brainer characters.

This show really sucked. It was another horrible "Scooby-Doo" ripoff show (something Hanna-Barbera did A LOT in the 1970's), execpt instead of a Great Dane for a title character, we have a Shark (but a really lame shark at that) who is protecting a band called "The Neptunes" (They do have a bit in common to our well known sleuths on "Scooby-Doo"), and in the process, they all solve mysteries. But the worst thing about this show is how Jabberjaw uses Rodney Dangerfield's signature "No Respect!" line, and Curly Howard's signature "Nyuk-Nyuk" line. What is up with that? Why didn't Dangerfield sue? Why didn't the Howard family sue (If these were my lines, I'd be taking Hanna-Barbera to court)? I guess that's a question for another time.

Bottom line: This show sucks.

As the other reviews have already pointed out, this show stole most of its ideas. The theme song is even stolen from Match Game. They always go to some town that has a name with a water pun in it and that gets old real fast. They even go as far as stealing characters from other shows, episode two has a Zorak clone. I wish I had more hands so I could give this show four thumbs down.