jimandandrealetters

One of the more influential of the mid-60s Hanna-Barbara cartoons, this fondly remembered pure piece of action showed a dozen racers using tricked up racers that would make James Bond's Q drool - and if you ever want to start a discussion among middle aged cartoon freaks, ask them to name the racers and their vehicles. Number one was the Bouldermobile, driven by Rock and Gravel. It was a rock on wheels, sort of like what Fred Flintstone drove, only a little less sophisticated. As were Rock and Gravel. Number two was the Creepy Coupe, a haunted house on wheels (haunted mobile home?) The Gruesome Twosome drove, but the various supernatural inhabitants of the car did all the work, from additional speed to the occasional dirty trick. Number three was the Convertacar, driven by Professor Pat Pending. A transformer that makes Optimus Prime look like a wannabe, this rolling Swiss army knife could do just about anything but win consistently. Number four was the Crimson Haybailer, driven by the prerequisite Prussian, WWI ace The Red Max. Couldn't have a show based on The Great Race without a German, after all. His vehicle had one of the better names, but one of the poorer vehicles, lacking most of the comic accessories of the others. Number five was the Compact Pussycat, driven by Penelope Pitstop, southern belle and token female. More an automated beauty salon on wheels than a racer, it did not make the jump to the sequel show, The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. Number six was The Army Surplus Special, driven by Sargeant Blast and Private Meekly. It may not have been the fastest, but it carried the most firepower. Number seven is the vehicle which is sure to cause the most geeky argument. The Ant Hill Mob drives a vehicle called "their Bulletproof Bomb" in the opening credits - but which is referred to during one of the episodes as The Roaring Plenty. Whatever the name, it had no special features except for the hole in the floor which allowed the Mob to put their collective feet to good use. This team also would find a second chance at stardom in The Perils of Penelope Pitstop. Number eight, The Arkansas Chugabug, was the pride and joy of hillbilly Luke and his cowardly bear, Blubber. Hard to say what needed the most explanation - how a plank on wheels with a potbellied stove could go 0-60 in 5 seconds, or how Luke managed to steer it. Number nine was the Turbo Terrific, driven by Peter Perfect. Another great name for a car with no real ability except to go to pieces on a regular basis. Number ten was The Buzzwagon, driven by Rufus Ruffcut and his beaver co-pilot, Sawtooth. The car I have always thought of as the Canadian entry, this log cabin with saw-blade wheels must have been hard on the backside, but I imagine the superhumanly strong Rufus could handle it. Certainly he had no problems with traction. Finally, car 00 was The Mean Machine, driven by Dick Dastardly and Muttley. As versatile as the Convertacar and as well armed as the Surplus Special, it also went to pieces far too often, due to its villainous driver's evil plans. Dick and Muttley would get their own show together, but it would be Muttley with his distinctive snicker who would go on to appear again and again in other cartoons.

Mr. Terrific is a show with many fathers. Batman, whose campy TV show had been burning up the airwaves, naturally inspired copycats. Another DC comic book character was also a big influence - the mildly obscure 40s hero Hourman. Rex "Tick Tock" Tyler, a pharmacist, invented a drug called Miraclo which would give him super powers for one hour. Unfortunately, following all these formulas left the series very formulaic. His powers were the standard Superman set - he could fly, was bulletproof, and could lift houses. It was not a super hero show, though. Instead of super villains, the hero battled spies. His 1 hour power pill was almost guaranteed to wear off just as he needed his powers most, leaving him to find some way of getting at his 10 minute booster pill. Plus, there was Dick Gautier's character, a Lothario of a best friend, who had to both be kept in the dark and rescued on occasion, and the hero's mother - ditto. After cancellation, they combined a couple of the episodes into a made-for-TV movie. All the elements are there - the spies, the pill problems, the hero's friends. If you see the movie, you've seen the show. Not a bad program, fitting in well with the late Sixties brand of screwball comedy. If you like Gilligan's Island, or imagined Get Smart with super powers, you would like it. But you'd like The Greatest American Hero better. Same idea, better execution.