Hong Kong Phooey

In the mid 1970's Hanna-Barbera began to make cartoons that were based on real-life trends. From "Devlin" (Evil Knevil), to "Jabberjaw" ("Jaws"), and "These are the Days" ("The Waltons"), they were great concepts (execpt "Jabberjaw" that one sucks). But the best show they did at this time was a show that focused on martial arts, and that show was "Hong Kong Phooey".

This show was cool for so many reasons: First off, we have Penrod who's just a janitor dog, but he also has a double life as a martial arts crime fighter who along with his sidekick a cat named Spot, would always stop criminals in a way that inspired other toons like "Inspector Gadget" (In which someone else solves the crime, but the hero gets all the credit when he/she does nothing but bumble) but in a different kind of way in which our feline sidekick isn't pleased that he doesn't get the credit he really deserves since he solved the crimes himself!

I got to admit, this is up there with many of H-B'S other greats ("Scooby-Doo", "Flinstones", "Jetsons" etc.). Hopefully, Cartoon Network will get it together, and air all of the 16 eps again like they used to.10/10

Penrod Pooch leads a secret life as Hong Kong Phooey a Kung Fu crime fighter. His faithful sidekick Spot the cat usually solved the crimes, but that was only a part of the charm. Rosemary the Telephone operator had a mad crush on the hero never realizing that Penry was the one and only Hong Kong Phooey..

Too bad the show only lasted 16 episodes. Hong Kong Phooey is not totally helpless... He caught the guys in Car Theves, and caught the Cat burglar in Grandma Goody. He would have had the claw if Spot hadn't used the claw to block Phooey from really getting the claw. He would have had the Giggler too if Spot did not kick open the Jack in the Box to grab him just seconds before Phooey lands in the very spot where the giggler stood...

Scatman Coruthers was great as Phooey! As was Joe E Ross as the Gruff Sgt Flint. I hope the series gets the DVD treatment... I miss this show. It planted the seeds for the love of the Martial arts. Hong Kong Phooey had a cool car too! Classic show!

My nostalgia trip is going full-force. This year alone I have gone through the Flintstones, Top Cat, Scooby-Doo and numerous other Cartoon Network classics. Hong Kong Phooey was another one off my list, but I have to say I do not have many memories of it as a child. With so few episodes it is easy to understand why, but I was willing to pay the small amount to try and re-live my childhood.

Let's get this straight; Hong Kong Phooey comes from a simpler time when cartoonists had much more slack from censorship. The title alone is enough to stir controversy today. Add to that a stereotypical goofy robe and faux karate moves (with plenty "Hiyaaahhh's") and you have a cartoon that wouldn't even get past pre-pre- pre-production today! However, as I said, it is a reflection of the time it was created in.

Penry, a lowly janitor of a police station, forms the basis of Hong Kong Phooey's alter ego. He is clumsy and incompetent and yet somehow clings onto his job. His superhero counterpart is equally as useful, but his trusty sidekick gets the job done whilst Hong Kong Phooey gets the praise. It is a simple formula that forms the basis of every episode. For the first few episodes it was entertaining, however it grew somewhat repetitive and many episodes seemed to merge into one. Perhaps this is why I had so few memories of this as a child.

Although I have mentioned many negatives, I did enjoy watching this short series, although I do rank other Hanna-Barbera classics much higher. The villains in some episodes were hilarious in their own right. I mean, a guy with a contraption that makes it rain uses it to sell umbrellas...genius, right? Also, the racial stereotypes themselves made me laugh but not in the way they were originally intended. It was more like a "I can't believe they got away with this" kind of way!

If you have some spare time and cash, you might want to give this show a watch. It is short, will fulfil your nostalgia trip and is probably about as close as we are going to get to time travel. Despite its obvious flaws, Hong Kong Phooey remains a Hanna- Barbera classic for a reason.

The appeal of Hong Kong Phooey can be summed by one name, Scatman Crothers. One of the most talented individuals ever hired by Hanna Barbera to do voice overs. He pretty much carried this cartoon during it's scant 16 episode run. Quirky one liners and his constant talking to the audience seperated Hong Kong Phooey from the rest. Hanna Barbera ruled the seventies TV cartoon market. IF Cartoon Network would get off the anime band wagon(FAT CHANCE)they would have time to show some American classics such as this. Great Theme Song.

Hong Kong Phooey is classic oldie humor, like Huckleberry Hound and Snagglepuss. I watched it when I was little, and I still think it is funny. I have yet to meet a kid who thought it was racist or acted that way because of it; in my opinion, it is a whole lot better influence than the current violent Anime shows. Not that you have to respect characters for a show to be worthwhile, but I have far more respect for Hong Kong Phooey and the gang than I do for people who post comments about drugs and lacing others' drinks with toxic substances on a site about a movie that young adults watch. No one expects cartoons to be classic dramatic works of art. Hong Kong Phooey is a light-hearted comedy that is safe for kids to watch and funny for adults, too. Lighten up and just enjoy it!