Roughnecks: The Starship Troopers Chronicles

For a "kids" show, this is one of the better shows on TV. There is more plot and characterization in one season of "Roughnecks" than in five years of "Voyager." The computer animation is excellent (for it's time), but it is not a crutch or the star of the show. Rather, the CGI is just a well-used tool that is used to create an excellent show.

I think this show, as a whole, is much better than the movie in many ways. It has action without being too violent, and drama without being too frightening for kids.

Even though the show is targeted at kids (older kids), there is plenty for adult sci-fi fans to enjoy: good stories, long story arcs, morals, consequences, and characters that are more real than 75% of the "real" shows on TV. The animators give the characters life and the voice actors give them souls.

I liked the "Starship Troopers" movie as far as it goes (it does get a bit repetitive, like most Verhoeven films). But, this show is totally mindless. The characters spout action movie cliches, the drama is non-existent (even by kids show standards), and every episode basically devolves immediately into random shooting. Haven't read the book, but it must have more to it than this show.

But, the animation does look nice.

Oh, I remember this show so fondly. I came across it in the summer of 1999. It was before The Sci-Fi Channel was sold to Paramount Entertainment and got ruined. From 7AM to 9AM five days a week in the summers. Like many small budget, yet effective, channels it was a BKN (Big Kids Network) outlet. They played a lot of mid-level budget cartoons those days in the morning. Mummies Alive, Extreme Ghostbusters and Roughnecks.

I remember so fondly waking up in the morning and lounging in bed watching Roughnecks. Oh, man I miss my youth. It's right up there with the one summer Sci-Fi played nothing but Anime when I was sick for two months and did nothing but watch it and sleep.

I just can't get enough of this show. Saw it in syndication and it just blew me away. It does a good job creating the illusion of the war with the bugs. The music is what first grabbed by attention, and the excelent writing kept me there. Decent visuals with plot situations that did not seemed to be contrived. Good serises for kids, but also enjoyable by adults. Any chance the last few episodes will be made?

This animated series was better than the movie (though I love the movie too), but was unfinished. There were only 37 episodes (though you can see several that never aired on the "Trackers DVD). The problem is that the series ended before the Roughnecks saved earth and kill the Queen. THat being said there were many more positives. First, the animation was top quality (though I would have gone for traditional cartoon over computers). Secondly the character development was fantastic. Thirdly, the "serial" nature of the episodes were reminiscent of some of the old 40's serials. The story starts out on Pluto were the Roughnecks are sent to save miners from the Arachnids. After Pluto is saved, the Roughnecks go to Hydora a waterworld (and probably the best campaign) to find the transport bug which had escaped Pluto. From there they go to Tophet, were we meet the "Skinnies," a race of aliens who are controlled by the Bugs. After liberating the Skinnies, the Roughnecks move onto Tesca, a jungle campaign where the Roughnecks must battle spiders and prejudice. From Tesca, the Roughnecks are marooned on an asteroid infested with "Firefrys" and a living asteroid. From here they attack the Bugs on their home world of Klandathu were they discover the bug queen. The Bug Queen escapes and heads to earth where the series culminates with the "Homefront Campaign."

Good Luck Apes!