Spider-Man (TV Series) The Power of Dr. Octopus/Sub-Zero for Spidey (1967) User Reviews

Revisiting a childhood favorite

[Fluke_Skywalker · 7/10 · 20 August 2016]

Plot; Peter Parker is sent by his boss, J. Jonah Jameson, to investigate strange lights being reported by citizens across the city. Parker, as his alter ego Spider-Man, stumbles on a plot by the villain Dr. Octopus to use his new pulse weapon to create chaos across the city.

For many Gen-Xers, this was our introduction to the Spidey and his world. I was born in 1974, but by the late 70s this series was airing in syndication during the afternoon, and I would often watch it twice (once on my local station, and then again right afterward when it aired on a station in nearby Cincinnati). I was, to put it mildly, a Spider-Man fanatic, going twice as the webslinger for Halloween.

Revisiting this cartoon for the first time in decades was a treat because I'd forgotten so much. There's no origin story here. No explanation of who Peter Parker is or how got his powers. We're just dropped in on his world fully formed. I also don't remember the series consisting of two, 10-minute episodes (hence my labeling this "Ep.1A"). What I enjoyed most was the fact that Spidey here, though suddenly sounding like a 45 year old accountant when he switches from Peter, retains his famous sense of humor.

Dr. Octopus: "Spider-Man, no one can interfere with my plan!" Spider-Man: "Looks like I caught you with your plans down."

"Looks like I caught you with your plans down."

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 21 January 2024]

'The Power of Dr. Octopus'

Foregoing an origin story (we wouldn't get one until season two), we're just dropped into Peter Parkers' / Spider-Mans' crime-fighting world right off the bat. Peter gets word of "mystery lights" plaguing upstate New York, and, once in disguise as Spider-Man, finds that one of his many colorful enemies, Dr. Octopus, is responsible. Doc Ock plans world domination, as so many bad guys before and after him, by causing mass destruction throughout NYC. Here, this segment immediately establishes the formula in which Spidey wouldn't always have the upper hand, but his determination and ingenuity allow him to save the day in the end. The writers also come up with some absolutely hilarious wisecracks for Spidey to utter, especially his response to Doc Ocks' line "Spider-Man, nobody must interfere with my plans."

'Sub-Zero for Spidey'

During the middle of a heatwave, all sort of objects are starting to freeze solid. Peter, intending to interview scientist Dr. Smartyr, finds that a large, intimidating form of snowmen / spacemen (from Pluto!) are behind it all - and that Dr. Smartyr figures into their plans. For characters that are supposedly benign, the Plutonians do an awful lot of damage (such as freezing an entire high-rise), but otherwise I enjoyed the writing. Best of all are the booby-traps Spidey experiences while exploring the Plutonians' hideaway, an enormous iceberg in New York harbor.

Overall, these segments are good fun. I saw this whole series MANY times over during its decades of syndication, and it's probably going to be a real hoot revisiting a show that was a staple of my youth.

Eight out of 10.