I was only 8 when I watched this, only I ended up hating it. But yet, Duane Poole, one of the producers, has said that it was meant to be a spin-off of Happy Days. Oh please, JUST WHO DOES HE EVEN THINK HE'S KIDDING????? DREAM ON. Happy Days, in spite of its melodramatic moments on occasion, was an OK show, but in retrospect, I honestly can't help but think this (along with two other animated versions of Garry Marshall shows, Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy) was much worse. I mean, the similarities between this and the 60's sci-fi family drama Lost in Space are already way too obvious. But yet, Hanna-Barbera just kept doing the same old rehash from their previous shows, say, like, another Lost in Space rip-off from the mid-70's, Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space. Even though I was born in '72, I'll still stick with Schoolhouse Rock, Richie Rich (one of the *better* Hanna-Barbera shows), and the Krofft Supershow compared to this pathetic drivel.
Reviews
5 Reviews
Small Wonder
(1985–1989)
Was Alice Ghostley (God rest her soul) so desperate for work, she's moonlighting on both SW and Designing Women?????
14 September 2021
Out of all the no-brainer sitcoms out there, why did Alice Ghostley, best known for playing the Stephens' neurotic witch maid Esmeralda in the 60's sitcom Bewitched, take on the role of nosy neighbor Brandon Brindle's sister Ida Mae, in either Season 2 or 3? She actually did much have better lines on the CBS sitcom Designing Women, also in Season 2 or 3 (don't know which) as the ladies' client friend Bernice Chifton. For example, in one episode the ladies take on their minister as to why there aren't any women ministers in today's church. Alice, as Bernice, gives him a sharp smart aleck comeback, "Put that in your pulpit and smoke it!" Hilarious laughter erupts from the audience. (Oh sure, just because this is a sitcom without any kids, geared at an more adult audience, they have to save the better lines and jokes where they just erroneously assume the adults will enjoy and appreciate them better. Oh, PLEASE.) But unfortunately on Small Wonder, on the other hand, Alice as the Lawsons' nosy neighbor Brandon Brindle's sister Ida Mae, in the first episode where Brandon introduces her to the Lawsons, Alice just turns to her TV brother and gives an unfunny line with "You're right. They are too much like Ken and Barbie!" OH MY GOD, then the canned laughter ensues.
Back in 1990 (yes, it was that long ago, believe it or not), I was at my local grocery store, waiting in line at the customer courtesy booth, there was this lady in front of me with her small kids, the clerk waiting on her greets her, and the lady just blurts out, "You're just like that little girl (Harriet) on Small Wonder, 'HI!!!!!!!' " WOW, JUST WHAT KIND OF A NORMAL, SELF-RESPECTING PARENT WOULD CONDONE SUCH IDIOTIC GARBAGE FOR THEIR KIDS TO WATCH ON TV?????
The following line is from is the 1997 autobiography of beloved kids' TV show host Bob "Captain Kangaroo" Keeshan (1927-2004), "Good Morning, Captain" which happens to be VERY relevant then as it is today with what's on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon right now: "Too many producers and television executives tend to think that a child audience is inferior in its ability to judge performance." Coming from a man whose own TV show lasted on the air for 30 years until it was struck down in 1984 by an FCC chairman, a longtime proponent of deregulation appointed by then-president Ronald Reagan, well-put and well-stated, hands down, no question 😠
Back in 1990 (yes, it was that long ago, believe it or not), I was at my local grocery store, waiting in line at the customer courtesy booth, there was this lady in front of me with her small kids, the clerk waiting on her greets her, and the lady just blurts out, "You're just like that little girl (Harriet) on Small Wonder, 'HI!!!!!!!' " WOW, JUST WHAT KIND OF A NORMAL, SELF-RESPECTING PARENT WOULD CONDONE SUCH IDIOTIC GARBAGE FOR THEIR KIDS TO WATCH ON TV?????
The following line is from is the 1997 autobiography of beloved kids' TV show host Bob "Captain Kangaroo" Keeshan (1927-2004), "Good Morning, Captain" which happens to be VERY relevant then as it is today with what's on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon right now: "Too many producers and television executives tend to think that a child audience is inferior in its ability to judge performance." Coming from a man whose own TV show lasted on the air for 30 years until it was struck down in 1984 by an FCC chairman, a longtime proponent of deregulation appointed by then-president Ronald Reagan, well-put and well-stated, hands down, no question 😠
Are pooping jokes really acceptable for kids'/family-oriented sitcom????
25 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Even though I don't have any kids, however, nobody knows how much this episode, along with the whole entire show itself, really makes me want to vomit, you have no idea. Captain Man and his equally goofy sidekick, Kid Danger, are trying so desperately to get a pigeon away from Swellview's newest attraction, the Envygram Wall, only to have the pigeon poop TWICE RIGHT IN CAPTAIN MAN'S MOUTH IN THAT SAME EPISODE. But by the end of that episode, Captain Man says he's used to it. But yet, they expect kids and their families to relax and enjoy (pardon the expression, no pun intended) this garbage????? Absolutely no class, NO STYLE (and it's not at all a question of being politically correct neither.) 😝😝😝😝😝👎👎👎👎👎
Zoobilee Zoo
(1986–1988)
Can't believe Peggy Charren and her Action for Children's Television openly endorsed this......
19 December 2018
OMG, where to begin? While it's one thing to expose children to the visual and performing arts, which I'm all for, but then again, just why did Hallmark and DIC (the very same people behind Inspector Gadget, the Littles, and the cheap Heathcliff remake), have to make it so baby-ish? The pastels used for the sets and costumes here are just so hideous, so embarrassingly god-awful, it's hard to believe who in their right mind would want to watch this drivel.
To the reviewer who thought this would be a better alternative to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, for crying out loud, DREAM ON, GET A LIFE. I have to admit, I absolutely don't care for He-Man and his stupid unnecessary moral messages either. But the way Hallmark and DIC try "to give you the very best in quality children's television programming" at the start of each episode, WHAT A TOTAL CROCK. Not only are they not at all being realistic, it's hard to believe if they're were playing with a full deck when they did this for that matter. Why couldn't Peggy Charren and her Action for Children's Television (ACT) group endorse REAL quality kids' shows like Square One Television, or the Wonderworks anthology series (they don't make kids' anthology shows anymore which is sad) both of which used to air on PBS? Or Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre, which was on HBO, but now available on DVD? All those held my interest where they actually fun and enjoyable to watch. Those were actual good shows that ACT had lobbied for all along, but with Zoobilee Zoo? PLEASE, COME ON. But oh well, at least Ms. Charren and ACT also endorsed 3-2-1 Contact: a Discussion about Sex (which is available on VHS), because they DO deserve the benefit of the doubt right there. But with a show like Zoobilee Zoo, WOW, DID THEY REALLY HIT AN ALL-TIME LOW, NO QUESTION 😝😝😝👎👎👎
One last postscript: if I want to watch kids' TV show performers in animal suits, I'll tune in to clips of the 1968 old-school Banana Splits off YouTube. Since I'm a 70's child born in 1972, that was one of my all-time favorites growing up, still is, even to this very day. I really can't help it if I'm biased, but I don't watch most TV shows past 1980, because I honestly can't help but feel most TV shows and cartoons are all downhill from there. Yes, I know I'm old-school, but I also like to march to my own drummer however and whichever way I like and see fit, only without Hollywood telling me what's en vogue and what isn't. (But then again, I don't always trust the judgment of Peggy Charren and her ACT group neither. Maybe some of the time, but 99% of the time, no way, ABSOLUTELY NO WAY, forget it. Yeah, sure, right, I know, you either love her or hate her, no two ways at all about it.)
To the reviewer who thought this would be a better alternative to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, for crying out loud, DREAM ON, GET A LIFE. I have to admit, I absolutely don't care for He-Man and his stupid unnecessary moral messages either. But the way Hallmark and DIC try "to give you the very best in quality children's television programming" at the start of each episode, WHAT A TOTAL CROCK. Not only are they not at all being realistic, it's hard to believe if they're were playing with a full deck when they did this for that matter. Why couldn't Peggy Charren and her Action for Children's Television (ACT) group endorse REAL quality kids' shows like Square One Television, or the Wonderworks anthology series (they don't make kids' anthology shows anymore which is sad) both of which used to air on PBS? Or Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre, which was on HBO, but now available on DVD? All those held my interest where they actually fun and enjoyable to watch. Those were actual good shows that ACT had lobbied for all along, but with Zoobilee Zoo? PLEASE, COME ON. But oh well, at least Ms. Charren and ACT also endorsed 3-2-1 Contact: a Discussion about Sex (which is available on VHS), because they DO deserve the benefit of the doubt right there. But with a show like Zoobilee Zoo, WOW, DID THEY REALLY HIT AN ALL-TIME LOW, NO QUESTION 😝😝😝👎👎👎
One last postscript: if I want to watch kids' TV show performers in animal suits, I'll tune in to clips of the 1968 old-school Banana Splits off YouTube. Since I'm a 70's child born in 1972, that was one of my all-time favorites growing up, still is, even to this very day. I really can't help it if I'm biased, but I don't watch most TV shows past 1980, because I honestly can't help but feel most TV shows and cartoons are all downhill from there. Yes, I know I'm old-school, but I also like to march to my own drummer however and whichever way I like and see fit, only without Hollywood telling me what's en vogue and what isn't. (But then again, I don't always trust the judgment of Peggy Charren and her ACT group neither. Maybe some of the time, but 99% of the time, no way, ABSOLUTELY NO WAY, forget it. Yeah, sure, right, I know, you either love her or hate her, no two ways at all about it.)
Henry Danger
(2014–2020)
Unfunny, does nothing but flat-out cheapen the superhero genre as a whole >:(
24 September 2017
Ever since this went on the air three years ago, at first, I thought it sounded like a cute but interesting premise: a 13-year-old who lands a job as a sidekick to a bumbling, inept superhero crime- fighter who fumbles in spite of all his best intentions. But unfortunately, after seeing over a dozen episodes (yes, that's right), I haven't at all found any of them to be funny, amusing, or even remotely entertaining. In fact, just the opposite: just a cheesy, shallow, over-the-top no-brainer that has gone nowhere, where all the other superhero shows before it, has already sunk so low like anybody wouldn't believe, while leaving a huge mark on its young audience. Here's why:
1.) When Henry gets hired in Junk-and-Stuff (which sounds like an obvious nod to the Sid and Marty Krofft kids' show Mutt and Stuff currently on Nickelodeon right now), he meets his boss Ray, only to find out he's Captain Man, Swellview's Number One hotshot superhero crime-fighter. (Just what kind of a name is that for a superhero anyway????) He then lands another part-time job, only as sidekick Kid Danger to the Captain, which comes with a bonus: $10 an hour. OMG, come on. As the show progresses, we see the Captain and Kid Danger entertain at kids' birthday parties, giving contest prize giveaways/tours of the Man-Cave, and fooling and messing around all types of stupid off-the-wall gadgetry. Oh, please. Most other superhero TV shows and/or movies show their main characters going over and beyond the call of duty, doing what they're SUPPOSED to be doing, not lose themselves in any silly perks or any stupid fringe benefits that come with their public image. Not only does it bear a strong resemblance to the 1960's Batman, it also does have the same tone, and the same look of another show the Kroffts did in the 1970's called ElectraWoman and DynaGirl, in which they just a measly seven episodes. However, at the same time, it was more of an action- adventure show, in which if anybody out there ever saw it, those two ladies really were ALL action, all business, and also had MUCH MORE ON THE BALL THAN YOU WOULD EVER EVEN EXPECT, HANDS DOWN, NOT ENJOYING ALL THE SILLY PERKS THAT COME WITH SUPERHERO CRIME- FIGHTING. SERIOUSLY, NO QUESTION. Just because it has the same tone, the same look, doesn't at all mean it's on the same level. In fact, far from it. So leave it to Dan Schneider, himself a 1970s child born in 1966, to twist the memories of us old-school fanboys and then condone it for cheap laughs. Ha. Nice.
2.) Henry's parents are already totally unaware of the double life that he's leading, so correct me if I'm wrong, isn't there a federal law which mandates that anybody over the age of 16, who takes on a part-time job, but should do so with the full consent of his/her parents, that they ought to be fully aware of what kind of line of work he/she is in, or in Henry's case, his TWO part-time jobs? (Or never mind if Captain Man breaks the law in this particular case for that matter, right?)
3.) I seem to remember reading from WIZARD magazine when the Dark Knight movie came out ten years ago, director Christopher Nolan has said he intentionally left out Batman's sidekick Robin, only because to Nolan, wherever Robin is involved, it raises up the "camp level" using the 1960's Batman and all the cartoon versions after that as examples. Gee, I really didn't think that came with a hitch in the last and final season of the Superfriends cartoon, nor in the 1990's Batman cartoon, which showed Robin, as Dick Grayson, away at college. In fact, a lot of it in both the cartoon versions actually were VERY sharp and well-written, with plenty of thrills and action (to boot). So, my point? Never mind if you're proving Christopher Nolan right, Dan Schneider, if he gets the last laugh. Being one of the top sci-fi directors in the film industry, he just gets to have his way anyway regardless, just by leaving out any kids, or any goofy sidekicks for that matter. But to me, this is only just Batman or ElectraWoman, only being re-done as Full House or the Teen Titans cartoon. Again, real nice, Mr. Schneider.
4.) And Henry's annoying little sister Piper? Even though she might a bad role model for kids everywhere, she's the least of my worries. I would say Ray/Captain Man and his goofy narcissism is much, much, MUCH worse. Besides, I've gotten tons more laughs watching Powderpuff Girls, the Disney superhero high school comedy Sky High, and Kim Possible. Real, genuine superhero comedies/cartoons with plenty of heart and laughs. But Henry Danger? No way, forget it.
AND, one thing I have noticed (even though I'm sure most people whether they love or hate the show could care less, but I'm posting it anyway)---is with Dan Schneider's sudden departure, the show has gone on summer hiatus. But why? Not only because they're gearing up for season 5, but also no doubt they can't handle the competition from Disney/Pixar's Incredibles 2, which is already getting rave reviews and smashing B.O. records (even hitting the $1 billion mark). So, in other words, everyone at Nickelodeon already know their No. 1 show is the cheesier, more inferior of the two. It's just that come September, once all the hoopla surrounding the movie is done and over with, the sitcom, or no-brainer of a show, whatever you want to call it, will go back to the same old routine of asinine lunacy. Because to quote the British lay theologian CS Lewis, "A children's story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story." Yes, GOOD POINT. The same also goes with TV shows and cartoons, no question.
Even though I know there are going to be a lot of '80s and '90s kids, as well as milennials, who could care less about the following point since it was written by somebody before their time, but what the hell, I'm posting it anyway: as the longtime host Bob Keeshan (1928-2004) behind the long-running kids' show Captain Kangaroo, which ran from 1955 to 1984, wrote this about Hollywood's current attitude towards kids' TV in his 1996 autobiography, which happens to be VERY relevant, even to this day: "Too many producers and television executives feel that a child audience is inferior in its ability to judge performance. (Which already includes Dan Schneider and his his Nickelodeon cronies as well.) 'It's only a kids show,' is an expression I have heard far too often in a business that often denigrates young audiences. Never on 'Captain Kangaroo.' Our audience demanded and deserved the best." But then again to quote Anonymous Animator X from YouTube, about his work on the Kid Danger cartoon spin-off, which best exemplifies what Bob was talking about: "Kids don't give a rat's ass about Hollywood in-jokes." OMG, DOWNRIGHT SAD HOW SUCH ATTITUDES ARE STILL PREVALENT IN HOLLYWOOD, EVEN TO THIS DAY 😝
Not to be preachy, but as Bob further writes in his memoirs: "Everyone involved with our show believed that our young audience was composed of intelligent human beings worthy of our respect and with potentially good taste. The show was not a lesson but entertainment of the highest quality." In other words, when Bob uses such words as "potentially good taste" and "of highest quality", not to be getting on any stupid high-horse tangents such as censorship or political correctness, or not drag it down as some silly, moronic, off-the-wall no-brainer for that matter. Bob, God rest his soul, really actually could fully empathize with the needs and wants of children and knew how to best suit television to them. Both The Incredibles and Sky High were very tastefully well-done; but Henry Danger and a lot of the other TV shows and cartoons on Nickelodeon and even Disney Channel right now? NO WAY, FORGET IT 😝😝😝😝
Though I have to admit, I am not an entertainment critic nor am I a Hollywood insider, all I was doing in my sixth paragraph is pointing out a connection that looks fairly obvious to me. So having said all that, Henry Danger is NO Sky High, it is NO Incredibles, and it ABSOLUTELY is NO 1970's ElectraWoman and DynaGirl. Because like I said, Henry Danger just sucks of asinine lunacy. Period.
1.) When Henry gets hired in Junk-and-Stuff (which sounds like an obvious nod to the Sid and Marty Krofft kids' show Mutt and Stuff currently on Nickelodeon right now), he meets his boss Ray, only to find out he's Captain Man, Swellview's Number One hotshot superhero crime-fighter. (Just what kind of a name is that for a superhero anyway????) He then lands another part-time job, only as sidekick Kid Danger to the Captain, which comes with a bonus: $10 an hour. OMG, come on. As the show progresses, we see the Captain and Kid Danger entertain at kids' birthday parties, giving contest prize giveaways/tours of the Man-Cave, and fooling and messing around all types of stupid off-the-wall gadgetry. Oh, please. Most other superhero TV shows and/or movies show their main characters going over and beyond the call of duty, doing what they're SUPPOSED to be doing, not lose themselves in any silly perks or any stupid fringe benefits that come with their public image. Not only does it bear a strong resemblance to the 1960's Batman, it also does have the same tone, and the same look of another show the Kroffts did in the 1970's called ElectraWoman and DynaGirl, in which they just a measly seven episodes. However, at the same time, it was more of an action- adventure show, in which if anybody out there ever saw it, those two ladies really were ALL action, all business, and also had MUCH MORE ON THE BALL THAN YOU WOULD EVER EVEN EXPECT, HANDS DOWN, NOT ENJOYING ALL THE SILLY PERKS THAT COME WITH SUPERHERO CRIME- FIGHTING. SERIOUSLY, NO QUESTION. Just because it has the same tone, the same look, doesn't at all mean it's on the same level. In fact, far from it. So leave it to Dan Schneider, himself a 1970s child born in 1966, to twist the memories of us old-school fanboys and then condone it for cheap laughs. Ha. Nice.
2.) Henry's parents are already totally unaware of the double life that he's leading, so correct me if I'm wrong, isn't there a federal law which mandates that anybody over the age of 16, who takes on a part-time job, but should do so with the full consent of his/her parents, that they ought to be fully aware of what kind of line of work he/she is in, or in Henry's case, his TWO part-time jobs? (Or never mind if Captain Man breaks the law in this particular case for that matter, right?)
3.) I seem to remember reading from WIZARD magazine when the Dark Knight movie came out ten years ago, director Christopher Nolan has said he intentionally left out Batman's sidekick Robin, only because to Nolan, wherever Robin is involved, it raises up the "camp level" using the 1960's Batman and all the cartoon versions after that as examples. Gee, I really didn't think that came with a hitch in the last and final season of the Superfriends cartoon, nor in the 1990's Batman cartoon, which showed Robin, as Dick Grayson, away at college. In fact, a lot of it in both the cartoon versions actually were VERY sharp and well-written, with plenty of thrills and action (to boot). So, my point? Never mind if you're proving Christopher Nolan right, Dan Schneider, if he gets the last laugh. Being one of the top sci-fi directors in the film industry, he just gets to have his way anyway regardless, just by leaving out any kids, or any goofy sidekicks for that matter. But to me, this is only just Batman or ElectraWoman, only being re-done as Full House or the Teen Titans cartoon. Again, real nice, Mr. Schneider.
4.) And Henry's annoying little sister Piper? Even though she might a bad role model for kids everywhere, she's the least of my worries. I would say Ray/Captain Man and his goofy narcissism is much, much, MUCH worse. Besides, I've gotten tons more laughs watching Powderpuff Girls, the Disney superhero high school comedy Sky High, and Kim Possible. Real, genuine superhero comedies/cartoons with plenty of heart and laughs. But Henry Danger? No way, forget it.
AND, one thing I have noticed (even though I'm sure most people whether they love or hate the show could care less, but I'm posting it anyway)---is with Dan Schneider's sudden departure, the show has gone on summer hiatus. But why? Not only because they're gearing up for season 5, but also no doubt they can't handle the competition from Disney/Pixar's Incredibles 2, which is already getting rave reviews and smashing B.O. records (even hitting the $1 billion mark). So, in other words, everyone at Nickelodeon already know their No. 1 show is the cheesier, more inferior of the two. It's just that come September, once all the hoopla surrounding the movie is done and over with, the sitcom, or no-brainer of a show, whatever you want to call it, will go back to the same old routine of asinine lunacy. Because to quote the British lay theologian CS Lewis, "A children's story which is enjoyed only by children is a bad children's story." Yes, GOOD POINT. The same also goes with TV shows and cartoons, no question.
Even though I know there are going to be a lot of '80s and '90s kids, as well as milennials, who could care less about the following point since it was written by somebody before their time, but what the hell, I'm posting it anyway: as the longtime host Bob Keeshan (1928-2004) behind the long-running kids' show Captain Kangaroo, which ran from 1955 to 1984, wrote this about Hollywood's current attitude towards kids' TV in his 1996 autobiography, which happens to be VERY relevant, even to this day: "Too many producers and television executives feel that a child audience is inferior in its ability to judge performance. (Which already includes Dan Schneider and his his Nickelodeon cronies as well.) 'It's only a kids show,' is an expression I have heard far too often in a business that often denigrates young audiences. Never on 'Captain Kangaroo.' Our audience demanded and deserved the best." But then again to quote Anonymous Animator X from YouTube, about his work on the Kid Danger cartoon spin-off, which best exemplifies what Bob was talking about: "Kids don't give a rat's ass about Hollywood in-jokes." OMG, DOWNRIGHT SAD HOW SUCH ATTITUDES ARE STILL PREVALENT IN HOLLYWOOD, EVEN TO THIS DAY 😝
Not to be preachy, but as Bob further writes in his memoirs: "Everyone involved with our show believed that our young audience was composed of intelligent human beings worthy of our respect and with potentially good taste. The show was not a lesson but entertainment of the highest quality." In other words, when Bob uses such words as "potentially good taste" and "of highest quality", not to be getting on any stupid high-horse tangents such as censorship or political correctness, or not drag it down as some silly, moronic, off-the-wall no-brainer for that matter. Bob, God rest his soul, really actually could fully empathize with the needs and wants of children and knew how to best suit television to them. Both The Incredibles and Sky High were very tastefully well-done; but Henry Danger and a lot of the other TV shows and cartoons on Nickelodeon and even Disney Channel right now? NO WAY, FORGET IT 😝😝😝😝
Though I have to admit, I am not an entertainment critic nor am I a Hollywood insider, all I was doing in my sixth paragraph is pointing out a connection that looks fairly obvious to me. So having said all that, Henry Danger is NO Sky High, it is NO Incredibles, and it ABSOLUTELY is NO 1970's ElectraWoman and DynaGirl. Because like I said, Henry Danger just sucks of asinine lunacy. Period.
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