[TMC]

In this video Troy is looking at The Super Friends Season 1 cartoon that was produced by Hanna-Barbera Production and premiered on ABC on the 8th of September, 1973. This wasn't just another cartoon. It was a massive undertaking, bringing together the absolute titans of the DC Comics universe for the very first time as a regular animated series. After it aired on the ABC network it becoming a cornerstone of their Saturday morning line-up and for many kids, this was their very first introduction to the likes of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman. So in the beginning, ABC executive Fred Silverman wanted a superhero show for his Saturday morning line up and he reached out to DC Comics, which at the time was eager to expand their brand beyond the comic book pages, and the deal was struck. So, who was tapped to bring this ambitious project to life? Look no further than the undisputed kings of Saturday morning animation: Hanna-Barbera Productions. Having already conquered the airwaves with classics like The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and The Jetsons, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera were no strangers to creating enduring franchises. And they came up with a plan aimed at creating a show that was both entertaining and educational, often with moral lessons woven into the plots. But Hanna-Barbera were facing a challenge. A group called Action for Children’s Television (ACT) was putting massive pressure on networks to remove "violence" from kids' programming. Which left the writers, led by Jameson Brewer, in a tight spot, as they had the world’s most powerful beings like Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman but they weren’t allowed to hit anybody. No punches, no kicks, no lasers to the face. Instead, the heroes spent Season 1 dealing with misguided scientists, environmental disasters or ....... an alien who just needed a hug.