What is the best season/incarnation of "Super Friends"

[TMC]

Super Friends (1973)





The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)





Challenge of the Superfriends (1978)





The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979)





Super Friends (1980)





Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984)





The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985)

• SATURDAY MORNINGS FOREVER: SUPER FRIENDS
  
• Super Friends: History of the Animated Series
  
• TV Tropes: Western Animation » Super Friends

[TMC]

To clarify, there are technically, nine seasons of Super Friends, lasting from 1973-85:

• The Original Series 1973 (Wendy & Marvin era) Season One
• The All-New Super Friends Hour 1977 (Wonder Twins debut) Variety series with guest stars Season Two
• Challenge of the Super Friends 1978 (Legion of Doom) Season Three
• Super Friends 1978 (Wonder Twins) companion series to Challenge of the Super Friends Season Three
• The World's Greatest Super Friends 1979 (shortest season with the Wonder Twins) Season Four
• Super Friends Hour 1980 (shorts) Season Five
• Super Friends 1981 (second short season of shorts. Introduced El Dorado) Season Six
• Super Friends 1983 (The Lost Episodes) Season Seven
• Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show 1984 (Firestorm) Season Eight
• Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians 1985 (Cyborg. Final Graduation Series) Season Nine

[TMC]

1. What were the pros and cons of the very first incarnation of Super Friends (1973)?
   
2. What were the pros and cons of The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)?
   
3. What were the pros and cons of Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)?
   
4. What were the pros and cons of The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979)?
   
5. What were the pros and cons of the Super Friends TV series that ran from 1980-83?
   
6. What were the pros and cons of Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984)?
   
7. What were the pros and cons of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985)?

[Dude111]

I picked 1980

It was good until then......... In 1984 it started to get worse......

[TMC]

How would you rank each season of the Super Friends animated television series (1973-1985) from worst to best?

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

How would you rank each season of the Super Friends animated television series (1973-1985) from worst to best?

From ChatGPT:

Ranking the Super Friends animated series (1973–1985) from worst to best can be a little subjective, given that the show evolved over its run, and different seasons had varying tones, character rosters, and animation quality. However, I can provide a ranking based on fan reception, story quality, character development, and overall impact on the superhero genre at the time.

Here’s a general breakdown of the Super Friends series in terms of their quality and reception, from "worst" to "best":

9. The Super Friends (1973)

• Ranking: 9th (Worst)
  
• Details: This was the Super Friends’ first season, and while it introduced a number of iconic characters like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Robin, the show felt very tame and simplistic compared to later seasons. The animation was basic, the stories were overly simplistic, and the humor was aimed squarely at young children. The team dynamic wasn’t well fleshed out yet, and villains like the villainous "Super Friends" (e.g., The Brain) felt one-dimensional.
  
• Key Problems: Weak storytelling and a very basic take on the Justice League characters.

8. The Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984)

• Ranking: 8th
  
• Details: This season had a bit of a revival feel, introducing characters like Darkseid and incorporating elements from the DC Comics universe, but it still felt limited in terms of the quality of animation and character depth. The storylines improved a little, but the overall execution still felt like it wasn’t quite living up to the potential of the characters involved.
  
• Key Problems: The series was still fairly formulaic, with a focus on heroism over any real complexity or compelling drama.

7. Super Friends: The Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)

• Ranking: 7th
  
• Details: This season introduced a more dynamic threat to the heroes in the form of the Legion of Doom, which was a major upgrade from the earlier generic villains. The plotlines were a bit more engaging, with the heroes facing off against iconic villains like Lex Luthor, the Joker, and the Cheetah. However, the show's structure was still quite repetitive.
  
• Key Problems: Though the Legion of Doom was a great addition, many episodes still felt formulaic, and the character development was fairly shallow.

6. Super Friends: The World’s Greatest Super Friends (1979)

• Ranking: 6th
  
• Details: This season introduced more complex plots, and there was an effort to give the characters a little more depth. The format became more varied, and it felt like the show was trying to grow past its origins as a children’s show, but it still didn’t quite deliver on the potential of the characters.
  
• Key Problems: Some episodes still felt like they were in the mold of the previous seasons, with overly simplistic plots and lack of meaningful stakes.

5. Super Friends: Galactic Guardians (1985)

• Ranking: 5th
  
• Details: This was the final season of Super Friends, and it saw the introduction of characters like Firestorm and the return of the villainous Darkseid. The animation had improved, and there was a bit more emphasis on the action and more dynamic character interactions. The presence of new characters like Firestorm and the return of previous season antagonists added some much-needed variety.
  
• Key Strengths: Better animation and a more diverse group of heroes and villains. The storylines were slightly more mature for the time.

4. Super Friends: The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)

• Ranking: 4th
  
• Details: This season reintroduced the Super Friends in a more modernized format, with better animation quality and more exciting action. They introduced characters like Zan and Jayna (the Wonder Twins) and expanded the universe in a way that made it feel less static. However, it was still very child-focused.
  
• Key Strengths: The addition of the Wonder Twins brought in some much-needed energy and variety to the group dynamics.

3. The Super Friends: Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)

• Ranking: 3rd
  
• Details: This season is often remembered for the epic team-ups with the Legion of Doom, which gave the show a more clear structure and focus on large-scale, high-stakes battles. Villains were given more personality, and there was an increased focus on the consequences of the heroes’ actions.
  
• Key Strengths: The introduction of the Legion of Doom, with iconic villains like Lex Luthor, the Joker, and Sinestro, made the show more exciting and raised the stakes.

2. The Super Friends: World's Greatest Super Friends (1979)

• Ranking: 2nd
  
• Details: By this season, Super Friends began to explore a slightly more mature tone while still maintaining its core simplicity. The team of heroes had grown, with the inclusion of more iconic characters like Hawkman, The Flash, and Green Lantern. The plots became a bit more engaging, though still aimed at younger viewers.
  
• Key Strengths: Expanding the roster and offering slightly more engaging adventures without losing the child-friendly tone made this season one of the better entries.

1. Super Friends: The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)

• Ranking: 1st (Best)
  
• Details: This season is often regarded as the pinnacle of the Super Friends series due to its improved animation, increased focus on teamwork, and better-developed individual character arcs. The roster was diverse, with fan-favorite characters like Aquaman and Wonder Woman still leading, but there was more focus on the interactions between the team and how they could solve problems together.
  
• Key Strengths: The team dynamics were solid, and the show felt like it had a bit more depth compared to its predecessors.

In summary, the latter seasons of Super Friends are generally considered better due to their more mature themes, improved animation, and deeper storytelling. The introduction of new characters like Firestorm, and the dynamic Legion of Doom, also made these seasons stand out.

[TMC]

1. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1973)?
   
2. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)?
   
3. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)?
   
4. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979)?
   
5. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1980)?
   
6. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1981)?
   
7. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends: The Lost Episodes (1983)?
   
8. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984)?
   
9. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985)?

[Dude111]

I mi$$ the good days

[merlinjones]

Can't beat the Legion of Doom episodes.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TMC

1. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1973)?
   
2. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The All-New Super Friends Hour (1977)?
   
3. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Challenge of the Super Friends (1978)?
   
4. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The World's Greatest Super Friends (1979)?
   
5. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1980)?
   
6. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends (1981)?
   
7. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends: The Lost Episodes (1983)?
   
8. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984)?
   
9. What are the biggest creative mistakes that were made during the production of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985)?

Grok:

Super Friends (1973)

The original Super Friends series, produced by Hanna-Barbera for ABC, faced several creative missteps that contributed to its uneven reception and short two-season run. Key mistakes included:

• Overly didactic and moralistic storytelling: Episodes heavily emphasized simplistic lessons about environmentalism, tolerance, and safety, often at the expense of engaging plots. This made the show feel more like an educational cartoon than an action-adventure series, alienating older child audiences who craved more dynamic superhero action.
• Underdeveloped villains and stakes: The Legion of Doom wasn't introduced yet, so antagonists were mostly one-off mad scientists or natural disasters, lacking recurring menace or personality. This resulted in forgettable conflicts that failed to build tension or character arcs.
• Limited character utilization: Wonder Woman and Aquaman were frequently sidelined as "backup" heroes, with minimal solo adventures, reinforcing gender and role stereotypes. Superman and Batman dominated, reducing team dynamics.
• Pacing issues from live-action integration: The inclusion of live-action segments with the Wonder Twins (Zan, Jayna, and Gleek) felt disjointed and low-budget, disrupting the animated flow and adding unnecessary filler.
• Simplistic animation and design: Early 1970s limited animation techniques led to stiff character movements and bland visuals, which didn't capture the epic scope of DC Comics' heroes.

These elements made the show charming but clunky, setting a foundation that later seasons built upon—and sometimes repeated.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by merlinjones

Can't beat the Legion of Doom episodes.

To me, Challenge of the Super Friends and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians are the best seasons. With Challenge... finally got out of its didactic, "edutainment" roots that plagued the 1973 season and The All-New Super Friends Hour. With Challenge... it finally felt like there were real stakes and there was something of an on-going story arc with the Super Friends' battle with Legion of Doom. Up until then, we hadn't seen or experienced that because the first season, didn't have actual villains from the comics while The All-New Super Friends Hour was essentially, a variety show/hour long PSA ad with superheroes.

But I think that The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians ultimately wins out in the end. Like with Challenge of the Super Friends, Galactic Guardians, really showed the potential of the Super Friends franchise once it tries to go outside of its comfortable box or zone.

Galactic Guardians was when Super Friends as a series, finally felt "modern" and not like it's talking down to the audience. What I mean by that is that the prior season, Super Friends: The Legendary Super Show, still held on to the increasingly outdated, cheesy, and campy 1970s style with the Wonder Twins, the heavy-handed Bill Woodson narration, the simplistic Alex Toth design, the one-dimensional, black and white sense of morality, etc.

On Galactic Guardians, we finally get a Super Friends series where the heroes are actually somewhat flawed and human. You would in all likelihood for example, never see an episode like "The Fear", which was the first time that Batman's origin was depicted on film or television, in the earlier seasons with Wendy and Marvin and The Wonder Twins.