Super Friends
Series, 1973, The '70s, Set in The Hall of Justice
Super Friends is #2 of 28 in release order and #2 of 28 in chronological order in the Saturday Morning Cartoons.
The story
The most powerful heroes ever--Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman and Robin--join forces with teenagers Wendy and Marvin and their dog, Marvel the Wonderdog, to defend justice and guard the innocent.
Super Friends recap
Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman work together from the Hall of Justice, where the TroubAlert computer calls them to emergencies around the world. In the first season, in 1973, they are joined by two teenage trainees, Wendy and Marvin, and Marvin's dog, Wonder Dog. Because of the era's limits on violence in children's TV, the early threats are mostly disasters, aliens and misguided scientists rather than supervillains, and the heroes often talk them round. The show was reworked many times on ABC over the next twelve years. In 1977 the Wonder Twins, Zan and Jayna, shape-changing aliens from the planet Exxor, replaced Wendy and Marvin, with their space monkey Gleek. In 1978 Challenge of the Superfriends brought in the Legion of Doom, thirteen villains led by Lex Luthor who meet in their swamp headquarters, the Hall of Doom, and the Flash, Green Lantern and Hawkman joined the team alongside new heroes such as Black Vulcan, Apache Chief and Samurai. Later seasons ran shorter adventures, then in 1984 added Firestorm and Darkseid as the main villain, and in 1985 Cyborg, as The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.
Super Friends ending explained
Super Friends ended without a finale. Its last version, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, finished its single season with "Escape from Space City" on October 26, 1985, after which ABC did not renew it. The Justice League did not have another animated team series until Justice League (2001) on Cartoon Network, and the Wonder Twins and the Hall of Justice have since been revived in comics, parodies and later DC cartoons.
Where to watch Super Friends
Super Friends isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.2/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, before The Smurfs.
- Chronological order: after Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, before The Smurfs.
Cast
- Danny Dark as Superman (voice)
- Casey Kasem as Robin (voice)
- Shannon Farnon as Wonder Woman (voice)
- Olan Soule as Batman (voice)
- Michael Bell as Zan / Gleek (voice)
- William Woodson as Narrator (voice)
- Louise Williams as Jayna (voice)
- William Callaway as Aquaman / Bizarro (voice)
- Frank Welker as Marvin (voice)
- Marlene Aragon as Cheetah (voice)
- Ted Cassidy as Brainiac / Black Manta (voice)
- Ruth Forman as Giganta (voice)