Action League Now!: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|American stop-motion comedy series}} |
{{Short description|American stop-motion comedy series}} |
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{{Infobox television |
{{Infobox television |
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| image = Action League Now!.jpg |
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| runtime = {{Plainlist| |
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* 4 minutes (individual shorts) |
* 4 minutes (individual shorts) |
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* 24 minutes (package series) |
* 24 minutes (package series) |
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}} |
}} |
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⚫ | |||
| genre = [[Comedy]]<br />[[Action film|Action]]<br />[[Slapstick]] |
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* [[Comedy]] |
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⚫ | |||
* [[Action film|Action]] |
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* [[Slapstick]] |
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* [[Superhero]] |
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}} |
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⚫ | |||
* [[Robert Mittenthal]] |
* [[Robert Mittenthal]] |
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* [[Will McRobb]] |
* [[Will McRobb]] |
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* [[Albie Hecht]] |
* [[Albie Hecht]] |
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}} |
}} |
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| based_on = Ruined toys |
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⚫ | |||
⚫ | |||
* [[Jim Krenn]] |
* [[Jim Krenn]] |
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* [[Cris Winter]] |
* [[Cris Winter]] |
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* Alyssa Grahm |
* Alyssa Grahm |
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}} |
}} |
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| narrated = Scott Paulsen |
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| country = United States |
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| language = English |
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| location = [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]]<br/>[[Los Angeles]], [[California]] |
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| company = {{Plainlist| |
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* Chuckimation |
* Chuckimation |
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* [[Nickelodeon Animation |
* [[Nickelodeon Animation Studio]] |
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* Flying Mallet, Inc. |
* Flying Mallet, Inc. |
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}} |
}} |
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| related = {{Plainlist| |
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| distributor = [[CBS Television Distribution]] |
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⚫ | |||
* ''[[All That]]'' |
* ''[[All That]]'' |
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* ''[[KaBlam!]]'' |
* ''[[KaBlam!]]'' |
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}} |
}} |
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| network = [[Nickelodeon]] |
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| first_aired = {{Start date|1995|10|14}} |
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| last_aired = {{End date|2002|02|10}} |
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| num_seasons = {{Plainlist| |
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* 4 (on ''KaBlam!'') |
* 4 (on ''KaBlam!'') |
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* 1 (as a package series) |
* 1 (as a package series) |
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}} |
}} |
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| num_episodes = {{Plainlist| |
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* 51 (on ''KaBlam!'') |
* 51 (on ''KaBlam!'') |
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* 12 (as a package series) |
* 12 (as a package series) |
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}} |
}} |
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| list_episodes = List of Action League Now! episodes |
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}} |
}} |
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'''''Action League Now!''''' (advertised as '''''Action League Now!: The Series''''' when packaged into a half-hour block) is a series of [[stop motion]] shorts that aired as part of both ''[[All That]]'' and ''[[KaBlam!]]'' on [[Nickelodeon]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Perlmutter |first1=David |title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1538103739 |page=3}}</ref> It was made using "chuckimation", a combination of [[stop motion|stop-frame animation]] and live-action shots where things are simply thrown ("''[[wiktionary:chuck#Verb|chucked]]''") or dropped into frame to simulate movement, and wiggled around to simulate talking.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 |date=2005 |edition=2nd |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-1476665993 |page=463}}</ref> The series follows the adventures of a superhero league, composed of various action figures, toys, and dolls. The show was created by Robert Mittenthal, [[Will McRobb]], and [[Albie Hecht]]. |
'''''Action League Now!''''' (advertised as '''''Action League Now!: The Series''''' when packaged into a half-hour block) is a series of [[stop motion]] shorts that aired as part of both ''[[All That]]'' and ''[[KaBlam!]]'' on [[Nickelodeon]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Perlmutter |first1=David |title=The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1538103739 |page=3}}</ref> It was made using "chuckimation", a combination of [[stop motion|stop-frame animation]] and live-action shots where things are simply thrown ("''[[wiktionary:chuck#Verb|chucked]]''") or dropped into frame to simulate movement, and wiggled around to simulate talking.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Erickson |first1=Hal |title=Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 |date=2005 |edition=2nd |publisher=McFarland & Co |isbn=978-1476665993 |page=463}}</ref> The series follows the adventures of a superhero league, composed of various action figures, toys, and dolls. The show was created by Robert Mittenthal, [[Will McRobb]], and [[Albie Hecht]]. |
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Most episodes took place in a house of an unseen resident. Many of the characters were voiced by radio personalities from [[Pittsburgh]]. |
Most episodes took place in a house of an unseen resident. Many of the characters were voiced by radio personalities from [[Pittsburgh]]. |
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From 1998 to February 10, 2002, Nickelodeon briefly ran ''Action League Now!'' shorts on their own, combined to fill a half-hour timeslot. |
From 1998 to February 10, 2002, Nickelodeon briefly ran ''Action League Now!'' shorts on their own, combined to fill a half-hour timeslot. These standalone edits are available on [[Paramount+]].<ref name=":0">{{Citation |title=Action League Now - Nickelodeon - Watch on Paramount Plus |date=17 November 2001 |url=https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/action-league-now/ |language=en |access-date=2023-01-18}}</ref> |
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==Characters== |
==Characters== |
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; The Flesh ([[Jim Krenn]]): "He's super strong and super [[Nudity|naked]]!"{{snd}} A blonde, muscular |
; The Flesh ([[Jim Krenn]]): "He's super strong and super [[Nudity|naked]]!"{{snd}} A blonde, muscular bodybuilder who never wears clothes. His catchphrases include simple, immature terms such as "Ouchies!", "Oopsies!". The Flesh is sometimes clumsy, but he doesn't get in the way of the other Action Leaguers when they're trying to save the day. His superpower is super strength, and he has been shown capable of lifting things many times his sizes such as buses and bricks. That really impressive Thundergirl. The figure used for Flesh was a modified [[Conan the Adventurer (animated series)|Conan the Adventurer]] action figure.<ref name="Conan the Adventurer Figure">{{cite web | title=Conan the Adventurer Figure| url=http://www.virtualtoychest.com/conan/conan.html |
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|access-date=25 January 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090116140738/http://virtualtoychest.com/conan/conan.html| archive-date= 16 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> |
|access-date=25 January 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090116140738/http://virtualtoychest.com/conan/conan.html| archive-date= 16 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> |
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; Thundergirl ([[Cris Winter]]): "She flies ... like thunder!"{{snd}} The only female member of the team, as well as the only one with the ability to fly. She usually accompanies her flight with a song similar to the tune of [[John Williams]]' ''[[Music of Star Wars|Star Wars]]'' theme with the lyrics, "Thundergirl flying like thunder," (This was dropped later on in the series) |
; Thundergirl ([[Cris Winter]]): "She flies ... like thunder!"{{snd}} The only female member of the team, as well as the only one with the ability to fly. She usually accompanies her flight with a song similar to the tune of [[John Williams]]' ''[[Music of Star Wars|Star Wars]]'' theme with the lyrics, "Thundergirl flying like thunder," (This was dropped later on in the series). The figure used for Thundergirl was a [[Sindy]] doll's head on a [[Wonder Woman]]-esque figure body. Her image is a combination of [[Barbie]] and [[She-Ra]]. |
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; Stinky Diver ([[Jim Krenn]]): "A former navy commando with an attitude as bad as his odor!"{{snd}} A [[Moustache|mustachioed]] diver who is often seen in or around toilets. He speaks with an [[Australia]]n-type accent, even though an episode title ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen") suggested him being [[England|English]]. In |
; Stinky Diver ([[Jim Krenn]]): "A former navy commando with an attitude as bad as his odor!"{{snd}} A [[Moustache|mustachioed]] diver who is often seen in or around toilets. He speaks with an [[Australia]]n-type accent, even though an episode title ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen") suggested him being [[England|English]]. In that episode, it is revealed that he became cold after his mom ratted him out to the enemy during the Gulf War for money. As his name makes obvious, Stinky has a foul odor, but the Action League seems to have gotten used to it and don't mind it most of the time. Owns a beach house (in reality, a life-size [[portable toilet]]) and a vast collection of toilet paper, which come in many different colors. He is the most frequent driver of the Action Mobile, the League's official transportation device (a big, red remote-control car). Although he lacks any superpowers, he has the ability to pull a spear gun out of thin air and can fire a seemingly endless amount of plastic missiles. Stinky is an altered 1994 [[G.I. Joe]] [[Shipwreck (G.I. Joe)|Shipwreck]] action figure.<ref name="1994 G.I. Joe Shipwreck Figure">{{cite web | title=1994 Shipwreck| url=http://www.yojoe.com/action/94/shipwreck2.shtml |
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|access-date=25 January 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090129235648/http://yojoe.com/action/94/shipwreck2.shtml| archive-date= 29 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> |
|access-date=25 January 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090129235648/http://yojoe.com/action/94/shipwreck2.shtml| archive-date= 29 January 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> |
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; Meltman ([[Scott Paulsen]]): "With the power to... [[Melting|melt]]!"{{snd}} Meltman has the "power" to melt and is the smallest and weakest member of the Action League. He |
; Meltman ([[Scott Paulsen]]): "With the power to... [[Melting|melt]]!"{{snd}} Meltman has the "power" to melt and is the smallest and weakest member of the Action League. He doesn't like the Flesh's long-running crush on Thundergirl, who does not reciprocate Meltman's feelings for her. As melting is his only ability, Meltman is quite unhelpful and a borderline burden and is considered by the rest of the League to be their personal servant, often fulfilling such chores as getting them sodas, donuts, and other things. For this reason, Meltman is always looking for ways to get the League to appreciate him. In two different episodes, it is revealed that his full name is Barry Meltfarb, although he claims to have changed the surname to his superhero name. As he once stated to a viewer he has never used his power since there is no need for it. The Chief considers him to be "as yellow as a jar of mustard at a [[jaundice]] convention." Meltman is a Robin Hood figure that was melted with a blow torch. |
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; The Chief (Collin M. McGee, majority; Victor Hart, first few episodes):{{citation needed|date=May 2010}} The head of the Action League, the Chief is an angry, frustrated man who frequently yells at the Action League for their mistakes and unintended backtalk. His catchphrase is "Blast it!" and "You morons!" He once got a [[heart transplant]] from Bill the Lab Guy. He also once successfully awoke from a coma, induced by the Flesh's carelessness, after having had to listen to all of the incidents in which the League had injured him during his extended sleep. The Chief was made by putting together and modifying parts from [[Playskool]] "Play People" dollhouse figures.<ref name="Playskool Play People">{{cite web | title=Playskool Figure ID| url=http://mydreamdollhouse.com/playskoolfigures.htm | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100330071246/http://mydreamdollhouse.com/playskoolfigures.htm | archive-date= 30 March 2010 |access-date=1 March 2009 }}</ref> |
; The Chief (Collin M. McGee, majority; Victor Hart, first few episodes):{{citation needed|date=May 2010}} The head of the Action League, the Chief is an angry, frustrated man who frequently yells at the Action League for their mistakes and unintended backtalk. His catchphrase is "Blast it!" and "You morons!" He once got a [[heart transplant]] from Bill the Lab Guy. He also once successfully awoke from a coma, induced by the Flesh's carelessness, after having had to listen to all of the incidents in which the League had injured him during his extended sleep. The Chief was made by putting together and modifying parts from [[Playskool]] "Play People" dollhouse figures.<ref name="Playskool Play People">{{cite web | title=Playskool Figure ID| url=http://mydreamdollhouse.com/playskoolfigures.htm | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100330071246/http://mydreamdollhouse.com/playskoolfigures.htm | archive-date= 30 March 2010 |access-date=1 March 2009 }}</ref> |
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; Justice (Alyssa Grahm): The Chief's beloved [[Golden Retriever]] and best friend. Technically a member of the Action League, Justice serves as the [[Lassie]] of the show, warning fellow members of the League of dangers that they were otherwise unaware of. Featured in almost every episode as a background character, with its only starring role being in "Dog Day Afterschool |
; Justice (Alyssa Grahm): The Chief's beloved [[Golden Retriever]] and best friend. Technically a member of the Action League, Justice serves as the [[Lassie]] of the show, warning fellow members of the League of dangers that they were otherwise unaware of. Featured in almost every episode as a background character, with its only starring role being in "Dog Day Afterschool." |
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; The Mayor ([[Jim Krenn]]): "His dishonor"{{snd}} The Action League's archenemy. The reasons for his dislike of the Action League are unknown, but his hatred is obvious. His catchphrase is "Uh oh, here's trouble" or "I hate Mondays" whenever he's about to be defeated. Instances in which the |
; The Mayor ([[Jim Krenn]]): "His dishonor"{{snd}} The Action League's archenemy. The reasons for his dislike of the Action League are unknown, but his hatred is obvious. His catchphrase is "Uh oh, here's trouble" or "I hate Mondays" whenever he's about to be defeated. Instances in which the mayor attempts to destroy the League include sucking them up with a massive vacuum cleaner, and blowing them away with a giant fan. Many of his schemes revolve around making money. In one episode, his pseudonym was revealed to be "Louis D. Mayor" (a reference to [[Louis B. Mayer]]). He also appears to have a fixation with becoming a celebrity, a successful musician, or a [[National Football League]] player. In the episode, "Sinkhole of Doom" it was revealed that the Mayor has a son. The Mayor was pieced together from various [[Playskool]] dollhouse figures.<ref name="Playskool Play People"/> The voice that Jim Krenn used for the character was initially used by Krenn as a parody of then-Pittsburgh mayor [[Thomas J. Murphy, Jr.|Tom Murphy]]. |
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;Bill the Lab Guy ([[Jim Krenn]]): A scientist who often messes up his experiments and predicaments. During every appearance, he is guaranteed to be heard saying, "There's nothing I can do," or, "I was afraid of this!" and "I don't see any connection." Bill has a monotone voice and takes himself very seriously as a scientist, even though his experiments almost always go awry. He has a teenage daughter named Quarky who helps him around the lab. He appears to have a love for oldies music and is a personal friend of late musician [[Lou Rawls]]. Bill, along with the Mayor and the Chief, was pieced together in part from various [[Playskool]] dollhouse figures.<ref name="Playskool Play People"/> His name is a reference to [[Bill Nye|Bill Nye the Science Guy]]. |
;Bill the Lab Guy ([[Jim Krenn]]): A scientist who often messes up his experiments and predicaments. During every appearance, he is guaranteed to be heard saying, "There's nothing I can do," or, "I was afraid of this!" and "I don't see any connection." Bill has a monotone voice and takes himself very seriously as a scientist, even though his experiments almost always go awry. He has a teenage daughter named Quarky who helps him around the lab. He appears to have a love for oldies music and is a personal friend of late musician [[Lou Rawls]]. Bill, along with the Mayor and the Chief, was pieced together in part from various [[Playskool]] dollhouse figures.<ref name="Playskool Play People"/> His name is a reference to [[Bill Nye|Bill Nye the Science Guy]]. |
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;Hodge Podge ([[Jim Krenn]]): The Action League's former accountant, Hodge Podge was accidentally thrown into and chopped up in a blender, then horribly rebuilt by Bill the Lab Guy against his will, making him a freak with parts of random toys and household objects (such as a claw for a hand, taken from a |
;Hodge Podge ([[Jim Krenn]]): The Action League's former accountant, Hodge Podge was accidentally thrown into and chopped up in a blender, then horribly rebuilt by Bill the Lab Guy against his will, making him a freak with parts of random toys and household objects (such as a claw for a hand, taken from a crab toy and the top portion of a fork attached to his chest). Hodge Podge appears to be more hands-on and successful than the Mayor with his initial tactics, even though neither of them ever get their way. He specifically works with mechanics to get his way ([[brainwashing]] radio station, custom-built remote control, modified voicebox, etc.). |
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;Quarky ([[Cris Winter]]): Bill the Lab Guy's teenage daughter who helps him around the lab. Occasionally, she gets into situations that the Action League has to rescue her from. She is the focus in one episode, "The Quarky Syndrome," where she was involved in a nuclear waste accident and goes by the alias Superteen. |
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;The Announcer ([[Scott Paulsen]]): The narrator of the program, using various alliterations and overreactions often before and after the short's commercial bridge. He sometimes [[fourth wall|breaks the fourth wall]] during an episode. He has a deep, monotone voice, not unlike Bill the Lab Guy's and is never seen, only heard. |
;The Announcer ([[Scott Paulsen]]): The narrator of the program, using various alliterations and overreactions often before and after the short's commercial bridge. He sometimes [[fourth wall|breaks the fourth wall]] during an episode. He has a deep, monotone voice, not unlike Bill the Lab Guy's and is never seen, only heard. |
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The Action League have had various other villains throughout the show's run, including (but not limited to) a gigantic baby simply named "Big Baby", a [[Mesozoic]] monster (in reality, a dog [[Jack Russell Terrier]]) called Spotzilla, a rival superhero league known as the Danger Society, a bald genius known as Smarty Pants, an enemy of Stinky's past called Red Ninja, a group of evil aliens, a gypsy who cursed The Chief, and a mummy brought to life by The Mayor. Sometimes, due to their own collective stupidity, even the League themselves can be the main cause of a problem. |
The Action League have had various other villains throughout the show's run, including (but not limited to) a gigantic baby simply named "Big Baby", a [[Mesozoic]] monster (in reality, a dog [[Jack Russell Terrier]]) called Spotzilla, a rival superhero league known as the Danger Society, a bald genius known as Smarty Pants, an enemy of Stinky's past called Red Ninja, a group of evil aliens, a gypsy who cursed The Chief, a married couple who pretended to be Flesh's parents and a mummy brought to life by The Mayor. Sometimes, due to their own collective stupidity, even the League themselves can be the main cause of a problem. |
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==Episodes== |
==Episodes== |
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{{Main|List of Action League Now! episodes|l1=List of Action League Now! episodes}} |
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{{Episode table |background=#CCCCFF |overall= |title= |airdate= |episodes= |
{{Episode table |background=#CCCCFF |overall= |title= |airdate= |episodes= |
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{{Episode list |
{{Episode list |
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|EpisodeNumber=1 |
|EpisodeNumber=1 |
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|Title=Pilot |
|Title=Pilot |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1998| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1998|03|21}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''I've Been Working on Derailroad''' - The Action League is called in to prevent his dishonor, the Mayor, from crashing trains. |
|ShortSummary=*'''I've Been Working on Derailroad''' - The Action League is called in to prevent his dishonor, the Mayor, from crashing trains. |
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*'''Stinky on Ice''' - Stinky Diver becomes trapped in a bowl of gelatin and the remaining League members must rescue him. |
*'''Stinky on Ice''' - Stinky Diver becomes trapped in a bowl of gelatin and the remaining League members must rescue him. |
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|EpisodeNumber=3 |
|EpisodeNumber=3 |
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|Title=Smash Hits |
|Title=Smash Hits |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12|02}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Road to Ruin''' - The League must put a stop to the Mayor's plan to litter the road with trash. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Road to Ruin''' - The League must put a stop to the Mayor's plan to litter the road with trash. |
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*'''Nightmare on Memory Lane''' - Meltman loses his memory and the rest of the League tries to help him recover it and an important formula. |
*'''Nightmare on Memory Lane''' - Meltman loses his memory and the rest of the League tries to help him recover it and an important formula. |
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|EpisodeNumber=4 |
|EpisodeNumber=4 |
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|Title=Science Friction |
|Title=Science Friction |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2001|12|09}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Tears of a Clone''' - The Mayor creates clones of the League as a distraction while he pilfers all the incredibly breakable china. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Tears of a Clone''' - The Mayor creates clones of the League as a distraction while he pilfers all the incredibly breakable china. |
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*'''What's Eating The Flesh''' - When the Flesh contracts a contagious body eating virus, Bill the lab guy seeks a cure before the rest of the league get it. |
*'''What's Eating The Flesh''' - When the Flesh contracts a contagious body eating virus, Bill the lab guy seeks a cure before the rest of the league get it. |
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|EpisodeNumber=8 |
|EpisodeNumber=8 |
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|Title=I'll Melt for You |
|Title=I'll Melt for You |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|01|06}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Meltman at Large''' - Tired of feeling useless, Meltman takes a formula that makes him grow giant. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Meltman at Large''' - Tired of feeling useless, Meltman takes a formula that makes him grow giant. |
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*'''Melty's Girl''' - Meltman gets a new girlfriend and lies about being a big superhero called Dr. Melt. |
*'''Melty's Girl''' - Meltman gets a new girlfriend and lies about being a big superhero called Dr. Melt. |
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|EpisodeNumber=9 |
|EpisodeNumber=9 |
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|Title=Monster Mashed |
|Title=Monster Mashed |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|01|13}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Attack of Spotzilla (Part 1)''' |
|ShortSummary=*'''Attack of Spotzilla (Part 1)''' |
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*'''Attack of Spotzilla (Part 2)''' |
*'''Attack of Spotzilla (Part 2)''' |
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|EpisodeNumber=10 |
|EpisodeNumber=10 |
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|Title=The Many Faces of Evil |
|Title=The Many Faces of Evil |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|01|20}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Revenge of Hodge Podge''' – The League's former accountant turned supervillain seeks revenge on the League for turning him into a monster. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Revenge of Hodge Podge''' – The League's former accountant turned supervillain seeks revenge on the League for turning him into a monster. |
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*'''A Flesh of Brilliance''' - Flesh is rendered a genius and matches whits with the villainous Smarty-pants. |
*'''A Flesh of Brilliance''' - Flesh is rendered a genius and matches whits with the villainous Smarty-pants. |
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|EpisodeNumber=11 |
|EpisodeNumber=11 |
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|Title=His Dishonor |
|Title=His Dishonor |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|01|27}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Turkey of Terror''' - As a gesture of peace, the Mayor invites the League to Thanksgiving dinner, but plans for them to be stuffed in the turkey. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Turkey of Terror''' - As a gesture of peace, the Mayor invites the League to Thanksgiving dinner, but plans for them to be stuffed in the turkey. |
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*'''Chickie Chickie Bang Bang''' - The Mayor smuggles in a pair of Easter chicks, that multiply into a ravenous swarm that threatens the world food supply. |
*'''Chickie Chickie Bang Bang''' - The Mayor smuggles in a pair of Easter chicks, that multiply into a ravenous swarm that threatens the world food supply. |
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|EpisodeNumber=12 |
|EpisodeNumber=12 |
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|Title=Naked Came the Numskull |
|Title=Naked Came the Numskull |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|02|03}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''The Naked and the Dumb''' - The dimwitted Flesh must pass an exam in order to renew his hero licence. |
|ShortSummary=*'''The Naked and the Dumb''' - The dimwitted Flesh must pass an exam in order to renew his hero licence. |
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*'''Danger for a Dignitary''' - The Flesh must take the place of a lookalike ambassador after he injures the dignitary. |
*'''Danger for a Dignitary''' - The Flesh must take the place of a lookalike ambassador after he injures the dignitary. |
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|EpisodeNumber=13 |
|EpisodeNumber=13 |
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|Title=Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm |
|Title=Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm |
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|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002| |
|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2002|02|10}} |
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|ShortSummary=*'''Thunder and Lightning''' – Thunder Girl has competition with Lightning Lady, who turns out to be an evil infiltrator. |
|ShortSummary=*'''Thunder and Lightning''' – Thunder Girl has competition with Lightning Lady, who turns out to be an evil infiltrator. |
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*'''Caged Thunder''' – The Action League is captured by the Nextdooria Force, whose General plans to dominate the world with missiles. |
*'''Caged Thunder''' – The Action League is captured by the Nextdooria Force, whose General plans to dominate the world with missiles. |
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==Guest appearances== |
==Guest appearances== |
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* There have been numerous guest appearances, including [[National Football League]] |
* There have been numerous guest appearances, including [[National Football League]] quarterbacks [[Brett Favre]], [[John Elway]], [[Kordell Stewart]], [[Troy Aikman]], and coach [[Bill Cowher]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0618397/|title = You'll Love Our Selection|website = [[IMDb]]|date = November 1998}}</ref> the rock band [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], musician-actor [[Harry Connick, Jr.]], pop singer [[Robyn]], and musician [[Lou Rawls]]. All voiced themselves on the program (with the exception of Robyn and Connick, who voiced Blandi and Big Baby, respectively, in the episode "Rock-a-big Baby" which was paired theatrically with ''[[Good Burger]]''). |
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==Banned episodes== |
==Banned episodes== |
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Some episodes of Action League Now are banned in the United States. One specific episode to be put under this ban was the season 2 episode " |
Some episodes of ''Action League Now!'' are banned in the United States. One specific episode to be put under this ban was the season 2 episode "ThunderFlesh" due to its romantic intimacy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/banned-nickelodeon-episodes-you-never-got-to-see/|title = 20 Banned Nickelodeon Episodes You Never Got to See|date = 16 November 2017}}</ref> Due to this, the ''KaBlam!'' episode it was aired with titled "I Just Don't Get It" was put under a ban after the [[September 11 attacks|9/11 attacks]]. The ''Action League Now!: The Series'' episode "Thunder Girl: Tracking the Storm" which also contained the short was put on a ban after its initial broadcast in 2002, only being re-shown in 2016 on the late night TV block "[[NickRewind|The Splat]]" on [[TeenNick]]. The episode can still be watched on Paramount+.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==Reception== |
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Latest revision as of 05:05, 19 June 2024
Action League Now! | |
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![]() | |
Genre | |
Created by | |
Based on | Ruined toys |
Starring |
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Narrated by | Scott Paulsen |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons |
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No. of episodes |
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Production | |
Production locations | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Los Angeles, California |
Running time |
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Production companies |
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Original release | |
Network | Nickelodeon |
Release | October 14, 1995 February 10, 2002 | –
Related | |
Action League Now! (advertised as Action League Now!: The Series when packaged into a half-hour block) is a series of stop motion shorts that aired as part of both All That and KaBlam! on Nickelodeon.[1] It was made using "chuckimation", a combination of stop-frame animation and live-action shots where things are simply thrown ("chucked") or dropped into frame to simulate movement, and wiggled around to simulate talking.[2] The series follows the adventures of a superhero league, composed of various action figures, toys, and dolls. The show was created by Robert Mittenthal, Will McRobb, and Albie Hecht.
Most episodes took place in a house of an unseen resident. Many of the characters were voiced by radio personalities from Pittsburgh.
From 1998 to February 10, 2002, Nickelodeon briefly ran Action League Now! shorts on their own, combined to fill a half-hour timeslot. These standalone edits are available on Paramount+.[3]
Characters[edit]
- The Flesh (Jim Krenn)
- "He's super strong and super naked!" – A blonde, muscular bodybuilder who never wears clothes. His catchphrases include simple, immature terms such as "Ouchies!", "Oopsies!". The Flesh is sometimes clumsy, but he doesn't get in the way of the other Action Leaguers when they're trying to save the day. His superpower is super strength, and he has been shown capable of lifting things many times his sizes such as buses and bricks. That really impressive Thundergirl. The figure used for Flesh was a modified Conan the Adventurer action figure.[4]
- Thundergirl (Cris Winter)
- "She flies ... like thunder!" – The only female member of the team, as well as the only one with the ability to fly. She usually accompanies her flight with a song similar to the tune of John Williams' Star Wars theme with the lyrics, "Thundergirl flying like thunder," (This was dropped later on in the series). The figure used for Thundergirl was a Sindy doll's head on a Wonder Woman-esque figure body. Her image is a combination of Barbie and She-Ra.
- Stinky Diver (Jim Krenn)
- "A former navy commando with an attitude as bad as his odor!" – A mustachioed diver who is often seen in or around toilets. He speaks with an Australian-type accent, even though an episode title ("Mad Dogs and Englishmen") suggested him being English. In that episode, it is revealed that he became cold after his mom ratted him out to the enemy during the Gulf War for money. As his name makes obvious, Stinky has a foul odor, but the Action League seems to have gotten used to it and don't mind it most of the time. Owns a beach house (in reality, a life-size portable toilet) and a vast collection of toilet paper, which come in many different colors. He is the most frequent driver of the Action Mobile, the League's official transportation device (a big, red remote-control car). Although he lacks any superpowers, he has the ability to pull a spear gun out of thin air and can fire a seemingly endless amount of plastic missiles. Stinky is an altered 1994 G.I. Joe Shipwreck action figure.[5]
- Meltman (Scott Paulsen)
- "With the power to... melt!" – Meltman has the "power" to melt and is the smallest and weakest member of the Action League. He doesn't like the Flesh's long-running crush on Thundergirl, who does not reciprocate Meltman's feelings for her. As melting is his only ability, Meltman is quite unhelpful and a borderline burden and is considered by the rest of the League to be their personal servant, often fulfilling such chores as getting them sodas, donuts, and other things. For this reason, Meltman is always looking for ways to get the League to appreciate him. In two different episodes, it is revealed that his full name is Barry Meltfarb, although he claims to have changed the surname to his superhero name. As he once stated to a viewer he has never used his power since there is no need for it. The Chief considers him to be "as yellow as a jar of mustard at a jaundice convention." Meltman is a Robin Hood figure that was melted with a blow torch.
- The Chief (Collin M. McGee, majority; Victor Hart, first few episodes)
- [citation needed] The head of the Action League, the Chief is an angry, frustrated man who frequently yells at the Action League for their mistakes and unintended backtalk. His catchphrase is "Blast it!" and "You morons!" He once got a heart transplant from Bill the Lab Guy. He also once successfully awoke from a coma, induced by the Flesh's carelessness, after having had to listen to all of the incidents in which the League had injured him during his extended sleep. The Chief was made by putting together and modifying parts from Playskool "Play People" dollhouse figures.[6]
- Justice (Alyssa Grahm)
- The Chief's beloved Golden Retriever and best friend. Technically a member of the Action League, Justice serves as the Lassie of the show, warning fellow members of the League of dangers that they were otherwise unaware of. Featured in almost every episode as a background character, with its only starring role being in "Dog Day Afterschool."
- The Mayor (Jim Krenn)
- "His dishonor" – The Action League's archenemy. The reasons for his dislike of the Action League are unknown, but his hatred is obvious. His catchphrase is "Uh oh, here's trouble" or "I hate Mondays" whenever he's about to be defeated. Instances in which the mayor attempts to destroy the League include sucking them up with a massive vacuum cleaner, and blowing them away with a giant fan. Many of his schemes revolve around making money. In one episode, his pseudonym was revealed to be "Louis D. Mayor" (a reference to Louis B. Mayer). He also appears to have a fixation with becoming a celebrity, a successful musician, or a National Football League player. In the episode, "Sinkhole of Doom" it was revealed that the Mayor has a son. The Mayor was pieced together from various Playskool dollhouse figures.[6] The voice that Jim Krenn used for the character was initially used by Krenn as a parody of then-Pittsburgh mayor Tom Murphy.
- Bill the Lab Guy (Jim Krenn)
- A scientist who often messes up his experiments and predicaments. During every appearance, he is guaranteed to be heard saying, "There's nothing I can do," or, "I was afraid of this!" and "I don't see any connection." Bill has a monotone voice and takes himself very seriously as a scientist, even though his experiments almost always go awry. He has a teenage daughter named Quarky who helps him around the lab. He appears to have a love for oldies music and is a personal friend of late musician Lou Rawls. Bill, along with the Mayor and the Chief, was pieced together in part from various Playskool dollhouse figures.[6] His name is a reference to Bill Nye the Science Guy.
- Hodge Podge (Jim Krenn)
- The Action League's former accountant, Hodge Podge was accidentally thrown into and chopped up in a blender, then horribly rebuilt by Bill the Lab Guy against his will, making him a freak with parts of random toys and household objects (such as a claw for a hand, taken from a crab toy and the top portion of a fork attached to his chest). Hodge Podge appears to be more hands-on and successful than the Mayor with his initial tactics, even though neither of them ever get their way. He specifically works with mechanics to get his way (brainwashing radio station, custom-built remote control, modified voicebox, etc.).
- Quarky (Cris Winter)
- Bill the Lab Guy's teenage daughter who helps him around the lab. Occasionally, she gets into situations that the Action League has to rescue her from. She is the focus in one episode, "The Quarky Syndrome," where she was involved in a nuclear waste accident and goes by the alias Superteen.
- The Announcer (Scott Paulsen)
- The narrator of the program, using various alliterations and overreactions often before and after the short's commercial bridge. He sometimes breaks the fourth wall during an episode. He has a deep, monotone voice, not unlike Bill the Lab Guy's and is never seen, only heard.
The Action League have had various other villains throughout the show's run, including (but not limited to) a gigantic baby simply named "Big Baby", a Mesozoic monster (in reality, a dog Jack Russell Terrier) called Spotzilla, a rival superhero league known as the Danger Society, a bald genius known as Smarty Pants, an enemy of Stinky's past called Red Ninja, a group of evil aliens, a gypsy who cursed The Chief, a married couple who pretended to be Flesh's parents and a mummy brought to life by The Mayor. Sometimes, due to their own collective stupidity, even the League themselves can be the main cause of a problem.
Episodes[edit]
No. | Title | Original air date | |
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1 | "Pilot" | March 21, 1998 | |
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2 | "Action League Goes to the Movies" | November 25, 2001 | |
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3 | "Smash Hits" | December 2, 2001 | |
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4 | "Science Friction" | December 9, 2001 | |
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5 | "Action League Rocks!" | December 16, 2001 | |
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6 | "Stinky Diver: Behind the Mask" | December 23, 2001 | |
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7 | "The Chief: Look Back in Anger" | December 30, 2001 | |
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8 | "I'll Melt for You" | January 6, 2002 | |
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9 | "Monster Mashed" | January 13, 2002 | |
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10 | "The Many Faces of Evil" | January 20, 2002 | |
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11 | "His Dishonor" | January 27, 2002 | |
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12 | "Naked Came the Numskull" | February 3, 2002 | |
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13 | "Thunder Girl: Tracking The Storm" | February 10, 2002 | |
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EX | "Other Episodes" | ||
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Guest appearances[edit]
- There have been numerous guest appearances, including National Football League quarterbacks Brett Favre, John Elway, Kordell Stewart, Troy Aikman, and coach Bill Cowher,[7] the rock band Kiss, musician-actor Harry Connick, Jr., pop singer Robyn, and musician Lou Rawls. All voiced themselves on the program (with the exception of Robyn and Connick, who voiced Blandi and Big Baby, respectively, in the episode "Rock-a-big Baby" which was paired theatrically with Good Burger).
Banned episodes[edit]
Some episodes of Action League Now! are banned in the United States. One specific episode to be put under this ban was the season 2 episode "ThunderFlesh" due to its romantic intimacy.[8] Due to this, the KaBlam! episode it was aired with titled "I Just Don't Get It" was put under a ban after the 9/11 attacks. The Action League Now!: The Series episode "Thunder Girl: Tracking the Storm" which also contained the short was put on a ban after its initial broadcast in 2002, only being re-shown in 2016 on the late night TV block "The Splat" on TeenNick. The episode can still be watched on Paramount+.[3]
Reception[edit]
In a Chicago Tribune article, Jennifer Mangan complimented the series' originality, calling it "the most innovative entrant in KaBlam!'s cartoon catalog."[9] Jane Hall of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Action League Now! "has the weird, aggressive humor of the old 'Mr. Bill' pieces on Saturday Night Live."[10] Naming the show among other KaBlam! segments, Deadline Hollywood's Mike Fleming wrote positively of its "absurdly unforgettable characters."[11]
References[edit]
- ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 3. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. p. 463. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- ^ a b Action League Now - Nickelodeon - Watch on Paramount Plus, 17 November 2001, retrieved 2023-01-18
- ^ "Conan the Adventurer Figure". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ "1994 Shipwreck". Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ a b c "Playskool Figure ID". Archived from the original on 30 March 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
- ^ "You'll Love Our Selection". IMDb. November 1998.
- ^ "20 Banned Nickelodeon Episodes You Never Got to See". 16 November 2017.
- ^ Mangan, Jennifer (October 10, 1996). "Childish fun". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Hall, Jane (October 7, 1996). "A Nick off the old block". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Fleming, Mike (January 27, 2016). "Paramount, Jared Hess Channel Classic Nickelodeon Shows For 'NickToons' Film". Deadline Hollywood.
External links[edit]
- 1990s American animated television series
- 1990s American superhero comedy television series
- 1990s Nickelodeon original programming
- 1995 American television series debuts
- 1995 animated television series debuts
- 2002 American television series endings
- 2000s American animated television series
- 2000s American superhero comedy television series
- 2000s Nickelodeon original programming
- All That
- KaBlam!
- Action figures
- Television series created by Robert Mittenthal
- American stop-motion animated television series
- American children's animated action television series
- American children's animated adventure television series
- American children's animated comedy television series
- American children's animated superhero television series
- American animated television spin-offs
- American television series with live action and animation
- Nicktoons
- American English-language television shows