SMF ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION (PART 2)

This weekend Saturday Mornings Forever celebrates TWO YEARS! That's right, two years of Saturday morning memories...and we've still barely begun!

As we celebrate, we figured we'd also take the opportunity to celebrate the various other programs enjoying anniversaries this year (at least at an interval of 5). Some we've covered, some we'll get to covering sooner or later, but all of them represent Saturday morning. For this installment, we recognize those shows turning 15. Just over a decade ago, these are what entertained us (or our younger associates) on Saturday mornings in the day's twilight years.

Take a walk down memory lane with us, and feel free to share your memories in the comments, or over on our Facebook group or Facebook page. We'd love to hear from you!

Now, without further ado, join us in celebrating...

NOTE: Some intros not available at this time.

THE SECRETS OF ISIS

THE SECRETS OF ISIS

(CBS, September 6, 1975-October 30, 1976)

Filmation Associates

MAIN CAST:

Joanna Cameron – Andrea Thomas/Isis

Brian Cutler – Rick Mason

Joanna Pang – Cindy Lee (season 1)

Albert Reed – Dr. Barnes

Ronalda Douglas – Rennie Carol (season 2)

Lou Scheimer – Opening narration

In 1974, Filmation had licensed and produced a live-action show around the DC Comics character, Captain Marvel (also known as Shazam, due to rival publisher Marvel Comics also having a character named Captain Marvel). The series proved to be a hit and was renewed for a second season. Wanting to expand on their success with the addition of a female counterpart, something unseen at that time, Filmation opted to create an original character rather than license yet another from DC. The result was Isis.

Isis and Tut.

The Secrets of Isis was developed by Marc Richards, who suggested the Egyptian theme. Initially, the series was going to have more of a mystery angle with the characters actively involved in situations as forensic investigators, but the network requested that it instead be moved to a school setting. As a result, the heroine was Larkspur High School science teacher Andrea Thomas (Joanna Cameron), a descendant of Egyptian Pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut. While on an archaeological dig, Andrea discovered the Isiac amulet which bestowed members of that bloodline with the powers of the animals and elements when exposed to the sun and the name of the goddess Isis invoked. With the words “Oh mighty Isis”, Andrea was transformed into Isis and able to access a wide array of powers through the recitation of a rhyming couplet related to the desired ability. Amongst her powers were superhuman strength, flight, control of the elements and matter, summoning of living things, divination of the recent past, and time manipulation. Although not as powerful in human form, Andrea could still communicate with her pet raven, Tut (whom Cameron hated working with and was difficult to wrangle), and was able to use light reflected off her amulet to restore lost memories. Aiding Andrea and Isis were her student assistant, Cindy Lee (Joanna Pang), colleague Rick Mason (Brian Cutler), and school principal, Dr. Barnes (Albert Reed). 

Andrea and Rick.

Isis was the first television series to feature a female superhero lead character, beating out the premiers of The Bionic Woman by four months and Wonder Woman by seven. Like most 70s superhero programs, Isis never fought supervillains. Most of the time, she dealt with problems that arose when her students or other kids made poor decisions and wound up in peril. On the rare occasion, Isis would fight legitimate thieves and people with evil intent. This allowed Isis to deliver Filmation’s customary pro-social message at the end of each episode related to the story’s plot. Because both shows were produced by Filmation, Isis and Captain Marvel (John Davey) crossed over into each other’s programs for three episodes apiece after a special arrangement with DC.

The Secrets of Isis debuted on CBS on September 6, 1975 as part of The Shazam/Isis Hour, with music composed by Ray Ellis (as Yvette Blais) and producer Norm Prescott (as Jeff Michael). Because of this branding, the show’s on-screen title was shortened to Isis. The full title, though spoken in opening narration by producer Lou Scheimer, wouldn’t been seen until the series entered syndicated reruns where the show also lost the epilogues. Isis was written by Sidney Morse, Arthur Nadel (who also directed), David Dworski, Ann Udell, Kathleen Barnes, Susan Dworski, David Wise, Chuck Menville, Len Janson, Russell Bates, Henry Colman, Robert F. Joseph, Michael Reaves, James Schmerer, Norman Cameron, Peter L. Dixon and Sarah Dixon. 

Isis and Captain Marvel together.

The series proved successful, getting renewed for a second season alongside Shazam! Inexplicably, Pang was dropped from the show and replaced by new student assistant, Rennie Carol (Ronalda Douglas). The second season ran for seven episodes and ended with the show’s first two-part episode, “Now you See It…” and “…And Now You Don’t.” The episodes introduced three crime-fighting teens who called themselves “The Super-Sleuths” that Filmation was hoping to spin off into their own series. Unfortunately, that series never materialized. 

DC's Isis comic.

Filmation didn’t give up on Isis. She made animated appearances on future Filmation projects such as Freedom Force voiced by Diane Pershing and Hero High voiced by Linda Gary. Cameron herself wasn’t done with superheroes, as she would go on to appear in the 1978 TV movie The Amazing Spider-Man: The Deadly Dust (also known as Spider-Man Strikes Back). During the second season, DC produced an 8-issue comic series very loosely based on the show prefaced by a guest appearance in Shazam! #25. That same year, Mego produced an action figure while Whitman released several puzzles. In 1977, Golden Press published a book based on the show.

Isis for a new generation.

DC acquired the rights to the character and introduced a reworked version of Isis in their maxi-series 52 in 2006. This version was Adrianna Tomaz (a play on the character’s original name) who became the wife of Captain Marvel’s nemesis, Black Adam, and attempted to reform him until their mutual death and resurrection turned them both evil. Another version of Isis appeared on the 2010 episode of Smallville called “Isis”, where Lois Lane (Erica Durance) was possessed by Isis through the amulet. Smallville’s version blended elements from both the 1970s and 52 portrayals of the character. In 2013, Tomaz appeared again as a support card for the mobile version of Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The episode collection DVD.

In 2007, BCI Eclipse released The Secrets of Isis: The Complete Series on DVD. Episodes were presented in original airdate order and the exorcised moral messages were included as bonus features. The set also included the first issue of Bluewater Productions’ The Legend of Isis, which while sharing similarities to the character was actually completely unrelated. In 2008, BCI released a compilation of their Filmation box sets called Heroes and Heroines, which included the first disc from the complete series set. When the BCI set went out of print, Classic Media acquired the rights to the show and released the 7-episode collection The Secrets of Isis in 2010. The series was made available for streaming on Hulu.

EPISODE GUIDE:

Season 1:

“The Lights of Mystery Mountain” (9/6/75) – Isis investigates if UFOs are responsible for the disappearance of local residents of the mountain.

“Fool’s Dare” (9/14/75) – A young girl finds herself on the run from car thieves who use the junkyard she snuck into as a base.

“Spots of the Leopard” (9/20/75) – Isis has to prove a former jewel thief isn’t behind a recent robbery.

“The Sound of Silence” (9/28/75) – A desperate student steals Andrea’s force field device and sells it to a local crime boss.

“Rockhound’s Roost” (10/5/75) – Isis rescues a runaway boy from a bear in the forest.

“Lucky” (10/12/75) – Isis saves a boy distraught over the death of his dog at sea.

“Bigfoot” (10/19/75) – Some students head to the mountains to investigate the rumors of Bigfoot.

“How to Find a Friend” (10/26/75) – Tom’s attempt at making a new friend leads this “friend” to steal his father’s souvenir handgun.

“The Show Off” (11/1/75) – Steve’s showing off lands him in the clutches of a gorilla.

“The Outsider” (11/8/75) – Some boys who don’t like the new student attempt to frame him for the theft of a rival school’s mascot.

“No Drums, No Trumpets” (11/15/75) – After Fred takes his poor showing at the science fair badly, he, Andrea and Dorothy take a drive to a ghost town inhabited by a gang of thieves.

“Funny Gal” (11/22/75) – Isis and Captain Marvel team-up to rescue a girl who stole a boat for a publicity stunt.

“Girl Driver” (11/29/75) – A boy cheats during a safety driving competition and ends up in danger.

“Scuba Duba” (12/6/75) – A rebellious scuba student ends up trapped underwater.

“Dreams of Flight” (12/13/75) – A girl designs model planes, but the men in her life want to keep her from competing with them.

Season 2:

“Seeing Eye Horse” (9/11/76) – Andrea teaches a blind student to ride a horse to help build his self-confidence.

“The Hitchhiker” (9/18/76) – Isis saves a habitual hitchhiker from a near-fatal car accident.

“The Class Clown” (9/25/76) – Rudy’s practical jokes end up causing a deadly problem in the chemistry lab.

“The Cheerleader” (10/2/76) – A cheerleader attempts to thin the field by framing another for cheating on a test.

“Year of the Dragon” (10/16/76) – Julie is embarrassed by her father’s adherence to his old customs.

“Now You See It…” (10/23/76) – Rick is framed for stealing a weather-manipulating machine.

“…And Now You Don’t” (10/30/76) – Isis and Captain Marvel have to rescue Rick from the real thieves who want the rest of the machine’s plans.


Originally posted in 2016. Updated in 2020.

CALIFORNIA DREAMS

CALIFORNIA DREAMS

(NBC, September 12, 1992-December 14, 1996)

Peter Engel Productions, NBC Productions (1992-96), NBC Studios (1996)

MAIN CAST:

Brent Gore – Matt Garrison (season 1-2)

Heidi Noelle Lenhart – Jenny Garrison (season 1 and part of season 2)

Michael Cutt – Richard Garrison (season 1, recurring after)

Gail Ramsey – Melody Garrison (season 1, guest after)

Ryan O’Neill – Dennis Garrison (season 1)

Kelly Packard – Tiffani Ann Smith

William James Jones – Antoine Bethesda “Tony” Wicks

Michael Cade – Sylvester Leslie “Sly” Winkle

Jay Anthony Franke & Barry Coffing (singing) – Samuel “Jake” Sommers (season 2-5)

Jennie Kwan – Samantha Woo (season 2-5)

Aaron Jackson & Zachary Throne (singing) – Mark Edward Winkle (season 3-5)

Diana Uribe – Lorena Marina Costa (season 3-6)

Some people dream about starting a band, these kids went and did it.

Richard, Sly, Tony, Gail, Matt, Dennis, Jenny and Tiffani.

California Dreams was created by writers Brett Dewey and Ronald B. Solomon. The sitcom had a dual focus on the Garrison family and their children’s band, which shared its name with the series. The Garrisons had moved from Iowa to Southern California, and guitarist Matt Garrison (Brent Gore) had, at some point, formed the band with the friends he made in his new home and his younger sister, keyboardist Jenny (Heidi Noelle Lenhart). The other band members included Tiffani Smith (Kelly Packard) on bass and vocals, Antoine “Tony” Wicks (William James, who got his role by sending in an audition tape) on drums, and the “ba-boom!”-exclaiming Sylvester “Sly” Winkle (Michael Cade, whose agents initially passed on the series to hold out for something better), who served as the band’s obnoxious and constantly scheming manager. Also featured were Matt and Jenny’s parents Richard (Michael Cutt) and Melody (Gail Ramsey), and their younger brother Dennis (Ryan O’Neill). The show would blend real-life issues with zany adventures; juggling between the typical family situations of the Garrisons and the Dreams’ attempts at making something of their potential musical careers in between classes and homework. 

Practicing.

Executive produced by Peter Engel through his production company, California Dreams debuted on NBC on September 12, 1992. The series was written by Tony Soltis, Noah Taft, Paul Lander, David Garber, Lynnie Greene, Richard Levine, Robert Jayson, Dawn Urbont, Todd J. Greenwald, Robb Hammersley, Jeffery J. Sachs, Debra Fasciano, Mark C. Miller, Bonnie L. DeSouza, Keith Hossman and Renee Palyo. The opening theme was composed by Guy Moon, Steve Tyrell and Regina Crimp, with Tyrell composing the rest of the series. Each episode would feature the band playing a song somewhat tied into the overall theme of the episode. While many of their performances were on the stage at their favorite hangout, Sharkey’s, or their practice space, some were done like music videos. Although the band members sung their own vocals, they didn’t actually play the instruments even though they could. 

Breakfast at the Garrisons'.

While the series didn’t sit well with critics, who considered it an unoriginal blending of Saved by the Bell, The Partridge Family and Beverly Hills 90210, it did gain a loyal following as evidenced by the packed houses the cast experienced when they would go on mall tours in between filming. Despite its respectable ratings, the show had come around in a time when NBC was shifting focus to more teen-oriented programming after the massive success of Bell, which was in its final season when the show debuted. As a result, NBC dumped all its animated programming and reworked its Saturday schedule to include more teen sitcoms similar to Bell to try and replicate its success. To that end, NBC asked for some changes to be made to the show in order for it to be more at home in its new Teen NBC (TNBC) programming block. 

New members, same sound.

The Garrisons were phased out in order to focus solely on the band and the antics of its members; with Richard reduced to a recurring character and Gail only being a guest-star. Matt remained for the rest of the second season, but Jenny was sent off to an Italian music conservatory after the third episode. The first episode introduced the band’s second guitarist, bad boy Jake Sommers (Jay Anthony Franke, singing voice by Barry Coffing), whose image initially led to the band to consider him an ill fit for the group. The fourth episode introduced Samantha Woo (Jennie Kwan, who actually auditioned for the role of Tiffani the previous year), a foreign exchange student from Hong Kong that stayed with the Garrisons in Jenny’s room. She eventually took Jenny’s place as the band’s new vocalist and keyboardist.

The Dreams with Jake, Lorena, Mark and Sam.

For season 3, the last vestige of the original premise was removed entirely when Matt was written off of the show; the in-story explanation being that the Garrisons had moved once again. In reality, Gore had conflicting notions about how his character should be portrayed with the producers and left the show as a result. In his place came Mark Winkle (Aaron Jackson, singing voice by Zachary Throne), Sly’s cousin from New York who was his complete opposite in personality. Samantha was taken in by the Costa family, which was headed by a wealthy land developer. Their daughter, Lorena (Diana Uribe), was a fan of the band and became an occasional benefactor when her lack of talent prevented her from joining them outright. 

The band members would undergo the standard trials and tribulations of high school as they struggled with grades, money, getting gigs and romance (usually with each other), in between hanging out at the beach or Sharkey’s. After five seasons, the series ran its course. The final episode, “The Last Gig”, was set months after the band graduated from Pacific Coast High School. Jake wanted to keep the band going and tried to get his band mates recording contracts, but each of them wanted to embark on a new journey: Tiffani went to study marine biology at the University of Hawaii; Sam went to study physics at Oxford University; Mark returned to New York to attend Juilliard; Tony went off to study acting; and Sly and Lorena stayed in town to study at Pacific University. Jake takes the recording deal on his own with his friends’ blessings. Upon the conclusion of the series, the entire cast and crew received a special 2-disc collection of all the songs from the series.

The 10-episode DVD.

The series was nominated for four Young Artist Awards between 1993 and 1994, as well as an NCLR Bravo Award in 1996. In 1992, MCA Records released an album collecting the songs from the first season. Between 2009-2011, Shout! Factory released the first four seasons on DVD, with 1 and 2 together in the same set. Season 3 and 4 were initially offered exclusively through Shout!’s online store. In 2011, Mill Creek Entertainment released a best-of collection, featuring 10 episodes from the first three seasons. On March 4, 2010, Jimmy Fallon hosted a reunion of the teenaged cast on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, with the exception of Aaron Jackson and Diana Uribe, and a special appearance by Bell’s Dennis Haskins (who helped Fallon eventually get a Bell reunion). Together, the cast played the show’s theme for Fallon’s audience.

EPISODE GUIDE:
Season 1:
“The First Gig” (9/12/92) – Matt and Jenny must decide between going to their first gig or going on a trip with their family.
Song: “Into the Tube”
 
“Battle of the Bands” (9/19/92) – The band convinces Matt to go out with one of the judges of the upcoming battle of the bands so she’ll vote for them, but he soon develops feelings for her.
Song: “It Wasn’t For You”
 
“Beat of His Own Dream” (9/26/92) – Tiffani gets a secret admirer while Tony quits the band to join the football team to appease his father.
Song: “Rain”
 
“Double Date” (10/3/92) – The band gets a gig the same night Tony planned to throw a luau with money he “borrowed” while watching Sharkey’s restaurant.
Song: “Heart Don’t Lie”
 
“Dream Man” (10/10/92) – Matt must figure out how to tell Tiffani he doesn’t like her new song while Sly tries to make himself to Jenny’s dream man.
 
“Friends First” (10/17/92) – A man comes between Jenny and Tiffani just as a big audition comes up.
Song: “If You Lean on Me”
 
“Guess Who’s Coming to Brunch” (10/24/92) – Tony falls for a girl at the country club and her father doesn’t approve.
Song: “One World”
 
“It’s a Guy Thing” (10/31/92) – Jenny and Tiffani try to teach Tony and Sly how to treat women while Melody becomes frustrated with the guys “fixing” things around her house.
Song: “Into the Tube (2^nd Version)”
 
“Mother and Child Reunion” (11/7/92) – Tiffani’s mother comes back for the first time since abandoning her family.
Song: “Love is Not Like This”
 
“Romancing the Tube” (11/14/92) – Surfing lessons leads to Sly and Tiffani falling for each other, but Sly soon feels smothered by the romance.
Song: “Let Me Be the One”
 
“They Shoot Videos, Don’t They?  (11/21/92) – Sly convinces the band to shoot a music video for a contest, but having Matt kiss another girl in it causes problems with his girlfriend.
Song: “Everybody Needs Someone”
 
“This Time” (11/28/92) – Jenny gets back with her ex-boyfriend and he convinces her to skip band practice in order to be with him more.
Song: “This Time”
 
“Where’s Dennis” (12/5/92) – Dennis runs away after Matt lets Sly hold a party at the house when he’s left in charge.
Song: “Castles on Quicksand”
 
Season 2:
“Jake’s Song” (9/11/93) – Jake wants to join the band but he may not fit their image, and Tiffani becomes Tony’s boss at Sharkey’s.
Song: “If Only You Knew”
 
“Ciao, Jenny” (9/18/93) – Jake gets Sly to help him spoil Jenny’s chances at getting into a music conservatory in Rome.
Song: “Must Be Love”
 
“Wooing Woo” (9/25/93) – Matt, Tony, Sly and Jake make a bet on who can kiss the new exchange student, Samantha, first.
Song: “Mamma Said”
 
“Sleazy Rider” (10/2/93) – Jake lets Matt take care of his motorcycle when he leaves town, and Sly wrecks it on a joyride.
 
“The Sly Who Came to Dinner” (10/9/93) – Sly stays with the Garrisons and attempts to win over Sam, while Tony and Jake fear Tiffani’s secret admirer is a stalker.
Song: “Handle it with Care”
 
“Surfboards and Cycles” (10/16/93) – An argument about what gender-specific classes are tougher sees the boys taking home ec and Tiffani taking shop.
Song: “The Way We Are”
 
“A Question of Math” (10/23/93) – Sam tutors her classmates for the upcoming mid-terms while the stress has the band falling apart.
Song: “I’m There”
 
“High Plains Dreamer” (10/30/93) – Tony dreams about having a Wild West shootout with his date’s ex.
 
“Bwa Ha Ha Means I Love You” (11/6/93) – Jake takes an embarrassing job to get Tiffani a present at the same music store where Sly convinces the manager to carry their demos.
Song: “Foolish”
 
“Vote of Confidence” (11/13/93) – Jake runs for class president to impress his brother while Tiffani must date his opponent to settle a bet.
 
“The Year of the Woo” (11/20/93) – Sam must decide to use her money to go back to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year or to help fix the band’s van.
Song: “Mamma Said (2^nd Version)”
 
“Schoolhouse Rock” (11/27/93) – Detention may keep the band from playing for Sting’s manager.
Song: “Welcome to the Low Road (2^nd Version)”
 
“Save the Shark” (12/4/93) – Matt’s new love interest is the daughter of the man who plans to tear down Sharkey’s.
Song: “California Dreams (2^nd Version)”
 
“21 Jake Street” (12/25/93) – The band plans to get fake IDs in order to play a 21+ club, a new girl is drawn to Jake, and Tony and Matt use Tiffani and Sam in their art projects.
Song: “She’s Not You”
 
“Can’t Buy Me Love” (1/8/94) – A student auction sees Matt becoming Tony’s boss.
 
“Rebel Without a Clue” (1/15/94) – Sly’s decision to take schoolwork seriously leads his teacher to believe he’s cheating.
Song: “Stand Back”
 
“Dirty Dog Days” (1/29/94) – The guys broadcast their music over an old radio as “The Dirty Dogs”, but nobody believes it’s them when the songs become a hit.
Song: “Welcome to the Low Road”
 
“Indecent Promposal” (2/5/94) – When Jake doesn’t want to go to the prom, Tiffani considers going with a friend who promises the band a summer-long gig in return.
Song: “What Will I Do”
 
Season 3:
“The Unforgiven” (9/10/94) – The band looks for a replacement for Matt, while Sam’s new roommate gets them a practice space and a gig.
Song: “Take it Higher”
 
“Follow Your Dreams” (9/17/94) – An aptitude test’s results feed Jake’s doubts while the others consider their potential futures.
Song: “Whenever I Think Of You”
 
“Budget Cuts” (9/24/94) – Sly becomes the program director for the school’s radio station, but budget cuts force him and Lorena to try and save it.
 
“Blind Dates” (10/1/94) – Sly’s online date turns out to be blind while Sam and Tony try out online dating as well.
Song: “The Way We Are (2^nd Version)”
 
“Yoko, Oh No!” (10/8/94) – Lorena is determined to become a member of the band, but they’re afraid to tell her the truth about her skills as it might hurt future opportunities.
Song: “Sometime”
 
“The Long Goodbye” (10/15/94) – Sly deals with Allison’s leaving by ignoring her, while Lorena and Sam urge Tony and Jake to be more romantic.
 
“Trust Me” (10/22/94) – The band must smooth things over between Jake and Mark after Mark accidentally kisses Lorena.
Song: “Stand Together”
 
“The Princess and the Yeti” (10/29/94) – Lorena’s father hires the band to play at his ski resort, which has been plagues by rumors of a yeti in the area.
Song: “Must Be Love (2^nd Verison)”
 
“Winkle/Wicks World” (11/12/94) – A class project leads Sly and Tony to land their own TV show which takes time away from the band.
 
“Daddy’s Girl” (11/19/94) – Tiffani sets her dad up with a woman that starts cutting into their time together, meanwhile a dating program deems the other band members incompatible.
Song: “Someone to Hold Onto”
 
“Family Tree” (11/26/94) – A family history project takes interesting turns for Tony, Mark and Tiffani.
 
“Harley and the Marlboro Man” (12/3/94) – Jake takes up smoking after his Uncle Frank while the band tries to figure out to do with the money they found on the beach.
Song: “Tough Love”
 
“Rebel Without a Nerve” (12/10/94) – Jake joins the safety patrol when his title as school tough guy is threatened.
 
“Boyz R Us” (12/17/94) – While the band delivers singing telegrams, an old friend of Tony comes to him to help get another of their friends out of a gang.
 
“Junior Achievement” (12/24/94) – An economics project leads the gang to sell Sam’s great, great grandmother’s cold remedy while Jake and Mark become music teachers.
 
“The Treasure of PCH” (12/31/94) – Lorena and Jake send their friends on a treasure hunt to see if money could destroy their friendships.
Song: “Anytime You Need Me”
 
“Tiffani’s Gold” (1/7/95) – Tiffani turns to steroids due to the stress of the upcoming volleyball championships.
 
Season 4:
“Two Too Much” (9/9/95) – Jake and Tiffani realize they still have feelings for each other, while Tony, Sly and Mark take up ballet to attract women.
 
“My Valentine” (9/16/95) – Tony and Sam decide to get engaged in order to stay together when she goes back to Hong Kong.
Song: “What Would I Do Without You”
 
“Principal Tiffani” (9/30/95) – Tiffani is made the school’s student principal and she soon becomes hungry with power.
Song: “To The End”
 
“The Dateless Game” (10/7/95) – Jake ends up winning a charity dating game and has to go out with another girl on the same night as his anniversary dinner with Tiffani.
 
“Fallen Idol” (10/14/95) – Jake’s musical idol agrees to listen to the band while Tony suffers a bout of bad luck.
Song: “Too Much to Dream”
 
“Defending Sly’s Life” (10/21/95) – Sly’s friends put him on trial for being a major creep.
 
“Secret Admirer” (11/4/95) – Sly tries to woo a classmate for a gig while Mark’s love note ends up in the wrong hands and causes problems.
Song: “Do Something”
 
“Old” (11/11/95) – After making fun of a group of senior surfers, Sly ends up dreaming about his being old.
Song: “Never Give Up”
 
“Operation Tony” (11/18/95) – Tony is scared of his upcoming shoulder operation while Lorena becomes a candy striper to get closer to a doctor.
Song: “She’s Not You (2^nd Version)”
 
“Community Service” (11/25/95) – The band pitches in on community service, although Sly is doing it to meet girls.
Song: “To The End (2^nd Version)”
 
“Heal the Bay” (12/2/95) – Tony’s newfound love of the environment leads to his becoming a nuisance.
Song: “Do Something (2^nd Version)”
 
“Woo-ops” (12/30/95) – Sam must go back to Hong Kong after overcharging on her father’s emergency credit card.
 
“We’ll Always Have Aspen” (1/6/96) – At Lorena’s family’s ski resort, Mark resumes his romance with a skier he dated before.
Song: “Born To Love You”
 
“Lorena’s Place” (3/30/96) – Lorena tries to impress a guy who is only interested in serious poets and ends up losing her father’s special poem to her mother.
 
“Dancing Isn’t Everything” (4/6/96) – Tony wants to take over the band from Jake while Lorena must consider Sly being her replacement partner in the dance competition.
Songs: “Let Me Be the One (2^nd Version)”, “Next Big Thing” & “Take it Higher (2^nd Version)”
 
Season 5:
“Stand by Your Man” (9/7/96) – Tiffani gets jealous of Jake’s new boss and Lorena and Sam’s spying on him gets Jake fired.
Song: “Whenever I Think of You (2^nd Version)”
 
“Shaken, Rattled and Rolled” (9/14/96) – Tony wants to move someplace without earthquakes while Sly tries to get a music producer to listen to the band.
Song: “She’s Not You (2^nd Version)”
 
“Honest Sly” (9/21/96) – Sly sells Sam a bad used car while Lorena tries to help Mark get another girl’s attention by pretending to be into him.
 
“Mop n’ Pop” (9/28/96) – When Jake’s dad has to take a job as the school’s janitor, Sly’s teasing causes Jake to become embarrassed.
Song: “Anytime”
 
“Diss-Honored” (10/5/96) – Sam’s new position as president of the honor society leaves her little time to spend with Tony.
 
“Reel Teens” (10/12/96) – Jake is chosen to be followed around by a camera crew for a TV show.
 
“Father Knows Bets” (10/19/96) – Sly takes up gambling when he feels ignored by his father while Tony tries to keep what award Jake is going to win a secret.
Song: “Do Something (3^rd version)”
 
“Letters from Woo” (10/25/96) – Sam sends a video letter to her family back home.
 
“Senior Prom” (11/2/96) – Jake and Tiffani and Tony and Sam are tied for prom king and queen, while Sly books the band for a gig on the day of the prom.
Song: “Too Much to Dream (2^nd Version)”
 
“Babewatch” (11/9/96) – The gang all end up working on a television show and Tony becomes jealous when a crew member takes a liking to Sam.
Song: “Next Big Thing (2^nd Version)”
 
“Love Letters” (11/16/96) – The gang decides to make up for all the things they regret during high school.
Song: “Someone to Hold”
 
“Graduation” (11/23/96) – Drinking at Lorena’s party leads to Mark crashing his car and ending up in jail, while Jake and Tiffani must finish a project in order to graduate.
 
“A Band Divided” (11/30/96) – Lorena buys the band a new amp in exchange for being the band’s co-manager, which ends up causing conflicts with Sly.
Song: “Next Big Thing (3^rd Version)”
 
“The Fashion Man” (12/7/96) – Sly takes up modeling, but the agency he signs with appears to be a scam.
 
“The Last Gig” (12/14/96) – Jake tries to land a recording contract to keep the band together, but the other band members all want to go on to school.
Song: “So Glad I Was There”

SMF ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION (PART 1)

This weekend Saturday Mornings Forever celebrates TWO YEARS! That's right, two years of Saturday morning memories...and we've still barely begun!

As we celebrate, we figured we'd also take the opportunity to celebrate the various other programs enjoying anniversaries this year (at least at an interval of 5). Some we've covered, some we'll get to covering sooner or later, but all of them represent Saturday morning. To kick things off, we're going to celebrate those programs turning 10 this year. Why 10? Well, 2011 was a relatively empty year for original Saturday programming. So, join us in welcoming these young bucks to the hallowed halls of Saturday posterity!

As you take this walk down memory lane with us, feel free to share your memories in the comments, or over on our Facebook group or Facebook page. We'd love to hear from you!

Now, without further ado, join us in celebrating...

NOTE: Some intros not available at this time.

ELECTRA WOMAN AND DYNA GIRL

ELECTRA WOMAN AND DYNA GIRL

(ABC, September 11-December 25, 1976)

Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions

MAIN CAST:

Deidre Hall – Electra Woman/Lori

Judy Strangis – Dyna Girl/Judy

Norman Alden – Professor Frank Heflin

Marvin Miller - Narrator

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl was one of the original segments of the 90-minute umbrella program, The Krofft Supershow. Although Krofft was in the name, Sid & Marty Krofft weren’t the originators of the series. Rather, it was Hanna-Barbera veterans Joe Ruby and Ken Spears, then under contract with ABC to create and supervise Saturday morning projects, who created the show as the first in a partnership with the Kroffts. It was further developed by story editors Dick Robbins and Duane Poole.

Electra Woman, Dyna Girl and Frank in the ElectraBase.

The show was heavily influenced by the live-action Batman television series, as well as the popularity of Filmation’s The Secrets of Isis, which led to a greater demand for strong female characters on Saturday mornings. Electra Woman and Dyna Girl were actually Lori (Deidre Hall, who was cast in her well-known role on Days of Our Lives while filming the show) and Judy (Judy Strangis, whose brother worked on Batman), ace reporters for Newsmaker Magazine.  When crime reared its ugly head, Lori and Judy would “electra-change” into their costumes through a flash of light, operate out of a high-tech underground headquarters called the ElectraBase, and pursue their foes in the ElectraCar. The only other person privy to their secret identities was scientist Frank Helfin (Norman Alden), who remained in the ElectraBase to operate the CrimeScope computer and relay information to the duo in the field. Their primary weapons in the war on crime were the ElectraComs: bulky wrist devices that could perform a variety of functions depending on a given situation. A narrator (Marvin Miller) would set-up the episode for the audience and interject at key moments to heighten the drama, furthering the Batman comparison along with Dyna Girl’s tendencies to make exclamations beginning with “Electra” (as opposed to Robin’s “Holy”).

Ali Baba and his Genie with an evil Dyna Girl.

Electra Woman and Dyna Girl debuted with the rest of The Krofft Supershow on ABC on September 11, 1976. Each episode was only around 12-minutes in length, and like Batman ended on a cliffhanger that would be resolved the following week. The heroes would find themselves up against a colorful assortment of villains and their henchmen: The Sorcerer (Michael Constantine) and his assistant, Miss Dazzel (Susan Lanier); the hypnotic musician Glitter Rock (John Mark Robinson); the Empress of Evil (Claudette Nevins) and her follower, Lucrezia (Jacqueline Hyde); Ali Baba (Malachi Throne, who had played Falseface on Batman) and his Genie (Sig Haig); the Pharaoh (Peter Mark Richman) and his Cleopatra (Jane Elliot); and Spider Lady (Tiffany Bolling), mistress of disguise. Along with Robbins and Poole, the series was written by Gerry Day, Bethel Leslie and Greg Strangis with music composed by Jimmy Haskell. Walter C. Miller and Jack Regas directed the series utilizing a variety of wild camera angles and shots that were used to hide many of the production flaws and limited special effects that plagued the series.

The 2001 and 2016 reboot attempts for the series.

While The Krofft Supershow was renewed for a second season, Electra Woman was not. It wouldn’t be until 2001 that the concept was revisited when The WB commissioned a pilot for a sequel series. The show would have been a cynical parody of the original, showing a disillusioned, bitter, alcoholic and promiscuous Electra Woman (Markie Post) who had retired and lost her husband to her former partner, Dyna Girl (Anne Stedman). The pilot was never aired, but has been posted online and included on bootleg DVDs of the original series. A second attempt came in 2016 when YouTube celebrities Grace Helbig and Hanna Hart were cast in a reboot. The film was initially released in 11-minute webisodes through Fullscreen’s streaming platform that April while the complete film was released in June through major platforms by Legendary Digital Studios and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Sony released it on DVD the following month.

Heroes--busted!

In 1976, the heroes were prominently displayed on a lunchbox from Aladdin featuring the first season entries of Supershow. In 1977, View-Master released a set adapting “The Spider Lady” episodes. “The Spider Lady” was also adapted into puzzle form by HG Toys, going along with the board game by Ideal, a puzzler toy by Harmony, and a costume by Ben Cooper. In 2010, Electric Tiki released a pair of mini-busts featuring Electra Woman and Dyna Girl in a semi-cartoon style. An Electra Woman action figure was made by Living Toyz as part of The Krofft Superstars series, however the line was cancelled before Dyna Girl was ever made.

VHS cover.

In 2000, Rhino Entertainment released four episodes to VHS edited together to form two complete stories. Episodes of the series were featured on the compilations The World of Sid & Marty Krofft by Rhino in 2002 and Sid & Marty Krofft’s Saturday Morning Hits by SMK Pictures in 2010. The complete series was made available as part of the The World of Sid and Marty Krofft—Complete Series released by Beyond Home Entertainment Australia, however they used the episodes edited together for later syndication rather than the original cuts. The series’ theme was included on the compilation CD H.R. Pufnstuf and Other Sid & Marty Krofft Favorites.

EPISODE GUIDE:

“The Sorcerer’s Golden Trick: Part 1” (9/11/76) – The Sorcerer escapes from prison looking for revenge on the heroes and all the gold in Fort Knox.

“The Sorcerer’s Golden Trick: Part 2” (9/18/76) – The Sorcerer traps the heroes with a man-eating tiger while he continues his raid on Fort Knox.

“Glitter Rock: Part 1” (9/25/76) – Lori’s former classmate and King of Touremburg stays with the ladies for their high school reunion and ends up kidnapped by Glitter Rock and Side Man.

“Glitter Rock: Part 2” (10/2/76) – The heroes rescue King Alex and try to prevent Glitter Rock from sending up a satellite that will beam hypnotic music all over the world.

“Empress of Evil: Part 1” (10/9/76) – The Empress of Evil makes her way into the ElectraBase to challenge Electra Woman and kidnaps Dyna Girl in the process.

“Empress of Evil: Part 2” (10/16/76) – While the heroes are being stretched apart, the Empress returns to the ElectraBase and confronts Frank.

“Ali Baba: Part 1” (10/23/76) – Ali Baba and his Genie kidnap a Russian scientist for his formula that will make good people bad.

“Ali Baba: Part 2” (10/30/76) – Ali Baba uses the formula to turn Dyna Girl evil and she helps them kidnap Frank from the ElectraBase.

“Return of the Sorcerer: Part 1” (11/6/76) – The Sorcerer and Miss Dazzle use Merlin’s mirror to steal priceless works of art.

“Return of the Sorcerer: Part 2” (11/13/76) – The Sorcerer contemplates continuing his crime spree or destroying the mirror that now holds the heroes captive.

“The Pharaoh: Part 1” (11/20/76) – The Pharaoh and Cleopatra steal a wooden pyramid from a museum, and in trying to retrieve it the heroes are hit with a mummifying spray.

“The Pharaoh: Part 2” (11/27/76) – The Pharaoh releases the energy being Solaris from the pyramid and uses him to hold the city ransom by stealing all of its power.

“The Spider Lady: Part 1” (12/4/76) – The Spider Lady captures Electra Woman in order to disguise herself as her and steal the Golden Spider from the Baklava embassy.

“The Spider Lady: Part 2” (12/11/76) – The Spider Lady uses her disguise to enter the ElectraBase and set a bomb to destroy the Crimescope.

“Return of the Pharaoh: Part 1” (12/18/76) – The Pharaoh sets his sights on the Coptic Eye that is part of the recently-transplanted King Tut’s pyramid.

“Return of the Pharaoh: Part 2” (12/25/76) – The heroes confront the Pharaoh in the pyramid and end up trapped inside with them.

Originally posted in 2016. Updated in 2020.