I’m sure you know by now that there is a new ThunderCats TV series in production. What’s surprising about this news is not that a new ThunderCats series is being made, but that it took this long for the show to be revisited. Nostalgia for all things 80s has been in full swing for at least the past decade. While ThunderCats may not have been the biggest phenomenon of its time, people still remember it, it does have a following, and the original series has been released on DVD. A new ThunderCats series could be really fun, if the creators understand what worked about the original.
I’m not expecting an exact remake of the 1980s show. It’s a different era and there are different ideas about how to make television that kids will watch. Whether or not this results in better television varies from show to show. Sometimes the end result isn’t so much better or worse as just different. If the story still begins with the characters’ home planet exploding followed by the death of the wise old warrior Jaga, I’m guessing the new series will handle these events differently than the original one did. I also suspect that the characters starting off buck naked and only donning clothing when they reach their new home will be dropped. But if people still remember ThunderCats and still like it, there must be some aspects of it that have stood the test of time. Any new show needs to understand these elements an work to incorporate them. This isn’t just for the fans who already love the show; it’s the benefit of remaking a known property in the first place. What’s the point of having the name recognition that comes with ThunderCats, but not following through by using the existing strengths of the franchise.
These are they key elements that I think the new ThunderCats must include. If you think I’ve missed something important, please share what you think makes ThunderCats work in the comments below.
Character Design
One of the strongest elements of the original ThunderCats is the design of the characters. The main cast in particular is so enjoyable to look at. There are enough little details to add visual interest, but not so many that the designs feel cluttered. Just looking at these characters not only makes viewers want to see them in action, but also gives the audience information about what kind of individuals they are. Pair these designs with top quality animation and…oh what the heck. Let’s watch the intro again.
Now the actual show seldom – if ever – looked as good as the opening does. The history of television animation is littered with character designs that looked great when they were single, static drawings, but proved all but impossible to animate well on a TV show schedule and budget. The bizarre hairstyle sported by the heroic Lion-O seemed particularly puzzling to many animators and often looked like a weird mass of red hovering behind Lion-O’s head. Not every character design in ThunderCats was perfect to begin with. The evil Mumm-Ra’s powered-up form – “Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living” strikes me as a bunch of interesting details that never resolve into a complete design. It’s a safe bet that there will be changes made to the character designs for the new series. But the originals are a great starting point that the creators of the new show would be foolish to ignore.
“Everything But The Kitchen Sink”
There are plenty of animated series that suffer from having too many characters. This problem hit series based on toylines (which ThunderCats was not) particularly hard, but any animated series could – for any number of reasons – end up with an enormous roster of characters and not enough time and stories to make them all interesting. ThunderCats has no shortage of characters, but in this case, it’s actually a strength. The main heroes and villains were kept to a manageable number, but the supporting cast was enormous. The series took place primarily on Third Earth, a planet one or two major cataclysms removed from the one we live on now and inhabited or visited by just about every kind of creature imaginable. You want Amazon women? We’ve got Amazon women. A samurai? Sure. A space cop on the trail of the galaxy’s worst criminals? Absolutely. Unicorns? No problem. Robot teddy bears? Yup.
The idea that anything and everything exists on Third Earth or at least comes to visit is a major part of the show’s appeal. The diversity of characters and creatures opened the door for all kinds of different stories. Some of these characters made multiple appearances over the course of the series, enhancing the idea that these stories all took place within the same world. The new show should spend some time letting our heroes and villains explore their new home before bringing in more intergalactic guest stars, but Third Earth should always be a place with new discoveries and surprised lurking around every corner.
Panthro
Panthro – the ThunderCats chief mechanic and pilot – is awesome. This is a proven and indisputable fact.
Hyperbole aside, Panthro is my favorite character from the original show. I fully expect all of the original ThunderCats to be present in the new series, but Panthro is the one who needs the least amount of reworking. An easy-going sort, Panthro is also a “man’s man,” equally capable of building or servicing any of the ThunderCats’ vehicles and taking down more than his fair share of bad guys with his considerable strength and combat skills. Much of Panthro’s appeal and personality came from his voice, provided by actor Earle Hyman. Hyman has not done any film or television acting in several years and I have no idea whether he would be interested in playing Panthro again. If not, the actor who gets the role will have a fantastic example to work from, but also a lot to live up to.
Have Fun With It
This kind of ties in to the “Everything But The Kitchen Sink” concept, but it’s more general. ThunderCats was not a comedy, and the new version should not be one. But the show should also avoid being so deathly serious about everything that all of the fun is drained out of it. This is the kind of series where the characters can potentially ride dinosaurs, take part in a Wild West styled showdown, and battle ninja meerkats, so long as the writers can sell it. Treat the main cast and whats important to them seriously, but don’t kill the fun of it. If a lion warrior is fighting a super powered mummy and the result isn’t just plain entertaining, you’re doing something wrong.
The secret to making a new ThunderCats series is the same as the secret to making a new version of any old property: figure out what worked about the original and respect it. Of course it’s going to be a different show with the new crew’s personal stamp on it. But the end result should still be ThunderCats, not a completely different show with the ThunderCats name slapped on it. Don’t try to turn it into something it’s not. Don’t make changes to the original just to make changes. Don’t drop key story points, like Lion-O being a child in an adult’s body. And for the love of Jaga, don’t make every episode about the heroes and villains fighting for a piece of thundrillium. The original premise of ThunderCats has enough potential to sustain several seasons of a new series. So start with the best aspects of the original show and maybe – just maybe – the new one will be a success.
All images in this article are copyright Warner Brothers.
Tags: hand-drawn animation
