Saturday, March 17, 2007

The Most Important Creative Question in Animation History

Which Harlem Globetrotters cartoon by Hanna-Barbera is the greater creative achievement?

Is it the first venture into Saturday morning cartoons by the Harlem Globetrotters, called "Harlem Globe Trotters?"



Or do you prefer the second show, where somewhat younger-looking Globetrotters got super powers and became the Super Globetrotters?



This isn't like saying that Josie and the Pussycats were better than Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space. This is serious stuff. It requires thought.

Kidding aside, the first one is better because a) The theme song is cooler and b) The Hanna-Barbera rule up until the mid-'80s or so is that the earlier a show is, the better it is (H-B shows from 1969 are superior to H-B shows from 1970; a nine-year gap is almost unfathomably large in this context).

5 comments:

Ivan G Shreve Jr said...

The first Globetrotters series featured Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as the voice of Bobby Joe Mason. So it's not as difficult a question as you would think.

Anonymous said...

>Kidding aside, the first one is better because a) The theme song is cooler and b) The Hanna-Barbera rule up until the mid-'80s or so is that the earlier a show is, the better it is (H-B shows from 1969 are superior to H-B shows from 1970; a nine-year gap is almost unfathomably large in this context).

HAHAH!! It's so true!

The question is: which HB show was the first in the mid 80s to reverse that? What was the first series that was better than what immediately preceded it?

Looks like A Pup Named Scooby Doo to me.

Ivan G Shreve Jr said...

Oh, I just thought of another reason while the original Harlem Globetrotters was better than Super Globetrotters...

The dog mascot, man. The mascot wore sneakers. Far freakin' out...

Anonymous said...

Harlem Globetrotters meet Scooby Doo is the greatest thing I have EVER seen.

Visaman666 said...

Yes, I vaguely remember this show as I just turned 6 when it debuted. All I remember is the opening. Thanks for reminding me.