Spider-Man: TAS - I Really, Really Hate Clones

[MerelyAFan]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/animation/spiderman1.php

While I'll always acknowledge Spectactular as technically the better show, the 90s series will always be my favorite, with Christopher Barnes still being my favorite voice for the character to date.

[Linkara]

I absolutely LOVE TAS, particularly thanks to it being my biggest introduction to the Spider-Man mythos as a kid. Surprised Chuck didn't bring up that this is the finale of the show yet - and how, in turn, it's really the culmination of not just the Secret Wars adaptation but the show overall - Peter's self-respect, laying to rest his guilt over Uncle Ben, so many villains of the show referenced, and of course the paths not taken with the alternate Spider-Men (mostly of course Spidey Warbucks and his universe where nothing ever went wrong for him ever, to the point where Gwen Stacy - not present in the regular series - is alive and his girlfriend). TAS' biggest issues are, of course, its censorship and budget, from the mentioned issues regarding mentioning blood (and guns only ever being lasers to the point of ridiculousness) to the REALLY choppy editing in later seasons, either with slowed-down or reused animation frames from earlier episodes. However, I feel what elevates TAS is its writing. It's just that damn good and helps illustrate what made so much of the Spider-Man melodrama stuff so compelling and interesting.

[MerelyAFan]

I absolutely LOVE TAS, particularly thanks to it being my biggest introduction to the Spider-Man mythos as a kid. Surprised Chuck didn't bring up that this is the finale of the show yet - and how, in turn, it's really the culmination of not just the Secret Wars adaptation but the show overall - Peter's self-respect, laying to rest his guilt over Uncle Ben, so many villains of the show referenced, and of course the paths not taken with the alternate Spider-Men (mostly of course Spidey Warbucks and his universe where nothing ever went wrong for him ever, to the point where Gwen Stacy - not present in the regular series - is alive and his girlfriend). TAS' biggest issues are, of course, its censorship and budget, from the mentioned issues regarding mentioning blood (and guns only ever being lasers to the point of ridiculousness) to the REALLY choppy editing in later seasons, either with slowed-down or reused animation frames from earlier episodes. However, I feel what elevates TAS is its writing. It's just that damn good and helps illustrate what made so much of the Spider-Man melodrama stuff so compelling and interesting.

What's also notable about it (and X-Men TAS) is that cartoons in the West prior to the mid-90s weren't really doing arc based stories (with only really Animals of Farthing Wood making the attempt prior to this). Spider-Man was the first cartoon show I remember as a kid really delving into continuity and the development of character arcs as a critical aspect. Norman Osborn and Eddie Brock's descent into villainy is entirely reliant on continued plot points throughout the first and second seasons.

[CmdrKing]

Heck, the second season was essentially a full season-long arc, which was something only it’s sister series X-men, Gargoyles, and to a lesser extent Beast Wars was doing at the time.

[ChrisTheLovableJerk]

I'm kind of curious as to why Chuck started doing this show in it's second to last episode. Anyway, this is a really good show, I mean, sure it was bogged down by censors and can be kind of cheesy at times, but it's still a good show with some surprisingly gripping drama and stellar voice acting (especially Roscoe Lee Browne as Kingpin, if your ears could taste, his voice would be a tasty treat for them)

[Deledrius]

Heck, the second season was essentially a full season-long arc, which was something only it’s sister series X-men, Gargoyles, and to a lesser extent Beast Wars was doing at the time.

I think the closest thing I can think of any earlier was Ducktales and TMNT in the 80s, doing arc-type multi-parters.

[BridgeConsoleMasher]

This show played with the rogues gallery rather well. I remember a good sense of continuity with relationships.

[CmdrKing]

I think the closest thing I can think of any earlier was Ducktales and TMNT in the 80s, doing arc-type multi-parters.

The earlier Hasbro series did a sort of tv movie/miniseries format as precursors to the full series as well, yeah. It's just interesting to see such a sharp jump from "here's an extended pilot" to "these 13-20 episodes are one continuous story" in four shows within a 2-3 year period.

[Robovski]

Filmation's The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979) had a general overall arc to season one, but you kids probably never saw that show. I never saw it in syndication much and it wasn't a big DVD release.

[CrypticMirror]

Filmation's The New Adventures of Flash Gordon (1979) had a general overall arc to season one, but you kids probably never saw that show. I never saw it in syndication much and it wasn't a big DVD release.

There was also Mysterious Cities of Gold, Pirates of Darkwater, Ulysses 31, Dungeons and Dragons, Jacye and the Wheeled Warriors, Around the World with Willy Fogg, Bobobobs (man, who else remembers Bobobobs?) and I'm sure I am forgetting a few. They all had season arcs and through stories, admittedly Dungeons and Dragons was a bit ropey at times, so it wasn't that uncommon.