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Super Friends

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TV Series

The Resume

    (September 8, 1973-September 6, 1986)
    Aired on ABC
    Aired under the titles 'Super Friends' (1973-75,1980-83), 'The All-New Super Friends Hour' (1977-78), 'Challenge of the Super Friends' (1978-79), 'The World's Greatest Super Friends' (1979-80), 'Super Friends: The Legendary Powers Show' (1984-85) and 'The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians' (1985-86)
    Premise: DC Comics' top superheroes work together to stamp out evil
    Core Justice League of America members:
    Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman
    Recurring sidekicks:
    Wendy, Marvin and Wonder Dog (1973-75)
    Wonder Twins Zan and Jayna and their space monkey Gleek (1977-84)

Why Super Friends might be annoying:

    In his autobiography, Joseph Barbera admitted that the pilot episode was particularly badly animated. (And considering Hanna-Barbera's already low standards...)
    Thanks to early 70s paranoia over cartoon violence, the villains in the first incarnation of the show were more misguided than evil and were usually persuaded through discussion to do the right thing.
    In 'Saturday Morning Fever,' Wendy and Marvin were described as 'about as useful to the Super Friends as a burst appendix.'
    The Wonder Twins may have been an improvement, but Zan could have been defeated by any villain with the foresight to stock up on paper towels and sponges.
    In a blatant bit of tokenism, the series added three non-DC characters: Black Vulcan, Apache Chief and Samurai.
    The 'Legendary Superpowers Show' version was produced as a tie-in to a line of toys by Kenner.

Why Super Friends might not be annoying:

    Ted Knight was the original narrator. ('Meanwhile, back at the Hall of Justice...')
    In addition to the core Justice League members, other DC Comics heroes such as the Flash and Green Arrow would make appearances.
    The later versions of the show were more likely to feature villains who could not be reasoned with, thus requiring the Super Friends to kick ass and take names.
    The later incarnations also began featuring villains from the DC universe.
    The 'Challenge of the Superfriends' enemies the Legion of Doom were so badass their name was reused by a group of computer hackers, professional wrestlers, and the front line of the mid-90s Philadelphia Flyers.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 10 Votes: 30.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 164 Votes: 54.27% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 490 Votes: 50.82% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 75 Votes: 68.00% Annoying