Starting three years before He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Thundarr the Barbarian was Hanna Barbera’s foray into the world of science fiction and fantasy adventure. It’s a ridiculous foray and one that’s so bad it’s good like only old nonsensical cartoons are. If the cartoon needs a conflict, chances are an evil wizard will pop up to play the part. If a situation demands it Thundarr can defy physics. If a situation demands it, metal bends like noodles when sliced. If a situation demands it, a propane tank attached to a rocket can sustain a brain and be a villain. The whole series is a silly mess, but when you consider that there are nods or rip-offs of many other popular culture icons, it becomes a game of I Spy with pop culture references couched in the classic animation style of Hanna Barbera that made up a healthy portion of many people’s childhood entertainment.
Set two thousand years in the future when the world has become a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a trio of heroes wander the North American landscape helping to solve problems (usually caused by wizards) in implausible scenarios that make you cock your head to the side and say, “Wait, what?” The leader of the troupe is Thundarr, a barbarian with a lightning sword (which conveniently clips to his cuff), who has no knowledge of the technology now lost to mankind but the bravery and brute strength to compete in any given situation. Then there’s Princess Ariel whose knowledge of modern times and technology often helps, when she isn’t being tossed aside or tucked under Thundarr’s arm as a powerless damsel in distress. Finally, there’s the Chewbacca equivalent called Ookla the Mok, a big hairy thing that typically just charges blindly ahead and makes a mess of things.
The cartoon never really tries too hard to tell a story that makes sense, and what you’re left with is Thundarr running into Amazonians in the ruins of South Dakota and cryogenically frozen NASA scientists (which are unfrozen by them hitting the tubes with a sword, shattering the ice) being mind-controlled by the aforementioned propane tank hoisted on a rocket with a brain attached. Oh no! Group A is trying to steal the gold of Group B? Thundarr will help Group B, thus arbitrarily becoming the enemy of Group A (who may in fact have more in common with Thundarr, but we’ll never know) and helping to foil their plan. Just like Scooby-Doo, it’s all very A to B to C in plotting; unlike Scooby-Doo however, there’s no endpoint to the plot. Where Scooby-Doo solved a mystery, Thundarr and his pals might stop something from happening but then something else will happen and the episode just sort of ends. Who cares though? The show is silly and features firewhales. Yes, whales that shoot fire out of periscopes coming out of their blowholes. If you’re still looking for something to matter here, you’re looking in the wrong place.
A weird or interesting reference amongst the odd tidbits mixed in, is the uncanny resemblance between the villainous wizard Gemini of the very first episode and two of Superman’s most legendary foes, Lex Luthor and Darkseid. Gemini can flip between two faces and there’s really no mistaking the appearance of Darkseid’s visage as one half, and a bald white guy who looks an awful lot like Lex Luthor in his Kryptonite suit. Considering Darkseid was created 10 years prior and Lex Luthor even 30 years before that, it’s not farfetched to imagine that they might have had an influence on that random character’s design (especially since Gemini does the whole glowing eyes of telekinetic fury thing).
Thundarr the Barbarian is a ridiculous relic of classic animated television and is best appreciated out of mockery instead of reverence or nostalgia, because it won’t hold up to any scrutiny years after the fact. Sit back and bask in the silly glory of Thundarr.
DVD Bonus Features
None.
The DVD set is available exclusively at the Warner Brothers Shop website.
"Thundarr the Barbarian: The Complete Series" is on sale September 28, 2010 and is not rated. Adventure, Animation, Fantasy, Sci-Fi. Directed by John Kimball, Rudy Larriva. Written by Buzz Dixon, Mark Evanier, Martin Pasko, Ted Pederson. Starring Henry Corden, Robert Ridgely, Nellie Bellflower, Dick Tufeld.
