The Jonny Quest Appreciation Thread

Cafe Society
#1

Some of the posters on the 1960s thread,

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=149156

mentioned how they were fans of Jonny Quest. I don’t remember if
we have ever had a JQ thread on SDMB so I decided to start one.

What are your memories of Jonny Quest? What are your favorite
episodes, vehicles, moments?

Some years ago Ted Turner’s WTBS ran the entire series as a marathon
and I was able to record about half of the series. I rediscovered the tape
and rewatched them a few weeks ago and IMHO JC still stand up quite well.

My biggest impression is the violence portrayed in many of the episodes,
this cartoon could never be made today. Many of the stories have gunfire,
bombs, explosions and assassinations, people actually die by the hands of
our heroes.

One of the most memorable episodes for me is The Invisible Monster
A scientist experimenting with “molecular energy” accidentally creates a living
mass of energy that only exists to consume more energy. Who can forget the
sight of that horrid creature after the Quest team swoops down on their jetpacks
and bomb the creature with paint to make it visible? The shimmering blob with one
huge eye and mouth coming at you…shudder. This episode scared the crap
out of me when I was a kid and still packs a punch today.

So, do any dopers want to share memories of Jonny Quest?

#2

The Invisible Monster

I think that’s the first one that all “Quest” fans think of. Kind of a “Forbidden Planet” feel to it.

One that scared the hell out of me when I was a kid was the one with that damned mummy.

The background music was scary, keeping time to every footstep of that ghastly, loathsome, eldritch beast. (Oops. . . wrong author).

In a side note: Some years ago, I was watching an episode of “The Wild Wild West,” and upon hearing one of the characters voice said, “Hey, that’s Race Bannon.” Sure enough, when the credits rolled, that character (don’t remember which one, and don’t feel like IMDBing for it) was played by Mike Road.

#3

When I think “Johnny Quest” I think of the Sargasso Sea mystery, which I think was the pilot.

Also highly recommended for the Johnny Quest fans out there is the episode of Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law where Harvey represents Benton Quest in a custody battle for the boys with Race Bannon. Instant classic!

#4

The episode I always think of first is the one with the giant mechanical spider. I can still clearly see it rising up out of that crash site, then extending its legs and walking around, tanks shooting at it, etc.

(I have a nice MOV of the opening and ending credits. I can’t believe how much is familiar, like the chattering monkey)

#5

Yes! The real mid-60s Jonny Quest–not the schlocky attempted updates from the 80s and 90s.
The best thing Hanna Barbera ever did, IMHO.
Cartoon Network currently shows it at 4am Sunday, AZ time.

#6

God. All the allusions to Race being gay, plus Benton not even knowing Jonny and Hadji’s names…truly a classic in the series. I laughed myself sick watching that.

-A2K

#7

Jezebel Jade, sashaying across the screen, cigarette holder :eek: & all.

Jessica Rabbit owes a lot to that gal!

#8

The one-two of Doug Wildey’s artwork and Hoyt Curtin’s music.
The jetpacks and hovercraft and the Questjet.
The exotic locales.
Race and the old German air ace in their dogfight over the Andes.
Bandit evading the talons of the giant Condor.
The living gargoyle perched on that big old Norwegian house.

#9

Is it just me, or did Jonny bear more of a resemblance to Race Bannon than Benton Quest? Hmmm…

#10

If you like the theme song, there’s an absolutely kickass cover version by the Reverend Horton Heat.

#11

**Icerigger wrote:

One of the most memorable episodes for me is The Invisible Monster
A scientist experimenting with “molecular energy” accidentally creates a living
mass of energy that only exists to consume more energy. Who can forget the
sight of that horrid creature after the Quest team swoops down on their jetpacks
and bomb the creature with paint to make it visible? The shimmering blob with one
huge eye and mouth coming at you…shudder. This episode scared the crap
out of me when I was a kid and still packs a punch today.**

Oh yeah! Best damn episode ever! Gave me the shivers then, and still does, today. And the voice/scream they gave it whoa

#12

Are these on DVD? I would so buy them…

#13

Sim sim sala-bim!

#14

Ahhh… the 1960’s. When vague asiactic villians would scream “AIIIEEE!!!” before being crushed by boulders. Remember when Race killed a lackey-guard by by aiming his rifle so the bullet would riccochet off a bulldozer blade? and you saw the guard’s arm go limp? Cool stuff. Veerrrry Ian Flemming.

Bonus points: The Pasha Peddler was voiced by Jesse White!

#15

I loved this show! But my most vivid memory is a “continuity” error. One of the heroes was being held prisoner in a cabin and the door was barricaded from the outside. When his rescuers finally arrived and removed the plank blocking the door, said hero opened the door - swinging inward! I forgave them that oversight, tho - it was my favorite cartoon!!

#16

I don’t remember that episode but if the door was barred on the outside how could the hero swing it inwards until it was un-barred? No error to my way of thinking.

#17

Think of it this way - someone nails a board to the molding around your front door. The door could still open in. That’s pretty much what this scene depicted. Nothing was attached to the door.

I’ve been told I over-analyze things like this…

#18

More Jonny Quest praise:

  1. Best Criminal Mastermind: Dr. Zinn. Here is a truly great villain— And never face-to-face with Dr. Quest. He’s always lurking somewhere on a monitor having his lackeys and stooges doing the killing and being killed while chesslike trying to defeat Quest. And he’s never caught, sort of like Wo Fat in the old Hawaii Five-O show.

2.** Best episode**: The show with the giant lizards, the crazy mad scientist, and the hulking one-eyed servant (Sumi?)who ultimately turns on his master. The villain in that one had an absolutely fine high-pitched laugh that should be emulated by mad scientist wannabes worldwide.

  1. Best device: The machine that could defy gravity. What was the name of that bar…? It was eventually stolen by the gargoyle impersonator and sunk along with the villain’s submarine. I kept wondering what the purpose of such an anti-gravity bar could be…or was it just so damn cool on its own.

  2. Best chase: In the “Curse of Anubis” episode Jonny and Hadji are relentlessly pursued by two flunkies. There’s a high speed motor cycle ride, a chase inside an abandoned building (highlighted by the goat that attacks the villains), and ultimately death for the two stooges when their car falls off a cliff. And all the while Bandit follows on foot so that he can be there in the final scene and wear the Anubis statue to frighten more henchmen!

  3. Best monster: As mentioned above, the invisible blob is just awesome, especially as it carves a path through the jungle. Honorable Mention goes to the shipboard dragon that not only destroys the Quest’s plane, but also nearly kills Quest, Bannon, the kids and Charlie— the “honorable anscestor”-appealing only survivor of the original crew.

  4. Best natives: The Poho’s. “The Poho’s are SAVAGES!” When they have Quest and his friend in the Pit of Death and are playing their drums in a mad face-distorting frenzy I’m glad I’m not out in the dangerous Third World. I do wonder why there are never any native females in these tribes…hmm…

  5. Best Quote: “No…it CANNOT be…the spirit of Anubis …walking …following me! Get away, GET AWAY! AAAiieeeeeee!”

  6. Most Deliciously Absurd: “The Devil’s Escarpment.” No one’s ever been on the summit, and yet the Quest team easily lands on top to retrieve a balloon. Inside the mile high stack of land are cavemen and an evil Nazi. They live without food as far as I can tell, and, once again, without females. The whole episode is bizarre and yet compelling.

  7. Episode that should have been an hour long: The one where Race is replaced by Dr. Zinn with an evil double. Evil Doubles rule! I always lament how fast Korchack gives himself away, and how they don’t even need Jade’s kiss test to prove him a phony. This episode also features the drive up to the giant Buddha where the jeep continuously almost goes over the cliff. But you know those foreign drivers.

  8. Best escape from death: When villains sabotage the train by uncoupling the car where the Quest party rides, it looks like cutains for sure. The car breaks loose, jumps the tracks, and then perilously hangs over the cliff with only Bandit’s slow crawl from one end of the car to the other preventing DEATH! This episode also feature’s a runner up in the same catagory: When the stooges release a psychotic tiger onto the Quest hunting trip, only to have it turn and attack the henchmen instead. Hurrah!

#19

Regarding the invisible “energy monster”: Was that the episode in which they created a trap or something by stringing light bulbs through the jungle to lure the monster along? I remember watching that as a kid and getting the willies.

#20

Sauron, that’s it.