The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest

The show's title card
Format Animation / Action / Adventure
Created by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Doug Wildey
Developed by Peter Lawrence / Takashi Masunaga
Voices of J. D. Roth, Michael Benyaer, Jesse Douglas, George Segal, Robert Patrick, Frank Welker (season one)
Quinton Flynn, Rob Paulsen, Jennifer Hale, John de Lancie, Robert Foxworth (season two)
Country of origin USA
Language(s) English
No. of episodes 52 (List of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) John Eng, Cosmo Anzilotti, David Lipman, Davis Doi, Larry Houston
Running time 22 minutes approx.
Broadcast
Original channel Cartoon Network
Original run August 26, 1996 – April 16, 1997
External links
(defunct) Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is an animated action-adventure television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and broadcast on Cartoon Network from August 26, 1996 to April 16, 1997. A revival of the Jonny Quest franchise, it featured Jonny and Hadji as teenage protagonists with a new character named Jessie.[1] Creators staged the show around Dr. Quest's investigations of "existing, real phenomena" and mysteries in exotic locales, which brought him into conflict with ethically-differing villains.[2][3] Action also took place in the virtual reality of QuestWorld, a 3D cyberspace domain rendered with computer animation.[4] There are currently no plans for re-broadcasting or release on DVD.

Conceived in the early 1990s, Real Adventures suffered a long and troubled development.[2] Hanna-Barbera dismissed the original creative team in 1996 and hired new producers to finish the show.[2] One team finished the previous team's premiere work, while the other wrote new episodes with reworked character designs akin to classic Quest.[5] Each team produced twenty-six episodes for fifty-two overall.[6] The first team crafted stories of real-world mystery and exploration, while later writers invoked more liberal science fiction and paranormal plots.[6]

Hanna-Barbera supported the show through a massive marketing campaign with thirty-three licensees.[2] Real Adventures debuted with an unprecedentedly wide release on Cartoon Network, TBS Superstation, and TNT, airing twenty-one times a week.[7][8] Critics debated the merits of the animation, writing, and show's spirit compared to classic Quest.[9][10] Real Adventures failed to gain consistent ratings and its merchandise performed poorly, leading to cancellation after fifty-two episodes.[5] Eight episodes were released in 1996 on VHS, and reruns appeared until September 24, 1999 on Toonami, on other formats on Cartoon Network until December 14, 2002, and on CNX until 2003.[8][11][12]

Contents

[edit] Development and history

Hanna-Barbera created The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest in the early 1990s as part of Turner Entertainment's plan to revive old brands.[13][2] Hanna-Barbera's chief Fred Seibert claimed in 1994 that the company received more Quest fan mail than any other franchise.[14][2] The company planned a new series, live action film, and two telefilms—Jonny's Golden Quest and Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects.[15][13] Combined with a substantial marketing campaign, the push would be their "largest corporate initiative...undertaken since Turner acquired Hanna-Barbera."[16] Led by director Dick Sebast, the first Real Adventures development team was briefly dismissed in favor of writer Peter Lawrence and art director Takashi.[2] He designed the characters and Jonny to be "edgier...more handsome, rather than the cute kid he used to be," rendered in the style of Japanese animation as an "antidote to a market dominated by spandex superheroes."[2][1][16] The team used a new character—Race's daughter, Jessie Bannon—to create conflict with Jonny.[1] She previously appeared in the 1986 Jonny Quest episodes as a general's daughter, and would debut in the telefilms as Race's daughter by Jezebel Jade.[5] Intended for a 1995 release with sixty-five episodes, the project fell into development hell, remaining there until early 1996.[17][2] Hanna-Barbera axed Lawrence and Takashi, hiring John Eng and Cos Anzilotti to finish the first twenty-six episodes.[18][2][17] Turner pushed for prompt completion; work was exhaustive as certain sequences needed revision.[6][19] A new team led by David Lipman, Davis Doi, and Larry Houston would finish twenty-six more for broadcast as a separate series with alternate character design.[2] This plan was negated following Time Warner's acquisition of Turner, leading to their release as Real Adventures.[20] Completed episode scripts numbered roughly thirty-five pages each.[20][6]

Example of digital painting for a reflective water texture in East of Zanzibar
Example of digital painting for a reflective water texture in East of Zanzibar

Producers contracted seven studios to animate the first season. An international team handled digital post-production and QuestWorld scenes, while Japanese and Korean animators drew traditional cel sequences.[2] Over a quarter of the first season's footage was digitally inked and painted "to enhance the background and the atmospheric elements."[2] Producers applied the process "in excess of 20 hours per episode...just for effects...We added light effects, rain, snow, glitter, reflections, fog, [which] made things much more realistic."[2] Japan-based Mook Studios exclusively animated the second season.[6] Several composers wrote incidental music and cues, and Gary Lionelli rearranged the original Jonny Quest theme. Composer Guy Moon considered working for the show the "hardest thing I've done in my life", as the producers "want it big, Big, BIG."[21] "They want a big orchestra with a good synth rig...It's great because they push me so much I'll probably replace my whole demo reel with Jonny Quest music. It's hip and it's current."[21] The show's format dictated that titles be aired first, then the teaser, first act, and second act with commercial breaks in between.[5] Producers originally intended to air the teaser before the titles.[3] Despite censoring of death by firearms (replaced with darts), Real Adventures maintained the classic show's realistic violence, featuring off-screen deaths of villains and allies.[22][23]

[edit] International marketing campaign

Hanna-Barbera leveraged the series in forty countries and fourteen languages to crack international markets.[2][24] Brandweek reported in 1995 that the show's budget, including merchandising and promotional costs, topped $40 million.[17] Hanna-Barbera presented Real Adventures, the live-action film, and release of episodes on VHS as part of a "Year of Jonny Quest" marketing campaign.[25][13] The push echoed 1994's "Year of the Flintstones" and 1995's "Year of Yogi Bear".[26][27][28] Director Richard Donner and producer Lauren Shuler Donner optioned the rights for the live action film.[17][15] Slated to begin production in mid-1995, filming was pushed back to 1996 and ultimately never began.[29][5] Hanna-Barbera advertised Real Adventures as the "next evolution in children's programming...[redefining] television animation for the next generation."[30] The company hosted a 1995 discussion with Peter Lawrence and Takashi at Yanceyville and later aired previews at United States waterpark events.[31][32]

[edit] Network run and ratings

Turner aired Real Adventures seven nights a week on three of its networks—TBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network—for an unprecedented twenty-one weekly showings.[7][8] Turner's marketers surmised, "the audiences of kids watching TNT in the morning or TBS in the afternoon and...Cartoon in prime time and late night are close to mutually exclusive," with Seibert adding that "different audiences watch the networks at different times."[33][34] Real Adventures premiered August 26, 1996, three months after a twenty-hour "Farewell Marathon" of original Quest.[35] The show averaged a 2.0 Nielsen rating over August and September 1996, considered a strong start for an animated series.[36] Real Adventures's merchandise performed poorly, and it failed to build consistent ratings or support from the teenage demographic—though it did attract adult audiences.[5][37] Turner tried to revive interest in February 1997 with a contest for an adventurous trip to Jamaica and free merchandise.[38] Cartoon Network did not order new episodes beyond the fifty-second and has not released new Quest material since.[5]

[edit] Reruns

Reruns aired for two years on Toonami until September 24, 1999, on Cartoon Network in other formats until December 14, 2002, and on CNX until 2003. They also appeared on FOX Kids, with the first airing on November 22, 1999. FOX's reruns of the show ended on May 26, 2000, and had not been renewed since then.

[edit] QuestWorld

Producers cultivated an element of virtual reality through QuestWorld, a cyberspace simulation rendered with three-dimensional computer animation and motion capture.[2] QuestWorld was designed as an extension of contemporary technology, similar to the classic series's high-tech lasers, satellites, and robots.[4] Seibert traced its origin to "the same problem that James Bond [has]...When you look at even his newest gadgets, they're somewhat quaint."[1] Planners derived inspiration from cyberpunk novels written by Neal Stephenson and William Gibson, including Snow Crash.[1] QuestWorld characters were created as wire frame models, augmented with faces scanned from clay busts, then digitally painted and inked.[1] Animation company Buzz F/X, based in Montreal and Santa Monica, created first season sequences.[39] Work began in April 1996 with the opening titles—a gliding journey through a canyon of green, cartographic lines with scenes illuminated upon the walls. Budgetary constraints forbade the supervision of experienced animators in Montreal, allegedly "why the opening sequence is so ugly" according to a Buzz F/X animator.[39] Short segments of action and adventure called Quest Bytes were produced to follow episodes.

Race and Surd fighting in QuestWorld from season one's To Bardo and Back
Race and Surd fighting in QuestWorld from season one's To Bardo and Back

Work on Escape to Questworld and Trouble on the Colorado followed; animators worked "12 hours a day, 6 days a week in a small garage" with inadequate computers.[39] Buzz F/X augmented the small team in July with ten recruits, but only two were experienced. Amateur employees struggled with lighting and syncing jerky motion capture from the House of Moves in Venice Beach.[39] By August, the team worked "14 hours a day, 7 days a week," including full nights and mornings.[39] After two more episodes, Buzz F/X terminated its unprofitable contract with Hanna-Barbera, which hired Blur Studio to finish season two.[39] Blur used Intergraph hardware; its sharp performance deadlines and visible usage attracted press attention and sealed an amicable relationship with Hanna-Barbera.[40][41] Both companies produced in total roughly 100 minutes of computer animation for QuestWorld—more than Toy Story.[2]

[edit] Creative direction

The show's premise is that Dr. Quest, a famous phenomenologist, investigates mysterious occurrences and exotic locales with his son, Jonny Quest, bodyguard Race Bannon, Race's daughter Jessie, assistant Hadji Singh, and pet bulldog Bandit.[2][42] Peter Lawrence set the story a few years after the classic series, with Jonny and his friends now teenagers.[3] Lawrence aimed to use "existing, real phenomenon"—such as the "Airstrips of Nazca, the Ruins of Teotihuacan or the possible existence of Giant Squid"—to capture the curiosity of audiences.[3] Stressing that "plausibility is a keynote", he suggested coverage of real-world enigma, cryptozoology, exotic locales, or fictional but "believable" mysteries.[3] The Quests would also find challenge in the virtual environment of QuestWorld, and frequently encounter the villainous Jeremiah Surd and Ezekiel Rage. Paralyzed years prior by Race Bannon's SWAT team, Surd would try to exact revenge through technology, while Rage—a former government agent left for dead on a botched mission—would try to destroy the world with nuclear terrorism. The Quests would sparingly fight "monster[s] of the week...simply out to get [them]", instead battling antagonists who are not "necessarily malevolent" and whose conflicts lay in "personal objective or ambition...opposed by Dr. Quest."[3] Lawrence stationed the family at a new compound on the coast of Maine, replete with "houses, barns and workshops."[3] Rooms suited for each character included a library for Dr. Quest, workshop for Jonny, computer-equipped den for Jessie, dojo and gym for Race, and lighthouse lookout for Hadji's meditation.[3] Lawrence equipped Dr. Quest with a fleet of air, land, and sea vehicles, including a World War II-era biplane and state-of-the-art catamaran named Questor with diving bells and smaller research vessels stored in the hulls.[3][43] More emphasis would be placed on Jonny than in the classic Quest, with Seibert summarizing the shift:

“ We decided to make the show more Jonny-centric. If you analyze the original show, you'll see it's really the Dr. Quest and Race show. Jonny was just hanging out—after all, what can a 10-year-old do? He can't even ride his bike out of the neighborhood.[44] ”

[edit] Characters

Hadji, Jessie, and Jonny from the season one episode Expedition to Khumbu
Hadji, Jessie, and Jonny from the season one episode Expedition to Khumbu

Seibert explained Jonny's age, 14, as one in which "you think you can solve problems like an adult, but you may go get yourself into trouble."[1] Lawrence gave Jonny "a straight-ahead, right-on attitude...His life is cool and he embraces it wholeheartedly."[3] Lawrence and later writers emphasized that Jonny was "more a Man-Of-Action in training...than an intellectual," and created tension by contrasting his father's academic leanings with Jonny's affinity for Race's lifestyle.[3] Hadji, age 16, became Dr. Quest's personal assistant, who "does not have his mentor's formal education in the sciences but...shares his burning interest in archaeology, anthropology and...the paranormal."[3] A Sikh and student yogin, he exhibited a "fatalistic and accepting attitude to whatever is happening...[starting] from the philosophical point of view that everything is as it's supposed to be."[3] Hadji often used wise aphorisms, taken from "any culture or any source...Sometimes it will baffle Jonny."[3] Lawrence cut Hadji's classic telekinesis to align his abilities with realistic yogin practices. "He doesn't say things like 'Sim, Sim Sala Bim' anymore," season one voice actor Michael Benyaer explained. "The writers and producers actually researched the actual yogic powers. He can do more plausible stuff. There is an episode where Hadji pretends to stop his breathing so that the bad guys think he is dead."[45]

Jessie Bannon, age 15, was characterized as "just as tough...smarter...[and] more thoughtful" than Jonny, and "more in tune with Hadji". She was "more of an egghead" who elected to spend time with Dr. Quest as Jonny did with Race.[3] Her father, age 38, retained his classic "laconic sense of humor" and "fearless and utterly dependable" nature.[3] Race Bannon retired from government work due to ethical scruples with his former intelligence agency.[1] Writers noted that Race "can't help being the overprotective Dad" for Jessie, while Jonny is "the boy Race never had."[1] His new western accent and elaborate similes were met with resistance from older Quest fans.[5] Dr. Benton Quest, age 55, retired from government research and operated from the "Quest Compound" on the coast of Maine.[3] "Driven by his desire to know more about...the inexplicable worldwide phenomena which he investigates," he was "consulted by individuals, governments and corporations to investigate any mysterious chain of events."[3] Described as "single-minded—almost to the point of obsession—in his pursuit of knowledge," he often encountered trouble as "his drive to learn blanks out more basic instincts like self-preservation."[3] Jessie appreciated his "ponderous" sense of humor.[3] Lawrence removed Bandit's clownish origins and presented him in useful roles.[3] Summarizing the group's behavior, he wrote:

“ Jonny's response to danger will be close to Race's. Jessie's intrigue with mysterious, unexplained phenomena will be close to Dr. Quest's. And Hadji, with his roots in a different culture and a more spiritual approach to life, is different again.[3] ”

[edit] Second season changes

The Quest team's second season designs, from episode Without a Trace
The Quest team's second season designs, from episode Without a Trace

In response to preliminary criticism over character changes, Fred Seibert hoped Real Adventures would find success as new interpretations of comic book heroes had done.[46][2] Notwithstanding his desire, season two directors Larry Houston and Davis Doi changed the writing and Takashi's designs to a more "classic" feel.[5] Writer Glenn Leopold revived Hadji's "latent psionic powers"—including spoon-bending and "rope tricks"—as he felt the first season's realism was "not that interesting to watch...the more visual his 'power', the better."[3] All characters lost a year in age; Jonny was now 13.[3] Writer Lance Falk returned Race to governmental guard duty, sealed by an episodic visit with classic spymaster Phil Corven.[3][47] While Race lost his western accent, Dr. Quest gained his classic red hair and rudimentary combat skills.[48] Initially resistant to Jessie, Falk came to regard her as the "missing piece needed to complete the Quest family," and Leopold added slight romantic overtones to episodes.[6] Fans complained about changes to Jessie, criticized as a damsel in distress with stereotypically female pink clothes.[48] Falk defended his portrayal as giving her realistic, "human" fears.[48][5] An academic paper on animated gender stereotypes later pointed out that Jonny saved Jessie from danger six times during a second season show (although that same academic paper also incorrectly referred to Race by the last name Bennett, instead of his real name: Bannon).[49]

[edit] Greater creative liberties

Second season writers took greater creative liberties with Real Adventures, invoking ghosts, other dimensions, and megalomaniacal schemes. Whereas Peter Lawrence wrote "lots of spiritual, mystical plots...[where] they uncover a lot of hoaxes," Falk and Leopold geared towards a "slam-bang adventure show with real monsters" and furthered the "action's emphasis more [on] Jonny" and his friends.[6][3] Falk explained, "...if [accuracy] gets in the way of 'cool'...cool's gonna win out every time (as it should)," emphasizing that "Jonny Quest is a show with one foot in the fantastic, and one foot solidly based in reality."[22][6] Opposed to the ubiquitous use of QuestWorld, the new team was nonetheless contractually obligated to use the concept in their work.[6] Falk felt that virtual reality paradoxically undermined the show's "strong connection to reality," and suggested that after so many dangerous incidents Dr. Quest would have simply turned the system off.[5] Writers brought back several classic characters, including Pasha the Peddler, Jezebel Jade, and Dr. Zin.[6] Falk also honored Quest creator Doug Wildey by creating an eponymous grandfather for Jonny in the episode Nuclear Netherworld.[6] The team created Estella Velázquez as Jessie's mother to retcon the telefilms, as Jade "would never get married to anybody."[6] Writers eliminated villains Rage and Surd in favor of new adversaries.[6] Comparing Quest without Zin to "James Bond without S.P.E.C.T.R.E.", Falk penned a season finale featuring classic robot spies and a visceral fight between Dr. Quest and Zin.[6] With the Maine compound destroyed in the aftermath, Falk planned to resuscitate Palm Key as the Quest home in new episodes. However, Cartoon Network did not renew Real Adventures, despite a pledge to explore the history of Jonny's mother in the season premiere.[6]

[edit] Cast

The first season of Real Adventures featured J. D. Roth as Jonny, George Segal as Dr. Quest, Robert Patrick as Race, Jesse Douglas as Jessie, and Michael Benyaer as Hadji. A childhood fan of the original series, J.D. Roth remarked that he was "so into the idea of what they were trying to accomplish that I had to be Jonny."[45] Roth was attracted by Jonny's characterization as "a real kid, who has real instincts, who wants to help people. He has star quality."[50] He found that "[Jonny] doesn't think about how he's going to do it; he just wants to go do it...he is full of enthusiasm, and it is infectious."[45] Roth admired the show's educational quality, something he had tried to integrate in his personal television pilots.[50] He later expressed that "Jonny is crazy about his dad. He looks up to him and thinks he is the smartest man ever to walk to face of the earth. He has the typical teenage relationship with his father, but his father definitely sees something in him. Dr Quest knows that Jonny is going to be something really special."[45] Michael Banyaer enjoyed playing Hadji—"[he] is one of the few roles for an ethnic actor that is not a bad guy. I mean, how many East Indian heroes have been on television? Hadji is for the sensitive kids out there. He is the outsider in all of us."[45] A Star Wars fan, Banyaer also relished the opportunity to work with Mark Hamill for In the Realm of the Condor.[45]

When asked about Jessie's inclusion, Jesse Douglas stated, "I'd be bummed if I upset anybody. Jessie is pretty cool. It is not like she is a girl who is whining all the time. If anything, she is a really good springboard for the rest of the storyline."[45] Roth supported her, claiming that "Jonny hasn't discovered girls yet but when he does Jessie would be the type of girl he'd like to be with...I think something will happen between them but right now Jess is his best friend."[45] Fred Seibert agreed, hinting that as adults "there might be a Tracy/Hepburn thing going on."[34] Hanna-Barbera bought out the first cast's contracts as part of second season changes and hired new actors.[5] Season two featured Quinton Flynn as Jonny, John de Lancie as Dr. Quest, Granville Van Dusen (first two episodes) and Robert Foxworth as Race, Jennifer Hale as Jessie, and Rob Paulsen as Hadji. Don Messick attempted to reprise his classic role as Dr. Quest, but was forced into retirement after suffering a stroke during early sessions.[6] His recorded dialogue included work on the episode Rock of Rages, one line of which survived overdubbing by de Lancie.[51] Van Dusen voiced Bannon in the 1986 Quest series, and Foxworth took over the part coincidentally after an audition for Dr. Quest.[6] Paulsen previously voiced Hadji in the two Quest telefilms.[52]

[edit] Marketing

Turner launched a massive marketing campaign to promote Real Adventures with a "small army" of thirty-three licensees and sponsors.[53][8] The company invested $20 million towards merchandising and promotion, with each network spending $5-7 million.[53] Other reports pegged the budget at $40 or even $100 million.[17][54] Wall Street Journal called Quest a "property to watch" in 1995; People and Good Housekeeping considered it a surefire blockbuster.[4][55][56] A digital style guide with a collection of Quest artwork, coloring instructions, and product mock-ups was given to merchandisers.[57] Pillsbury included $3 mail-in rebates for future Quest videos, display contests, and instant coupon offers on over twenty million packages.[17] Campbell Soup Company released six holographic miniature posters on the same number of SpaghettiOs cans. Over five thousand Pizza Hut restaurants held a two month long give-away of figurines with meals. Galoob secured figurine licensing rights in 1995 and created a product line of vehicles, figures, and Micro Machines for fall 1996 release.[17] The figures were not popular outside of the United States; new designs were shelved and the line discontinued in 1997.[58][59][60] General Mills outfitted boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch with offers for tee shirts and other items.[53] Upper Deck Company used art, sketches, and plots from the first season to create a card collection with sixty individual pieces. Turner also marketed Zebco fishing poles bearing the Quest logo.[61]

Several products were listed in the "Quest Adventure Value Pack" catalogue, which encouraged $40 savings through combined purchases.[53] Among other products, the catalogue was packaged with Kid Rhino's cassette audio adventure based on the episode Return of the Anasazi.[62] The show's credits advertised a soundtrack available from Rhino, but such a release was never otherwise promoted or sold.[5] Hanna-Barbera set up the website Questworld.com as the show's internet hub, presenting it as if it were written by members of the Quest team.[63] In keeping with the show's educational, real-world premise, the site hosted several links to academic, archaeological, and exploratory websites.[64] The marketing campaign culminated with the release of eight season one episodes over VHS with suggested retail prices of $12.98 per unit.[8] The size of the push left one newspaper reviewer wondering, "are [the Quests] back because they're too cool to die, or because they're too well known to be squandered as a licensing product?"[10] Hanna-Barbera chief Fred Seibert expected high sales and success:

“ The new series is the beginning of what will be a multi-faceted global programming, marketing and merchandising effort...The property still has great recognition and we think this will work because of the production values, because it's a real person solving real problems, and because it's the property that started the genre.[4][17] ”

Dark Horse Comics composed a twelve issue series released over the show's first run, as publisher Mike Richardson felt that "the massive exposure Turner is giving Quest...could truly drive traffic into the comic stores. The potential is staggering."[65] Kate Worley wrote the Real Adventures series while Francisco Lopez illustrated.[65] Editor Phil Amara stressed that they would endeavor to tribute the classic Jonny Quest as well.[65] The company worked with Galoob to ship comic shop locator phone numbers and URLs to previews with figurines. Dark Horse also released a special three-issue series through mail offers with over eight million boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios as advertised on television.[65][8] Three two-page "mini-adventures" packaged with existing Dark Horse products preceded the series release.[65] The issue Countdown to Chaos, featuring season two villain General Vostok, was nearly adapted into a season two episode.[22] A lifetime fan of Quest, Eisner Award-winning Paul Chadwick drew the cover of the final issue, depicting Jonny's descent into a cave on Easter Island.[66][67] Terry Bisson and other authors working under the alias "Brad Quentin" also produced eleven original novellas, continuing exploration of adventure and virtual reality themes.[68][69] One critic appreciated that the books' original stories may have drawn kids to reading.[70] Excepting the comics, no merchandise with season two's designs or characters was produced.

[edit] Cover-up at Roswell

Exploring Tanzania (from episode Ndovu's Last Journey) in the game
Exploring Tanzania (from episode Ndovu's Last Journey) in the game
Main article: Jonny Quest: Cover-Up At Roswell

Virgin Interactive produced an adventure game for the series named Cover-Up At Roswell, released in August 1996 for $34.95.[8][71] Turner New Media announced that Virgin's "non-violent adventure games suitable for pre-teen girls and boys, fits...our vision of what family entertainment should be."[42] Developers recycled fifty minutes of footage and art from six season one episodes to construct a new story concerning alien artifacts and an alien's liberation from an autopsy at The Pentagon.[72][42] The Quests are hindered by Jeremiah Surd and the Men in Black of General Tyler, who plan to misuse the technology.[71] Gameplay consists of clicking areas on images of locations to navigate paths in search of the objects.[71] Occasionally, players encounter mini games, such as the task of guiding a diving bell away from rocks or shooting rats with a slingshot. Virgin designed certain segments in 3D and included special Chromatek plastic viewing glasses with game copies. Footage voices were dubbed over by Michael Banyaer as Hadji, Charles Howerton as Dr. Quest, and the season two cast. The game's music featured a "high-intensity orchestral sound" prone to monotony.[71] One reviewer cited a lack of replay value and different modes of difficulty as weaknesses, but concluded that Roswell offered "good entertainment and variety".[71] Critics were divided over the puzzles' difficulty, naming it both "ingenious" and "elementary".[73][71] Peter Scisco of ComputerLife and FamilyPC's testers criticized some of the puzzles for relying on "reflexes, not logical thinking."[74] Contrarily, Entertainment Weekly's reviewer found the challenges too easy, considering them unimaginative "Pac-Man rip-offs and dopey jigsaws," and rated the game B+.[75] Scisco appreciated the nonviolent content and the inclusion of Jessie's strong female character, but named the extraterrestrial story "too familiar".[74]

[edit] Quest World Adventure

Hanna-Barbera staged an international contest in February 1997 called "Quest World Adventure", the prize being a trip to a secret island (Jamaica) in July.[76] Commercials instructed fans to mail in episodes' geographical destinations during sweeps week.[76] Advertisements appeared on Time Warner's television channels, in Sports Illustrated for Kids, DC Comics publications, radio stations, and Warner Brothers stores.[38] Turner encouraged local cable operators to submit their own spots, generating 34,000 ads among 174 cable systems for a total of $3.4 million cross-channel media support.[76] 50,000 children with a median age of ten entered the competition, and 20,000 answered correctly.[77] Turner randomly selected ten viewers from the United States and nine from Latin America and Asia as winners.[77] They and 200 others received Quest-themed adventure packs, including a backpack, flashlight and siren, travel journal, pen, T-shirt, and glow sticks.[38] Cartoon Network aired the names of winning children on a special feature in which Jeremiah Surd issued personal threats.[78]

The nineteen winners received travel itineraries for an all-expenses-paid trip to Ocho Rios, Jamaica with up to three family members.[77] Planners kept the destination secret until shortly before travel.[79] In Jamaica, kids combated Surd's "environmental terrorism" by preventing him from finding the Jamaican "Irie" stones.[76] Children received clues on the mission by e-mail seemingly written by Jonny Quest.[78] Posing as the kids' allies, network employees prepared clues, buried treasure, and hosted barbecues, reggae concerts, and rafting trips.[38] Participants searched for the stones at the White River, Dunn's River Falls, and Prospect Plantation; hosts filmed the proceedings for possible future promotions.[77] The quest centered on cerebral challenges—the kids reportedly had to "really think in order to solve the riddle and save the world."[77] Attendees also learned about the history and ecology of Jamaica.[77] The adventure doubled the show's ratings for February sweeps and tripled Questworld.com's hits threefold.[76] Brandweek magazine awarded it the year's top honors for a global marketing promotion.[76]

[edit] Critical reception

Dr. Quest and Jessie, a subject of initial debate, in season one's The Darkest Fathoms
Dr. Quest and Jessie, a subject of initial debate, in season one's The Darkest Fathoms

Announcement of Jessie Bannon's inclusion caused a backlash among certain Quest fans; TV Guide's editors feared that Jonny and Jessie would become romantically entangled.[80] The television magazine declared that "Jonny & Co. have always gotten along just fine without any icky females," and a Miami Herald columnist called her an "effort to rewrite the past to conform to the socio-political mandates of the present...This is PC—pretty crazy—run amok."[81] Conversely, Billboard magazine welcomed the change to the otherwise all-male cast.[8] Fred Seibert responded by stating, "Jessie is a little older and smarter than Jonny...We're not doing Moonlighting here."[80] The fiasco subsided after Cyber Insects aired, in which the Atlanta Journal-Constitution declared Jessie to be "no 'icky girl'...Not only does she save Jonny's life when disturbingly large fire ants attack, but she also teaches him patience."[82] A test screening of Cyber Insects to 30-35 year old males revealed that though some questioned her addition, most "understood that just like the [original] series, [the update] is a reflection of its times."[82] Following its debut, Cinefantastique wrote that Real Adventures remained "true to the familiar formula" of the classic series, and praised an "impressive cast" with People magazine, which specified George Segal.[45][83] Another critic affirmed that Real Adventures maintained the violence and off-screen deaths of classic Quest—as even the opening titles featured "explosions, murder and mayhem"—and recommended the show to "die-hard adult fans".[23] Chicago's Daily Herald called the first episode "vintage Quest".[10] The Panama City Times-Herald echoed this position:

“ The new series takes the best elements of the old - global adventures, cutting-edge technology and good-spirited teamwork - and updates it for the 1990s. The now-teen-age heroes are caught up in extraordinary dangers both in the "real" world and in virtual reality.[4] ”

An editor for The Washington Post judged the first season as "grittier and more lifelike" than the original Quest.[84] Chicago Tribune critic Allan Johnson agreed that Real Adventures was less "way-out" and contrasted the two shows in detail.[85] TV Guide joined by applauding the writing as "miles deeper and darker than on the old show"; the magazine's critic was impressed by Hadji's quotations.[44] Johnson approved of the age jump, as Jonny and Hadji were now old enough to be part of the action.[85] He considered Jessie "cool...she gives Jonny grief just because she can, and she's not afraid of the action."[85] Conversely, he did not enjoy the "toned down" portrayal of Race Bannon.[85] The authors of 1998's Saturday Morning Fever felt the show seemed to lack "the sense of why the original was so successful."[86] They praised Jessie and her resemblance to Dr. Quest, but lambasted the packaging of both seasons under one name. The authors ultimately preferred the second, as it contained more classic references and characters.[86] Hanna-Barbera founder Joseph Barbera considered Real Adventures a "disaster" because "they changed was the story and the character".[87] He continued, "that's their business. Everybody needs to do their own thing."[87] People praised Turner's shift from the "politically correct claptrap" of Captain Planet and the Planeteers, giving Real Adventures a B grade as "children's programming the way it oughta be."[83] Peter Scisco of ComputerLife appreciated that the team "rely on their brains, not mutant superpowers."[74]

The Toronto Star scathingly criticized the show for hosting "facile plots heavily laced with jarring science fiction and incongruous computer animation," and called QuestWorld a "poorly explained techno-gimmick."[9] Though praising the computer animation, The Star regarded traditional sequences as "flat and textureless, with minimal characterization, unnaturally stiff movement and poor execution of shading and shadow."[9] Ted Cox of the Chicago Daily Herald disagreed, lauding "realistic" traditional and digital animation—"such as the play of light on the ocean."[10] Cox conceded that in some spots, motion seemed "remarkably uneven".[10] TV Guide also found the animation to be somewhat flat, but considered the sound effects and backgrounds "state-of-the-art."[44] Greg Aaron of HotWired praised the franchise's return, but warned against QuestWorld hype, arguing that "it will take more than visual sophistication to hook today's viewers".[1] Senior vice president of production Sherry Gunther admitted that the motion capture technology was "best reserved for recording broad movements...because the technology is still a little crude."[1]

Alberto Menache expanded this criticism of QuestWorld in the book Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation and Video Games, labeling the virtual reality simulation a "failure" laden with "many mistakes."[88] He explained that the size difference between the motion capturers and the characters caused unsteady animation and shaking—consequently mismatching interaction with props or uneven terrain.[88] Menache levied blame upon the show's budget, which did not allow for digital post-production and review. Producers instead expected "plug-and-play" results straight from the capture studio.[88] Menache concluded that the QuestWorld sequences were the result of a "pipeline set up for mass production" with little testing or advance planning.[88] These criticisms mirrored the comments of Buzz F/X animator Francois Lord, who revealed that the company's Montreal animators were inexperienced and forced to deliver on rushed schedules.[39] Contrasting their work with Blur Studio's, he pointed out that amid more experienced workers, Blur "had twice as [much] time as we did and twice as [much] money."[39] Menache was less critical of the facial capture, considering it "medium-quality...but still acceptable for the kind of television budget this project had."[88]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Aaron, Greg (October 1996). Pop: Review of Jonny Quest. HotWired.com. Archived from the original on 1998-12-06. Retrieved on 18 June 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Mendoza, NF (October 1996). "Heeeeere's Jonny! Jonny Quest Returns With a New Look and a New Series from Hanna-Barbera.". Animation Magazine 10 (9). Animation Magazine, Inc.. 
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Lawrence, Peter and Glenn Leopold (1994-05-18, 1996-01-17, 1996-02-06). The New Jonny Quest Writer's Bible. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  4. ^ a b c d e Simmons, Tony (1996-12-15). The `Quest' continues. Panama City Times Herald. Archived from the original on 1999-01-29. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Falk, Lance (1997-08-06). Lance Falk's Semi-Official JQ:TRA FAQ. QuestFan.com/wiki.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Miller, Bob (1996-11-17). Interview with Lance Falk. Animation Planet Magazine. Retrieved on June 19, 2007.
  7. ^ a b "'Quest' for exciting show stops here: three networks plan to air adventures of boy named Jonny" (1996-08-26). Charleston Daily Mail p. 10A. Charleston Newspapers. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Benezra, Karen (1996-01-29). "Hut, Mills join Quest". Billboard 37 (5). VNU eMedia, Inc.. 
  9. ^ a b c Mietkiewicz, Henry (1996-08-28). "Animated fool's gold on YTV New series feature cartoons that try to capitalize on fairly recent fads". Toronto Star p. B1. Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 
  10. ^ a b c d e Cox, Ted (1996-08-26). "New 'Jonny Quest' a little older and more marketable for creators". Chicago Daily Herald p. B4. 
  11. ^ Jonny Quest Promotional Video. Toonami Digital Arsenal. Retrieved on 24 June 2007.
  12. ^ "The Guardian: CNX" (2003-04-13). The Guardian. 
  13. ^ a b c Timm, Lori (1994-09-15). "Cue card> Lost on Quest for broad appeal". Peoria Journal Star p. C1. Peoria Journal Star. 
  14. ^ "These action stars really are cartoons" (1994-04-27). San Jose Mercury News p. 3E. 
  15. ^ a b Strauss, Bob (1995-07-30). "On the set, it's either her way of the highway - Shuler-Donner's insistence just a way to show she cares". Daily News of Los Angeles. 
  16. ^ a b Mallory, Michael (June 1995 (vol. 395, issue 6)). "Turner pushing 'Quest' big-time". Variety. 
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h Lefton, Terry (1995-06-19). "Turner relaunches 'Quest'". Brandweek 36 (25). VNU eMedia, Inc.. 
  18. ^ "Jonny's on a Quest in 1995" (1995-05-03). Chicago Tribune KIDNEWS p. 8. 
  19. ^ Interview with Lance Falk. Animation Artist Magazine (2000). Retrieved on June 19, 2007.
  20. ^ a b Winnie Lim's TRAJQ FAQ. QuestFan.com/wiki (1997). Retrieved on June 20, 2007.
  21. ^ a b Clay, Jennifer (1996). Guy Moon. BMI. Archived from the original on 1996-10-20. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  22. ^ a b c Falk, Lance (1997). Lance Falk Episode Commentary #9 General Winter. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  23. ^ a b Heldenfels, RD (1996-08-26). "'7th Heaven' may well be too down-to-earth: New Warner Bros. show first arrival in expected wave of early-evening family programming this season". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron Beacon Journal. 
  24. ^ "Business roundup" (1996-07-30). The Washington Times p. B11. News World Communications, Inc.. 
  25. ^ Carter, Tammi (1995-11-19). "Fine tuning". The Times-Picayune p. T51. The Times-Picayune Publishing Corporation. 
  26. ^ Berry, Jonathan (1994-07-18). "Smarter Than the Average Ted". Business Week issue 3381. 
  27. ^ Reader, Stephanie (1994-06-01). "Radio, TV, music: Today brings something new - Oldies - at 91.7 FM". Tacoma News Tribune p. E13. Tacoma News Tribune. 
  28. ^ Angrisani, Carol (September 1995). "Turner embarks on Cartoon 'Quest'". Supermarket News. 
  29. ^ Hollywood Reporter (1994-04-25). "Live-Action `Johnny Quest' in the Works". The San Francisco Chronicle p. E3. 
  30. ^ Jonny Quest Promo Video. Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  31. ^ Scheid, Darren (1996-07-08). "Dive-In Theater crowd to 'toon in at water park". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Star-Telegram Inc.. 
  32. ^ "Producers in Yanceyville to discuss Jonny Quest" (1995-12-08). Greensboro News & Record. 
  33. ^ Walley, Wayne (1996-08-26). "'Jonny Quest' is back with triple debut". Electronic Media 15 (35). Crain Communications Inc.. 
  34. ^ a b Vered, Annabel (1996-06-18). "A heat wave of sizzling stars". TV Guide 44 (23). 
  35. ^ Vancheri, Barbara (1996-05-03). "It's a boy for WPXI's Finnegan". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette p. 34. 
  36. ^ Haddad, Charles (1996-10-01). "Cartoon Network tops 30 million, Large subscribership helps sell advertising". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution p. C7. 
  37. ^ Moore, Scott (1997-03-29). "Cartoon Kingdom TV executives see another animation revival in the early success of Fox's King of the Hill". The Washington Post p. 3D. 
  38. ^ a b c d Jonny Quest Ratings Soar with Real-Life Adventure Contest. Incentive Performance Center. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  39. ^ a b c d e f g h Lord, Francois (1997-04-11). Francois Lord's Commentary. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  40. ^ "Intergraph Workstations Play Starring Role in "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest" at Blur Studio" (1997-02-12). Business Wire. Gale Group. 
  41. ^ McWilliams, James (1997). Intergraph takes on new 'Quest'. The Huntsville Times. Archived from the original on 1997-07-28. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  42. ^ a b c "Virgin Sound and Vision inks licensing agreement with Turner New Media; VSV brings Hanna-Barbera's The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest into computer age with CD-ROM" (1996-03-18). Business Wire. Gale Group. 
  43. ^ Vehicles. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 20 June 2007.
  44. ^ a b c "Family Pages: Jonny Come Lately" (1996-08-24). TV Guide p. 45 44 (34). 
  45. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kingston, F. Colin (October 1996). "Older and bolder, the cartoon quester returns on Turner TV.". Cinefantastique 28 (3). 
  46. ^ Rollins, Ron (1996-10-22). "Seen & overheard". Dayton Daily News p. 3C. Cox Ohio Publishing. 
  47. ^ Falk, Lance (1997-02-23). Lance Falk Episode Commentary #5 Race Against Danger. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  48. ^ a b c Falk, Lance (1997-02-14). Lance Falk Episode Commentary #3 Thoughtscape. QuestFan.com/wiki. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  49. ^ Eick, Kelly (May 1998). Gender Stereotypes in Children's Television Cartoons. California Polytechnic College of Liberal Arts. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  50. ^ a b Gray, Ellen (1996-08-21). The new `Jonny Quest' is full of ideas for children's programming. Knight-Ridder Media. Archived from the original on 1997-04-30. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  51. ^ Falk, Lance (1997-02-08). Lance Falk Episode Commentary #1 Rock of Rages. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  52. ^ IMDb: Rob Paulsen. Internet Movie Database Inc.. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  53. ^ a b c d Matzer, Marla (1996-06-24). "Pillsbury, Campbell's join in new Quest.". Brandweek 37 (26). VNU eMedia, Inc.. 
  54. ^ "Ned Beatty leaving "Homicide' series" (1995-06-21). St. Petersburg Times p. 2B. 
  55. ^ "Fast forward." (1995-07-10). People 44 (2). People Magazine (Time). 
  56. ^ "What's hot this year" (December 1996). Good Housekeeping 223 (6). Hearst Brand Development. 
  57. ^ Jonny Quest Digital Style Guide. questfan.com. Retrieved on 24 June 2007.
  58. ^ "Business highlights" (1997-10-20). The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois). 
  59. ^ Jonny Quest: Quest Headquarters. Galoob Toys. Archived from the original on 1997-04-13. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  60. ^ Jonny Quest Unproduced Toys. mindpsring.com/~questwordl-online. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  61. ^ Norman, Forrest (2000-02-19). "Proper rod and reel key for young anglers". Fort Myers News-Press p. 8C. The News-Press. 
  62. ^ The new kid rhino takes a journey into the world of Jonny Quest. Knight-Ridder Media (1996-09-17). Archived from the original on 1997-06-14. Retrieved on 19 June 2007.
  63. ^ Quest Cast: Jessie Bannon. Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.. Archived from the original on 1997-03-27. Retrieved on 15 July 2007.
  64. ^ Questworld: Archaeology. Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc.. Archived from the original on 1998-01-21. Retrieved on 15 July 2007.
  65. ^ a b c d e Dark Horse Comics (1996). "New Jonny Quest comics series supports TV launch". Press release. Retrieved on 15 June.
  66. ^ "Paving concrete career" (1996-03-23). The Washington Times. News World Communications# Inc. 
  67. ^ Dark Horse Comics. "Eisner Award-winner Paul Chadwick provides cover for Jonny Quest". Press release. Retrieved on 15 June.
  68. ^ "Owensboro native taking novel approach to home state" (1996-06-15). Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer. 
  69. ^ Reese, Jean (1999-06-15). Internet Books for Educators, Parents, and Students. Libraries Unlimited, 203–204. ISBN 1563086972. 
  70. ^ "The Real Adventure of Johnny Quest: The Forbidden City of Luxor. (book reviews)" (August 1997). Australian Journal of Language and Literacy. 
  71. ^ a b c d e f Bueno, Tony (1996-11-01). "Electronic Adventures". Dallas Morning News p. 3C. The Dallas Morning News Company. 
  72. ^ "Help Jonny Quest save the world" (1996-10-05). Palm Beach Post p. 3D. Palm Beach Newspapers, Inc.. 
  73. ^ "Visions of computer games swim in their heads" (1996-12-21). Albuquerque Journal p. 7. Albuquerque Journal. 
  74. ^ a b c Scisco, Peter (1996-12-21). "Junior Sleuths on the Loose: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest: Cover-Up At Roswell". ComputerLife vol. 4, issue 3, p. 113. 
  75. ^ Cheng, Kipp (1996-10-04). "Jonny Quest: Crisis at Area 51". Entertainment Weekly (347). 
  76. ^ a b c d e f Stanley, T.L. (1998-03-09). The Cartoon Network: making an old series new again - Real Adventures of Jonny Quest. Brandweek. Retrieved on 15 June 2007.
  77. ^ a b c d e f Brink, Graham (1997-06-30). "Jamaican quest awaits real-life boy". St. Petersburg Times. 
  78. ^ a b Coughlin, Kerry (1997-06-12). "Hitting the trail with Jonny Quest: Hudson youth wins a trip to Jamaica to join the hunt for a dastardly villain". Akron Beacon Journal. 
  79. ^ Shaw, Mary-Liz (1997-06-07). "Contest winning is family affair". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 
  80. ^ a b Eldredge, Richard L. (1995-08-13). "Unionites have `Reason' to patronize bookstores". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution p. M2. 
  81. ^ Pitts, Leonard (1995-08-05). "Jonny Quest's new 'icky female' proves PC has gone way too far". The Miami Herald p. 1G. 
  82. ^ a b Eldredge, Richard L. (1995-11-12). "Sunday Buzz: Ex-Beatle's publicist having Best of times". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution p. M2. 
  83. ^ a b Queenan, Joe (1996-09-02). "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest". People vol. 46 issue 10. 
  84. ^ Moore, Scott (1996-10-03). "New fall series for kids: A season of plenty". The Washington Post. 
  85. ^ a b c d Johnson, Allan (1996-08-13). "Jonny Quest' gets pumped: '60s 'toon is more in your face for the '90s". Chicago Tribune. 
  86. ^ a b Burke, Timothy; Kevin Burke (1998-12-15). Saturday Morning Fever. St. Martin's Press, 114–115. ISBN 0312169965. 
  87. ^ a b Evenson, Laura (1997-06-03). ""Yabba Dabba Do!" Hanna-Barbera's Saturday morning artwork at Cartoon Art Museum". The San Francisco Chronicle p. B1. The Chronicle Publishing Company. 
  88. ^ a b c d e Menache, Alberto (October 1999). Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation and Video Games. Morgan Kaufmann, 52–53. ISBN 0124906303. 

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Cartoon Network Original Series
Cartoon Cartoons
Cartoon Network Studios Originals
Upcoming shows
Languages