Men in Black: The Series

Men in Black: The Series
Genre Action
Comedy
Science fiction
Format Animated series
Developed by Adelaide Productions
Columbia Tristar Television
Voices of Ed O'Ross
Gregg Berger
Keith Diamond
Jennifer Lien
Jennifer Martin
Charles Napier
Theme music composer Jim Latham
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 53 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Laurie MacDonald
Walter F. Parkes
Richard Raynis
Rafael Rosado
Producer(s) Kim Bass
Duane Capizzi
Frank Paur
Running time 22–24 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel The WB
Original run October 11, 1997 (1997-10-11) – June 30, 2001 (2001-06-30)
Chronology
Preceded by Men in Black

Men in Black: The Series (informally MIB: The Series) also known as Men in Black: The Animated Series is an American animated television series that aired during The WB's Kids' WB programming block for four seasons[1] from 1997 through 2001.

The show features characters from 1997's science fiction film Men in Black,[2] which was based on the comic book series The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham,[3] originally published by Aircel Comics.

MIB: The Series was made by Adelaide Productions Inc. (a unit of Sony Pictures Television) as a half-hour series airing on Saturday mornings originally and then moving to weekdays.

Contents

Premise

MIB: The Series was based on the 1997 blockbuster Men In Black and continued where the film left off, though with some minor changes. Agent K remained an agent[2] and partner to Agent J (although a Marvel Comics one-shot revealed that K's memories were restored in an unseen case). Agent L was moved to the lab inside MiB Headquarters. The headquarters itself was no longer under the ventilator building of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, but now at what looked like a disused area under LaGuardia airport. These differences are possibly addressed in one episode of the series, where it is revealed that every so often some writer or Hollywood-type learns of the MIB and makes a movie about them, possibly hinting that the live-action movie was one of these incidents. There were some further differences in appearances in the characters in the cartoon. Agent L had blond hair, blue eyes and a different hairstyle, Agent J did not have a mustache, Edgar bug (in a Flashback sequence) was given an appearance that resembled his look in the comic adaptation of the film instead of his movie appearance, and Zed in the movie had black hair and a goatee, whereas in the series he had white hair and no goatee. Zed's eyes were dramatically shaded in to give an impression of a lack of sleep. After season one, Agent K also received a facial redesign that made him appear younger, with the lines in his face removed, his eye color changed from brown to blue, and his hair was changed from gray-brown to regular-brown. While the film had a semi-comedic tone, the series was more dramatic.

The show had varied writing in its episodes. Some episodes were based on the plot to the film, and brought back characters like the Bug, and the Arquillians, though these are portrayed as peaceful and benevolent. MIB: The Series itself had a long-running plot where the Men In Black fought Alpha, a former MIB chief who previously had been Agent K's friend and mentor. Eventually, Alpha had turned maverick with greed and sought to achieve immortality by assimilating rare alien body parts into his body. He returned numerous times and his appearance grew grislier each time with the help of the 'Cosmic Integrator', a device that let him combine alien appendages to his own body.

Ultimately, the basic plot formula was for the MIB to protect the Earth from harm, and this extended into keeping peace throughout the galaxy. Technology, as well as intergalactic politics and peacekeeping played a part, along with common criminal activity on a science fiction level.

Besides Agent K, the founding members of the MIB were Agents T, H, Q, and D (Kay's first partner from the first movie).

A cliche in the series was a scene where it seems like Agent K was killed in some terrible way, only to be proven alive later in the episode. Another running gag in the series was Kay frequently denying Jay's requests to drive his car. Also, Jay's primary weapon is "the Noisy Cricket" that no longer sounds like a cricket chirping; Jay still hasn't gotten used to the kick it creates. In the second season, Jay upgraded the weapon with a suppressor which limited the violent kicks.

Characters

Along with Agents J, K and Elle (L), the show included a larger cast of regular and semi-regular characters. Some were based from their film counterparts while others were new additions to the MIB Universe.

Characters to return from the film:

Additions to the program:

Cast

Episodes

Main article: List of Men in Black: The Series episodes

Syndication

The series ran briefly on Nickelodeon's SLAM! block in 2002. It also aired on Canada's YTV. It also aired in Sri Lanka.

The series is currently running on The Hub network as of October 10, 2010, 5:00 p.m. EST. As of at least August 12th 2011 the series is currently running on The Hub network as of October 10, 2010, 3:00 p.m. EST.

Home video

Six episodes from the first season have been released on three North American (NTSC) VHS video tapes, available separately or as a set. Sony Pictures Entertainment released the first season on DVD in Australia as two separate volumes (the first containing seven episodes, the second containing six) on July 4, 2007. The same volumes were released in the UK twelve days later. There are no announced plans for a Region 1 (North American) release at the present time, nor a complete series release in any region (as of July 2011).

# VHS Title Release Date
1 Volume 1 March 16, 1999
2 Volume 2 March 16, 1999
3 Volume 3 March 16, 1999

References

  1. ^ Fritz, Steve (September 18, 2000). "MEN IN BLACK and JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES" (in English). Mania. USA. http://www.mania.com/men-black-jackie-chan-adventures_article_24267.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
  2. ^ a b Raiti, Gerard (January 9, 1998). "Mania: Animated Men in Black" (in English). Mania. Archived from the original on January 10, 1998. http://classic-web.archive.org/web/19980110193640/http://www.mania.com/tv/features/meninblack010998.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c Allstetter, Rob (1998). "Mania: Men In Black Animated Series" (in English). Mania. USA. Archived from the original on January 16, 1999. http://classic-web.archive.org/web/19990116231756/http://www.mania.com/tv/features/mibcartoon.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011. 

External links

Comic books
The Men in Black (1990–1997)
Films
Men in Black (1997) · Men in Black II (2002) · Men in Black 3 (2012)
Television
Men in Black: The Series (1997–2001)
Music
Video game
Men in Black: The Game (1997) · Men in Black - The Series: Crashdown (2001) · Men in Black II: Alien Escape (2002)
Characters
J · K · Frank the Pug
Related topics
Animated productions based on Marvel Comics properties
Television
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2010s
Animated Features
Series Groups
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General programming topics
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International versions
Cookie Jar Group
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Marvel
Sony Pictures Animation Television
Channel Umptee-3 (1997–1998) • Generation O! (2000–2001) • Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005) • Max Steel (2000–2002) • Men in Black: The Series (1997–2001) • Phantom Investigators (2002) • The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008)
Universal Animation Studios
Earthworm Jim (1995–1997) • The Mummy: The Animated Series (2001–2003)
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