The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show

Premise

The series never explicitly states Plastic Man's origin, but implies he was once the small-time crook Patrick "Eel" O'Brian who reformed after being left for dead by the mob and gained plastic stretch powers. Plastic Man, his girlfriend Penny, and his Polynesian sidekick Hula-Hula travel the world receiving assignments from the Chief to stop global threats. Plastic Man maintains his humor even in danger; for instance, when a giant octopus captures Penny and Hula-Hula, he asks "What scout troop did he belong to?"

Only five villains—Doctor Dome, his henchman Lynx, Doctor Honctoff, Carrot-Man, and Spider—came from the comics; all others were created for the series. The show includes regular consumer affairs public service announcements offering simple advice, such as shopping around for the best price or borrowing books from the library. In early episodes Penny has a crush on Plastic Man, who ignores it because he himself has a crush on the dark-haired female Chief.

In the second season Plastic Man reciprocates and the two marry, producing a son with the same powers, leading to lighter Baby Plas episodes.

Production

The first episode to air was "Louse of Wax", broadcast only once as part of ABC's Saturday morning preview special for 1979. The plot came from an unused outline Evanier had written for the series. "Louse of Wax" used a different opening sequence than the rest of the series because the regular opening had not been finished in time for the preview special.

Cast

The live-action syndication segments of this program featured Taylor Marks, a stage name for comedian Mark Taylor, as Plastic Man. The end credits list John Stephenson twice. The voice cast includes John Anthony Bailey as Sunstroke; Joe Baker as Hula-Hula; Michael Bell as Plastic Man, Dr. Astro, Marak, Junior Macintosh, Half-Ape, Gearshift Swift, Krime Klown, and Nefario; Susan Blu as Kim and Sally Jones; Bart Braverman as Puggsy; Melendy Britt as Chief and Penny; Johnny Brown as Splashdown; Peter Cullen as Brandon Brewster and Mighty Man; Jerry Dexter as Biff; Bobby F. Ellerbee as Cosmo; Al Fann as Rickety Rocket; Clare Peck as Baby Plas; Michael Rye as the Main Title Narrator, Dr. Lazarus Web, Skullman, and Hood; John Stephenson as Mayor, Fangface Narrator, Weed, Spider, Hugo, Royal Rajah, Computerhead, Anthead, Big Mouse, Magnet Man, Catman, Dr. Rufus T. Gadgets, Marble Man, Mr. Van Pire, Doctor Decay, Dr. Lash, Clyde, and Ironmask; Dee Timberlake as Venus; Frank Welker as Sherman Fangsworth, Fangface, Baby Fangs, Fangpuss, and Yukk; Marlene Aragon as Kitty Katt; Keith Barbour; Daws Butler as Count Graffiti; Ruth Buzzi as She-Na-Na; Ted Cassidy; Henry Corden as Goldteeth, Kragg the Conqueror, Dogcatcher, and Abdul the Giant; Danny Dark as Jeffery W. Moonbeam; Takayo Doran; Walker Edmiston as Doctor Dinosaur; Sam Edwards; Ron Feinberg; Linda Gary; Joan Gerber; Jerry Hausner; Johnny Haymer as Howard Huge and Doctor Duplicator; Ralph James as Commodore Peril; and Stan Jones.

Episodes

In "The Weed," Plastic Man faces a walking plant that steals a university's growth formula to build a monster. The Weed demands a huge ransom or he will destroy world capitals, starting with Lima, Peru, but his plan backfires when the mutant plant acts unpredictably. "Dr. Irwin and Mr. Meteor" introduces a weak scientist who becomes a powerful, Jekyll-and-Hyde-like figure after touching a meteor, proving too strong for Plastic Man until Penny helps.

"Wham-Bam! Beware of the Clam!" features a pirate-themed clam that steals a water-control device from China, fakes its location in Italy, and floods New York City to rob submerged banks and stores. "The Day the Ocean Disappeared" has Dr. Honctoff vaporizing and bottling all the world's oceans. "The Horrible Half-Ape" follows Professor Darwin, turned half-ape by a failed experiment, who plans to steal a flying saucer and start an interplanetary war.

"Hugefoot" involves a giant stealing a future-seeing device and kidnapping Penny. "The Minuscule 7" pits Plastic Man against tiny gangsters rigging basketball tournaments. "Moonraider" sees a thief stealing NASA's spaceships. "Superstein" has a doctor stealing minds to power a monster army. "Dogmaster" tries to steal a power ray formula hidden in a chimpanzee's brain.