The Freedom Force (TV series)
Animated superhero team assembled by Isis to fight evil.
The Freedom Force, a 1978 animated series from Filmation, aired on CBS as part of the anthology *Tarzan and the Super 7*. The show followed a multinational team of superheroes assembled by the heroine Isis to combat evil. Isis had previously appeared in the live-action series *The Secrets of Isis*, but actress Joanna Cameron did not voice the character for this cartoon. Only five episodes were ever made.
The team included Isis, the goddess of the elements; Hercules, the world's mightiest man and a former member of the Space Sentinels; Merlin, a master of magic; Sinbad, a hero of the seven seas; and Super Samurai, a giant of justice whose alter ego was a young Japanese boy named Toshi. Hercules often rode Pegasus, Merlin used a flying carpet, and Sinbad's sidekick Lamprey provided comic relief.
The voice cast featured Michael Bell as Merlin, Toshi/Super Samurai, and Sinbad; Diane Pershing as Isis; and Bob Denison as Hercules.
The five episodes were: "The Dragon Riders" (written by Don Heckman), in which the team stops a war between two tribes fighting in the air; "The Scarlet Samurai" (written by Gerry Boudreau), where Toshi's jealous new friend is manipulated by an evil wizard seeking revenge against Toshi's father; "The Plant Soldiers" (written by Tom Swale), about an evil wizard who steals the Necklace of Osiris to control the Nile and an army of walking plants; "Pegasus' Odyssey" (written by Gerry Boudreau), in which Pegasus is captured by a sorceress seeking revenge on Hercules; and "The Robot" (written by Buzz Dixon), featuring an inventor's mechanical giant trying to prove itself stronger than the Freedom Force.
On August 22, 2006, BCI Eclipse LLC (under its Ink & Paint brand, licensed from Entertainment Rights) released all five episodes on DVD in Region 1. This set also included all 13 episodes of *Space Sentinels*, an earlier series with overlapping characters. The discs presented the episodes uncut, digitally remastered, and in story continuity order, with scripts and Spanish language tracks for all five episodes, a gallery of original and early images, trivia, and interviews with creators Lou Scheimer, Buzz Dixon, Darrell McNeil, Michael Reaves, Robert Kline, and David Wise, plus numerous special features about *Space Sentinels* and Filmation. As of 2009, this release is discontinued and out of print due to BCI Eclipse ceasing operations.
- First aired
- 1978
- Network
- CBS
- Production company
- Filmation
- Number of episodes
- 5
- Lead heroine
- Isis
- Voice cast
- Michael Bell, Diane Pershing, Bob Denison
Lore & Background
The Freedom Force was an animated team of heroes assembled by the goddess Isis, who had previously appeared in the live-action series The Secrets of Isis. The team included Hercules, Merlin, Sinbad, and Super Samurai, the alter ego of young Japanese boy Toshi. Hercules often rode Pegasus, Merlin used a flying carpet, and Sinbad's sidekick Lamprey provided comic relief. Actress Joanna Cameron did not reprise her live-action role as Isis for the animated series.
The five episodes featured adventures such as ending an air war between two tribes, a jealous friend of Toshi exploited by an evil wizard, an evil wizard using the Necklace of Osiris to control the Nile and plant soldiers, Pegasus captured by a sorceress seeking revenge on Hercules, and an inventor's mechanical giant challenging the team. Voice actors included Michael Bell as Merlin, Toshi/Super Samurai, and Sinbad; Diane Pershing as Isis; and Bob Denison as Hercules.
Reader's Guide
The Freedom Force is notable as a short-lived animated segment within the Tarzan and the Super 7 anthology, produced by Filmation in 1978. Its significance lies in continuing the character of Isis from the live-action The Secrets of Isis into animation, though without the original actress. The series also connected to the earlier Filmation series Space Sentinels, sharing characters like Hercules. Only five episodes were made, limiting its cultural footprint. The series was released on DVD in 2006 by BCI Eclipse, digitally remastered and including scripts and Spanish language tracks, but went out of print after BCI Eclipse ceased operations in 2009. One episode, 'The Plant Soldiers,' was included as a bonus feature on the DVD release of the live-action The Secrets of Isis series. The show represents a minor entry in 1970s superhero animation, remembered mainly by collectors and fans of Filmation's output.
Did You Know?
- Only five episodes of The Freedom Force were produced.
- Actress Joanna Cameron did not reprise her role as Isis from the live-action series for the animated version.
- Hercules in The Freedom Force was an alumnus of the earlier Filmation series Space Sentinels.
- The DVD release of the series was discontinued after BCI Eclipse ceased operations in 2009.
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