Godzilla (1978 TV series)

Did You Know?

• In response to Y2K hype, Cartoon Network created a short titled 'Godzilla vs. the Y2K Bug' (1999) in which the calling device fails because Captain Majors forgot to update the embedded microchip.
• Dr. Quinn Darien appeared as Dr. Gale Melody in the Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law episode 'Shoyu Weenie', voiced by Grey DeLisle.

Premise

The series follows the crew of the Calico, a hydrofoil research vessel led by Captain Carl Majors. The team includes scientist Dr. Quinn Darien, her nephew Pete Darien, and research assistant Brock Borden. Accompanying them is Godzooky, Godzilla's cowardly nephew and Pete's best friend, who provides comic relief. Godzooky can attempt to fly with small wings and coughs up smoke rings when trying to breathe fire. The group summons Godzilla using a special signaller or Godzooky's roar when threatened by giant monsters. Godzilla's size shifts inconsistently, sometimes within a single scene, and his atomic breath is replaced with simple fire or laser beams from his eyes.

Production

Toho Studios had considered adapting Godzilla for American TV animation as early as the late 1960s, entering negotiations with Filmation for a series intended for the 1969-70 season, but the deal collapsed. Joseph Barbera conceived the idea of licensing Godzilla, explaining in a 1990s interview that he wanted to do a Godzilla show and contacted Hank Saperstein. A network executive urged lighter storylines, leading Barbera to create Godzooky as a son-like character, similar to relationships in Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy and Jonny Quest. Doug Wildey, creator of Jonny Quest, served as producer. DePatie–Freleng Enterprises was initially slated to produce Godzilla while Hanna-Barbera would produce The New Fantastic Four, but after DePatie–Freleng acquired Fantastic Four rights, NBC brokered a deal swapping the assignments. Barbera wanted a straight adaptation of the movies, but Standards and Practices restrictions on flame and property damage forced compromises. Toho licensed Godzilla's likeness and name but refused to authorize use of the iconic roar, so generic monster sounds were used. Wildey's initial designs, which made Godzilla look more dinosaur-like, were rejected by Toho until he added more ape-like features to the face.

Broadcast

The series aired on NBC in multiple formats. The Godzilla Power Hour ran from September 9 to October 28, 1978, pairing Godzilla with Jana of the Jungle. On November 4, 1978, it expanded to 90 minutes as The Godzilla Super 90, adding Jonny Quest reruns. A planned 90-minute arc pairing Godzilla with The New Shmoo and The Thing, titled Godzilla Meets the Shmoo and The Thing, was abandoned. After 26 half-hour episodes, reruns began on September 27, 1980, as The Godzilla/Dynomutt Hour (including The Funky Phantom), then as The Godzilla/Hong Kong Phooey Hour from November 22, 1980, to May 16, 1981. The show returned to a half-hour format as Godzilla from May 23 to September 5, 1981, when it was replaced by The Smurfs. The series was rebroadcast on TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and briefly on Retro TV between 2015 and 2016.

Home media

The first season's 13 episodes were split across three DVD sets called Godzilla: The Original Animated Series. The first four episodes make up Volume 1, the next four are Volume 2, and the final five are Volume 3. Starting November 9, 2011, these first-season episodes could be streamed on Netflix and Hulu. The second season has never been released on DVD or Blu-ray. On August 9, 2021, Toho uploaded the complete series to their official Godzilla YouTube channel, dividing each episode into three parts.