A recent addition to Netflix’s library of shows Saturday Morning All Star Hits! is a strange story of a family explained through the in-universe cartoon Strongimals. While the series only exists in the imaginary “SMASH” block, the anthropomorphic avengers parallel real-life cartoons in the late ‘80s and the politics going on behind the scenes. The show lampoons the challenges Saturday morning cartoons faced when scrutinized by special interest groups and their struggle to appeal to their younger audience.
Denver the Last Dinosaur, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Blossom Netflix’s newest cult classic is a tribute to some of the great ‘80s and ‘90s cartoons. However, there’s blood splatter on these nostalgia goggles as the series delves into murder, betrayal, and the price of fame. In particular, the show focuses on its hosts, twins Skip and Treybor. After Skip rises to celebrity status from a small cameo on the Strongimals cartoon, a series of mock-VHS recordings chronicle how ego and jealousy consume the two brothers before culminating in an eventful finale.
At first, Strongimals seems like any other stand-in for Thundercats or He-man and the Masters of the Universe that would air on Adult Swim. However, there’s more going on to this series than a violent quest for “peace energy.” At its heart, the show is a commentary on the real-life politics and broadcasting standards cartoons had to face. Examining Skip’s dominance of the series and the censuring of the original stars, there’s a comparison to be made to shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles about the loss of identity. In addition, the show’s forced messages reflect the imposed federal broadcast regulations and what lengths networks had to go through to comply with them.
Skip evolves from a minor character on Strongimals to the obnoxious star of the series. What is once a cartoon about intergalactic warfare abandons its premise and characters to meet changing demands, eventually becoming the goofier Skip! and the Strongimals. This alludes to both Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Real Ghostbusters, who also had their shows hijacked by ancillary characters and violence curbed to appease their viewers. In the case of TMNT, Michelangelo had his nunchucks replaced with a less deadly grappling hook. In addition, the show forcefully inserted two young tag-alongs in the form of Zach, “the fifth turtle,” and Carter, a mutated martial artist. For the cast of The Real Ghostbusters, the series became Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters in its fourth season, which shifted the spotlight to their mascot and a team of “junior Ghostbusters” to downplay some of the show’s focus on horror.
The series also makes fun of the Childrens’ Television Act that regulated the content of Saturday morning cartoons. By the early ‘90s, television shows intended for kids had to be more educational. This is why the later seasons of Skip! and the Strongimals focuses more on their heavy-handed lessons about inner beauty than the title characters battling aliens. It also explains Skip’s appearance in All Cartoon Stars Say Don't Say Shut Up, a parody PSA of the infamous anti-drug film Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. It’s a tongue-in-cheek commentary on what cartoons had to do to stay on the air and in the government’s goodwill.
Strongimals isn’t just one of the many Netflix shows inspired by He-Man and other classic cartoons; it’s also a critique of censorship, politics, and the cartoons that once aired. Although for now, their battle is at an end, perhaps someday Saturday Morning All Star Hits! will revive these alien warriors and tell a new story.