Teen Force

''Space Stars'' is a 60-minute Saturday morning animated program block produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and broadcast on NBC from September 12, 1981, to January 8, 1982.

''Space Stars'' was narrated by Keene Curtis and featured five cartoon segments each week:
* '' Space Ghost'' (2 segments, 6 minutes each)
* '' The Herculoids'' (1 segment, 10 minutes)
* ''Teen Force'' (1 segment, 7 minutes)
* ''Astro and the Space Mutts'' (1 segment, 7 minutes)
* ''Space Stars Finale'' (1 segment, 7 minutes)

The cartoons would occasionally cross over into one another. ''Space Ghost'' and ''The Herculoids'' both had their own respective series in the 1960s. ''Teen Force'' and ''Astro and the Space Mutts'' were both new segments, although the Astro character was the family dog from '' The Jetsons''.

Opening title narration

The opening title narration was provided by Michael Rye and consisted of the following:

Plot and segments

''Space Ghost''

A total of 22 episodes were produced for ''Space Ghost'' (two segments aired each week), featuring a new assortment of villains, including an evil version of Space Ghost called Space Spectre (who came from an alternate universe). The Phantom Cruiser and its Scout Ship were also given sleeker and more modernized looks. Space Ghost often came to the aid of the Herculoids and vice versa (as in the original '' Space Ghost'' series' "Council of Doom" storyline, where they teamed up for the first time). They also frequently crossed paths with the Teen Force and it appeared that Jan and Teen Force member Kid Comet were dating as well. Gary Owens reprised his role as Space Ghost, but Tim Matheson was replaced by Steve Spears as the voice of Jace, Ginny Tyler was replaced by Alexandra Stoddart as the voice of Jan, and Don Messick was replaced by Frank Welker as the vocal effects for Blip.

Episodes

''The Herculoids''

As a departure from the original series, this incarnation of ''The Herculoids'' had story direction and content similar to '' Jonny Quest'' and '' Space Ghost''. This series takes place on a far-away planet named Quasar in the land of Amzot (the planet was only named as such in this series, though Amzot was first mentioned by name in "The Time Creatures", an episode of the original series). Eleven episodes were produced. Mike Road and Virginia Gregg reprised their roles as Zandor and Tara, respectively. Ted Eccles was replaced by Sparky Marcus as Dorno. Mike Road and Don Messick also reprised their roles as the voices of the Herculoids.

Episodes

''Teen Force''

''Teen Force'' focused on three superhumanly gifted young students who hail from an unknown alternate universe which is located beyond the confines of the mysterious Black Hole X, which serves as a gateway into the universe in which the other main characters from ''Space Stars'' exist.

The Teen Force consists of Kid Comet, who possesses tremendous levels of superhuman speed, enabling him move at speeds exceeding the speed of light, and can even move quickly enough to travel through time; Moleculad, who can control his molecular structure for various effects; and Elektra, who possesses the psionic disciplines of telepathy, telekinesis, and teleportation. Accompanying them are a pair of diminutive blue-skinned aliens named Plutem and Glax, also known as the Astromites. Their principal enemy in the series is Uglor, a mutant native and tyrannical ruler of the planet Uris (whose inhabitants are a race of evolved simians) in Galaxy Q-2. Uglor's mutation granted him bird-like wings and the ability to generate destructive energy blasts from his bionic eyes, which allowed him to see through Space Ghost's Inviso-Power and Elektra's telepathic illusions.

Episodes

''Astro and the Space Mutts''

''Astro and the Space Mutts'' features Astro, the family dog from '' The Jetsons''. He teams up with two other dogs named Cosmo and Dipper, led by their human leader Space Ace. Together, the trio act as galactic police officers and travel through outer space. Don Messick reprised his role as Astro.

Episodes

''Space Stars Finale''

''Space Stars Finale'' was the last segment where Space Ghost, the Herculoids, the Teen Force, and Astro and the Space Mutts team up to battle the scourges of the universe.

Episodes

Voice cast

* Michael Bell – Space Ace, Mario Magnetti (in "Menace of the Magnet Maniac"), the Scavenger (in "Wonder Dog")
* Keene Curtis – Narrator
* Richard Erdman –
* June Foray - The Mindwitch (in "Mindwitch")
* Kathy Garver - Krisa (in "Prison Planet")
* Virginia Gregg – Tara
* Darryl Hickman – Kid Comet
* Casey Kasem – Announcer
* Allan Lurie – Uglor
* Sparky Marcus – Dorno
* Chuck McCann –
* Don Messick – Astro, Gloop, Gleep, Director (in "The Education of Puglor"), Reverso (in "Reverso")
* Gary Owens – Space Ghost
* David Raynr (credited as David Hubbard) – Moleculad
* Mike Road – Zandor, Tundro, Zok, Igoo
* Stanley Ralph Ross – Buccaneer (in "The Buccaneer")
* Michael Rye - Opening Narration
* Steve J. Spears – Jace
* John Stephenson – Space Spectre (in "Space Spectre"), Elder (in "City in Space"), Jev (in "City in Space")
* Alexandra Stoddart – Jan
* B.J. Ward – Elektra
* Lennie Weinrib – Dipper, Brucie (in "Wonder Dog"), Puglor (in "The Education of Puglor")
* Frank Welker – Cosmo, Blip, Wizard (in "Web of the Wizard," "Devilship"), Computer (in "City in Space"), Crab (in "The Night of the Crab"), Cubus (in "Spacecube of Doom"), Destroyer (in "Nomads"), Feron (in "The Big Freeze"), Galactic Vac (in "Galactic Vac is Back"), Lord Raider (in "Wonder Dog"), Noxie (in "Nomads"), Repto (in "The Space Dragons"), Rock Punk (in "Rock Punk"), Shadow Creature (in "The Shadow People"), Starfly (in "The Starfly"), Starbeast (in "The Starfly")
* Michael Winslow – Glax, Plutem

Syndication

In syndication as a 30-minute series, USA Network had one segment each of ''Space Ghost'', ''Teen Force'' and ''The Herculoids'', but the ''Astro and the Space Mutts'' segments were never shown.

The ''Space Ghost'', ''The Herculoids'' and ''Astro and the Space Mutts'' segments have been seen on Cartoon Network and Boomerang, but not the ''Teen Force'' segments. Furthermore, the series has never been shown in its entirety on Cartoon Network or Boomerang. These shorts were only broadcast on occasion as an interstitial segment between shows on Boomerang until the mid-2010s.

''Astro and the Space Mutts'' was formerly available on Tubi.

Home video

On October 8, 2013, Warner Archive released ''Space Stars: The Complete Series'' on DVD in region 1 as part of their Hanna–Barbera Classics Collection. This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and Amazon.com.

Popular culture

Elektra appeared in the '' Jellystone!'' season three episode "Girl, You My Friend!" voiced by Ulka Simone Mohanty. She is an actress in the titular Sex and the City-esque series on Jellystone Television and has electric powers rather than psychic powers.

References

External links

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{{Children's programming on NBC in the 1980s

1981 American animated television series debuts
1982 American television series endings
1980s American animated television series
1980s American anthology television series
1980s American children's television series
1980s American science fiction television series
1980s American superhero television series
Hanna-Barbera superheroes
The Jetsons
Space Ghost television series
Television series by Hanna-Barbera
American English-language television shows
American animated television spinoffs
American children's animated action television series
American children's animated anthology television series
American children's animated space adventure television series
American children's animated science fantasy television series
American children's animated superhero television series
Animated television series about extraterrestrial life
Animated television series set on fictional planets
NBC animated television series