G.I. Joe - Season 1, Part 2
G.I. Joe(1983) was one of the many product-driven television series that aired in syndication during the early '80s, following the unprecedented commercial success ofHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe. In the program, "G.I. Joe" is not the name of an individual, but "the code name for America's daring, highly trained special mission force." The members of this force conduct a neverending battle against the "ruthless terrorist organization" Cobra. The battles take the form ofJonny Quest-style fantasy adventures, ostensibly set in the real world, but where anything can happen. The Joes fight foes that range from a small herd of cloned dinosaurs on a Pacific Island to the gods of ancient Egypt, whom they encounter in the tomb reportedly laden with treasure. The dozens of characters all have military-sounding code names--Deep Six, Gung Ho, Air Tight, Snake Eyes, Ace, Bazooka, Ship Wreck, Toll Booth--and foiling Cobra's plots requires not only all their strength, but every piece of equipment toymaker Hasbro could devise (and sell).Although the animation is minimal and the vocal performances stilted, fans agree that the first two seasons and the feature, which were animated by Sunbow/Marvel, are better than the later version of the shows from DIC. But these cartoons are more likely to appeal to nostalgic collectors of GI Joe toys and memorabilia than to students of the art of animation. (Unrated, suitable for ages 8 and older: violence)--Charles Solomon