"Static Shock" (2000) TV series 2000-2004

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Creators:

Dwayne McDuffie
Christopher James Priest

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

23 September 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

In the city of Dakota, a teenage boy with electricity based powers, with the help of his inventive friend, fights crime as a superhero.

Plot Keywords:

Superhero | Green Lantern | Android | Costume | Mutation

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Phil LaMarr	...	Static / ... (52 episodes, 2000-2004)
Jason Marsden	...	Gear / ... (41 episodes, 2000-2004)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Additional Voices / ... (28 episodes, 2000-2004)
Michele Morgan	...	Sharon Hawkins / ... (25 episodes, 2000-2004)

Runtime:

USA:30 min (52 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7

Company:

Warner Bros. Animation

Trivia:

In the first episode, "A Shock To The System", Virgil is trying on different costumes. One of the costumes he tries on is that of Black Vulcan, the African-American hero from "Superfriends".

Quotes:

[Static regains consciousness in the Batcave as Alfred is picking splinters out of his arm]
Static: *Ow* What happened?... *Ow* Where am I?... Who are you?
Alfred: Batman.
Static: I don't think so.
Alfred: Just once, I'd like to get someone to believe that.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Jeopardy!: (#22.22)" (2005)

Eh.

"Static Shock" is not a BAD show... it's just got a few wrinkles that could be ironed out. Probably it's biggest problem it's this whole "blaxploitation" thing it's got going on. Okay, he's African-American, that's just peachy-keen, but it doesn't really make him any different from any other superhero, so there's no need to focus on it as such an important point of who and what he is. It's a problem that tends to plague African-American comic book characters, as writers always seem to think that they should be made down-home, hip-with-the-people style characters. Well, it's all just rather "blah." And I just find it rather quirky that almost all of the "Bang Babies" (the mutants created in an explosion during the series premiere) are African-American too, don't you? Although when the show STOPS being blaxploitation, it's highly watchable - the second season premiere comes to mind, which involves a crossover with Batman (and features the character designs and voice actors from Batman's own series).

The animation is quite decent, but the first season would have benefited GREATLY from the animators learning the meaning of the word "SHADOW." Everything was a very bland, single flood-filled colour. The second season has improved this, with real light and shading beind used (same goes for "The Zeta Project").

Anyhoo... it ain't bad. But it ain't great either.