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[[Image:SatAM Title Screen.jpg|240px|right|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' intro screen.]]
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{{VideoBob
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'''''Sonic the Hedgehog''''' the television series was a joint effort by [[SEGA]] and [[DiC Entertainment|DiC]] which was released in 1993 on ABC in the Untied States. While it doesn't follow the [[Sonic the Hedgehog|game]] establishments to a tee, it was still a storyline that was founded by the combined works of SoA (Sega of America) and Sonic Team, before the creative staff at DiC would expand on the story they were provided. Unknown to most Sonic fans, the storyline, the profiles and the world would actually be made by the Sonic Team and SoA prior to any of the workers at Dic handling the story. The American cartoon would be one of action, which differentiated itself from DiC's other Sonic offering during the early 90s, the comical ''[[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog]]''. Because the two series were released around the same time, fans refer to this series as '''''SatAM''''' (because it originally aired on Saturday mornings).
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| bobscreen=SatAM title.png
 +
| title=Sonic the Hedgehog
 +
| studio={{company|[[DiC Entertainment]]}}
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| seasons=2
 +
| episodes=26
 +
| airdate=1993-09-18
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| airdate_final=1994-12-03
 +
}}
  
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The show takes place on a faraway planet called [[Mobius]]. An evil, bald, dark-eyed and mustachioed scientist named [[Doctor Robotnik]] ([[Jim Cummings]]) invaded and conquered a huge and beautiful city named [[Mobotropolis]], with the help of his intelligent but craven assistant [[Snively]] and his army of laser-toting robot soldiers called [[SWATbot]]s. Robotnik then used a giant airship to turn Mobotropolis into a new city renamed Robotropolis, a polluted city of factories and warehouses.  
+
'''''Sonic the Hedgehog''''' is an American animated television series created and produced by [[sega:DIC Entertainment|DiC Entertainment]], in association with [[Sega of America]]. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, the show follows the exploits of a band of [[Freedom Fighters]] who work together to overthrow the tyranny of the evil [[Dr. Eggman|Dr. Robotnik]]. Airing on the ABC Saturday morning programming block, it premiered concurrently with the syndicated ''[[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', also produced by DIC. The production was also co-produced by Italian studio [[wikipedia:Mediaset|Reteitalia S.p.A.]] in association with [[wikipedia:Telecinco|Telecinco]]. The animation work was outsourced to foreign studios throughout its entire run, such as [[wikipedia:Saerom Animation|Saerom Animation]] in Korea.
  
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Robotnik soon invaded the castle home of the city's king ([[Tim Curry]]) who mysteriously vanished. Robotnik captured the rest of the citizens, including a brainy old hedgehog named [[Chuck]] ([[William Windom]]) and his dog Muttski, and used a machine called the Roboticiser to turn them in to robot slaves. Those who managed to escape retreated into the Great Forest to build a village named Knothole to hide from Robotnik. Among the youngest of the citizens were a group called the [[Freedom Fighters]]. First there's [[Sonic the Hedgehog]] ([[Jaleel White]], or Urkel on Family Matters), Charles' speedy nephew. Then there is his best friend [[Miles Prower|Tails]], a young two-tailed fox who can twirl his tails to fly. Next, there's [[Rotor]], a walrus with a knack for machines. Next, [[Antoine D'Coolette|Antoine]] ([[Rob Paulsen]]), a French coyote with many personality flaws who is the palace guard. Next is [[Bunnie Rabbot]] ([[Christine Cavanaugh]]), a pretty southern cyborg rabbit who would almost certainly have been completely roboticised if not for Sonic (as it were though, she was roboticised up to her waist). Last is the group's leader, [[Princess Sally]] ([[Kath Soucie]]), the king's only daughter.  
+
To help differentiate it from other media also called ''Sonic the Hedgehog'', fans of the series began referring to it as "SatAM," due to the time slot in which it premiered. Unlike the weekday ''Adventures of'' series, the weekend program strived to tell more serious stories,{{ref|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTX7TmU8Xo}} featuring a unique cast of characters who fought alongside [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]]. Though these characters were never part of the mainline video game universe, they were extensively used in various western media in the 90's, appearing monthly in the pages of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comic)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' published by [[sega:Archie Comics|Archie Comics]] and cameoing in the Mega Drive game ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball]]''. A member of this group, [[Princess Sally Acorn]], was also prominently featured at [[sega:Sega World Sydney|Sega World Sydney]].
  
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For 10 years, the Freedom Fighters constantly foiled Robotnik's schemes. In the show's second season, a female dragon named Dulcy ([[Cree Summer]]) was a new star. The show went up to 2 seasons and it got cancelled after the final episode, "The Doomsday Project", ended with a cliffhanger (suggesting a new villain for season three... it was subsequently revealed that it would have been a sorcerer from a previous episode, named Ixis Naugus). There were rumors of a third season but it never aired.
+
==Series premise==
 +
[[Image:Promo cell 2.jpg|thumb|190px|The primary cast of ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' season one.]]
 +
''Sonic the Hedgehog'' is a serialized narrative focusing on the exploits of the title character and his cohorts, the Freedom Fighters. Living in the hidden community known as [[Knothole Village]], the small band of heroes work together in the hope of overthrowing the evil tyranny of [[Dr. Eggman|Dr. Robotnik]] and his nephew, [[Snively]].
 +
 
 +
Ten years prior, Robotnik, then known by the name Julian, was conscripted into the king's service during a conflict known as "The Great War." Given the title of Warlord, Julian created a number of machines that were used in defense of the kingdom, patrolling the streets of [[Mobotropolis]] with a cheerful demeanor. Once the conflict was over, the king wasted no time in letting known his desire to decommission the army, wishing to promote Julian to the position of Minister of Science. Unbeknownst to the king, Julian had already begun planning a coup d'etat.{{intref|Blast to the Past (Part 1)}}
 +
 
 +
Storming the castle with his robotic army, Julian rechristened the city "Robotropolis," named after his new moniker. In no time at all, the realized dictator terraformed ninety percent of the city, turning it into a polluted, technological wasteland. Exiling the king to a dimension known as "[[The Void]]," the doctor faced little resistance in his securing of power, capturing eighty percent of the population. Utilizing a stolen piece of technology, the [[Roboticization|Roboticizer]], he transformed those he had imprisoned into mindless, robotic slaves, including its inventor, Sonic's uncle [[Uncle Chuck|Sir Charles Hedgehog]].{{intref|Blast to the Past (Part 2)}}
 +
 
 +
Among those who were able to escape was the king's young daughter, Princess Sally, and her childhood friends. Hiding in the Great Forest, they eventually became the group known as the Freedom Fighters, a band of heroes who use their wits and limited resources to wage war against the dictator who took their home. Together, they hope to overthrow Robotnik, restore the king, and deroboticize their family and friends.
 +
 
 +
In addition to Sonic and Sally, the core group of Freedom Fighters feature [[Rotor Walrus]], a mechanical genius, [[Bunnie Rabbot]], a half-roboticized rabbit who uses her transformed limbs to the group's benefit, and [[Antoine D' Coolette|Antoine Depardieu]], a would-be royal guard whose cowardice provides comic relief. [[Miles "Tails" Prower]], a two tailed fox who strives to become a full-fledged Freedom Fighter, is often left behind on missions due to his young age. The second season also saw the introduction of [[Dulcy the Dragon|Dulcy]], a powerful dragon whose natural abilities include fire breath, ice breath, and flight.
 +
 
 +
While sometimes it may look like they are fighting a losing battle, the heroes do have a handful of resources that Robotnik does not have control over. The first of these, [[NICOLE]], is a sentient hand-held computer operated primarily by Sally. The device is able to bypass most of Robotnik's security measures, becoming an aid in both infiltration and information. Knothole is also home to the Power Ring Grotto, which produces a power ring every 12 to 24 hours. Invented by Uncle Chuck, a device on the lake bed creates the ring, which when held by Sonic gives him a dose of super speed and power that can help him escape the stickiest of situations.
 +
 
 +
As the second season progressed, the Freedom Fighters found an ally in the roboticized Sir Charles, Sonic's uncle becoming an intelligence agent after having his free will restored.{{intref|Sonic Conversion}} Befriending other freedom fighter groups such as the Wolf Pack,{{intref|Cry of the Wolf}} the fight between the heroes and Robotnik culminated in the season two finale, "[[The Doomsday Project]]." Banding together to stop the ultimate weapon, Sonic and Sally are able to destroy it using the [[Deep Power Stones]], seemingly bringing peace back to Mobius. With Robotnik gone, the heroes celebrate, oblivious to the fact that Snively has survived, the final shot of the show featuring the silhouetted eyes of a mysterious villain.{{intref|The Doomsday Project}}
 +
 
 +
==Episode guide==
 +
{{main|List of Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series) episodes}}
 +
 
 +
==Broadcast history==
 +
On September 17th, 1993, the American Broadcasting Company aired the ''ABC Saturday Morning Preview Special''.{{ref|1=https://web.archive.org/web/20220104005913/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzzdF_NUWz0}} Hosted by the cast of ''[[wikipedia:Hangin' with Mr. Cooper|Hangin' with Mr. Cooper]]'', the special promoted the network's programming lineup for Saturday mornings. Among the clips featured was a six minute segment of the episode "[[Super Sonic (episode)|Super Sonic]]," which premiered in full at 9:00 AM EST the following morning.{{ref|1=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101233958/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HsK7irA12o}}{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230116055900/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/0qVuG6K9f3Y/m/P-6SsbbIhgoJ}} Though it was not the only new show to premiere that morning on the network, extra attention was placed on the series throughout the programming block. Both before and after Sonic aired, actor Jaleel White, speaking as Sonic the Hedgehog, talked over the credits of various shows, teasing what would air next.{{ref|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztf-HYBoAR4}}
 +
 
 +
While "Super Sonic" was the first to air, the episode was the sixth produced for season one. This airing out of order would continue throughout the entire first season, the pilot "Heads or Tails" being the eleventh episode to broadcast.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20220707180959/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/8iXWcCB8Q8s/m/Ae5S0KDRd2UJ}} Even though production order was ignored, each week still saw a new episode premiere, with certain weeks featuring a rerun in the 8:30 AM EST slot. These hour long Sonic blocks would continue on and off as the show went into reruns during the first half of 1994.{{ref|1=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412194538/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEEzlLL1FuE}}
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The second season began on September 10th, 1994, with the show being moved up to 8:30 AM EST.{{ref|https://archive.org/details/tvguide-19940917-nyc_202112/page/148/mode/2up}} Though intended to be aired as the second episode, "[[Game Guy]]" ended up being the season premiere, with the first episode in production order, "[[Sonic Conversion]]," airing the following week.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20210930080009/https://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/soniceps.txt}} Unlike the first season, the rest of season two aired as intended. The final episode, "The Doomsday Project," was broadcast on December 3rd, 1994. Though reruns continued to air into the first week of June 1995,{{ref|https://archive.org/details/tvguide-19950603-nyc/page/56/mode/2up}} the show would not be renewed for a third season.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230116062159/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/YmuNuy97YO8/m/gn9wWiRa1PoJ}}
 +
 
 +
Though production was officially over, the cartoon would continue to find an audience in syndication. Reruns began airing in the United States on the USA Network during the "USA Action Extreme Team" morning block, lasting until 1997.{{ref|https://archive.org/details/cartoons-1997}} Outside of home video, the show would remain unavailable in the U.S. until 2012 when it joined Netflix's streaming service, where it would remain for four years. Starting in 2016, reruns began airing on the Starz Encore Family premium network, with episodes also available to be streamed through the Starz website and affiliated apps.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20160916144132/http://www.techtimes.com/articles/175464/20160831/starz-streaming-september-2016-complete-list-titles-added-app-month.htm}} In late 2019, it was announced ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' would be joining the CBS All Access streaming service.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20191130193315/https://www.cbs.com/recommended/news/1009560/-how-to-watch-kids-shows-on-cbs-all-access/}} The show was carried over when the service was rebranded to Paramount+.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20210331112959/https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/sonic-the-hedgehog/}}
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 +
The show has also found a home in a number of international markets. The first of these, the Canadian television station CTV Network, premiered the show on the same day as it did in America. While Sonic ended its rotation on ABC in May, the Canadian network continued to air the series through the summer, showing the finale once more on September 2, 1995. In Europe, the show initially aired in the UK on Channel 4, between 1994 and 1996. Years later, UK stations Pop and ITV2 replayed the series in syndication. The first season was also shown on Ireland's RTE Two. The series has also been translated into a number of different languages.
 +
 
 +
{|
 +
!Country
 +
!Television channels
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|US}} United States
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] (1993-09-18{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20230116055900/https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/0qVuG6K9f3Y/m/P-6SsbbIhgoJ}} — 1995-06-03{{ref|https://archive.org/details/tvguide-19950603-nyc/page/56/mode/2up}})
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|UK}} United Kingdom
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Channel 4|Channel 4]] (1994-10-16 — 1996-06-30)
 +
*[[wikipedia:The Children's Channel|The Children's Channel]] (xxxx)
 +
*[[wikipedia:Pop (UK and Ireland)|POP!]] (xxxx)
 +
*[[wikipedia:ITV2|ITV2]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|FR}} France
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:TF1|TF1]] (1995-01-31 — 1996-03-06)
 +
*[[wikipedia:KidsCo|KidsCo]] (2011-2012)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|CA}} Canada
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:CTV Television Network|CTV]] (xxxx)
 +
*[[wikipedia:YTV (TV channel)|YTV]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|IE}} Ireland
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:RTÉ 2|RTÉ 2]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|PT}} Portugal
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:KidsCo|KidsCo]] (2009-2013)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|BR}} Brazil
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Rede Globo|Rede Globo]] (1996-01)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|ES}} Spain
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:KidsCo|KidsCo]] (2008-2009)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|IT}} Italy
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Italia 1|Italia 1]] (1994)
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|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|NL}} Netherlands
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Spacetoon|Spacetoon]] (xxxx)
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|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|CL}} Chile
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:ETC (canal de televisión)|ETC]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|CO}} Colombia
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Cenpro Televisión|Cenpro Televisión]] (xxxx)
 +
*Tacho Pistacho (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|IN}} India
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Spacetoon|Spacetoon]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|SY}} Syria
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Spacetoon|Spacetoon]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|AU}} Australia
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Seven Network|Seven Network]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|KR}} South Korea
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:Spacetoon|Spacetoon]] (xxxx)
 +
*[[wikipedia:KidsCo|KidsCo]] (xxxx)
 +
*[[wikipedia:Seoul Broadcasting System|SBS]] (xxxx)
 +
|-
 +
|style="vertical-align:top;"|{{flag|ID}} Indonesia
 +
|
 +
*[[wikipedia:ANTV|ANTV]] (xxxx)
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==Development==
 +
{{Main|{{PAGENAME}}/Development}}
 +
 
 +
==Voice actors==
 +
{| class="prettytable" style="width:auto;"
 +
! Role
 +
! Voice actor
 +
|-
 +
|[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]
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|[[Jaleel White]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Princess Sally Acorn]]
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|[[Kath Soucie]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[NICOLE]]
 +
|[[Kath Soucie]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Antoine D'Coolette|Antoine Depardieu]]
 +
|[[Rob Paulsen]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Bunnie Rabbot]]
 +
|[[Christine Cavanaugh]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Uncle Chuck]]
 +
|[[William Windom]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Dr. Robotnik]]/[[SWATbots]]/Additional Voices
 +
|[[Jim Cummings]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Snively]]
 +
|[[Charlie Adler]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Cluck]]
 +
|[[Frank Welker]] <!-- Wikipedia says "additional voices" for Season 1 only. -->
 +
|-
 +
|[[Dulcy the Dragon]]
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|[[Cree Summer]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Tails]]
 +
|[[Bradley Pierce]]
 +
|-
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|[[Rotor]]
 +
|[[Mark Ballou]] (Season 1)/<br/>[[Cam Brainard]] (Season 2)
 +
|-
 +
|Young Princess Sally
 +
|[[Dana Hill]]
 +
|-
 +
|Young Sonic
 +
|[[Tahj Mowry]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Lupe]]
 +
|[[Shari Belafonte]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Naugus]]
 +
|[[Michael Bell]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Rosie the Nanny]]/[[Ro-Becca]]
 +
|[[April Winchell]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[King Acorn]]
 +
|[[Tim Curry]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[Ari Ram]]
 +
|[[Dorian Harewood]]
 +
|}
  
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==External links==
 
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* ''[http://www.bcdb.com/cartoons/Other_Studios/D/DiC_Entertainment/Sonic_the_Hedgehog/index.html Sonic the Hedgehog]'' at the Big Cartoon DataBase
 
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* http://www.satamsonic.com - [[Fans United for SatAM]]
 
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* http://www.saturdaymorningsonic.com - [[Saturday Morning Sonic]] - a newer SatAM Fan Site, run by [[PorpoiseMuffins]].
 
  
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A 5-episode DVD was released based on this show back in 2002, called 'Sonic The Hedgehog-Super Sonic'. But that was pulled due to licensing issues with Buena Vista Home Video. However, on March 27, 2007, the entire 26-episode SatAM series was released by Shout! Factory, with bonus features in it, and is entitled 'Sonic The Hedgehog: The Complete Series'. It is available for ordering at[http://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Hedgehog-Complete-4pc/dp/B000M8N41W/sr=8-4/qid=1167794148/ref=pd_bbs_4/105-7497215-7816447?ie=UTF8&s=dvd].
+
==Home releases==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Home releases}}
  
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The Boxset has the following front cover, designed by former Archie Sonic Comic writer Ken Penders.
+
==Magazine articles==
 +
{{mainArticle|{{PAGENAME}}/Magazine articles}}
  
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[[http://www.satamsonic.com/10424_Sonic_72.jpg]]
+
==External links==
 +
* [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLySo2SlSHPSOxIzUuc_2WLmNMkG5nhoIN All full episodes of the show] officially uploaded on YouTube, courtesy of [[wikipedia:WildBrain Spark|WildBrain Spark]].
 +
* ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' on Amazon: [https://www.amazon.com/Sonic-Past-Cool/dp/B084GM7JJW/ US (Season 1)], [https://www.amazon.com/Game-Guy/dp/B084GM75V2/ US (Season 2)], [https://www.amazon.com/Sonics-Nightmare/dp/B00JU5BAV4/ US (Season 1; CONtv)], [https://www.amazon.com/No-Barrier/dp/B00JV65TG4/ US (Season 2; CONtv)], [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sonic-The-Hedgehog-Season-1/dp/B00IIFBYS6 UK (Season 1)], [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sonic-The-Hedgehog-Season-2/dp/B00ET0MGDQ UK (Season 2)]
 +
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200304024929/https://www.cbs.com/shows/sonic-the-hedgehog/ ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' on CBS All Access] (archive)
 +
* [https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/sonic-the-hedgehog ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' on Paramount+]
 +
* [https://tv.apple.com/us/show/sonic-the-hedgehog/umc.cmc.4n8nrry2ubay2cnxuot91jo9m ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' on Apple TV+]
  
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The Boxset retails at an MSRP of $29.98 USD.
+
==References==
 +
<references />
  
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[[Category:Television]]
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{{SonicTV}}
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[[Category:SatAM]]
+
{{StHTVOmni}}

Latest revision as of 05:05, 13 February 2024

SatAM title.png
Sonic the Hedgehog
Studio: DiC Entertainment
Number of seasons: 2
Number of episodes: 26
Original airdate: 1993-09-18 — 1994-12-03

Sonic the Hedgehog is an American animated television series created and produced by DiC Entertainment, in association with Sega of America. Based on the video game franchise of the same name, the show follows the exploits of a band of Freedom Fighters who work together to overthrow the tyranny of the evil Dr. Robotnik. Airing on the ABC Saturday morning programming block, it premiered concurrently with the syndicated Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, also produced by DIC. The production was also co-produced by Italian studio Reteitalia S.p.A. in association with Telecinco. The animation work was outsourced to foreign studios throughout its entire run, such as Saerom Animation in Korea.

To help differentiate it from other media also called Sonic the Hedgehog, fans of the series began referring to it as "SatAM," due to the time slot in which it premiered. Unlike the weekday Adventures of series, the weekend program strived to tell more serious stories,[1] featuring a unique cast of characters who fought alongside Sonic. Though these characters were never part of the mainline video game universe, they were extensively used in various western media in the 90's, appearing monthly in the pages of Sonic the Hedgehog published by Archie Comics and cameoing in the Mega Drive game Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball. A member of this group, Princess Sally Acorn, was also prominently featured at Sega World Sydney.

Series premise

The primary cast of Sonic the Hedgehog season one.

Sonic the Hedgehog is a serialized narrative focusing on the exploits of the title character and his cohorts, the Freedom Fighters. Living in the hidden community known as Knothole Village, the small band of heroes work together in the hope of overthrowing the evil tyranny of Dr. Robotnik and his nephew, Snively.

Ten years prior, Robotnik, then known by the name Julian, was conscripted into the king's service during a conflict known as "The Great War." Given the title of Warlord, Julian created a number of machines that were used in defense of the kingdom, patrolling the streets of Mobotropolis with a cheerful demeanor. Once the conflict was over, the king wasted no time in letting known his desire to decommission the army, wishing to promote Julian to the position of Minister of Science. Unbeknownst to the king, Julian had already begun planning a coup d'etat.[2]

Storming the castle with his robotic army, Julian rechristened the city "Robotropolis," named after his new moniker. In no time at all, the realized dictator terraformed ninety percent of the city, turning it into a polluted, technological wasteland. Exiling the king to a dimension known as "The Void," the doctor faced little resistance in his securing of power, capturing eighty percent of the population. Utilizing a stolen piece of technology, the Roboticizer, he transformed those he had imprisoned into mindless, robotic slaves, including its inventor, Sonic's uncle Sir Charles Hedgehog.[3]

Among those who were able to escape was the king's young daughter, Princess Sally, and her childhood friends. Hiding in the Great Forest, they eventually became the group known as the Freedom Fighters, a band of heroes who use their wits and limited resources to wage war against the dictator who took their home. Together, they hope to overthrow Robotnik, restore the king, and deroboticize their family and friends.

In addition to Sonic and Sally, the core group of Freedom Fighters feature Rotor Walrus, a mechanical genius, Bunnie Rabbot, a half-roboticized rabbit who uses her transformed limbs to the group's benefit, and Antoine Depardieu, a would-be royal guard whose cowardice provides comic relief. Miles "Tails" Prower, a two tailed fox who strives to become a full-fledged Freedom Fighter, is often left behind on missions due to his young age. The second season also saw the introduction of Dulcy, a powerful dragon whose natural abilities include fire breath, ice breath, and flight.

While sometimes it may look like they are fighting a losing battle, the heroes do have a handful of resources that Robotnik does not have control over. The first of these, NICOLE, is a sentient hand-held computer operated primarily by Sally. The device is able to bypass most of Robotnik's security measures, becoming an aid in both infiltration and information. Knothole is also home to the Power Ring Grotto, which produces a power ring every 12 to 24 hours. Invented by Uncle Chuck, a device on the lake bed creates the ring, which when held by Sonic gives him a dose of super speed and power that can help him escape the stickiest of situations.

As the second season progressed, the Freedom Fighters found an ally in the roboticized Sir Charles, Sonic's uncle becoming an intelligence agent after having his free will restored.[4] Befriending other freedom fighter groups such as the Wolf Pack,[5] the fight between the heroes and Robotnik culminated in the season two finale, "The Doomsday Project." Banding together to stop the ultimate weapon, Sonic and Sally are able to destroy it using the Deep Power Stones, seemingly bringing peace back to Mobius. With Robotnik gone, the heroes celebrate, oblivious to the fact that Snively has survived, the final shot of the show featuring the silhouetted eyes of a mysterious villain.[6]

Episode guide

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: List of Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series) episodes

Broadcast history

On September 17th, 1993, the American Broadcasting Company aired the ABC Saturday Morning Preview Special.[7] Hosted by the cast of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, the special promoted the network's programming lineup for Saturday mornings. Among the clips featured was a six minute segment of the episode "Super Sonic," which premiered in full at 9:00 AM EST the following morning.[8][9] Though it was not the only new show to premiere that morning on the network, extra attention was placed on the series throughout the programming block. Both before and after Sonic aired, actor Jaleel White, speaking as Sonic the Hedgehog, talked over the credits of various shows, teasing what would air next.[10]

While "Super Sonic" was the first to air, the episode was the sixth produced for season one. This airing out of order would continue throughout the entire first season, the pilot "Heads or Tails" being the eleventh episode to broadcast.[11] Even though production order was ignored, each week still saw a new episode premiere, with certain weeks featuring a rerun in the 8:30 AM EST slot. These hour long Sonic blocks would continue on and off as the show went into reruns during the first half of 1994.[12]

The second season began on September 10th, 1994, with the show being moved up to 8:30 AM EST.[13] Though intended to be aired as the second episode, "Game Guy" ended up being the season premiere, with the first episode in production order, "Sonic Conversion," airing the following week.[14] Unlike the first season, the rest of season two aired as intended. The final episode, "The Doomsday Project," was broadcast on December 3rd, 1994. Though reruns continued to air into the first week of June 1995,[15] the show would not be renewed for a third season.[16]

Though production was officially over, the cartoon would continue to find an audience in syndication. Reruns began airing in the United States on the USA Network during the "USA Action Extreme Team" morning block, lasting until 1997.[17] Outside of home video, the show would remain unavailable in the U.S. until 2012 when it joined Netflix's streaming service, where it would remain for four years. Starting in 2016, reruns began airing on the Starz Encore Family premium network, with episodes also available to be streamed through the Starz website and affiliated apps.[18] In late 2019, it was announced Sonic the Hedgehog would be joining the CBS All Access streaming service.[19] The show was carried over when the service was rebranded to Paramount+.[20]

The show has also found a home in a number of international markets. The first of these, the Canadian television station CTV Network, premiered the show on the same day as it did in America. While Sonic ended its rotation on ABC in May, the Canadian network continued to air the series through the summer, showing the finale once more on September 2, 1995. In Europe, the show initially aired in the UK on Channel 4, between 1994 and 1996. Years later, UK stations Pop and ITV2 replayed the series in syndication. The first season was also shown on Ireland's RTE Two. The series has also been translated into a number of different languages.

Country Television channels
Flag US.svg United States
Flag UK.svg United Kingdom
Flag FR.svg France
  • TF1 (1995-01-31 — 1996-03-06)
  • KidsCo (2011-2012)
Flag CA.svg Canada
Flag IE.svg Ireland
Flag PT.svg Portugal
Flag BR.svg Brazil
Flag ES.svg Spain
Flag IT.svg Italy
Flag NL.svg Netherlands
Flag CL.svg Chile
Flag CO.svg Colombia
Flag IN.svg India
Flag SY.svg Syria
Flag AU.svg Australia
Flag KR.svg South Korea
Flag ID.svg Indonesia

Development

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)/Development

Voice actors

Role Voice actor
Sonic the Hedgehog Jaleel White
Princess Sally Acorn Kath Soucie
NICOLE Kath Soucie
Antoine Depardieu Rob Paulsen
Bunnie Rabbot Christine Cavanaugh
Uncle Chuck William Windom
Dr. Robotnik/SWATbots/Additional Voices Jim Cummings
Snively Charlie Adler
Cluck Frank Welker
Dulcy the Dragon Cree Summer
Tails Bradley Pierce
Rotor Mark Ballou (Season 1)/
Cam Brainard (Season 2)
Young Princess Sally Dana Hill
Young Sonic Tahj Mowry
Lupe Shari Belafonte
Naugus Michael Bell
Rosie the Nanny/Ro-Becca April Winchell
King Acorn Tim Curry
Ari Ram Dorian Harewood


Home releases

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)/Home releases

Magazine articles

Sonic Retro emblem.svg Main article: Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)/Magazine articles

External links

References

  1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTX7TmU8Xo
  2. ↑ Blast to the Past (Part 1)
  3. ↑ Blast to the Past (Part 2)
  4. ↑ Sonic Conversion
  5. ↑ Cry of the Wolf
  6. ↑ The Doomsday Project
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzzdF_NUWz0 (Wayback Machine: 2022-01-04 00:59)
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HsK7irA12o (Wayback Machine: 2020-11-01 23:39)
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/0qVuG6K9f3Y/m/P-6SsbbIhgoJ (Wayback Machine: 2023-01-16 05:59)
  10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztf-HYBoAR4
  11. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/8iXWcCB8Q8s/m/Ae5S0KDRd2UJ (Wayback Machine: 2022-07-07 18:09)
  12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEEzlLL1FuE (Wayback Machine: 2020-04-12 19:45)
  13. ↑ https://archive.org/details/tvguide-19940917-nyc_202112/page/148/mode/2up
  14. ↑ https://www.andrews.edu/~drazen/soniceps.txt (Wayback Machine: 2021-09-30 08:00)
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://archive.org/details/tvguide-19950603-nyc/page/56/mode/2up
  16. ↑ https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.animation/c/YmuNuy97YO8/m/gn9wWiRa1PoJ (Wayback Machine: 2023-01-16 06:21)
  17. ↑ https://archive.org/details/cartoons-1997
  18. ↑ http://www.techtimes.com/articles/175464/20160831/starz-streaming-september-2016-complete-list-titles-added-app-month.htm (Wayback Machine: 2016-09-16 14:41)
  19. ↑ https://www.cbs.com/recommended/news/1009560/-how-to-watch-kids-shows-on-cbs-all-access/ (Wayback Machine: 2019-11-30 19:33)
  20. ↑ https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/sonic-the-hedgehog/ (Wayback Machine: 2021-03-31 11:29)


Sonic the Hedgehog television shows
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) | Sonic the Hedgehog (1993-1994) | Sonic Underground (1999) | Sonic X (2003-2004) | Sonic Boom (2014-2017) | Sonic Prime (2022-2024) | Knuckles (2024)
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