RoboCop: Alpha Commando

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RoboCop: Alpha Commando
Genre
Created byMichael Miner
Edward Neumeier
Developed byEric Lewald
Julia Lewald
Directed byLarry Houston
Voices ofDavid Sobolov
Jay Brazeau
Theme music composerCarl Johnson
ComposerCarl Johnson
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes40
Production
Executive producersJonathan Dern
Jay Firestone
Paul Sabella
ProducersLarry Houston
Victor Dal Chele
Robert Winthrop(co-producer)
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesMGM Animation
MGM Television
Orion Pictures
Original release
NetworkSyndication
ReleaseSeptember 7, 1998 (1998-09-07) –
February 3, 1999 (1999-02-03)

RoboCop: Alpha Commando is a 1998–1999 animated series based on the Orion Pictures film RoboCop and the series/films that followed. It is the second animated version of the character, following on from RoboCop.[1] The series premiered in first-run syndication on September 7, 1998, and ran until February 3, 1999. It was syndicated by The Summit Media Group.[2][3][4] The show aired on Sinclair's KidsClick programming block in 2017 from July 1 to September 10. 40 episodes were produced.[5]

Synopsis[edit]

The series is set in the year 2030 (2020 in the pilot episode), and deals with RoboCop being reactivated after five years offline to assist a federal high-tech group, "Alpha Division" in their vigilance and struggle against DARC (Directorate for Anarchy, Revenge, and Chaos), a highly advanced terrorist organization, and other forces of evil, whenever that may be, globally or nationally.

The series shared many of the same writers who had contributed to the 1980s animated series, but had even less in common with the films or television canon that it was based on: RoboCop has numerous gadgets in his body that were never in the film, such as roller skates and a parachute. The absence of Anne Lewis was never explained. Besides RoboCop / Alex J. Murphy himself, Sgt. Reed is the only character from the movies to be present in the series.

The show also suffers from major continuity errors: during the first episodes, RoboCop's son is shown in flashback memories and appears to be around 10; however, he later appears to be exactly of the same age and even wearing the same clothing. The names of RoboCop's wife and son were also changed to Susan and Richie; however, this is explained in episode 10: after Alex Murphy became RoboCop, his family was forced to change their identity to keep RoboCop's enemies from locating them.

Unlike the movies, and previous TV incarnations, RoboCop never takes off his helmet in Alpha Commando.

Voice cast[edit]

Crew[edit]

  • Executive story editors: Eric Lewald and Julia Lewald
  • Writers: Cary Bates, Larry Braman, Carter Crocker, Steve Cuden, Mark Edens, Michael Edens, Adam Gilad, Sam Graham, Chris Hubbell, Peter Hunziker, Gary Stewart Kaplan, Ann Knapp, Eric Lewald, Julia Lewald, Steven Melching, Martha Moran, Richard Mueller, Cynthia Riddle, Erica Rothschild, Bruce Reid Schaefer, Douglas Sloan, Richard Stanley, Jan Strnad, Larry Swerdlove, Bruce Talkington, Len Uhley, Brooks Wachtel, Len Wein, Russ Weiderspahn
  • Produced and directed by Larry Houston

Episodes[edit]

  1. Justice Reborn: Part 1
  2. Justice Reborn: Part 2
  3. Justice Reborn: Part 3
  4. Doppelganger
  5. Town of Tomorrow
  6. Cyber-Fagin
  7. Plague on Ice
  8. Robo Racer
  9. The Hermanator
  10. Robopop
  11. The Weakest Link
  12. Really, Really Big Shoo
  13. A Pretty Girl Is Like a Malady
  14. Francesca's Quest
  15. Power Play
  16. Deep Trouble
  17. Maxsop 4
  18. Oh Tannenbaum Whoa Tannenbaum!
  19. We'll Always Have Paris
  20. Best Friends
  21. Garden of Evil
  22. Robodog
  23. Brawl in the Family
  24. Cop Games
  25. H-2-Uh-Oh
  26. Inside Out
  27. The ERG and I
  28. Survival of the Fittest
  29. While You Were Sleeping
  30. Return of the Hermanator
  31. Family Reunion: Part 1
  32. Family Reunion: Part 2
  33. Small Packages
  34. Head Games
  35. DARC Secrets
  36. Thank You Very Mulch
  37. Father's Day
  38. Out of the Dark
  39. Das Re-Boot
  40. Talk About the Weather

References[edit]

  1. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 670–671. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  2. ^ "Television News". Animation World Network. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  3. ^ Kenyon, Heather. "NATPE 1998: It's A Tough Market But Someone is Selling..." Animation World Network. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  4. ^ "10K". SEC. March 31, 1999. p. 6. Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  5. ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 226. ISBN 9781476672939.

External links[edit]