Godzilla: The Series
Godzilla: The Series is an American-Japanese animated television series developed by Jeff Kline and Richard Raynis, which originally aired on Fox Kids in the United States between September 1998 and April 2000, and a sequel to Godzilla (1998).[1] Malcolm Danare, Kevin Dunn and Michael Lerner reprise their roles from the film.[2]
| Godzilla: The Series | |
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 Title card | |
| Genre | Action Adventure Drama Science fiction Animation Thriller |
| Based on | Godzilla by Toho |
| Developed by | |
| Written by |
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| Directed by |
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| Voices of |
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| Theme music composer | Jim Latham |
| Opening theme | Godzilla: The Series theme song |
| Country of origin | United States Japan |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 40 (38 aired) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Audu Paden |
| Editors |
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| Camera setup | Myung Soo Song |
| Running time | 23 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Distributor | Sony Pictures Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Original release | September 12, 1998 – April 22, 2000 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Godzilla |
Plot
The series follows the Humanitarian Environmental (or Ecological, in "Area 51") Analysis Team (HEAT), a research team led by Dr. Nick Tatopoulos (voiced by Ian Ziering) as they battle giant mutant monsters that frequently appear in the wake of the events depicted in the 1998 film Godzilla.[3] Dr. Tatopoulos accidentally discovers an egg that survived the aerial bombardment before it hatches, in a minor change from the ending in the 1998 film. The creature hatches after Nick Tatopoulos stumbles onto it and it assumes him to be its parent. Subsequently, Dr. Tatopoulos and his associates form a research team, investigating strange occurrences and defending mankind from dangerous mutations.[4] Godzilla, the only hatchling of its species to survive in the movie, imprints on Nick and becomes the main weapon summoned against the other mutations encountered by the human characters. The series also introduces two new characters: Monique Dupre, a French secret agent assigned by Philippe Roache to keep an eye on Godzilla and H.E.A.T., and Randy Hernandez, an intern of Nick's who specializes in computer hacking.
Characters
H.E.A.T.
Godzilla on the Empire State Building as depicted in the opening to Godzilla: The Series.
- Godzilla (vocal effects by Frank Welker) – A giant mutated iguana kaiju and the only surviving offspring of the first Godzilla that attacked New York City in 1998. Due to Nick's presence at his hatching, Godzilla has imprinted on Nick as his parent and as a result, he is very protective of him. Nick also has the ability to control Godzilla to a certain extent, which allows humans to use him as a weapon against other giant and mutated monsters. He always seems able to sense whenever Nick is in trouble and is quite willing to follow him and the rest of H.E.A.T. all over the world. Unlike his biological parent, he seems to be incapable of asexual reproduction but is capable of using the signature atomic breath.
- Dr. Niko "Nick" Tatopoulos (voiced by Ian Ziering) – Leader of H.E.A.T. and the "adoptive father" of Godzilla. Nick fiercely protects Godzilla and other mutations from both foreign and domestic governments. He is portrayed as younger and with longer hair than Matthew Broderick's character from the 1998 film, as well as less absent-minded.
- Dr. Elsie Chapman (voiced by Charity James) – One of the original members of Nick's team; sarcastic, dry-witted, and partly interested in Craven. She specializes in studying the behavior of Godzilla and other mutations.
- Dr. Mendel Craven (voiced by Malcolm Danare) – The team's engineer and chemist. He is slightly cowardly (as his last name implies) and prone to numerous strong allergies, but is often resourceful. He is also enamored of Elsie. Although initially fearful of Godzilla, over the course of the series he comes to trust the monster as an ally. Danare reprises his role from the film.
- Randy Hernandez (voiced by Rino Romano) – An intern working under Nick, and like him, is Godzilla's defender. He calls Godzilla "the G-man" and sometimes "the big guy" and he has referred to him as "Mr. G" and "the Lizard King" each on one occasion. Hugely talented in all fields of technology, but extremely lazy and somewhat laconic. He has a crush on Monique but is always rebutted when he attempts to court her. The acronym H.E.A.T. originated with Randy, although he initially wanted it to stand for High-performance Environmental Attack Team.
- Monique Dupre (voiced by Brigitte Bako) – A French Agent of the DGSE specializing in hand-to-hand combat and infiltration. She is originally sent to have Godzilla killed but becomes a member of H.E.A.T. after being assigned to supervise Godzilla indefinitely. She generally seems cold and impassive, but on occasion shows genuine care and concern for her teammates and Godzilla.
- N.I.G.E.L. (voiced by Tom Kenny) – Short for "Next Millennium Intelligence Gathering Electronic Liaison", N.I.G.E.L. is an analysis robot created by Mendel and reprogrammed by Randy to have various quirky voices, from a Texas cowboy to a Shakespearean actor. A running gag on the show is that he is damaged or destroyed in every episode (except one, and that one only because he does not appear in it) presumably to be rebuilt or replaced later (evidenced by Craven's remark in the episode "End of the Line" that he should "just buy spare parts in bulk") in a concept that is similar to Kenny McCormick from South Park.
Supporting
- Major Anthony Hicks (voiced by Kevin Dunn) – Commanding officer of the Sandy Point Military Base in New York, who played a key role in the first Godzilla's death. Though he is at first skeptical of the second Godzilla, over time he develops a soft spot for the creature, whom he views as a hero. Dunn reprises his role from the film.
- Audrey Timmonds (voiced by Paget Brewster) – Nick's college sweetheart and somewhat untrustworthy girlfriend, whose career as a reporter often leads the two into conflict.
- Victor "Animal" Palotti (voiced by Joe Pantoliano) – Channel 8 News cameraman and Audrey's working partner who is always willing to help film Godzilla and the other mutations.
- Mayor Ebert (voiced by Michael Lerner) – The cynical mayor of New York City, who is determined to keep it safe from mutation-related threats.
- Philippe Roache (voiced by Keith Szarabajka) – High ranking agent in the French DGSE. Roache led the team hunting down the first Godzilla and later sent Monique to kill the second, but relented when the creature saved lives.
Villains
- Cameron Winter (voiced by David Newsom) – A former classmate of Nick in college. He is a devious technological mogul whose desire is to control Godzilla for the furtherance of his ulterior goals.
- Dale, Bill, and Hank (voiced by Ronny Cox, Tom Kenny, and Bob Joles) – Three game hunters who came to New York to hunt Godzilla. Dale is the leader of the group, Bill is the middleman, and Hank is the idiot of the group. The three of them would usually try to hunt Godzilla, which usually ends with them either being thwarted by H.E.A.T. or ending up in legal trouble. Their names are a parody of the characters from King of the Hill.
- The Leviathan Aliens (voiced by Ron Perlman) – An ancient race of psychically powerful extraterrestrials. One of their spaceships, called the Leviathan, crashed on Earth sometime during the Cretaceous Period of the Mesozoic Era and remained hidden until modern times. They attempted to conquer Earth by using a tachyon transmitter to send mind-controlling signals to subdue the mutations in order for their alien race to invade the planet - including Godzilla and their cyborg mutation, Cyber-Godzilla (created from the carcass of the first Godzilla) - but were ultimately defeated by H.E.A.T and a freed Godzilla and forced to retreat, probably for good.
- Sidney Walker (voiced by Steve Susskind) - An everyday guy who was undergoing Theta wave therapy to cure his insomnia, but ended up in a coma-like state that eventually manifested as the giant monster Crackler.
- Dr. Jonathan Insley (voiced by Nick Jameson) - Dr. Jonathan Insley is the main antagonist that appears in the episode "Future Shock." He is the creator of the D.R.A.G.M.A.s.
- Alexandra Springer (voiced by Linda Blair) - Alexander Springer is the main antagonist in the episode "S.C.A.L.E.". She is the leader of S.C.A.L.E. (Servants of Creatures Arriving Late to Earth), a radical group that believe that mutations are the next stage of evolution and must be protected. She and S.C.A.L.E. interfere when Godzilla and H.E.A.T. were stopping Skeetra but were then arrested. She gave Audrey a S.C.A.L.E. pin for spreading their message, she was bailed and then followed the Heat Seeker to Monster Island as the pin turned out to be a tracking device. She and her forces released the mutations, then locked up H.E.A.T. along with Animal and Major Hicks, and had Audrey continued filming so the world would know of their actions. Luckily, H.E.A.T. managed to escape, captured Springer's forces, and placed the mutations back in their habitats. Springer attempted to activate the island's self-destruct, but was then arrested by the military. In custody, she gave Audrey a tape and asked her to tell her story to the world. However, Audrey decided not to air it and threw the tape into the fire.
- Milo Sanders (voiced by Stuart Pankin) - An obnoxious tour guide of "Monster Liner", he bothers Nick and H.E.A.T. and ends up putting his passengers in danger while Godzilla was fighting the Deep Dweller. He also invited some photographers who attempted to get pictures of Godzilla up close, but were attacked by the Deep Dweller and had to be saved by H.E.A.T. While onboard the Heat Seeker, Milo sneaks down below and finds a tape that reveals the location of Godzilla's lair. Seeing this as his one chance of fame, he plans to reveal to everyone where Godzilla is. Audrey and Animal tried to stop him, but he escapes with the tape by stealing the H.E.A.T. Chopper. However, his attempt to reveal the location of Godzilla is cut short, when a news broadcast shows the police recovering the H.E.A.T. Chopper. Knowing that he's in trouble, he tries to flee but is then arrested by the police, ruining his chance of fame.
- Dr. Alexander Preloran (voiced by Kenneth Mars) - A brilliant xenobiologist who Craven idolizes. Preloran and his colleagues enter a sunken Leviathan ship, where Preloran decides to help them conquer Earth, believing it will help the planet. He ultimately sacrifices himself by launching an escape pod manually so H.E.A.T. and his colleagues can escape, though Preloran soon discovers a doorway flooded with light and enters it, leaving his fate ambiguous.
- Tobias Wilson (voiced by Dorian Harewood) - A ringmaster of the mutant circus "Mutant Mania", he put a bounty on Godzilla, but Nick and H.E.A.T. saved Godzilla from the bounty hunters. Later, Nick confronts him for his bounty on Godzilla, telling Wilson to leave Godzilla alone or he'd do everything in his power to shut down Mutant Mania. When Medusa, a mutated Sea anemone escapes and starts wreaking havoc in New York, he tries to stop Mayor Ebert from destroying Medusa, claiming "she's private property". However, the mayor holds him responsible for the incident. After Godzilla defeats Medusa and places her in an oil container, Wilson attempts to flee with her but was stopped and then arrested by Major Hicks.
- Colonel William Tarrington (voiced by Michael Chiklis) - A soldier who is head of a project overseeing the creation of mutant scorpions for weapons. After the first scorpion proves to uncontrollable, he has a group of smaller, more controllable scorpions created. Tarrington appears to see the error of his ways after Godzilla destroys the scorpions, but orders a new batch of scorpions created immediately after.
- Paul Dimanche (voiced by Jesse Corti) - A corrupt politician who is overfishing a Louisiana bayou and leaving the locals hungry. He shows no care for the safety of his guest when the Swamp Beast attacks his boat and mansion. After he was saved by Georges, he confesses his crimes and was unknowingly filmed by Animal.
- Dr. Hugh Trevor (voiced by Roddy McDowall) - A scientist who is studying Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, but wants to destroy it for attacking his lab. It is later revealed he kidnapped Nessie's baby and plans to sell it on the Black Market. However, Godzilla and Nessie stop him and save the baby, after which Nessie tossed his sub back into the water. It is unknown what happened to him after Godzilla helped Nessie save her baby.
- Maximillian Speil (voiced by Clancy Brown) - Wealthy fight promoter who sets up a monster fighting tournament on a private island for wealthy attendees.
Episodes
Season One (1998–1999)
| # | Title | Script | Air Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Family: Part 1 | Robert N. Skir, Marty Isenberg | September 12, 1998 | While scouring the sewers of New York, Nick Tatopoulos discovers one of Godzilla's eggs has survived. The hatchling that emerges escapes and by the time the team finds him again he has grown into a massive adult. Godzilla recognizes Nick's scent and imprints on him as his parent. As the team tries to study the new Godzilla, the U.S. military, responding to a series of disappearances in Jamaica, attack and seemingly kill Godzilla. |
| 2 | New Family: Part 2 | Robert N. Skir, Marty Isenberg | September 19, 1998 | With Godzilla seemingly dead, the team journey to Jamaica to help the U.S. military investigate the ongoing disappearances in Jamaica. The team discover that a group of giant squids and a hideous mutant crustacean — Crustaceous Rex — are responsible and Godzilla, who has survived the military attack, arrives to fight the beast off. Nick must now battle to help Major Hicks defeat C-Rex, and then convince him that Godzilla is more useful alive than dead. |
| 3 | D.O.A. | Richard Mueller | September 26, 1998 | H.E.A.T. are called to help the Central America Republic of Costo Rojo to deal with "El Gusano Gigante", a mutant worm that is devouring untold amounts of crops. The country's ruler, General Albondiga, uses an experimental bioweapon against the worm and Godzilla, but the worm is only strengthened by the attack. Mendel must synthesize an antidote for the poisoned Godzilla, then find a way to defeat El Gusano Gigante without Albondiga interfering |
| 4 | The Winter of Our Discontent | Robert N. Skir, Marty Isenberg | October 3, 1998 | After Godzilla battles robotic insects, the team encounter their creator: Cameron Winter, a powerful technology mogul and an old rival of Nick's from college. He wants H.E.A.T. to work with him, but Nick refuses, suspecting his old enemy has ulterior motives. But can he find out what they are before Winter's schemes have fatal consequences for Godzilla? |
| 5 | Talkin' Trash | Steve Perry | October 10, 1998 | In response to a sanitation workers' strike, a colony of petroleum-eating microbes, controlled by nanotechnology, are released to try to curb New York's garbage problem. Unfortunately, the microbes quickly grow out of control and now the team and Godzilla must find a way to stop the colony before it devours Manhattan. |
| 6 | Cat and Mouse | Steven Melching | October 31, 1998 | The team not only have to contend with a plague of large mutant rats roaming the sewers of New York, but a trio of redneck hunters named Dale, Bill, and Hank who are seeking to make Godzilla the ultimate hunting trophy. |
| 7 | What Dreams May Come | Len Wein | November 7, 1998 | When a strange electrical creature known as the Crackler attacks seemingly random locations in Manhattan, the team investigate. But the Crackler is not behaving like the mutations H.E.A.T. have fought before, and what is its connection to mild-mannered insomniac Sidney Walker (voiced by Steve Susskind)? |
| 8 | Leviathan | Michael Reaves | November 14, 1998 | The team are called to help a rescue mission for xenobiologist Alexander Preloran (voiced by Kenneth Mars), who disappeared while on a mission to explore the Leviathan, an alien spacecraft buried at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean for 65 million years. But once they go down, the team discovers that the ship's alien crew is very much alive...and they have plans for Earth. |
| 9 | Hive | Marv Wolfman | November 21, 1998 | H.E.A.T. investigates the tropical island of Santa Marta in the wake of a devastating volcanic eruption. But what they find on the island is that, due to irradiated lava, a hideously mutated ecosystem has developed, including carnivorous plants and gigantic bees. As the volcano begins to erupt again and Godzilla confronts the bees' queen, the team must find a way to escape the island alive. |
| 10 | Bird of Paradise | Neil Ruttenberg | December 5, 1998 | When villages in Mexico are attacked by a strange winged creature, ornithologist and Elsie's old fiancé Lawrence Cohen (Tate Donovan) calls H.E.A.T. for help. They quickly discover the beast is Quetzalcoatl, an evolutionary hybrid of bird and dinosaur capable of breathing fire and protected by impenetrable feathers. The team must find a way to stop the creature, but matters worsen when Quetzalcoatl takes Elsie to feed to its hungry young. |
| 11 | DeadLoch | Steve Hayes | February 6, 1999 | H.E.A.T. heads for Scotland after Dr. Hugh Trevor (voiced by Roddy McDowall in his last role before his death) of the Pisces Marine Research Institute claims his facility was attacked by the Loch Ness Monster. Once Nick is convinced of Nessie's existence, he discovers that the facility is hiding a terrible secret: Trevor has captured Nessie's baby and plans to sell it on the black market. Now the team must convince Godzilla to work with Nessie if they are to save her young and ensure her safety in Loch Ness. |
| 12 | Monster War: Part 1 | Robert N. Skir, Marty Isenberg | February 13, 1999 | As tension threatens to break up the H.E.A.T. team for good, major problems arise: a Giant Bat is terrorizing the countryside of Nigeria, the U.S. military has dredged the Leviathan ship from the bottom of the Pacific, and worst of all, the aliens are back, with an army of mutations under their control and plans to conquer Earth. |
| 13 | Monster War: Part 2 | Steven Melching | February 20, 1999 | From their secret base on Isle del Diablo, the aliens assemble their forces. H.E.A.T. desperately fights to resist, but are easily defeated. Once captured and brought to the aliens, they are told that the mutation army — including a brainwashed Godzilla — will be used to attack major cities across the world in preparation for a full-scale invasion of Earth. At its head marches the aliens' ultimate weapon: Cyber-Godzilla, a reborn cyborg version of the first Godzilla. |
| 14 | Monster War: Part 3 | Michael Reaves | February 27, 1999 | As the aliens and their mutation allies attack Earth, H.E.A.T. escapes captivity. They battle to defeat the alien onslaught and free the mutations from their control to help humanity fight back and save the planet from conquest. |
| 15 | Competition | Harry "Doc" Kloor | March 6, 1999 | A trip to Japan to investigate a number of mysterious disappearances leads to a battle of wills between H.E.A.T. and the Japanese military, who perceive Godzilla to be a threat. However, the real threat is revealed to be an ophidiaphobic's nightmare: a mutant King cobra. Things lead to a climactic showdown in Tokyo between the King Cobra and Godzilla.
Note: this episode is chronologically the King Cobra's first appearance, but it was broadcast after the "Monster War" trilogy-its chronologically second appearance-had aired. |
| 16 | Freeze | Barry Hawkins | March 13, 1999 | H.E.A.T. are dispatched to aid investigation into the disappearance of a search party looking for oil in Antarctica. The team must now not only battle against the monsters responsible — a pack of mutant "Ice Borers" — but also against the energy company who employed the men, who are determined to brush all record of the incident under the rug. |
| 17 | Bug Out | Brooks Wachtel | March 20, 1999 | Godzilla is throwing infantile tantrums and H.E.A.T. are growing worried about their ability to control him. When Audrey lets this slip on live TV, despite being told in confidence by Nick, their relationship looks set to be torn apart. Meanwhile, when called in to investigate extensive deforestation in the Amazon rain forest, they discover that a mutant termite colony is devouring the forest at an alarming rate. H.E.A.T. must find a way to destroy the voracious insects before they devour the entire rain forest. |
| 18 | Web Site | Marsha Griffin | May 1, 1999 | H.E.A.T. is charged by the Pentagon to investigate the growing population of spiders near an Army base in the Canary Islands. The team quickly discover that a massive mutant female black widow spider has been laying millions of eggs. They must find a way to destroy the baby spiders and help Godzilla defeat the mother. |
| 19 | An Early Frost | Craig Miller | May 8, 1999 | When Godzilla is accused of attacking New York, the military call in H.E.A.T. to help contain him. But Phillipe Roache has returned from France...with orders to terminate Godzilla. However, H.E.A.T. discovers the real culprit is a hideous mutation called the Chameleon, genetically engineered by Cameron Winter (who has escaped from jail) to frame Godzilla. Can they stop Winter and reveal the truth before it is too late? |
| 20 | Trust No One | Greg Pincus | July 31, 1999 | Acting on confidential information from Phillipe, H.E.A.T. investigate an abandoned lab in the Amazon rain forest where, 50 years before, French scientists succeeded in creating a creature made of pure DNA. The creature is capable of mimicking the shape of any living creature it touches and soon the team are put on edge, uncertain whom to trust. They must find a way to aid Godzilla and destroy the creature before it can reproduce and go on to create a new master race of monsters. |
| 21 | Juggernaut | Tom Pugsley, Greg Klein | August 14, 1999 | The Techno-Sentient, an alien piece of technology, falls to Earth and begins to bond with all manner of human technology, growing to gargantuan proportions. Worst of all, it taps into the Internet and learns of the location of humanity's weapons of mass destruction. The team and Godzilla must find a way to stop the Techno-Sentient before it takes control of an arsenal of nuclear missiles. |
Season Two (1999–2000)
| # | Title | Script | Air Date | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Future Shock | Tom Pugsley, Greg Klein | September 18, 1999 | While pursuing a mutant jellyfish, a mysterious storm propels the H.E.A.T. team into the year 2022. There, they discover a post-apocalyptic future where Godzilla and the other mutations are all dead, humanity is all but extinct, and the world is overrun by terrifying creatures known as Dragmas. As the team battle for survival alongside future versions of Craven and Hicks, they discover that the Dragmas was created by the scientist Johnathan Insley (voiced by Nick Jameson). After narrowly making their way back to the past, they decide to stop him before he can create the monster race. But Insley's Democratic Resurgence Against a Global Mechanized Armageddon (D.R.A.G.M.A.) project is ready to be activated, and now the team must battle to destroy Insley's work before the Dragmas are unleashed and the bleak future they saw becomes a reality. |
| 2 | Cash of the Titans | Andrew Deutsch | September 25, 1999 | In the middle of an attack on H.E.A.T. headquarters by a giant water beetle, the team is shocked to find Godzilla is not responding to their distress call. After fending off the beetle, the team discovers that the billionaire Maximillian Speil (voiced by Clancy Brown) is hosting a monster fighting ring - with Godzilla as his new main attraction. Now with Audrey and Animal in tow, the team must save Godzilla from a brutal fight to the death against other mutations.
Note: the Shrewster, a mutation from the episode "The Twister", makes its chronologically second appearance in this episode, but again, like the previous season's episodes with the King Cobra, it was broadcast before the aforementioned chronologically first appearance had aired. |
| 3 | S.C.A.L.E. | Scott Lobdell | October 2, 1999 | Told in a documentary style and from the point of view of cameras (either Animal's video camera or Monster Island's security cameras), the H.E.A.T team are called to Miami to deal with Skeetera, a giant mutant female mosquito, when they come under attack from S.C.A.L.E. (Servants of Creatures Arriving Late to Earth), an eco-terrorist group - led by Alexandra Springer (voiced by Linda Blair) - who believe that mutations are the next stage of evolution. After capturing the rampaging insect, H.E.A.T transports Skeetera to Monster Island so she can be studied by the U.S. military. But unknown to them, they have unwanted guests: Animal and Audrey have stowed away on board the 'Heat-Seeker' hoping for a good story and S.C.A.L.E. has tracked them to Monster Island. When the terrorists take over Monster Island with plans to release the mutations that are already held there, the only hope lies in the combined forces of Godzilla, H.E.A.T, Major Hicks and his troops, and Audrey and Animal. |
| 4 | Protector | Mark Hoffmeier | October 9, 1999 | Archaeologists in Egypt accidentally reawaken Norrzug the Iron Lion, a gargantuan Sphinx-like monster that once served as the guardian of the ancient city of Amon-Ra. H.E.A.T. discovers from ancient texts that the people of the city deliberately rusted the creature to stop its rampage after it turned on them. Now the team must find a way to repeat the feat before this mythological terror devours every last drop of oil in the Middle East. |
| 5 | Freak Show | Steve Hayes | December 11, 1999 | When circus ringmaster Tobias Wilson (voiced by Dorian Harewood) brings his "Weird World of Wonders" mutation circus to Manhattan, things go terribly wrong when a mutant sea anemone called Medusa escapes her tank and goes on the rampage. When the team discovers the creature is sucking water out of her victims, as she needs the electrolytes found in water to survive, the race is on to stop Medusa before she drains every drop of water on the planet. |
| 6 | End of the Line | Steven Melching | December 18, 1999 | While on a romantic cruise to Alaska, Nick and Audrey's ship is attacked by a mutant turtle, but they are saved - not by Godzilla, but by Komodithrax, a mutant Komodo dragon. When Godzilla heads for Alaska to find Nick and H.E.A.T. follows, they make a shocking discovery: Godzilla and Komodithrax are in love and Godzilla has become the surrogate father to an egg laid by Komodithrax. The menacing turtle is still nearby, however, and the U.S. military is ordered to destroy all monsters in the area, leading to Nick and the team to try to protect the two gargantuan reptilian lovers. During the battle, the airstrike causes the giant turtle as well as Komodithrax and her egg to fall into a fissure. All three are presumed dead. Saddened, Godzilla retreats. Nick wants to propose marriage to Audrey, but she misunderstands. Heartbroken, Nick heads back to New York. |
| 7 | What a Long, Strange Trip It's Been | Janna King Kalichman | January 15, 2000 | While fighting a giant mutant bacterium named the Bacillus, Godzilla is infected by it and left fighting for his life. While Elsie, Randy, and Mendel create an antibiotic to weaken the bacterium, Nick and Monique must enter Godzilla's body and destroy the infection at its source before Godzilla dies. |
| 8 | Wedding Bells Blew | Steve Cuden | January 22, 2000 | When Elsie's estranged parents come to New York for her spoiled sister's wedding, she is forced to attend as maid of honour instead of helping H.E.A.T capture a mutant manta ray. When the military's battle with the creature ends up interrupting the wedding, Elsie is determined not only to catch the creature but also to prove to her parents that she is not the screw-up that they think she is.
Note: Robert Forster voices Elsie's father: Jack Chapman and Alice Hirson voices Elsie's mother: Peg Chapman |
| 9 | Metamorphosis | George Melrod | January 29, 2000 | Shortly after receiving an anonymous check for $5 million, H.E.A.T. are called to Illinois, where a gigantic mutant chilopod, the Megapede, is devouring thousands of dollars worth of crops. The team is unable to stop the creature when they first encounter it and upon finding it again, they discover it has metamorphosed into a Giant Cicada. The insect's mating call is disrupting all radar in Chicago and now H.E.A.T must find a way to silence the creature long enough to launch a counterattack. |
| 10 | Area 51 | Jeff Wynne | February 5, 2000 | Just as H.E.A.T has had it with Randy, Elsie convinces the rest of the team to investigate a possible mutation sighting at Area 51, where they discover the real secret of Area 51 is not aliens but mutations, created by underground nuclear testing. When one of the captive mutations - a mutant thorny devil (a species of lizard) - breaks out of its cage, the team and Godzilla must stop the creature from escaping the base and destroying nearby Las Vegas.
Note: Doug Savant starred in Godzilla (1998) as Sgt. O'Neil, but he voices a different character in this episode. |
| 11 | The Twister | Lara Runnels, Patti Carr | February 12, 2000 | During a nice relaxing day at the beach, the team is caught off-guard by a twister. They trace its origins to an experimental energy experiment at a local power plant, as well as discovering strange tracks near the plant. When the twister strikes again, H.E.A.T. discovers that a giant mutant shrew has been bonded to the twister, creating a "Shrewster", and now the race is on to defeat it before its ravenous metabolism drives it to eat everything in New York. The Shrewster scratches and pierces Godzilla's skin using its claws and bites his neck, but Godzilla recovers and defeats it. |
| 12 | Shafted | Robin Russin | February 19, 2000 | On their way to an expo in an attempt to win a research patent, the team meets a lost young girl named Meg (voiced by Mae Whitman). She asks the team to rescue her two brothers Steven (voiced by Mikey Kelley) and Kevin (voiced by Robbie Rist), who went into a silver mine where a gang of miners disappeared without trace fifty years before. While Monique is left babysitting Meg (much to her displeasure), the rest of the team encounters the Silver Hydra: a monster capable of encasing anyone unfortunate enough to meet it in silver and able to regenerate itself every time it is harmed. Now the race is on to defeat the Hydra before Kevin, Steven, Elsie, and Godzilla end up as lifeless silver statues. |
| 13 | Where Is Thy Sting? | William Stout | February 26, 2000 | While tracking Godzilla to Fort Armstrong, New Mexico, the team discovers that a gigantic mutant scorpion, called Ts-eh-go by the locals, is on the rampage. But when they try to contain the mutation, they come under fire from the U.S. military under the command of Colonel William Tarrington (voiced by Michael Chiklis), an old friend of Hicks, who is out to destroy both Ts-eh-go and Godzilla. When H.E.A.T discover Ts-eh-go was created by the army's "First Wave" program, and that Tarrington is planning to use the creature's offspring - codenamed the "Second Wave" - as bioweapons, H.E.A.T and Hicks must convince Tarrington to abort the mission when the scorpions get out of control. Godzilla protects Major Hicks and Colonel Tarrington by stepping in front of them and being sprayed with the scorpion's acid. Tarrington then orders Godzilla to be killed and Hicks is aghast, pointing out that Godzilla took a hit for him. |
| 14 | Lizard Season | Robert N. Skir | March 11, 2000 | Cameron Winter springs Dale, Bill, and Hank, the redneck hunters from "Cat And Mouse", from jail and uses them to pilot the "Lizard Slayers": three extremely well-armed battle mechas (a giant robot, a tank, and a jet plane) programmed with one mission: to destroy Godzilla. When Cameron takes control of H.E.A.T.'s computer systems to stop them from intervening, Nick and the others must get rid of Cameron, then find a way to save Godzilla from the three hunters. |
| 15 | Vision | Carl Ellsworth | March 18, 2000 | The team are called to San Francisco, where a flock of giant mutant hummingbirds are attacking aircraft. The creatures move too fast for the naked eye to see them, making them impossible for Godzilla to fight them. Now Craven must rig up a special set of goggles that will allow Godzilla to see the birds, giving him a chance to fight back. |
| 16 | Underground Movement | Marsha Griffin | April 1, 2000 | The team is split up due to a lawsuit by the city of Miami (over damages caused by a giant mutant vampire bat). While Nick, Monique, and Elsie deal with the lawsuit, Randy and Craven decide to deal with a mutation (without Nick's permission) in Michigan. The mutation in question is Armillaria, a giant fungus with the ability to suck the amino acids out of any living thing. It swiftly proves too much for the duo, who end up trapped in the wilderness with nothing but their wits and the clothes on their backs. Once the others hear of their antics, the race is on to rescue the duo and defeat Armillaria before it sucks Godzilla dry. |
| 17 | Ring of Fire | Rodney Gibbs | April 22, 2000 | The FireFly, a strange creature made of living flame, attacks an oil platform in New Mexico. When H.E.A.T. and Godzilla arrive to stop it, Randy and Craven sense a chance to make a lot of money if they can exploit the monster's ability to regenerate energy. Once H.E.A.T has taken the creature out, Randy and Mendel sneak it back to headquarters for study, but things go terribly wrong when the FireFly regains consciousness and starts burning down everything in its path. |
| 18 | The Ballad of Gens Du Marais | Angel Dean Lopez | unaired | While in New Orleans covering Mardi Gras, Audrey hears rumours of a strange "Swamp Beast" and decides to call in H.E.A.T.. The creature swiftly proves itself a match for Godzilla and the team begin to suspect something is afoot when the locals claim the beast is the swamp's revenge against a corrupt local politician, Paul Dimanche (voiced by Jesse Corti), who wants to mine oil in the bayou. But can they prove it before the Swamp Beast destroys New Orleans?
Note: This episode did not air, but it was shown at the 2001 Asian Fantasy Film Expo in New Jersey. |
| 19 | Tourist Trap | Marty Isenberg | unaired | The Deep-Dweller, a huge mutant frogfish, begins to attack boats and fishing ships off the coast of New Jersey. H.E.A.T. must help Godzilla drive the creature back to deeper waters and also deal with the interference of the sleazy and obnoxious tour promoter Milo Sanders (voiced by Stuart Pankin), who runs a mutation boat tour called the Manhattan Mutant Line and hopes to make even more money by getting good footage of Godzilla.
Note: This episode did not air, but it was shown at the 2001 Asian Fantasy Film Expo in New Jersey. |
Home media
Columbia TriStar Home Video released two separate episode collections on VHS: Trouble Hatches, composed of the two-part pilot episode (which was actually titled "New Family" when it first aired), and Monster War, featuring the three-part episode of the same name.[4] In 2006, Sony released nine episodes on DVD, spread out onto three separate volumes: The Monster Wars Trilogy, consisting of the same three-part episode previously released on the VHS version, Monster Mayhem, which included "What Dreams May Come", "Bird of Paradise", and "Deadloch", and Mutant Madness, which contained "S.C.A.L.E.", "The Twister" and "Where Is Thy Sting?".[5]
In 2006, Sony released the "Monster Edition" DVD of Godzilla (1998), featuring three episodes of the TV series: "What Dreams May Come", "Monster War: Part 1" and "Where Is Thy Sting?".[6] In 2014, Mill Creek Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in North America, including the two unaired episodes. The episodes were released in chronological order, not the broadcast order.[7]
Reception
The series did well during Fox Kids' Saturday morning line-up. Ultimately, however, it was overshadowed by the late 1990s Pokémon/Digimon war between Kids' WB and Fox Kids during the 1999-2000 season. As a result, Godzilla: The Series was placed in different timeslots on Saturdays to accommodate many of the Digimon marathons and back-to-back episodes (this would affect other Fox Kids shows as well). For a brief period of time, episodes of Godzilla: The Series were either never repeated, or skipped over and rescheduled. There was a brief period where the show was taken off the schedule to accommodate new shows for midseason, resulting in two episodes that were never broadcast in the U.S.
The series was more positively received by fans than the film it was based on, being considered more faithful to the original Godzilla that fans were familiar with.
Video games
Two video games were released for the Game Boy Color. They were developed by Crawfish Interactive and published by Crave Entertainment. Godzilla: The Series was released in 1999 and Godzilla: The Series - Monster Wars was released in 2000.[8][9]
References
- Goldstein, Rich (May 18, 2014). "A Comprehensive History of Toho's Original Kaiju (and Atomic Allegory) Godzilla". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 29, 2018.
- Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 379–383. ISBN 978-1476665993.
- Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 247–251. ISBN 978-1538103739.
- Johnson, Bob; Aiken, Keith (March 28, 2006). "The Ultimate Guide to Godzilla: The Series". SciFi Japan. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
- Aiken, Keith (March 24, 2006). "DVD Reviews: Godzilla: Monster Edition and Godzilla: The Series". SciFi Japan. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- Jacobson, Colin (April 25, 2006). "Godzilla: Monster Edition (1998)". DVD Movie Guide. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- "Complete Godzilla: The Series on DVD from Mill Creek in April". SciFi Japan. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- "Godzilla: The Series for Game Boy Color (1999)". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- "Godzilla: The Series - Monster Wars for Game Boy Color (2000)". MobyGames. Blue Flame Labs. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
External links
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