"X-Men" (1992) TV series 1992-1997

Creator:

Stan Lee

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

31 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A team of mutant superheroes fight for justice and human acceptance in the Marvel Comics universe.

Plot Keywords:

Mutant | X Men | Marvel Comics | Blue Fur | Claw

Cast

Cathal J. Dodd	...	Logan / ... (66 episodes, 1992-1997)
Cedric Smith	...	Professor Charles Xavier / ... (52 episodes, 1992-1997)
Norm Spencer	...	Cyclops / ... (51 episodes, 1992-1997)
Lenore Zann	...	Rogue (50 episodes, 1992-1997)
George Buza	...	Beast / ... (50 episodes, 1992-1997)
Catherine Disher	...	Jean Grey / ... (46 episodes, 1992-1997)
Alyson Court	...	Jubilee / ... (42 episodes, 1992-1997)
Chris Potter	...	Gambit / ... (41 episodes, 1992-1996)
Alison Sealy-Smith	...	Storm / ... (36 episodes, 1992-1997)

Runtime:

22 min (76 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG | Netherlands:6 (2009) (DVD) | USA:TV-Y7 | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Genesis Entertainment

Trivia:

Episode 1.02 "Night of the Sentinels Part 2" showed the president of the USA as being a woman.

Goofs:

Continuity: In "Night of the Sentinels" the tower guard's hair changes from black to brown when Rogue catches him in mid-air.

Quotes:

Rogue: You know, I remember when I was 13. Had me a boyfriend, so I kissed him. Poor boy was in a coma for three days. That was when I first realized that if I touched anybody, I'd absorb their strength right into me.
[sighs]
Rogue: Some "power," huh? That's when the boys stopped calling.
Beast: [Chuckles] Consider yourself fortunate. I had dandruff.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Chris Rock (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

X-Men Main Theme

X-Appeal

I remember back in 1992 when this show debuted, I thought it was one of the best cartoons on the air, along with "Batman: The Animated Series". The characters had great powers but no one was so incredibly powered that they couldn't get knocked down and knocked around. Plus they were always getting on each others nerves. As cool as Wolverine and Gambit were, I always held great fondness for Cyclops and Beast, I guess because I admired Cyclops for being so stalwart and steadfast and Beast for being so damn smart, laid back and intelligent. Gambit's love/hate relationship with Rogue, the hottest virgin super-heroine in comic books, was always good for a laugh and only occasionally got dramatic but never so much that it got sappy. Professor Xavier, Storm, Jean, and Jubilee rounded out the cast of heroes with their own powers and self-doubts and dreams.

One of my few regrets/complaints about this show was that the X-Men's big villain, Magneto, was only a villain or rather a well meaning if twisted and tainted anti-hero for only the first two episodes in which he appeared, and so the role of #1 agitator to the X-Men went to Mr. Sinister during the 2nd season along with the usual stock villains of racist Americans. The first 3 seasons were probably the best, after that it kind of started to wane. Also I regret that Colossus and Night-Crawler were not regular members of the cast, as Night-Crawler was a very soulful character and Colossus, well, he's just so damn cool.

But these complaints are very minor in light of what was otherwise one of the best comic book to cartoon adaptations ever to air. Certainly superior to the new "X-Men Evolution" or whatever the hell that crap is on the WB that's simply capitalizing on the success of the new X-Men films.

The X-Men later made some guest appearances on "Spider-Man", which had a lot of promise and brighter animation but ultimately squandered its potential. Captain America later guest starred in both X-Men and Spider-Man.