The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!

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It has been requested that this article be rewritten. Reason: the intro needs to be trimmed massively (tagged on October 17, 2014)

Template:TV-infobox The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was the first animated series based on the Super Mario series of videogames to be produced by DIC Entertainment, and the only one to be produced directly for syndication.

Each episode began with a live-action segment (all of which took place before the brothers discovered the Mushroom Kingdom) starring Mario (portrayed by World Wrestling Federation star "Captain" Lou Albano) and Luigi (Danny Wells) living in Brooklyn, where they would often be visited by a celebrity guest star iether playing themselves or another character at Mario Brothers Plumbing, a basement workshop which doubled as their home.

The live-action segment would be followed by a cartoon based on the Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2 video games, where Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool (Peach), and Toad would battle against King Koopa (Bowser) throughout the many lands of the world, often in a movie or historical parody. Mouser, Tryclyde, Fryguy and a single, unnamed Koopa Troopa often worked closely with King Koopa, serving as his henchmen. Getting into the spirit of these parodies, King Koopa usually took on a varying alter ego. He had a different outfit for each one, and would take on a different alias to along with it. For example, in a riverboat-themed episode, King Koopa was "Captain Koopa", while in one of the western-themed episodes, he went by "Billy the Koopa". In many episodes, King Koopa's minions would often dress up in outfits as well, to go along with Koopa's themed costumes.

Wart, the main antagonist of the second game, was never in any of the episodes, yet most of his minions managed to appear as members of the Koopa Pack. Like most 1980s cartoons, King Koopa would prolong the series' run by escaping from his adversaries (which he did through the use of Magic Potion), even though they could easily catch him.

The basis of the storyline (introduced at the beginning of every animated episode) was that Mario and Luigi were working on a bathtub drain which unknowingly was a warp zone to the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario and Luigi had literally gone down the drain and ended up in the Mushroom Kingdom, by sheer coincidence causing problems for King Koopa and rescuing Toad and Princess Toadstool. Now that they were rescued, the focus for the Mario Brothers was to return to Brooklyn, while stopping King Koopa's tyranny whenever they could. Lou Albano and Danny Wells also voiced Mario and Luigi for the animated segment. It was never revealed whether their live action sequences were a prequel to the animated series or they successfully returned to Brooklyn and resumed their duties in the plumbing business.

Following the cartoon was the third portion of the episode, which continued the story that the live-action segment set up in the beginning. Towards the end, the second part of the live-action segment was interrupted with scenes from that week's upcoming episode of The Legend of Zelda.

The Super Mario Bros. cartoon was shown on Mondays through Thursdays only. On Fridays, the show would air The Legend of Zelda cartoons based on the game of the same name. However, a mario live-action segment would air with the Zelda episodes.

On September 3, 1990, the show changed its name to Club Mario, replacing the live-action Mario segment with two completely different characters known as Tommy Treehugger and Co M.C., with occasional appearances by Tammy Treehugger (Tommy's twin sister) and Evil Eric (Co M.C.'s evil twin brother).

In another Mario related television series, King Koopa's Kool Kartoons, framed portraits of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! versions of Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Toadstool can be seen in various episodes.

Broadcast history

The show lasted from 1989 to 1990, and was available to watch from Yahooligans! TV starting in March 2004, with a new episode usually uploaded every week. However, on December 24, 2005 it was taken down along with all DiC Entertainment cartoons.

As of November 3, 2009 it can be watched at Jaroo.com, a video-streaming website owned by Cookie Jar Group. The website routinely cycles through all fifty-two of the show's episodes, hosting five at any given time. Each Tuesday, the next episode in line is added, with the oldest being dropped. Since DHX Media purchased Cookie Jar, Jaroo was taken down.

As of 2011, it can be watched via Netflix and Hulu.

When shown in reruns after cancellation, DiC took out all the song covers played during the chase scenes, and replaced them with instrumentals of songs featured in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. This was probably done for licensing reasons as the lyrics of the song covers are copyrighted.

From 1989 to 1991, Kid Klassics released NTSC VHS videos of the show. These videos contained two, one, or no live-action segments, and featured the cartoon segments as they originally aired (meaning they included the cover songs that were edited out in later airings). On these videos, the "Super Mario Bros." theme wasn't included before the cartoon segment.

Main Protagonists

Main Antagonists

Cast

Regulars

Mario, Luigi, Princess Toadstool, and Toad
Toad, Mario, Luigi and Princess Toadstool.
Koopa Pack
King Koopa and his Koopa Pack (Tryclyde, Koopa Troopa and Mouser).
Luigi introducing Patty to Mario in "Day of the Orphan" from The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!.
A live-action segment.

Live - Action Guest stars

wikipedia:Fred Travalena|Fred Travalena]] (Elvis Presley and Mr. Gibbel)

Sonny Trinidad (Obi-Wan Cannoli)

Vicki Bakken (Liz) wikipedia:Courtney Gibbs|Courtney Gibbs]] (Luigi's girlfriend)

Episodes

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday (The Legend of Zelda)
September 4, 1989
Episode #1 - The Bird! The Bird!
Live-action segment #1 - Neatness Counts
September 5, 1989
Episode #2 - King Mario of Cramalot
Live-action segment #2 - Day of the Orphan
September 6, 1989
Episode #3 - Butch Mario & the Luigi Kid
Live-action segment #3 - All Steamed Up
September 7, 1989
Episode #4 - Mario's Magic Carpet
Live-action segment #4 - Marianne and Luigeena
September 8, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #1 - The Ringer
Live-action segment #5 - Slime Busters
September 11, 1989
Episode #5 - Rolling Down the River
Live-action segment #6 - The Mario Monster Mash
September 12, 1989
Episode #6 - The Great Gladiator Gig
Live-action segment #7 - Bonkers from Yonkers
September 13, 1989
Episode #7 - Mario and the Beanstalk
Live-action segment #8 - Bats in the Basement
September 14, 1989
Episode #8 - Love 'Em and Leave 'Em
Live-action segment #9 - Will the Real Elvis Please Shut Up!
September 15, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #2 - Cold Spells
Live-action segment #10 - Magic's Magic
September 18, 1989
Episode #9 - The Great BMX Race
Live-action segment #11 - Mama Mia Mario
September 19, 1989
Episode #10 - Stars in Their Eyes
Live-action segment #12 - Alligator Dundee
September 20, 1989
Episode #11 - Jungle Fever
Live-action segment #13 - Dance
September 21, 1989
Episode #12 - Brooklyn Bound
Live-action segment #14 - Cher's Poochie
September 22, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #3 - The White Knight
Live-action segment #15 - Wild Thing
September 25, 1989
Episode #13 - Toad Warriors
Live-action segment #16 - E.C. The Extra Creepy
September 26, 1989
Episode #14 - The Fire of Hercufleas
Live-action segment #17 - The Marios Fight Back
September 27, 1989
Episode #15 - Count Koopula
Live-action segment #18 - Magician
September 28, 1989
Episode #16 - Pirates of Koopa
Live-action segment #19 - Do You Believe in Magic?
September 29, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #4 - Kiss'n Tell
Live-action segment #20 - Mommies Curse
October 2, 1989
Episode #17 - Two Plumbers and a Baby
Live-action segment #21 - Lost Dog
October 3, 1989
Episode #18 - The Adventures of Sherlock Mario
Live-action segment #22 - Plumbers of the Year
October 4, 1989
Episode #19 - Do You Princess Toadstool Take This Koopa...?
Live-action segment #23 - Mario Hillbillies
October 5, 1989
Episode #20 - The Pied Koopa
Live-action segment #24 - Super Plant
October 6, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #5 - Sing for the Unicorn
Live-action segment #25 - Fred Van Winkle
October 9, 1989
Episode #21 - Koopenstein
Live-action segment #26 - Baby Mario Love
October 10, 1989
Episode #22 - On Her Majesty's Sewer Service
Live-action segment #27 - 9001: A Mario Odyssey
October 11, 1989
Episode #23 - Mario and Joliet
Live-action segment #28 - Fake Bro
October 12, 1989
Episode #24 - Too Hot to Handle
Live-action segment #29 - Time Out Luigi
October 13, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #6 - That Sinking Feeling
Live-action segment #30 - Tutti Frutti, Oh Mario
October 16, 1989
Episode #25 - Hooded Robin and His Mario Men
Live-action segment #31 - Flower Power
October 17, 1989
Episode #26 - 20,000 Koopas Under the Sea
Live-action segment #32 - Vampire Until Ready
October 18, 1989
Episode #27 - Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold
Live-action segment #33 - Heart Throb
October 19, 1989
Episode #28 - Mario Meets Koop-zilla
Live-action segment #34 - Fortune Teller
October 20, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #7 - Doppelganger
Live-action segment #35 - The Magic Love
October 23, 1989
Episode #29 - Koopa Klaus
Live-action segment #36 - Little Marios
October 24, 1989
Episode #30 - Mario and the Red Baron Koopa
Live-action segment #37 - Gorilla My Dreams
October 25, 1989
Episode #31 - The Unzappables
Live-action segment #38 - George Washington Slept Here
October 26, 1989
Episode #32 - Bad Rap
Live-action segment #39 - Caught in a Draft
October 27, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #8 - Underworld Connections
Live-action segment #40 - Defective Gadgetry
October 30, 1989
Episode #33 - The Mark of Zero
Live-action segment #41 - Toupee
October 31, 1989
Episode #34 - The Ten Koopmandments
Live-action segment #42 - The Artist
November 1, 1989
Episode #35 - The Koopas Are Coming! The Koopas Are Coming!
Live-action segment #43 - Zenned Out Mario
November 2, 1989
Episode #36 - The Trojan Koopa
Live-action segment #44 - Texas Tea
November 3, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #9 - Stinging a Stinger
Live-action segment #45 - The Great Hereafter
November 6, 1989
Episode #37 - Quest for Pizza
Live-action segment #46 - The Painting
November 7, 1989
Episode #38 - The Great Gold Coin Rush
Live-action segment #47 - Game Show Host
November 8, 1989
Episode #39 - Elvin Lives
Live-action segment #48 - Home Radio
November 9, 1989
Episode #40 - Plummers Academy
Live-action segment #49 - Glasnuts
November 10, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #10 - Hitch in the Works
Live-action segment #50 - Treasure of the Sierra Brooklyn
November 13, 1989
Episode #41 - Karate Koopa
Live-action segment #51 - Adee Don't
November 14, 1989
Episode #42 - Mario of the Apes
Live-action segment #52 - Chippie Chipmunks
November 15, 1989
Episode #43 - Princess, I Shrunk the Mario Brothers
Live-action segment #53 - A Basement Divided
November 16, 1989
Episode #44 - Little Red Riding Princess
Live-action segment #54 - No Way to Treat a Queenie
November 17, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #11 - Fairies in the Spring
Live-action segment #55 - Pizza Crush
November 20, 1989
Episode #45 - The Provolone Ranger
Live-action segment #56 - Goodbye Mr. Fish
November 21, 1989
Episode #46 - Escape from Koopatraz
Live-action segment #57 - French
November 22, 1989
Episode #47 - Mario of the Deep
Live-action segment #58 - Two Bums from Brooklyn
November 23, 1989
Episode #48 - Flatbush Koopa
Live-action segment #59 - Opera
November 24, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #12 - The Missing Link
Live-action segment #60 - Tutti Frutti Mario
November 27, 1989
Episode #49 - Raiders of the Lost Mushroom
Live-action segment #61 - Cyrano de Mario
November 28, 1989
Episode #50 - Crocodile Mario
Live-action segment #62 - Rowdy Roddy's Rotten Pipes
November 29, 1989
Episode #51 - Star Koopa
Live-action segment #63 - Santa Claus Is Coming to Flatbush
November 30, 1989
Episode #52 - Robo Koopa
Live-action segment #64 - Captain Lou Is Missing
December 1, 1989
The Legend of Zelda episode #13 - The Moblins Are Revolting
Live-action segment #65 - The Ghoul of My Dreams

Lyrics

Plumber Rap Part 1 (show intro)

We're the Mario brothers, and plumbing's our game
We're not like the others who get all the fame
If your sink is in trouble, you can call us on the double
We're faster than the others, you'll be hooked on the Brothers Unh!
H-hooked on the brothers
Gimme gimme, gimme gimme
Yo, you're in for a treat, so hang on to your seat
Get ready for adventure and remarkable feats
You'll meet Koopas, the Troopas, the princess, and the others
Hangin' with the plumbers, you'll be hooked on the brothers!
To the bridge!
Unh! Unh!
I say a h-h-h-h-hooked on the brothers!
The brothers!
The brothers!

Plumber Rap Part 2 (animated episodes intro)

' It's the mario brothers and plumbin's their game
Found the secret warp zone while working on the drain
Lend the princess a hand in the mushroom land.
Join the action with the plumbers, you'll be hooked on the brothers!
Nooooooooow, evil Koopa and his Troopas are up to misbehavin'
They kidnapped the princess; Mushroom Land needs savin'
Abusin' and confusin', everybody discovers
They can't help but be hooked on the brothers! Unh!

Do the Mario (closing credits)

Main article: Do the Mario

Home releases

VHSes:

  • US (Pre-Paramount): Mario Meets Koopzilla, Koopa Klaus, Count Koopula, The Great BMX Race, The Great Gladiator Gig, Butch Mario And The Luigi Kid, Mario's Magic Carpet, Hooded Robin, Two Plumbers And A Baby, Super Christmas Adventures (Dic Video through Kids Klassics), and VHS's from Dic Video and Paramount when it was owned by Viacom.
  • UK: Super Show (Pickwick Video), Great BMX Race/Pirates Of The Koopa, Special Extended Edition, Princess, I Shrunk The Marios. (Tempo Video/Pickwick Video), and VHS'S From Dic Video, CIC Video, and Paramount when Paramount was owned by Viacom

DVDs:

  • 3 one-disc sets by Sterling Productions.
  • At Least 8 one-disc sets by NCircle Entertainment.
  • 3 one-disc sets by Maximum Entertainment (UK only).
  • 1 one-disc set by Trimark.
  • 2 four-disc box-sets by Shout! Factory (released 2006).
  • 1 two-disc set by Beyond Home Entertainment (Australia only).
  • 1 six-disc set by Beyond Home Entertainment (Australia only).

Production

Strong from its multiple animated shows based on pre-existing properties, DIC Entertainment approached Nintendo with an offer to make a cartoon based on the Mario series. Nintendo initially declined, but later signed a deal after DIC put together a creative team they liked [1]. Nintendo required DIC to pay extensive royalties, an unusual arrangement for children programming at the time.

According to Danny Wells, him and co-star Lou Albano recorded the show on a six days schedule, where they would first film the live-action segments and then drive to another studio in order to record voices for the animated segments.

The series was a rating success and was widely syndicated[1]. Also, according to Wells, the guest stars actively asked to be part of the live-action segments due to the popularity of Super Mario Bros. with their children [1]. However, despite its success, Nintendo had little interest in continuing the show beyond the initial package, leading to its cancellation.

Staff

Main article: List of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! staff

The Super Show was directed by Dan Riba and produced by John Grusd, who also produced and directed the two subsequent Mario cartoons by DIC. Animation was provided by Sei Young Animation Co., Ltd.. The live-action sequences were co-produced with Saban Productions.

Differences from the games

  • Several characters have very different appearances from what became their "standard" character models in later years, mostly owing to being based on sprites and/or character artwork from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2.
    • King Koopa's appearance was loosely based on his sprite from Super Mario Bros.. As a result he has green skin instead of yellowish-orange skin, wears dark green wristbands with two spikes on both of his wrists, rather than black bands with five spikes, wears a crown on his head, has no red hair and has yellow eyes with black pupils instead of white eyes with red pupils.
    • Princess Toadstool's model has red hair instead of blonde resembling her sprite from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 2, no white gloves, a plain gold crown without any gems and her brooch, earrings & eye color are all green rather than blue.
    • Mario uses a blue shirt and red overalls and Luigi uses a blue shirt and green overalls, and they both have black hair instead of brown, along the lines of Mario's sprites and his artwork in Donkey Kong and Super Mario Bros. and his appearance on the Super Mario Bros. 2 cover as well as Luigi's appearance and artwork from Super Mario Bros. 2.
    • Toad's appearance is based on his sprite from Super Mario Bros. with the waistcoat being red instead of blue. In the first three episodes, Toad's color scheme was inverted. He sported a red cap with white spots, a white vest, red pants and white shoes. This was fixed from the fourth episode onwards with a white cap with red spots, a red vest, white pants and purple shoes, although it was reused for Toad's "Super Toad" form in a later episode.
  • In several episodes, Birdos were shown to fly, a trait not seen in any Mario game.
  • Rather than becoming Fire Mario, unlike in the video games, Mario (or Luigi) would become "Super Mario" or "Super Luigi" upon touching either a Fire Flower, Starman, or some other source of excessive power. As Super Mario, Mario could hurl fireballs, had super-strength, and on a few rare occasions, could even fly. Although Mario could lose his powers by taking a hit, it was also possible for them to wear off after a while.
  • Mario's Super Form and Luigi's Super form is based on their fire form sprites from Super Mario Bros., except Luigi's shirt in his Super form is green instead of red resembling his sprite from Super Mario Bros., in which the colors of their shirt and overalls in their fire forms from what they are in the franchise, starting with Super Mario World reversed.
  • Mario has the same blue eyes from the game artwork and his future appearances.
  • Luigi was given green eyes, even though game artwork and future appearances have always shown them to be blue. However, on the cover of the Volume 1 DVD set, Luigi's eyes are blue.
  • Trouters were portrayed as being far more vicious than they were in Super Mario Bros. 2, and would pursue anybody who came near them. Their appearance more closely resembles that of Cheep-Cheeps than the Trouters seen in the game.

Quotes

For a full list of quotes, see here.

Gallery

Foreign/international variations

  • Some international versions only dub the animated segments or completely cut out the live-action segments as well.
  • The French, Dutch and German dubs are the only international versions to completely re-dub the Plumber Rap, whereas other foreign markets use the English version and dub only the animated Mario head introducing the show. Also, the German And Dutch versions also re-dubs "Do the Mario" ("Mach den Mario") for the closing credits.
  • The original international versions in Spain and Italy use an entirely different extended theme song.
  • The Korean version uses a slightly modified lyrical version of the original Mario theme music.

Trivia

This trivia section is overly long. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections and articles.

  • Although on Fridays The Legend of Zelda animated episodes were aired, the live-action episodes were still The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episodes.
  • Luigi's personality of being scared and cautious was (arguably) first used in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! Later, this personality appeared in video games, most notably in the Mario & Luigi series, Luigi's Mansion, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon.
  • The voices of Mario and Luigi in this show most resembles the voice of them heard today, whereas their voices in The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World shows (voiced by Walker Boone and Tony Rosato, respectively) was lower and raspier for Mario, and higher and raspier for Luigi, instead of Mario having a higher pitched voice and Luigi having a lower pitched voice like Charles Martinet does for the two's voices, and he made neither of them any raspier than Mario and Luigi's voice actors in this show.
  • The Plumber's Log number quote in every episode is a reference to the Captain's Log quote from Star Trek.
  • The blue shirt and red overalls that Mario wears in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! would later be used as an alternate costume for Mario in the first three Super Smash Bros. games and an alternate costume for Wario in Mario Golf, Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U as well as Ice Mario's outfit in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. U and the blue shirt and green overalls that Luigi wears in The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! would later be used as Ice Luigi's outfit in New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. U. Additionally, King Koopa's color scheme is later used as an alternate costume for Bowser in Mario Golf and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U.
  • Off the Map and Showdown in Brooklyn are the only thematic DVDs that don't have "Mario" or "Koopa" in the title.

External links

References

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