Continuity Order for Season 2 (Episodes 66-90)

[Ocean_Doot]

@ButterflyBoy

I think the Lunataks are a great, original concept when it comes to character designs on so many levels. I mean, a team of misfits that herald from moons that each have specialized powers based on said moons is pretty sweet. Their visual designs is very distinct, but even better is the characterizations and dynamics that were set up and remained fairly consistent for all of their appearances; Luna as the de-facto leader that really does not have the respect or loyalty of her underlings, Alluro as the mellow yet scheming dude, Chilla as the icy witch, etc. I always enjoyed seeing them and really, REALLY hope Mattel gives us some figures of the whole team.

Where the Lunataks take a dive is that they quickly delved into slapstick, nonthreatening territory. They became buffoons who seemed to pose no real threat. The whole tone of the show shifted a bit after season one to make the enemies less…“evil” somehow. I’m not sure if that was deliberate or simply a by-product of having produced so many episodes where the Thundercats had to win. If the show were produced in the late 90’s or early 2000’s, I’m sure there would have been at least some times where the Thundercats were handed real losses by their enemies. But that is another thread

Right on. The Lunataks devolved far too quickly, but when first introduced, they were a refreshing change from the Mutants (who had also devolved).

In addition to the design and characterizations (both of which I agree with you about), I really loved the voice acting on them. TugMug was maybe a bit too … un-PC, perhaps? … but Lypton’s Luna and Hyman’s Red Eye were both pretty radical and different from anything they’d done on Season One. Raphael’s Chilla was excellent, and Doug Preis as Alluro still floors me (Pattenred after James Mason a little bit, apparently? Lynne Lypton implies as much in her interview on this site).

[Daremonger]

And the Lunataks could’ve had more vehicles other than the Ice Runner and the Lunatakker.

[LiamABC]

The voice of Tug-Mug was the exact same voice as Ratar-O.

[Mark_M]

@LiamABC

The voice of Tug-Mug was the exact same voice as Ratar-O.

A lot of the voices sounded similar.

[Mark_M]

@Ocean Doot

Right on. The Lunataks devolved far too quickly, but when first introduced, they were a refreshing change from the Mutants (who had also devolved).

In addition to the design and characterizations (both of which I agree with you about), I really loved the voice acting on them. TugMug was maybe a bit too … un-PC, perhaps? … but Lypton’s Luna and Hyman’s Red Eye were both pretty radical and different from anything they’d done on Season One. Raphael’s Chilla was excellent, and Doug Preis as Alluro still floors me (Pattenred after James Mason a little bit, apparently? Lynne Lypton implies as much in her interview on this site).

I found Luna’s voice quite irritating.

[Mark_M]

@Ocean Doot

Man, I have such fond memories of seeing the two opening five-parters as full-length TV movies.

“Thundercats Ho!” aired on a Saturday afternoon, and it seemed like the coolest thing ever, with all those classic villains all being part of one big mega-story.

“Mumm-Ra Lives” aired on a Friday evening. I was glued to the set, and the Lunataks seemed like the awesomest villains ever.

After that, the remaining 55 episodes were a bit of a decline, although I really liked “Thundercubs,” which first aired as a five-parter over the course of a Monday through Friday. Funny, I always think of that five-parter as the “end” because that’s when I stopped seeing new episodes. (I don’t know if it’s because they stopped airing them on the same network or because I just drifted away after that … I know at some point Thundercats moved to pay-cable, which I didn’t have, so I stopped being able to see the new episodes.)

But I have mucho nostalgia for everything up to and including “Thundercubs.”

Like Liam said here in the UK we just didn’t get anything after Thundercats Ho The Movie. Me and Liam have discussed the Lunataks quite a bit.
Maybe if we had seen them at a younger age maybe our feelings would be a little different and maybe have some fondness for them. With the exception of Chilla who I thought was a pretty cool (pun kind of intended) character and well designed I thought all of the other were really boring and annoying.

[Tygra_Rules]

@Mark M

Like Liam said here in the UK we just didn’t get anything after Thundercats Ho The Movie. Me and Liam have discussed the Lunataks quite a bit.
Maybe if we had seen them at a younger age maybe our feelings would be a little different and maybe have some fondness for them. With the exception of Chilla who I thought was a pretty cool (pun kind of intended) character and well designed I thought all of the other were really boring and annoying.

I sincerely think you guys (Mark and Liam) didn’t miss that much. The series went downhill after season 1, IMO.

[LiamABC]

@Tygra_Rules

I sincerely think you guys (Mark and Liam) didn’t miss that much. The series went downhill after season 1, IMO.

That was my feeling too, when I saw my best friend’s DVDs of the later series. I didn’t like the Lunataks right from the start, so that messed up season 2. Season 3, the way New Thundera suddenly re-formed, very dodgy, and then all those refugees in season 4, who had been killed way back in the very first episode! There’s just too much in the later series for me to shake my head and point the finger at. Still, I shall give it my best shot when it comes to continuity. I plan to refamiliarise myself with the later series soon.

And I’ll bet we finish seasons 2-4 continuity orders before we finish season 1!

[Daremonger]

Go for it, you guys! :wilykit

[Wilycub]

@Tygra_Rules

I sincerely think you guys (Mark and Liam) didn’t miss that much. The series went downhill after season 1, IMO.

Sadly, I agree. It just lost its charm. Most of the stories were either too rushed, repetitive, or just plain ridiculous! I think (and this is my personal opinion) if Leonard Starr had continued to pen stories in the 2nd,3rd and 4th season, that might have made a difference, perhaps. His season 1 episodes are among, if not, the best episodes in the series.

[LiamABC]

Agreed on Leonard Starr - his contribution to the show was by far the most important of anybody’s.

But we are straying from the topic here - we are trying to establish a continuity order for the later series!

[Ocean_Doot]

@LiamABC

The voice of Tug-Mug was the exact same voice as Ratar-O.

Yes, same vocal quality … but unlike Rataro, Tug Mug had a caricature-ish Mexican accent which feels a little … tactless, when I watch the show now.

[Ocean_Doot]

@Wilycub

Sadly, I agree. It just lost its charm. Most of the stories were either too rushed, repetitive, or just plain ridiculous! I think (and this is my personal opinion) if Leonard Starr had continued to pen stories in the 2nd,3rd and 4th season, that might have made a difference, perhaps. His season 1 episodes are among, if not, the best episodes in the series.

I agree. Of course, Leonard Starr wrote the five-parter which introduced the Lunatacs, so …

… ergo, the Lunatacs are awesome. Quod erat demonstratum.

[Mark_M]

I will get my DVDs out and see if I can help with the continuity order.
Starr’s episodes were some of my absolute favourites.
It’s hard to explain but as Liam said I think the reforming of Thundera was really pushing it and a bad idea. Then the addition of the Treasure of Thundera. If it was so precious why did they not have it with them on the Flagship when they left Thundera. Wilycub you are completely right in that it seemed to lose a lot of its charm. There are still a few episodes from season two I loved but nowhere near as much as the first season. It is such a shame as the Thundercats Ho movie/episodes were a terrific start for the new season. It kind of reminds me of how the quality on Transformers went downhill following the movie…not so much the writing but the animation.

[Mark_M]

@Ocean Doot

Man, I have such fond memories of seeing the two opening five-parters as full-length TV movies.

“Thundercats Ho!” aired on a Saturday afternoon, and it seemed like the coolest thing ever, with all those classic villains all being part of one big mega-story.

“Mumm-Ra Lives” aired on a Friday evening. I was glued to the set, and the Lunataks seemed like the awesomest villains ever.

After that, the remaining 55 episodes were a bit of a decline, although I really liked “Thundercubs,” which first aired as a five-parter over the course of a Monday through Friday. Funny, I always think of that five-parter as the “end” because that’s when I stopped seeing new episodes. (I don’t know if it’s because they stopped airing them on the same network or because I just drifted away after that … I know at some point Thundercats moved to pay-cable, which I didn’t have, so I stopped being able to see the new episodes.)

But I have mucho nostalgia for everything up to and including “Thundercubs.”

I have really fond memories of seeing the Thundercats Ho movie on VHS when I rented it from the shop and my Dad copied it onto a VHS for me. It was great finally seeing the characters that were on the back of the cards that hadn’t been in the show.
What you said reminds me though. Over here they aired the first five parts of The New Adventures of He-Man as a movie on ITV that I recorded and I have such fond memories of it even though the show wasn’t that good overall.

[LiamABC]

@Ocean Doot

I agree. Of course, Leonard Starr wrote the five-parter which introduced the Lunatacs, so …

… ergo, the Lunatacs are awesome. Quod erat demonstratum.

That implies that he has never had a bad day creatively! Even the best creative talents churn out the odd howler now and then!

[Mark_M]

@LiamABC

That implies that he has never had a bad day creatively! Even the best creative talents churn out the odd howler now and then!

I wonder if Starr created these character or if he was told to include them. I could be wrong but I think I recall readingthat he didn’t want brining Mumm-Ra back after his defeat in Thundercats Ho so he pretty much wasn’t caring or putting the same energy into his final episodes for Mumm-Ra Lives.

[Mark_M]

@Ocean Doot

I agree. Of course, Leonard Starr wrote the five-parter which introduced the Lunatacs, so …

… ergo, the Lunatacs are awesome. Quod erat demonstratum.

As Liam said, all creative geniuses can have an off day. George Lucas wrote Star Wars: A new Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Yet he Also wrote Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
As much as I am not a fan of the Lunataks at least Thundercats never went that bad LOL.

[Daremonger]

Leonard Starr certainly helped bring ThunderCats to life. “Exodus” is my favorite episode from him because it was the series pilot, which was later split into two parts.

[Mark_M]

@Daremonger

Leonard Starr certainly helped bring ThunderCats to life. “Exodus” is my favorite episode from him because it was the series pilot, which was later split into two parts.

I think it was his lack of involvement that caused the series quality to lower.