RETRO TV REVIEW: Jonny Quest (1964) Ep. 1: "The Mystery of the Lizard Men"

My first exposure to Jonny Quest was far back in my childhood, when the classic Hanna-Barbera shows existed only on syndicated television. Back then, I was looking for interesting cartoons to watch, unaware of their place in animation history or how truly groundbreaking they were for their time. Over time, however, Jonny Quest was a show that stayed with me, in part because I have a fondness for pulp adventure and globe-trotting tales of discovery.

For those who don“t remember the show or were too young to have seen it, Jonny Quest centers around the son of a brilliant scientist who travels the world with his adopted family. Jonny was designed to be the 1960“s idea of the “all-American boy”“, the plucky and courageous kid that also acts as a viewer surrogate. In addition to his father Benton Quest, Jonny was assisted by his bodyguard Race Bannon, his friend Hadji, and his trusty dog Bandit. With the exception of Hadji, it wasn“t a diverse crew, but they were good characters on a storytelling level, and they were fun characters to explore the setting with.

The first episode of Jonny Quest, “The Mystery of the Lizard Men”“, is a fairly solid introductory episode that sets up Team Quest and their mission. A good debut episode needs to present an interesting adventure hook to lure in the viewers, and it needs to explain who the characters are and what they“re about. “Mystery of the Lizard Men”“ accomplishes both of these things in terms of its narrative, mainly by setting up a spooky setup to its story. The villains are largely kept mysterious as they commit their crimes, leaving the viewer to wonder if the phenomenon is supernatural or if there“s some kind of rational explanation behind it. In this respect, it“s a more serious version of Scooby Doo, where the heroes stumble on the mystery and try to solve it. However, it also works as a two-fisted adventure tale, where the heroes are dropped in an exotic locale and must find a way to survive. The basic premise is quite solid, and it“s interesting enough to bring the viewer in to experience the rest.

Beyond that, “Mystery of the Lizard Men”“ does a good job of introducing the members of Team Quest. Even though it“s something of an ensemble show, the focus is firmly on Jonny as the hero, and it patiently takes its time in introducing him and his bodyguard Race Bannon. The episode clearly establishes Jonny as a young man who“s brave to the point of recklessness, idealistic but inexperienced in the ways of the world. Race works effectively as a foil, adding a seasoned voice of reason to restrain Jonny“s impulsiveness, as well as a stronger character who can do the physical action that Jonny can“t handle. The initial scenes are economical, working in small bits of clever foreshadowing as well as establishing the brotherly relationship between Jonny and Race. Benton is a bit distant and focused on his science, but his intelligence and love for his son are never in doubt. Indeed, it“s Benton who plays a pivotal role in saving the others, and this is also carefully set up by Doug Wildey and the other writers.

In terms of the animation, there“s much to respect in the craftsmanship even if it has a 1960“s aesthetic. Fans of modern animation may possibly be put by how static the animation is by modern standards, as well as the old-school appearance of the frames. However, by the standard of the time, they“re quite revolutionary, and even by modern standards, they look quite respectable. What makes it even more impressive is that the frames were all drawn by hand, all without modern tools and computers that have revolutionized the animation field. Hanna-Barbera found a way to say more with less, telling a story with a strong sense of economy, and the result is a visually impressive debut episode. The voice acting is quite solid, led by Tim Matthiesen as the voice of Jonny, and each of the voice actors settles in almost invisibly in each of their roles.

That isn“t to say the episode is flawless, and there are episodes of Jonny Quest that improve on this one noticeably. One regrettable point is the absence of Hadji, especially during an episode designed to introduce the cast. Hadji is listed in the opening title sequence, but he“s never shown during even a single frame of the episode“s story. The villains are not terribly notable in terms of character, though their operation is interesting and they serve the plot as they“re intended to. However, we don“t remember the Lizard Men beyond the excellent visual designs (most likely by creator Doug Wildey and acclaimed artist Alex Toth). The villains are forgettable bad guys for the heroes to defeat, and it“s unfortunate that they don“t amount to more than this. Benton Quest“s final solution to defeat the villains may well have been surprising in 1964, but it unfortunately is rather predictable to modern audiences that are much more sophisticated. However, it is good for a debut episode, and it“s an enjoyable story even for its datedness and small missteps.

On balance, I find “Mystery of the Lizard Men”“ a charming window into the world of Jonny Quest. While not a flawless episode, it does what the first episode of a new series should do””offer an engaging story with interesting characters. Although the show is decades old, it mostly maintains a timeless flavor aside from occasional moments that betray its age. All in all, this episode is a good effort by some outstanding talents in the prime of their careers, and it provides some hard-hitting adventure for Quest fans.

Score: 4.5/5

Starring: Tim Matthiesen, Mike Road, John Stephenson

Directors: Doug Wildey, William Hanna, Joe Barbera

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Steve Sellers

Steve Sellers had been a fan of superheroes ever since Superman: The Movie. But it took the JSA, the Legion of Super-Heroes, Dragonlance, Lord of the Rings, Twilight Zone, and Chris Claremont's legendary run on the X-Men to make him a writer and a longtime fan of comics, fantasy, and science fiction. Steve is the co-creator of WHITE DRUID & MICHAEL NERO and GUARDIANS OF ELAYIM for Omen Comics, and he is also the creator of BLITZ and SHOCKWAVE for Revelation Comics (an imprint of Omen Comics).