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= The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest =
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Introduction
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'The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest' (also known as 'Jonny Quest: The
Real Adventures') is an American animated television series produced
by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and broadcast on Cartoon Network from August
26, 1996, to April 16, 1997. It is a continuation of 'Jonny Quest'
(1964) and 'The New Adventures of Jonny Quest' (1986) and features
teenage adventurers Jonny Quest, Hadji Singh, and Jessie Bannon as
they accompany Dr. Benton Quest and bodyguard Race Bannon to
investigate strange phenomena, legends, and mysteries in exotic
locales. Action also takes place in the virtual realm of QuestWorld, a
three-dimensional cyberspace domain rendered with computer animation.
Conceived in the early 1990s, 'Real Adventures' suffered a long and
troubled development.
Hanna-Barbera dismissed creator Peter Lawrence in 1996 and hired new
producers to finish the show. John Eng and Cosmo Anzilotti completed
Lawrence's work; David Lipman, Davis Doi, and Larry Houston wrote new
episodes with reworked character designs akin to those of classic
'Quest'. Each team produced half of the show's fifty-two episodes.
While Lawrence's team crafted stories of real-world mystery and
exploration, later writers used science fiction and paranormal plots.
Turner supported the show through a massive marketing campaign with 33
licensees. 'Real Adventures' debuted with an unprecedented wide
release on Cartoon Network, TBS, and TNT, airing 21 times per week.
Critics have debated the show's animation, writing, and spirit
compared to classic 'Quest', but it has also received praise for these
same reasons.
'Real Adventures' failed to gain high ratings with its target
demographics, and its merchandise performed poorly, leading to its
cancellation after 52 episodes. Since the show ended, reruns have
aired on Toonami, CNX, and other Turner networks. Turner Home
Entertainment and Warner Home Video have released eight VHS tapes and
two laserdiscs, and all 52 episodes are available on DVD and for
digital purchase on the iTunes Store.
Development and history
======================================================================
Hanna-Barbera created 'The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest' in the
early 1990s after being acquired by the Turner Broadcasting System.
Turner planned a series of year-long "Turner-wide initiatives" to
capitalize on old characters and create new media franchises. Turner
received copious fan mail and phone inquiries about 'Quest' and
observed "incredibly high" marketing Q Scores. The show was also
Hanna-Barbera's most popular venture into the action-adventure genre;
no other contemporary series featured realistic children going on
lifelike adventures.
With William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's blessings, the company planned
a new series, a live-action film, and two telefilms--'Jonny's Golden
Quest' and 'Jonny Quest vs. The Cyber Insects'. Combined with a
substantial marketing campaign, the project would be their largest
initiative since Turner acquired H-B. Turner Home Entertainment
President Philip Kent claimed 'Quest' would be a "consumer-products
bonanza", and the company considered 'Real Adventures' the linchpin of
the 'Quest' revival. 'Real Adventures', the live-action film, and the
release of classic episodes on VHS would constitute a "Year of 'Jonny
Quest'" marketing blitz. The product was delayed until 1996 and echoed
1994's "Year of the 'Flintstones'" (complimenting the feature film
adaptation released in theaters that year) and 1995's "Year of 'Yogi
Bear'". Production on 'Real Adventures' commenced in 1993. Turner
hired a team led by director Dick Sebast, writer Peter Lawrence, and
art director Takashi Masunaga. The firm appointed Stephanie Sperber
head of the 'Quest' task force in 1994.
Hanna-Barbera President Fred Seibert allowed Lawrence to create a new
team of companions for Jonny, but Lawrence chose to bring back the
original group. Sebast and Lawrence decided to make the series as
realistic as possible through accurate physics and depictions of
machinery. Lawrence emphasized believability, eschewing "ridiculous
.... laser guns" for real sidearms. The creative team researched child
psychology to ensure they could depict realistic action and
consequences without fueling nightmares. Seibert touted 'Quest' as the
"'Home Alone' of adventure", with "high-tech, multicultural themes"
that would appeal to contemporary youth. Promoters promised the new
'Quest' would avoid "mindless violence, chauvinism, xenophobia and
insensitivity", addressing historical criticisms of the classic
series. Turner also claimed that 'Quest' would appeal to either
gender, stating, "Traditionally, action adventure animation may be
stronger with boys, but in this case, storylines are being developed
to draw girls in ... we're really hoping for a wide berth of
viewership." Seibert further described the show's theme as "'The
X-Files' for kids", citing that difficult questions and mysteries
would be posed in each episode. Departures from the classic series
included new character designs and the introduction of a new character
to the 'Quest' family. Takashi designed Jonny to be "edgy and
handsome" and rendered characters in the style of Japanese animation
to differentiate from American superhero cartoons. The team used a new
character--Race's daughter, Jessie Bannon--to create conflict with
Jonny. She was introduced in 'Jonny's Golden Quest' as Race's daughter
by Jezebel Jade. Lawrence initially titled the show 'Jonny Quest's
Extraordinary Adventures', but the title changed in 1995 to its final
name.
Intended for a 1995 release with 65 episodes, 'Real Adventures' fell
into development hell; roughly 30 scripts and only eight reels were in
progress by March 1995. Production problems had been reported as early
as January 1995; after eighteen months of production, Hanna-Barbera
removed both Lawrence and Takashi in 1996, hiring John Eng and Cosmo
Anzilotti to finish the first 26 episodes. Certain sequences
necessitated exhaustive work and heavy revision. A new team led by
David Lipman, Davis Doi, and Larry Houston finished 26 more episodes
for broadcast as a separate series named 'The New Jonny Quest'.
Animation
===========
Peter Lawrence aimed to "go beyond cartooning and into animated
film-making" for the show's storytelling. Producers contracted seven
studios to animate the first season, including Pacific Animation
Corporation in Japan and Toon's Factory in France. Japanese and Korean
animators drew traditional cel sequences and added color; an
international team handled digital post-production and QuestWorld
scenes. Teva, a subsidiary of Total Group, organized a post-production
team in Paris, led by Eric Jacquot, Gilles Deyries, and Pascal Legeay.
Using video post-production high-end specialized tools, including
'Henry', 'Spirit', 'Flame', and others, the team strove to deliver a
high-speed computer editing and post-production process. Most of the
first season's footage was digitally inked and painted to enhance
background elements. Producers applied the process in excess of 20
hours per episode, adding light effects, rain, snow, glitter,
reflections, and fog.
Hanna-Barbera implemented a new computer system to combine manual
animation with digital paint and to provide camera movement
flexibility, which created a partial three-dimensional effect. Takashi
felt the system made the creative team "honest filmmakers" through
hands-on production. Lawrence described the system in 1995:
The "pencil test [is] imported into the computer" referred to by
Lawrence was an animatic. This process was implemented by Stephen
Toback's H-B Production Technology Group, which also set up and
maintained the in-house digital ink and paint systems for Hanna
Barbera, as well as the post-production Avid and Pro Tools systems.
Japan-based Mook Studios exclusively animated the second season
without digital post-processing. 'Real Adventures' maintained the
classic show's realistic violence, featuring off-screen deaths of
villains and allies. The use of these cutting-edge techniques, as well
as the show's troubled development, led to speculation that each
episode had cost over $500,000 to make (considered the high end of
contemporary animation budgets).
Music
=======
Bodie Chandler directed music for 'Quest', and Gary Lionelli, Thomas
Chase, Stephen Rucker, Lawrence H. Brown, Guy Moon, Kevin Kiner,
Christophe Beck, and Mark Koval wrote incidental music and cues.
Lionelli conceived a new main theme based on the original 1960s 'Jonny
Quest' theme by Hoyt Curtin. Composer Guy Moon considered working for
the show the "hardest thing I've done in my life" due to the
producers' demands for epic music: "They want a big orchestra with a
good synth rig. [...] It's great because they push me so much I'll
probably replace my whole demo reel with Jonny Quest music. It's hip
and it's current." Stephen Rucker and Thomas Chase (who later composed
for 'The Powerpuff Girls') used MIDI to facilitate composing. Chase
appreciated the producers' commitment to scoring, noting, "For many
kids, animation music is their first exposure to orchestral music."
QuestWorld
============
Producers cultivated an element of virtual reality through QuestWorld,
a cyberspace simulation rendered with three-dimensional computer
animation and motion capture. QuestWorld was designed as a futuristic
application of contemporary technology, similar to the classic
series's high-tech lasers, satellites, and robots. Seibert traced its
origin to "hav[ing] the same problem that James Bond does now. [...]
When you look at even his newest gadgets, they're somewhat quaint."
H-B marketers polled children on their familiarity with virtual
reality, discovering that each child was aware of the concept.
Planners took inspiration from cyberpunk novels written by Neal
Stephenson and William Gibson, including 'Snow Crash'.
H-B initially contracted Dream Quest Images to animate QuestWorld but
was credited for work on only a single episode, as competitor Disney
acquired the studio in April 1996, necessitating a different vendor.
Animation company Buzz F/X, based in Montreal and Santa Monica,
created the season one sequences. Work began in April 1996 with the
opening titles--a gliding journey through a canyon of green,
cartographic lines with scenes illuminated upon the walls. QuestWorld
characters were created as wireframe models, augmented with faces
scanned from clay busts, then digitally painted and inked. Buzz F/X
used mostly inexperienced animators, as budgetary constraints would
not permit hiring seasoned employees.
Work followed on "Escape to Questworld" and "Trouble on the Colorado"
as animators worked 12 hours a day, six days a week in a small garage
with inadequate computers. Buzz F/X augmented the small team in July
with ten recruits, but only two were experienced. Amateur employees
struggled with lighting and with synchronizing jerky motion capture
from the House of Moves in Venice Beach; 'Quest' was their first
capture production order. By August, the team was working 14 hours a
day, seven days a week, including full nights and mornings.
After two more episodes, Buzz F/X terminated its unprofitable contract
with H-B, later filing for bankruptcy in 1997 due to $3.6 million of
debt created by work on 'Quest'. H-B hired Blur Studio to finish the
second season's scenes on a 10-week production schedule. Blur used
Intergraph hardware, and its sharp performance attracted press
attention and sealed an amicable relationship with H-B. Both companies
produced in total roughly one hundred minutes of computer animation
for QuestWorld.
International promotion and network run
=========================================
Turner Broadcasting promoted the series in 40 countries and 14
languages to establish international markets. Broadcasters included
Antena 3 in Spain, TF1 in France, Channel One in Russia, RAI in Italy,
Taurus Film in Germany, the BBC in the United Kingdom, SCTV in
Indonesia, and Asia Television in 10 Asian countries, representing
ATL's first animated series to be broadcast in both English and
Cantonese. Turner planned to introduce US-style animation to the Asian
market through 'Quest'. The show was launched in Singapore on TCS
Channel 5 (now known as MediaCorp Channel 5) to take advantage of
Singapore's "sophisticated retail sector and well-developed licensing
industry". 'Brandweek' reported in 1995 that the show's budget,
including merchandising and promotional costs, topped $40 million.
Director Richard Donner, producer Lauren Shuler Donner, and Jane
Rosenthal purchased rights for a live-action film, having expressed
interest in the property after Turner acquired H-B. Peter Segal was
attached to direct. Slated to begin production in mid-1995, filming
was delayed until 1996 and ultimately never began. Turner advertised
'Real Adventures' as the "next evolution in children's programming ...
[redefining] television animation for the next generation." The
company hosted a 1995 discussion with Peter Lawrence and Takashi at
Yanceyville and later aired previews at United States waterpark
events. Staged in major US cities, these "dive-in theaters" featured
previews of new series and local celebrities, including Jennifer Love
Hewitt, Lacey Chabert, Cameron Finley, and Ashley Johnson for the UCLA
event. Turner announced the debut countries and TV stations on May 1,
1996.
Turner aired 'Real Adventures' seven nights a week on TBS, TNT, and
Cartoon Network for an unprecedented 21 weekly showings. Turner used
this level of coverage to entice marketing partners, as typical cable
programs (airing once per week) would not be able to attract desired
merchandise interest. Turner aired several commercial spots featuring
the 'Quest' logo and show introductions to build viral support.
Turner's marketers surmised that juvenile groups watching TNT in the
morning, TBS in the afternoon, or Cartoon Network in prime time and
late night were mutually exclusive. 'Real Adventures' premiered August
26, 1996, three months after a 20-hour "Farewell Marathon" of original
'Quest'. Promotional scope exceeded that of recent television events,
such as NBC's 'Gulliver's Travels'; industry insiders compared it to a
feature film campaign.
The show averaged a 2.0 Nielsen rating over August and September 1996,
considered a strong start for an animated series. Though Cartoon
Network suffered declining viewership in 1996, 'Quest' was
consistently one of the highest-rated programs; later season one
episodes drew around 650,000 viewers. 'Real Adventures's' merchandise
performed poorly, and it failed to build consistent ratings in its
targeted demographics (though it did attract adult audiences). Turner
tried to revive interest in February 1997 with a contest for an
adventurous trip to Jamaica called 'Quest World Adventure'. Cartoon
Network did not order new episodes beyond the 52nd. Reruns aired for
two years on Toonami until September 24, 1999; on Cartoon Network in
other formats until 2004; and on CNX until 2003. Reruns were also seen
in broadcast syndication for a time via The Program Exchange.
Overview
======================================================================
Dr. Benton Quest, a famous phenomenologist, investigates mysterious
occurrences and exotic locales with his son Jonny, adopted son Hadji
Singh, bodyguard Race Bannon, Race's daughter Jessie, and pet bulldog
Bandit. 'Real Adventures' is set a few years after the classic series,
making Jonny and his friends teenagers. Lawrence aimed to use
"existing, real phenomenon"--such as the "Airstrips of Nazca, the
Ruins of Teotihuacan or the possible existence of Giant Squid"--to
capture audiences' curiosity. Stressing plausibility, he suggested
writers cover real-world enigmas, cryptozoology, unique locales, an
alien posing as the vice president, and fictional but "believable"
mysteries. The Quests would frequently visit the virtual environment
of QuestWorld and encounter the villainous Jeremiah Surd and Ezekiel
Rage.
The Quests would sparingly fight "monsters of the week", instead
battling antagonists whose conflicts lay in "personal objective or
ambition [...] opposed by Dr. Quest". Lawrence stationed the family at
a new compound on the coast of Maine, replete with houses, barns, and
workshops. Rooms suited for each character included a library for Dr.
Quest, a workshop for Jonny, a computer-equipped den for Jessie, a
dojo and gym for Race, and a lighthouse lookout for Hadji's
meditation. Lawrence equipped Dr. Quest with a fleet of air, land, and
sea vehicles, including a 1940s biplane and a state-of-the-art
catamaran named 'Questor' with diving bells and smaller research
vessels stored in the hulls. Peter Lawrence prided 'Real Adventures'
on the strength of its writing, opining that "very few writers in this
or any other field actually write visually", and contesting that each
episode would have "enough material or potential to develop into a
movie".
Characters
============
Peter Lawrence described Jonny as a "hero in training" on the cusp of
adulthood. He remarked that Jonny possessed "a straight-ahead,
right-on attitude" free of introspection or self-doubt. At age 14,
Jonathan "Jonny" Quest was a confident problem-solver prone to getting
in trouble. Writers framed him as more an intuitive thinker than an
intellectual and created tension by contrasting his father's academic
leanings with Jonny's affinity for Race's daring lifestyle. Jonny
inherited his father's driving curiosity (rendering him a "walking
query"), as well as his mother's "restless, adventurous spirit".
Takashi designed Jonny to be lean, wiry, athletic, and coordinated.
Creative directors centered episodes around Jonny; Seibert summarized
the shift:
Hadji Singh, age 16, became Dr. Quest's personal assistant, lacking
his mentor's formal education but sharing his burning interest in
archaeology, anthropology, and the paranormal. A Hindu and yogi, he
held a fatalistic attitude towards the show's drama, reacting to
situations "from the philosophical point of view that everything is as
it's supposed to be". Hadji often used wise aphorisms, taken from
diverse cultures and sources and sometimes baffling Jonny. Lawrence
cut Hadji's classic telekinesis to align his abilities with realistic
yogi practices. "He doesn't say things like 'Sim, Sim Sala Bim'
anymore", season one voice actor Michael Benyaer explained. "The
writers and producers actually researched the actual yogic powers. He
can do more plausible stuff. There is an episode where Hadji pretends
to stop his breathing so that the bad guys think he is dead." Takashi
drew Hadji taller and thinner than his classic counterpart.
Jessica "Jessie" Bannon, age 15, was characterized to be just as
tough, smarter, and more thoughtful than Jonny. Written as "more of an
egghead", she elected to spend time with Dr. Quest as Jonny did with
Race and was "more in tune with Hadji". Turner conceived Jessie as
cool, independent, and a strong role model for contemporary girls.
Peter Lawrence took pains to ensure Jessie would not be written as "a
guy in a skirt" and made her more mature than Jonny.
Roger T. "Race" Bannon (Jessie's father), age 38, retained his
classic, laconic sense of humor and fearless, dependable nature. He
retired from government work over ethical scruples with his former
intelligence agency. Writers noted that Race was helplessly
overprotective of Jessie, and Jonny was "the boy Race never had". Race
was also given a Western American English accent and a knack for
crafting elaborate, colorful similes. Peter Lawrence sculpted Race to
be a "cowboy-philosopher or philosopher-warrior". Writers tasked Race
with physical and self-defense training for the Quest team.
Dr. Benton C. Quest, age 55, retired from government research and
operated from the "Quest Compound" on the coast of Maine. Driven by
curiosity, he was "consulted by individuals, governments and
corporations" to investigate enigmatic events. Described as
"single-minded--almost to the point of obsession--in his pursuit of
knowledge", he often encountered trouble as "his drive to learn blanks
out more basic instincts like self-preservation". Jessie appreciated
his ponderous sense of humor. The show's promoters summarized him as
the "benevolent king" archetype.
Bandit, the family dog, also appeared in the series. Lawrence removed
Bandit's clownish origins, stressing that Bandit could not understand
English nor reliably save the family from perilous situations.
Summarizing the group's behavior, Lawrence wrote, "Jonny's response to
danger will be close to Race's. Jessie's intrigue with mysterious,
unexplained phenomena will be close to Dr. Quest's and Hadji, with his
roots in a different culture and a more spiritual approach to life, is
different again." Takashi designed each character as physically fit
and well-sculpted to reflect "a more exercise-oriented society". Fred
Seibert downplayed worries that the new characters would disappoint
cult fans of the classic series. He hoped 'Real Adventures' would find
success as new interpretations of comic book heroes had done.
Season two changes
====================
Season two directors Larry Houston and Davis Doi changed the show to
resemble the classic franchise. Writer Glenn Leopold revived Hadji's
latent psionic powers--including spoon-bending and rope tricks--as he
felt the first season's realism was "not that interesting to watch".
All characters lost a year in age; Jonny became 13. Writer Lance Falk
returned Race to governmental guard duty, sealed by an episodic visit
with classic 'Quest' spymaster Phil Corven. Race lost his western
accent (with Falk even comparing Race's western accent to Batman
having a French accent), and Dr. Quest regained his classic red hair
and exhibited rudimentary combat skills. Falk regarded Jessie as the
"missing piece needed to complete the Quest family", and Leopold added
slight romantic overtones to episodes. Some fans complained about
changes to Jessie, criticized as a damsel in distress with
stereotypically female pink clothes. Jonny saved Jessie from danger
several times. Falk defended his portrayal as giving her realistic,
human fears, such as claustrophobia. Censors asked the season two team
to replace firearms with dart guns, notably in the episode "General
Winter".
Season two writers took greater creative liberties with 'Real
Adventures', invoking ghosts, other dimensions, and megalomaniacal
schemes. Leopold and Falk sought to create a "slam-bang adventure show
with real monsters" and heightened narrative emphasis on Jonny and his
friends. Falk explained that cool contrivances took precedence over
accuracy, stating that "'Jonny Quest' is a show with one foot in the
'fantastic', and one foot solidly based in reality." Opposed to
QuestWorld, the new team was nonetheless contractually obligated to
use it in their episodes. Falk felt that virtual reality undermined
the show's "strong connection to reality" and suggested that after so
many dangerous incidents, Dr. Quest would have turned the system off.
Writers brought back several classic characters, including Pasha the
Peddler, Jezebel Jade, Dr. Zin and his twin daughters, Anaya and
Melana. Falk honored 'Quest' creator Doug Wildey by creating an
eponymous grandfather for Jonny in the episode "Nuclear Netherworld",
as well as paying homage to William Hanna's birthstate of New Mexico,
where Jonny's grandfather resides. The team created Estella Velasquez
as Jessie's mother to retcon the telefilms, feeling that Jade would
never get married. Writers eventually killed off villains Ezekiel Rage
and Dr. Jeremiah Surd in favor of new adversaries. Comparing 'Quest'
without Zin to "James Bond without S.P.E.C.T.R.E.", Falk penned a
season finale featuring classic robot spies and a visceral fight
between Dr. Quest and Zin. Falk planned to resuscitate Palm Key as the
'Quest' home in new episodes. Cartoon Network did not renew 'Real
Adventures', despite a pledge to explore the history of Jonny's mother
Rachel in the season premiere.
Episodes
======================================================================
=== Season 1 (1996-97) ===
{{Episode table |background=#8C90D4 |overall=6 |title=30 |writer=17
|aux2=26 |aux2T=Storyboarded by |airdate=20 |prodcode=10 |episodes=
}}
=== Season 2 (1996-97) ===
{{Episode table |background=#35e255 |overall=6 |title=30 |writer=17
|aux2=26 |aux2T=Storyboarded by |airdate=20 |prodcode=10 |episodes=
}}
Cast
======================================================================
The first season of 'Real Adventures' featured J. D. Roth as Jonny,
George Segal as Dr. Quest, Robert Patrick as Race, Jesse Douglas as
Jessie, Michael Benyaer as Hadji, and veteran voice actors Frank
Welker and Michael Bell as Bandit, Dr. Jeremiah Surd and Ezekiel Rage,
respectively. A childhood fan of the original series, J.D. Roth was
inspired by Turner's vision for the new series and swiftly accepted
the role of Jonny. Roth was attracted by Jonny's "star quality" and
approved of his characterization as a real kid without superpowers. He
enjoyed Jonny's infectious enthusiasm and impulsive alacrity. Roth
also admired the show's educational quality, something he had tried to
integrate into his personal television pilots. When asked about how he
played the relationship with Jonny's father, he commented, "Jonny is
crazy about his dad. He looks up to him and thinks he is the smartest
man ever to walk to face of the earth. He has the typical teenage
relationship with his father, but his father definitely sees something
in him. Dr. Quest knows that Jonny is going to be something really
special." Michael Benyaer also enjoyed playing Hadji: "[he] is one of
the few roles for an ethnic actor that is not a bad guy. I mean, how
many East Indian heroes have been on television? Hadji is for the
sensitive kids out there. He is the outsider in all of us." A 'Star
Wars' fan, Benyaer was happy to work with Mark Hamill for "In the
Realm of the Condor". Peter Lawrence's request for an Indian-descended
voice actor was seen as an "unusual case of multi-ethnic casting".
The producers struggled to cast Jessie Bannon. Peter Lawrence
ultimately chose Jesse Douglas, who he felt reflected Jessie's energy
and intelligence--"[Jesse Douglas] has immense energy, huge energy,
and is the kind of woman who could do all the kind of things Jessie
could do--you know, athletic, smart, so and so forth." Douglas
impressed Lawrence with her active lifestyle, including ballet,
equestrianism, and tennis. When asked about the character's inclusion,
Douglas stated, "I'd be bummed if I upset anybody. Jessie is pretty
cool. It is not like she is a girl who is whining all the time. If
anything, she is a really good springboard for the rest of the
storyline." Roth supported her, claiming that "Jonny hasn't discovered
girls yet but when he does Jessie would be the type of girl he'd like
to be with ... I think something will happen between them but right
now Jess is his best friend." H-B chief Fred Seibert agreed, hinting
that as adults "there might be a Tracy/Hepburn thing going on." Turner
approached George Segal to audition for the part of Dr. Quest. Segal
described the show as having "a real family feeling about it ... I'd
never seen this stuff before. That was quite remarkable."
Hanna-Barbera bought out the first cast's contracts and hired new
actors for the second season. This cast featured Quinton Flynn as
Jonny, John de Lancie as Dr. Quest, Granville Van Dusen (for the first
two episodes) and Robert Foxworth as Race, Jennifer Hale as Jessie,
and Rob Paulsen as Hadji. Paulsen previously voiced Hadji in 'The New
Adventures of Jonny Quest' and the two 'Quest' telefilms. Don Messick
was hired to reprise his classic role as Dr. Quest but was forced into
retirement by a stroke during early sessions. Van Dusen voiced Bannon
in the 1986 'Quest' series, and Foxworth took over the part after
auditioning for Dr. Quest. Frank Welker, Michael Bell, and B.J. Ward
reprised their respective roles as Bandit, Surd, Rage and Iris (the
QuestWorld A.I.) in the second season. The casting changes were public
information at the time of the series premiere; Fred Seibert hoped
that "viewers won't be able to tell" differences between seasons.
Marketing
======================================================================
Turner launched a massive marketing campaign to promote 'Real
Adventures', intending to reach 80% of American children aged six to
eleven. Each Turner network spent $5 to $7 million for a total of $20
million invested in promotion; the company contracted 33 licensees.
Other reports pegged the budget at $40 million, and 'Marketing Week'
estimated that the series launched with $300 million of merchandising
support. 'The Wall Street Journal' called 'Quest' a "property to
watch" in 1995; 'People' and 'Good Housekeeping' considered it a
surefire blockbuster. Turner provided digital and bound style guides
featuring collections of 'Quest' artwork, coloring instructions, and
product ideas. Produced for $100,000 and believed to be the first of
its kind, the digital style guide included fonts, logos, character
art, merchandising mock-ups, voice clips, and other interactive
content. Hanna-Barbera launched 'Questworld.com' as the show's
internet hub, presenting it as if written by members of the Quest
team. Complementing the show's educational, real-world premise, the
site hosted links to academic, archaeological, and exploratory
websites. Turner announced 32 licensees as of summer 1996.
Turner marketed 'Real Adventures' through a substantial diversity of
products, considering its 'Quest' campaign a role model for future
shows. Galoob acquired figurine licensing rights in 1995 and created a
product line of vehicles, figures, and Micro Machines for fall 1996
release. Turner felt that Galoob's commitment legitimized the 'Quest'
marketing plan and next secured partnerships with Pizza Hut and food
retailers. Pillsbury included $3 mail-in rebates for future 'Quest'
videos, display contests, and instant coupon offers on over 20 million
packages. Campbell Soup Company released six holographic miniature
posters on the same number of SpaghettiOs cans; the posters were
awarded in 'Converting' in 1997. General Mills outfitted boxes of
Honey Nut Cheerios and Cinnamon Toast Crunch with offers for T-shirts
and other items. Over five thousand Pizza Hut restaurants held a
two-month-long giveaway of figurines with meals during the show's
launch. Galoob failed to build popularity for its toys outside the
United States and discontinued the line in 1997.
Upper Deck Company used art, sketches, and plots from the first season
to create a sixty-piece card collection. Turner also marketed Zebco
fishing poles bearing the 'Quest' logo. Kid Rhino produced a cassette
audio adventure based on the episode "Return of the Anasazi". The
show's credits advertised a soundtrack available from Rhino, never
sold or otherwise promoted. Turner listed several products in a "Quest
Adventure Value Pack" coupon catalogue.
Marketers tied in classic 'Quest' merchandise, launching a classic H-B
promotion with Days Inn hotels, Planet Hollywood restaurants, and
Little Debbie snack cakes and offering rebates for 'Cyber Insects' and
classic episodes. The marketing campaign culminated with the release
of eight VHS 'Real Adventures' season one episodes. Turner also
released two episodes on laserdisc. Metropolitan newspapers worked
with Turner to promote the videos through grab-bag giveaways. Turner
sold merchandise through several international distributors and
expected to make a $60 million profit per year in the Asia-Pacific
region alone.
Savoy Brands International handled South American distribution,
involving 750,000 retail outlets in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Guatemala,
Honduras, Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Columbia. Turner debuted
'Quest' at a cocktail party for the European Licensing Fair in late
1996 and released merchandise in Europe through 90,000 retail outlets
over the next six months. Copyright Promotions Licensing Group handled
licensing in the United Kingdom. Turner ensured that the license
agreements forbade retailers from discounting 'Quest' items. The size
of the marketing initiative left one newspaper reviewer wondering,
"are [the Quests] back because they're too cool to die, or because
they're too well known to be squandered as a licensing product?"
Turner worried that the promotion might overhype the brand and timed
commercial rollouts over the life of the show. H-B chief Fred Seibert
expected high sales and success:
Dark Horse Comics composed a 12-issue series released over the show's
first run, expecting higher store patronage and cross-selling. Editor
Phil Amara assured fans that the comics would contain tributes to the
classic 'Jonny Quest'. Kate Worley wrote the 'Real Adventures' series,
and Francisco Lopez illustrated it; guest writers and artists
regularly contributed. A lifetime fan of 'Quest', Eisner Award winner
Paul Chadwick drew the cover of the final issue, depicting Jonny's
descent into a cave on Easter Island. Dark Horse worked with Galoob to
ship comic shop locator phone numbers and preview URLs with figurines.
The company also advertised and released a special three-issue series
through mail offers with over 8 million boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios.
Three two-page "mini-adventures" packaged with existing Dark Horse
products preceded the series's release. Dark Horse also worked with
Converse to stage a promotion in early 1997 for a fan to appear in a
'Quest' comic.
Terry Bisson and others working under the alias "Brad Quentin"
produced 11 original novellas featuring adventure and virtual reality
themes. Critics appreciated that the books may have drawn kids to
reading, especially those interested in technology. The books credited
Gregory Benford as the scientific advisor for the show, and each
novella featured an epilogue by him speculating about future
technological developments. The novellas made use of the first
season's designs in their cover and interior art. Only certain comics
and coloring books used season two's designs, such as Dark Horse's
'Countdown to Chaos', featuring General Vostok. Turner did not market
the show again until April 2004, when Warner Home Video released the
episodes "Escape to Questworld" and "Trouble on the Colorado" as 'TV
Premiere DVD: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest' on MiniDVD.
''Cover-up at Roswell''
=========================
Virgin Sound and Vision produced an adventure game for the series
named 'Cover-Up At Roswell', released in August 1996. Known as 'Escape
from Quest World' in development, 'Roswell' cost $1 million to make.
Virgin handled all marketing, sales, and distribution; Turner
cross-promoted. Developers recycled fifty minutes of footage and art
from six season one episodes to construct a new story about the Quest
family gathering alien artifacts and saving an extraterrestrial from
autopsy at the Pentagon. Jeremiah Surd and the Men in Black of General
Tyler plan to misuse the technology and try to hinder the Quests.
Gameplay consists of clicking areas on images of locations to navigate
paths.
Virgin estimated the game would provide 20-25 hours of gameplay for
adults and 80-100 hours for children. The season two cast provided all
voices except for Michael Benyaer as Hadji and Charles Howerton as Dr.
Quest. The game's music featured a "high-intensity orchestral sound"
prone to monotony. One reviewer praised 'Roswell' for "good
entertainment and variety" but regretted low replay value and no modes
of difficulty. Critics were divided over the puzzles, naming them both
"ingenious" and "elementary". Peter Scisco of ComputerLife and
FamilyPC's testers criticized some of the puzzles for relying on
"reflexes, not logical thinking".
'Entertainment Weekly' rated the game B+, naming the puzzles
"unimaginative ... Pac-Man rip-offs and dopey jigsaws". Scisco
appreciated the nonviolent content and the inclusion of Jessie as a
strong female character but considered the extraterrestrial story too
familiar. A writer from 'The Sydney Morning Herald' warned against
buying the game for easily frightened children but recommended it for
those who enjoy mental challenges.
Other promotions
==================
Turner, TBS, and Holiday Inn partnered to hold an essay contest as
part of the Safe America Foundation's "Quest for Safety" drive. From
October 9 to November 4, 1996, spots encouraged children to write
essays about important safety issues and personal safety. A panel of
public safety and community leaders selected the winner, dubbing them
the "Safest Kid in America". TBS posted the winner's essay to the kids
section of its website and awarded them a position on the 'Real
Adventures' float for the 1997 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
Second-prize winners received bicycle helmets, T-shirts, and 'Jonny
Quest' lapel pins. Turner staged an international contest in February
1997 called "Quest World Adventure", featuring the grand prize of a
trip to a "secret island" (Jamaica) in July to take part in a staged
dramatic scenario.
Commercials instructed fans to mail in episodes' geographical
destinations during sweeps week. Advertisements appeared through Time
Warner's television channels, 'Sports Illustrated for Kids', DC Comics
publications, radio stations, and Warner Brothers stores. The contest
marked the first time that Cartoon Network U.S., TNT Europe, Cartoon
Network Europe, Cartoon Network Asia, and Cartoon Network Latin
America united for a single promotion. Turner encouraged local cable
operators to submit their own spots, generating 34,000 ads among 174
cable systems for a total of $3.4 million in cross-channel media
support. 50,000 children with a median age of 10 entered the
competition, and 20,000 answered correctly. Turner selected 10 viewers
from the United States and nine from Latin America and Asia as
grand-prize winners. They and two-hundred others received
'Quest'-themed adventure packs, including a backpack, flashlight and
siren, travel journal, pen, T-shirt, and glow sticks. Cartoon Network
aired the names of winning children on a special feature in which
Jeremiah Surd issued personal threats.
Winners received all-expenses-paid trips to Ocho Rios, Jamaica, with
up to three family members. Planners kept the destination secret until
shortly before travel. In Jamaica, kids combated Surd's "environmental
terrorism" by preventing him from finding the Jamaican "Irie" stones.
Children received clues on the mission through e-mails seemingly
written by Jonny Quest. Posing as allies, network employees prepared
clues, buried treasure, and hosted barbecues, reggae concerts, and
rafting trips. Participants searched for the stones at the White
River, Dunn's River Falls, and Prospect Plantation; hosts filmed the
proceedings for possible future promotions. The quest centered on
cerebral challenges and puzzles. Attendees also learned about the
history and ecology of Jamaica. The adventure doubled the show's
ratings for February sweeps and tripled 'Questworld.com's' hits.
'Brandweek' awarded it the year's top honors for a global marketing
promotion.
Home media
======================================================================
On October 8, 1996, Turner Home Entertainment and the Cartoon Network
Video line released all four volumes of the series on VHS, "The
Alchemist", "Rage's Burning Wheel", "The Darkest Fathoms", and "Escape
to Questworld", with each videocassette containing two episodes along
with two bonus shorts from the 'What a Cartoon!' series. Warner Home
Video released only "Escape to Questworld" on MiniDVD in April 2004,
then WHV (via Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Warner Bros. Family
Entertainment) released the first thirteen episodes on February 17,
2009, as 'Season 1, Volume 1 of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest' on
DVD in Region 1. On March 27, 2012, Warner Archive released 'The Real
Adventures of Jonny Quest: Season 1, Volume 2' on DVD in Region 1 as
part of their Hanna-Barbera Classics Collection. It is a
Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through
Warner's online store and Amazon.com. The complete second (and final)
season was released to DVD on November 10, 2015, from Warner Archive.
All 52 episodes were made available for digital purchase in 2013 on
the iTunes Store.
DVD name Number of episodes Release date
Season One, Volume 1 |13 February 17, 2009
Season One, Volume 2 |13 March 27, 2012
The Complete Second Season |26 November 10, 2015
Critical reception
======================================================================
The announcement of Jessie Bannon's inclusion caused backlash among
'Quest' fans. 'TV Guide''s editors feared that Jonny and Jessie would
become romantically entangled, declaring her a "sappy little girl" and
decrying the addition of "icky females" to the property. H-B Chief
Fred Seibert responded, "Jessie is a little older and smarter than
Jonny ... We're not doing 'Moonlighting' here." Seibert also denied
that Jessie had been created solely to appeal to little girls, citing
extant support for Jonny and the classic team. 'Miami Herald'
columnist Leonard Pitts called Jessie an "effort to rewrite the past
to conform to the sociopolitical mandates of the present" and
political correctness "run amok". Karen Benezra of 'Billboard'
conversely welcomed the change from an all-male cast. The fiasco
subsided after the 'Cyber Insects' telefilm aired; Richard Eldredge of
the 'Atlanta Journal-Constitution' rebuffed the "icky girl" label, as
Jessie saved Jonny's life and taught him patience. A test screening of
'Cyber Insects' to males revealed that though some questioned her
addition, most understood that, like certain elements criticized in
the original series, it was a reflection of the times.
Some fans still took issue with the series's distance from classic
'Quest', which suffered accusations of cultural insensitivity and
"racial and sexual stereotypes". 'Real Adventures' evoked critical
comparisons to the original series. F. Colin Kingston of
'Cinefantastique' felt 'Real Adventures' remained true to the classic
show's formula and praised the "impressive" cast. R.D. Heldenfels of
the 'Akron Beacon Journal' recommended the show to "die-hard adult
fans", affirming that 'Real Adventures' maintained the violence and
off-screen deaths of the old series, as even the opening titles
featured "explosions, murder and mayhem". Scott Moore of 'The
Washington Post' judged the first season as "grittier and more
lifelike" than the original 'Quest'. 'Chicago Tribune' critic Allan
Johnson agreed that 'Real Adventures' was less "way-out" and
contrasted the shows in detail. 'TV Guide' applauded the writing as
"miles deeper and darker than on the old show"; Hadji's quotations
impressed the magazine's reviewer. Ted of the 'Chicago Daily Herald'
called the first episode "vintage 'Quest'", and Tony Simmons of 'The
Panama City Times-Herald' echoed this position:
Critics debated the success of the show's premise. Peter Scisco of
'ComputerLife' appreciated that the team "rely on their brains, not
mutant superpowers". Joe Queenan of 'People' praised Turner's shift
from the "politically correct claptrap" of 'Captain Planet and the
Planeteers', giving 'Real Adventures' a B grade as "children's
programming the way it oughta be". 'Saturday Morning Fever' authors
Timothy and Kevin Burke contrarily felt the show lacked "the sense of
why the original was so successful". They disliked H-B's packaging of
disparate seasons as one series, preferring the second for its
characters and classic references. Greg Aaron of 'HotWired' praised
the franchise's return but warned against QuestWorld hype, arguing
that "it will take more than visual sophistication to hook today's
viewers".
Hanna-Barbera founder and chairman Joseph Barbera considered 'Real
Adventures' a "disaster" because of changes to the characters and
stories. He conceded, "that's their business. Everybody needs to do
their own thing." Critics generally enjoyed the characters and voice
acting. Queenan also liked the cast, particularly George Segal.
'Saturday Morning Fever' praised Jessie Bannon for her resemblance to
Dr. Quest. Johnson approved of the age jump, as Jonny and Hadji were
now old enough to be part of the action. He considered Jessie "cool
.... she gives Jonny grief just because she can, and she's not afraid
of the action." He did not enjoy the "toned down" portrayal of Race
Bannon. Some fans objected to Race's Western accent in the first
season. Peter Lawrence defended the portrayal of Race as a "man of
action, not thought--though perfectly capable of deep thought", noting
that his accent and mannerisms encouraged variety, surprise, and
originality.
The quality of 'Quest's' traditional and computer animation split
critics. Henry Mietkiewicz of the 'Toronto Star' scathingly criticized
the show for "facile plots heavily laced with jarring science fiction
and incongruous computer animation", naming QuestWorld a "poorly
explained techno-gimmick". 'Le Figaro' concurred but praised
QuestWorld for capturing the attention of young viewers. He praised
QuestWorld but regarded traditional sequences as "flat and
textureless, with minimal characterization, unnaturally stiff
movement, and poor execution of shading and shadow". Ted Cox of the
'Chicago Daily Herald' agreed that animated motion was sometimes
"remarkably uneven" but lauded realistic imagery like "the play of
light on the ocean". 'TV Guide' also found the animation somewhat flat
but considered the sound effects and backgrounds to be
state-of-the-art.
Special effects director Alberto Menache criticized QuestWorld in
'Understanding Motion Capture for Computer Animation and Video Games',
considering it a mistake-laden failure. He explained that the size
difference between the motion capturers and the characters caused
unsteady animation and shaking, consequently mismatching interaction
with props and uneven terrain. Menache blamed the show's budget, which
did not allow for digital post-production and review; producers
instead expected "plug-and-play" results straight from the capture
studio. Menache concluded that the QuestWorld sequences suffered from
a "pipeline set up for mass production" with little testing or
planning. 'Quest's' Senior Vice President of Production Sherry Gunther
admitted that the motion capture technology was "a little crude" and
best suited for broad movements. Menache was less critical of the
facial capture, considering it "medium-quality" but still unacceptable
given H-B's resources. These criticisms mirrored the comments of Buzz
F/X animator Francois Lord, who cited inexperienced Montreal animators
and rushed production schedules. He pointed out that Blur Studios had
more time, money, and experience for season two's sequences.
The show's sound was warmly received by the industry. Episodes
"Nuclear Netherworld" and "Alien in Washington" were nominated
respectively for music and sound editing Golden Reel Awards in 1997,
and the entire series was nominated for an animated sound editing
Golden Reel Award in 1998. 'Real Adventures' was also nominated for a
1997 Daytime Emmy Award for music direction and composition.
External links
======================================================================
*
* [http://questfan.com/ QuestFan], a series encyclopedia
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