Thundercats

Our second episode sees Morgan teach Tom all about 1980s cartoon series Thundercats!

Discover all about how Jagar is like Alec Guinness, Mumm-ra is definitely not Skeletor and Brad Pitt makes the perfect Lion-o.

Based on characters created by Ted ‘Tobin’ Wolf, Thundercats launched in 1985, with animation provided by the Japanese studio Pacific Animation Corporation.

As Morgan explains to a confused Tom (who somehow didn’t watch it as a kid), ThunderCats follows the adventures of a team of heroes, cat-like humanoid aliens from a planet called Third Earth.

The series begins with the dying planet Thundera meeting its end, forcing the ThunderCats to flee their homeworld. The fleet is attacked by their enemies, the Mutants of Plun-Darr, but spare the flagship hoping to capture the legendary mystic Sword of Omens. Oooh…

The flagship contains Lion-O, as well as Cheetara, Panthro, Tygra, WilyKit and WilyKat, and, sigh, Snarf.

Developments since episode: In 2020, a new show launched called Thundercats Roar, on the Cartoon Network. Featuring far more comedic and lighthearted animation and stories, which was met with a backlash from some fans of the original series and the 2011 reboot.