Yeah, Howard likes to make fun of her and unfortunately that's the show where the largest number of people have seen her. She presents herself much more favorably on Beyond Vaudeville and (I take it...haven't seen the show) Atomic Television.
With the Underdog act, she is dead serious (rather like Terrifica protecting single women)...she has the school-marmish approach toward being over-concerned with role models and wanting to enforce them, rather than support them. It's easy to see her concern...there are very few cases in which a company has created a character INTENDED as a role model for kids, and then been able to maintain it properly.
Best example of a role-model franchise is "The Lone Ranger"...it worked okay for decades but finally fell into obscurity (assisted by a spectacularly bad late-70's movie.) I think one of the things that eventually worked against it was how deadpan it was, with no additional content for adults to enjoy. If the creative staff had worked some sly humor or interesting detail into the series, the old TV episodes and radio shows might be more popular even today.
Curiously, Underdog is FULL of sly humor (even the names...Simon Bar-Sinister!?), and is quite enjoyable by adult standards. I have an Underdog DVD and look forward to being able to afford additional ones.
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timeasmymeasure
Re: What a charming story!
Date: 2002-12-01 06:52 am (UTC)With the Underdog act, she is dead serious (rather like Terrifica protecting single women)...she has the school-marmish approach toward being over-concerned with role models and wanting to enforce them, rather than support them. It's easy to see her concern...there are very few cases in which a company has created a character INTENDED as a role model for kids, and then been able to maintain it properly.
Best example of a role-model franchise is "The Lone Ranger"...it worked okay for decades but finally fell into obscurity (assisted by a spectacularly bad late-70's movie.) I think one of the things that eventually worked against it was how deadpan it was, with no additional content for adults to enjoy. If the creative staff had worked some sly humor or interesting detail into the series, the old TV episodes and radio shows might be more popular even today.
Curiously, Underdog is FULL of sly humor (even the names...Simon Bar-Sinister!?), and is quite enjoyable by adult standards. I have an Underdog DVD and look forward to being able to afford additional ones.