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Pac-Man (TV series)

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This article is about the original television series. For the computer-generated animated 2013 series, see Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures.
Pac-Man
Genre
Based onPac-Man
by Toru Iwatani
Developed byJeffrey Scott
Written byJeffrey Scott
Directed by
Voices of
ComposerHoyt Curtin
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes42 (+ 2 specials)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
EditorGil Iverson
Running time30 minutes
Production companyHanna-Barbera Productions
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseSeptember 25, 1982 (1982-09-25) –
November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05)
Related
Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures

Pac-Man is an American animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and based on the Namco video game franchise of the same title. It premiered on ABC and ran for 44 episodes over two seasons from September 25, 1982, to November 5, 1983.[1] It was the first cartoon based on a video game.[2]

It was the highest-rated Saturday morning cartoon show in the US during late 1982.[3] Upon its debut, it was watched by an audience of over 20 million children in the US, in addition to adults.[4] The show also inspired the 1984 arcade game Pac-Land.

Plot

The show follows the adventures of the title character, Pac-Man, his wife Pepper Pac-Man (Ms. Pac-Man), their child Pac-Baby, their dog Chomp-Chomp and their cat Sour Puss. The family lives in Pac-Land, a place in which the geography and architecture seem to revolve primarily around sphere-like shapes.[5] Most episodes of the series center around the ongoing battle between the Pac family and their only known enemies, the Ghost Monsters: Inky, Blinky, Pinky, Clyde, and Sue. They work for Mezmaron, whose sole mission is to locate and control the source of "Power Pellets", which serve as the primary food and power source for the city, and also is the deus ex machina in virtually every episode. The second (and final) season later introduces Super-Pac and Pac-Man's teenage cousin P.J.

Production

During his time working as a theatrical agent, Marty Ingels was handling calls on behalf of his client Robert Culp.[6] After briefly being disconnected, Ingles attempts to re-establish contact connected him by accident to Hanna-Barbera executive Gordon Hunt who exclaimed "We got the rights to Pac-Man!" In response, Ingles was left confused as to what Pac-Man was, initially thinking it was a luggage company.[6] After going into his pitch for Culp, Hunt interrupted Ingles to compliment him on his New York accented voice, which led to Hunt offering Ingles the voice of Pac-Man after sampling approximately 173,000 other voices.[6]

Influence

The show's initial success inspired ABC's rival CBS to create Saturday Supercade, which featured other video game characters from the golden age of video arcade games.

Some of the next Namco games were based on or influenced by the cartoon. Pac-Land and Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures are major examples. Also, the Tengen release of the original Pac-Man arcade game for the Nintendo Entertainment System features box art based on the cartoon.

The show is also seen as setting the stage for other animated series of the 1980s that would adapt not only video games, but other franchises including toys.[7]

Controversy

As the first season aired, scenes of Pac-Man "chomping" the Ghost Monsters and being "chomped" himself were considered too "violent".[citation needed] These scenes were toned down in subsequent episodes to provide less direct scenes of the characters "chomping" one another.[citation needed]

Voice cast

Main

Additionals

Episodes

Season 1 (1982)

Aired as part of The Pac-Man/Little Rascals/Richie Rich Show.

No.TitleOriginal air date
1"Presidential Pac-Nappers"September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25)
Mezmaron orders the Ghost Monsters to kidnap the Pac-President in order to get Pac-Man to lead them to the Power Pellet Forest.
2"Picnic in Pacland"September 25, 1982 (1982-09-25)
Pac-Man and his family go for a picnic. The Ghost Monsters are also on a picnic, and plot to chomp Pac-Man.
3"The Great Pac-Quake"October 2, 1982 (1982-10-02)
The Ghost Monsters get an earthquake-making machine from Mezmaron.
4"Hocus-Pocus Pac-Man"October 2, 1982 (1982-10-02)
Pac-Man puts Pac-Baby in a magic hat and makes him disappear.
5"Southpaw Packy"October 9, 1982 (1982-10-09)
When the Ghost Monsters ruin the Pac-Land World Series, Pac-Man challenges them to a baseball game to decide who leaves town.
6"Pac-Baby Panic"October 9, 1982 (1982-10-09)
The Ghost Monsters steal a sack of Power Pellets, accidentally kidnapping Pac-Baby.
7"Pacula"October 16, 1982 (1982-10-16)
Mezmaron transforms a bat into the vampire Count Pacula in a plot to get the citizens of Pac-Land to hand over the map to the Power Pellet Forest.
8"Trick or Chomp"October 16, 1982 (1982-10-16)
The Pac-Family goes trick or treating on Halloween night until the Ghost Monsters come along and complicate matters.
9"Super Ghosts"October 23, 1982 (1982-10-23)
The Ghost Monsters get superpowers and try to take over the world.
10"The Pac-Man in the Moon"October 23, 1982 (1982-10-23)
After the Ghost Monsters steal the Space Shuttle, Pac-Man and Pepper must retrieve it.
11"Journey to the Center of Pacland"October 30, 1982 (1982-10-30)
Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters try to tunnel into the Power Pellet Forest.
12"Invasion of the Pac-Pups"October 30, 1982 (1982-10-30)
A litter of Pac-Pups come to the Pac-Family's house, and Pac-Man tries to get rid of them.
13"Sir Chomp-A-Lot"November 6, 1982 (1982-11-06)
Mezmaron sends the Ghost Monsters 50 years back into the past, but Inky's goofiness causes them to meet Pac-Man's ancestor, Sir Chomp-A-Lot.
14"The Day the Forest Disappeared"November 6, 1982 (1982-11-06)
When Mezmaron successfully steals the Power Pellet Forest, it is up to Pac-Man to get it back.
15"Neander-Pac-Man"November 13, 1982 (1982-11-13)
Pac-Man reads Pac-Baby a story about their prehistoric ancestor and his discovery of Power Pellets.
16"Backpackin' Packy"November 13, 1982 (1982-11-13)
Pac-Man is permitted to lead the Pac-Baby Scouts after their original leader stubs his toe.
17"The Abominable Pac-Man"November 20, 1982 (1982-11-20)
Pac-Man and Pepper are racing to beat Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters to an area where Power Pellets are located, while a legendary monster lurks in the hills.
18"The Bionic Pac-Woman"November 20, 1982 (1982-11-20)
Mezmaron makes a robotic clone of Pepper to fool Pac-Man.
19"Chomp-Out at the O.K. Corral"November 27, 1982 (1982-11-27)
The Ghost Monsters (and their bratty cousin, Dinky) run into the Pac-Family while both are vacationing out West.
20"Once Upon a Chomp"November 27, 1982 (1982-11-27)
The Ghost Monsters' Fairy Ghost Monster comes and gives them a magic book of fairy tales to trap Pac-Man and Pepper.
21"The Pac-Love-Boat"December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04)
Pac-Man and Pepper take an anniversary cruise on the Love Boat while the Ghost Monsters try to ruin their trip.
22"The Great Power-Pellet Robbery"December 4, 1982 (1982-12-04)
Mezmaron gives the Ghost Monsters a truck in order to retrieve the Power Pellets from the Power Pellet Forest.
23"A Bad Case of the Chomps"December 11, 1982 (1982-12-11)
Pac-Man is rushed to the hospital, believing he has chompitis after chomping the Ghost Monsters.
24"Goo-Goo at the Zoo"December 11, 1982 (1982-12-11)
The Pac-Family goes to the zoo, but Pac-Baby frees all the animals.
25"Nighty Nightmares"December 18, 1982 (1982-12-18)
A failed attempt by the Ghost Monsters to zap Pac-Man with a nightmare-inducing ray causes them to have nightmares about getting chomped by him and the other residents of Pac-Land.
26"The Pac-Mummy"December 18, 1982 (1982-12-18)
Mezmaron discovers a mummy and uses it to kidnap Pepper and Pac-Baby.

Season 2 (1983)

Aired as part of The Pac-Man/Rubik, the Amazing Cube Hour.

No.TitleOriginal air date
27"Here's Super-Pac"September 17, 1983 (1983-09-17)
Mezmaron creates a giant robotic Ghost Monster to battle Super-Pac.
28"Hey, Hey, Hey... It's P.J."September 17, 1983 (1983-09-17)
Pac-Man must convince his cousin P.J. to stay in school.
29"The Super-Pac-Bowl"September 24, 1983 (1983-09-24)
After the Ghost Monsters chomp the football team, Pac-Man, Super-Pac, and their team must face off against them.
30"Journey Into the Pac-Past"September 24, 1983 (1983-09-24)
P.J. fixes Ms. Pac's washing machine, accidentally turning it into a time machine.
31"The Old Pac-Man and the Sea"October 1, 1983 (1983-10-01)
The Ghost Monsters sink a ship full of Power Pellets with Pac-Man on board, trapping them all in Paclantis at the mercy of the tyrannical Pac-Queen.
32"Public Pac-Enemy No. 1"October 1, 1983 (1983-10-01)
Pac-Man is mistaken for the criminal Pretty Boy Pac and sent to prison.
33"The Genii [sic] of Pacdad"October 8, 1983 (1983-10-08)
Pac-Man and Super-Pac square off against the Ghost Monsters for ownership of a genie's bottle.
34"Computer Packy"October 8, 1983 (1983-10-08)
P.J. tinkers with Pac-Man's computer, causing it to pull Pac-Baby inside similar to the film Tron.
35"The Greatest Show in Pacland"October 15, 1983 (1983-10-15)
The Ghost Monsters celebrate Dinky's birthday at the same circus where the Pac-Family is celebrating Pac-Baby's birthday.
36"Pac-A-Thon"
"Pac-A-Lympics"		October 15, 1983 (1983-10-15)
Legal technicalities permit the Ghost Monsters to participate in the Olympics, and it is up to the Pac-Family to try to defeat them in various athletic events.
37"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Pac-Man"October 22, 1983 (1983-10-22)
Pac-Man turns into a werewolf after the Ghost Monsters trick him into eating Power Pellets specially created by Mezmaron.
38"Around the World in 80 Chomps"October 22, 1983 (1983-10-22)
Pac-Man must stop Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters from finding their own Power Pellet Forest abroad.
39"Super-Pac vs. Pac-Ape"October 29, 1983 (1983-10-29)
An organ grinder's Pac-Monkey eats super-powered Power Pellets and grows to giant size. Now Pac-Man and Super-Pac must stop the giant Pac-Monkey before it wrecks Pac-Land.
40"P.J. Goes Pac-Hollywood"October 29, 1983 (1983-10-29)
P.J. is starring in an action movie, and Pac-Man is goaded into becoming his stunt double.
41"Pac Van Winkle"November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05)
Pac-Man drinks a potion that causes him to fall asleep for 20 years. When he awakes, he finds a nightmarish future in which the Power Pellet Forest has been captured by Mezmaron and the Ghost Monsters have infested Pac-Land.
42"Happy Pacs-Giving"November 5, 1983 (1983-11-05)
The Pac-Family hear a story about the first Pacs-Giving.

Specials

Pac-Man Halloween Special

The Halloween special consisted of two segments from the show, "Pacula" and "Trick or Chomp". The special aired during Saturday morning programming on ABC on October 30, 1982.[9] It has been replayed on channels like Cartoon Network and Boomerang during Halloween in later years until 2014.[10]

Christmas Comes to Pac-Land

In this Christmas special, Pac-Man and his family help Santa Claus (voiced by Peter Cullen) after he crash lands in Pac-Land (after the reindeer were startled by the floating eyes of the Ghost Monsters after Pac-Man, Ms. Pac-Man and Pac-Baby chomped them). Mezmeron was the only character from the cartoon that is not in the special (although his lair, which is covered in snow, appears). It was shown every December on the Boomerang Christmas Party until 2014.[11][12]

Broadcast history

Pac-Man aired on ABC Saturday Morning in the following formats:[13]

Since the original run, reruns have turned up on the USA Cartoon Express on USA in the 1980s, Cartoon Network from 1995 to 1999, and Boomerang from 2000 to 2014. The Christmas-themed episode aired each year as part of The Boomerang Christmas Party, an annual marathon of classic Christmas cartoons, but is no longer seen on the channel's rotation. In the United Kingdom it was first Broadcast on TVAM as a part of the Roland Rat show.

Home media

In 1982, Worldvision Home Video Inc. (under Rainbow Products Ltd.) distributed a Pac-Man and Family VHS in Australia (catalogue number RCV 9019) and featured the episodes, Pacula, Trick or Chomp, Super Ghosts, The Pac-Man in the Moon, Invasion of the Pac-Pups, and Journey to the Center of Pacland. In 1988, the special Christmas Comes to Pacland received a VHS release in the United States.

In 2012, Warner Archive released both seasons of Pac-Man on DVD in region 1 as part of their Hanna–Barbera Classics Collection. The first season was released on January 31, followed by the release of the second season on September 11. The Christmas themed episode is included on the Season 2 DVD despite airing during the show's first season.[14][15]

Despite Warner Bros. Discovery holding a majority of the rights to Hanna–Barbera, this program is not available on Max. However, the series has been airing on WBD's WB TV FAST channel Cartoon Rewind on Amazon's Freevee since April 2024. It's also available for purchase on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

See also

References

  1. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. p. 332. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  2. ^ "100 Defining Moments in Video Games". Game Informer. No. 100. August 2001. p. 51.
  3. ^ Ressner, Jeffrey (20 November 1982). "Stan Jarocki: Expanded Player Base Is The Key To The Future". Cash Box. Cash Box Pub. Co. pp. 52–56 (56).
  4. ^ "Look out, Saturday morning TV! Here comes... Pac-Man-imation!". Electronic Fun with Computers & Games. Vol. 1, no. 4. February 1983. pp. 44–6.
  5. ^ Perlmutter, David (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 441–442. ISBN 978-1538103739.
  6. ^ a b c Jones, Shirley (2013). Shirley Jones: A Memoir. New York: Gallery Books. p. [1]. ISBN 978-1-4767-2595-6.
  7. ^ Browsh, Jared Bahir (2022) [first published 2022]. Hanna-Barbera: A History. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476675794.
  8. ^ Sennett, Ted (1989). The Art of Hanna-Barbera: Fifty Years of Creativity. Studio. p. 236. ISBN 978-0670829781. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  9. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 307. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Pac-Man Halloween Special, The @ Toonarific cartoons". Toonarific.com. 1998. Retrieved June 9, 2012. [dead link‍]
  11. ^ "The Story Behind Pac-Man, a Super Popular Video Game of the '80s".
  12. ^ "Geeks' most beloved holiday classics".
  13. ^ Erickson, Hal (2005). Television Cartoon Shows: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 1949 Through 2003 (2nd ed.). McFarland & Co. pp. 600–602. ISBN 978-1476665993.
  14. ^ "Pac-Man - Warner Archive Announces 'The Complete 1st Season' on DVD!". Archived from the original on 2012-01-25.
  15. ^ "Pac-Man - Warner Archive is Now Selling the Second and Final Season...Santa Included!". Archived from the original on 2014-10-24.
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