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Hello, Niles North, and welcome to Reed’s Recs! I am Reed Larson-Erf, here to talk to you about everything you never knew you had to find. This week, I’m overjoyed to talk to you about the 1993 animated TV series Sonic the Hedgehog. The show is differentiated from other Sonic cartoons by the fan name “Sonic SatAM”, for “Saturday morning cartoon”. Based off the hit video game series from SEGA, Sonic SatAM centers on Sonic the Hedgehog (Jaleel White) and the heroic Freedom Fighters as they try to liberate their home planet, Mobius, from constant domination attempts by techno-dictator Dr. Robotnik.
This episode has a particularly special meaning for me, since I loved watching Sonic the Hedgehog in elementary school, when it was on Netflix. A major part of the show’s appeal is the way in which it expands Sonic’s identity and world from the original video games. Although Sonic, his sidekick Tails (Bradley Pierce), and nemesis Dr. Robotnik carry over from the games, they are joined by a wide cast of fan-favorite characters invented specifically for this series. Sonic’s love interest Princess Sally, Southern-accented rabbit cyborg Bunnie (Christine Cavanaugh), Robotnik’s put-upon lackey Snively (Charlie Adler), and Sonic’s cowardly romantic rival Antoine all compliment and contrast with the main character and each other. Where his video-game counterpart has little dimension aside from “loves rings, hates robots,” Sonic becomes a surrogate big brother, steadfast ally, and other roles in the lives of different supporting characters. Sonic SatAM also establishes a trend in Sonic adaptations by revising the protagonist’s backstory. The cartoon’s Sonic has an Uncle Chuck (William Windom), a wise and caring figure who is turned into one of Dr. Robotnik’s robot minions and made to help his nephew’s greatest nemesis. Sonic’s occasional attempts to rescue and help his uncle see him at his most vulnerable, displaying unabashed adoration for Chuck and heartbroken sorrow when he fails to return him to normal.
This emotional complexity is conveyed magnificently by the show’s remarkable, star-studded cast. A variety of famous actors lend their voices to the series. Jaleel White, of Family Matters, stars as Sonic, joined by Kath Soucie (from The Rugrats and Space Jam) as Sally. Jim Cummings, who also played Shredder in the 1980s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series and Pooh in the animated Winnie-the-Pooh movies, opposes them as Doctor Robotnik, with Antoine played by Rob Paulson, the legendary star of Animaniacs, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, among others. Even Tim Curry, famous for roles like Wadsworth the butler in Clue and Pennywise in the 1990s It TV miniseries, appears briefly as Sally’s father, King Acorn, whom Sonic and Sally meet during a time-travel escapade.
If you want to see a fresh reimagining of Sonic the Hedgehog’s world, brought to life by the impeccable talent of veteran actors, then you should check out Sonic the Hedgehog on Paramount+, Prime Video, and Peacock. Thank you for listening, and tune in next time for everything you never knew you had to find.
