SheZow
SheZow is an animated superhero series and sitcom. It features the adventures of a boy who inadvertently inherits the role of a superheroine, which imposes an explicit feminine theme to his costumed appearance and equipment.[1]
| SheZow | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Superhero Sitcom |
| Created by | Obie Scott Wade |
| Directed by | Gillian Carr |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer |
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| Opening theme | "SheZow", vocals by Jeff Gunn and Christopher Elves |
| Composer | Christopher Elves |
| Country of origin | |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 (52 segments) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Gillian Carr |
| Running time | 22 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Release | |
| Original network |
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| Original release | December 15, 2012 – November 2, 2013 |
It began airing on Network Ten in Australia on 15 December 2012. The series is aimed at children from 6 to 11 years old. Produced by Moody Street Kids and Kickstart Productions, it is distributed by DHX Media, and funded in part by Film Victoria. It was designed by Australian artist Kyla May.
As of December 2013, 52 eleven-minute episodes have been made, which are broadcast in pairs to make one season of 26 half-hour episodes.[2] In a 2013 interview, Wade expressed interest in making a second season.[3]
In a 2016 interview, Wade mentioned that he went on to start season 2 production of SheZow at Hub Network with a bigger budget than the first season. However, after Hub Network went under a major rebranding to Discovery Family, Wade was informed that SheZow season 2 production came to a halt.[4] However, Wade had mentioned that there would be a comic series of SheZow released under his own company, Obieco Entertainment. He released the debut Issue of the SheZow comic series sometime in 2015. Wade had also mentioned that the second issue would release the next year after Issue #1 on Christmas. As of September 2023, Issue #2 was never published.[4]
Synopsis
The series' protagonist, a 12-year-old boy named Guy Hamdon,[5] discovers the superheroine SheZow's ring of power inherited from his late Aunt Agnes; then subsequently puts it on and transforms into a female costumed crime-fighter by uttering the phrase "You Go Girl!"[6]
As it is now on his finger, and thus also cannot be removed as a result, Guy uses the power ring to become SheZow; but while it does grant him superpowers, it was only meant to be worn by a girl, so Guy must wear a female superhero costume and pretend that he is a girl while fighting crime.
Voice cast
- Jacquie Brennan as Sheila, Tara, Grilla, Null, Madame Curiador
- Lyall Brooks as Brian Smirk, Tattoosalla, Coldfinger, Mocktopus, Wackerman, Senior Yo-Yo, Count Pussenbite, Mister Cylinder, Mega Monkey, Caped Koala, Crash Thunder, Aristotle, Brouhaha, Dr. Frankenweather, Fibberachee, Maj. Attitude, Manny Ken, Void, Periwinkle, Spit Bubble, Moocher, Pirate Posse, Dudley, Kelli, Captain XL, Mayor Stanley, Link, Sarcazmo, Wishington, Tad, McSniff, Legal Cat
- David-Myles Brown as Guy/SheZow (Australia & New Zealand only), Moocher, Pirate Posse
- Dan Hamill as Officer Boxter, Candy Rapper, Le Pigeon, Moocher, Freddie Fartonavich
- Matt Hill as Maz
- Diana Kaarina as Kelly
- Justin Kennedy as Big Chow Slim
- Elizabeth Nabben as Droosha, Aunt Agnes, Mrs. Creature, Baby Scarington, Uma Thermal
- Samuel Vincent as Guy/SheZow (outside Australia & New Zealand), SheZap
- Cecelia Ramsdale as Gal/DudePow, Maizy, Wanda
Crew
- Terry Klassen – voice supervisor
- Dale Warren – voice director / sound designer / sound mixer
Development and production
The concept was originally created by Obie Scott Wade as a short film for Disney Channel's Shorty McShorts' Shorts in 2007, which in turn was based on a more adult-oriented short of his named SheeZaam.
In a 2013 interview, Wade stated that the inspiration for SheZow was based on his experiences of watching Saturday-morning cartoons and a general love for superheroes. "When I was a kid I watched a show on Saturday mornings called Shazam! ... it was Shazam and Isis and I just thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if he accidentally said 'SHE-zam,' would he get a different costume or become a different hero?" He added that a lot of the facets to SheZow's mythology came about from the women writers on his team. "I asked the women on my team ... what would be a good weakness for a woman superhero and they all said, 'Bad hair!' ... A lot of the gadgets and jokes [for 'SheZow'] came from women."[3]
Controversy
SheZow has a gender-bending character named Guy Hamdon, who transforms into the titular character. However, the show gained attention from anti-LGBT activists who claimed that Guy would "confuse children about gender," with GLAAD saying that the show is appropriate and that the concept of a superhero having a new persona to be a crime fighter is "very familiar to children."[7][8] The creator of the show, Obie Scott Wade, denied claims by those such as Ben Shapiro on Breitbart News on the show, stating that there was no "political agenda," and that the critics were reading "a lot into it," saying that the show focuses more on the responsibility of the protagonist and "less about gender."[9] He also said that gender issues were not explored much in the show, and stated in another interview that "SheZow is not transgendered" but is a boy whose gender "never changes" as he is trapped "in a silly costume."[10]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a | "SheZow Happens" | Obie Scott Wade | December 15, 2012 | |
| Guy and his family move into their Great Aunt Agnes' house that was handed down to the Hamdon's after her death. During the process of unpacking Guy and his sister Kelly Hamdon discover the power ring belonging to the city's current super heroine; SheZow. After jokingly wearing the ring, Guy mistakenly becomes the female super hero- upon discovery the main protagonists go through the process of discovering the hero's powers, super lair, and equipment that comes with said duties. | ||||
| 1b | "Cold Finger" | Lazar Saric | December 15, 2012 | |
| Appearing at SheZow Con, SheZow pleases and answers a Q&A of SheZow Trivia; In the process of the con, Guy (SheZow) runs into a known nemesis of the super heroine formally known as Coldfinger. | ||||
| 2a | "Makin' Bank" | Obie Scott Wade | December 16, 2012 | |
| After stopping a robbery taking place in Megadale's national savings, SheZow is caught on security footage making an illegal withdrawal from the bank that is later spent on a video game SheZow and his sidekick have had their eyes on; it's up to Guy, Kelly, and Maz to get their hands on the security footage to decease Guy from shrinking to nonexistence under the noses of the Megadale Police. | ||||
| 2b | "Super Sidekick" | Brendan Luno | December 16, 2012 | |
| After Maz saves the day, Guy resents an emotion of jealousy towards his former sidekick; causing the friendship between the two to split apart. | ||||
| 3a | "Glamageddon" | Tania Lacy & Obie Scott Wade | December 21, 2012 | |
| SheZow appears on the famous talk show of "Gideon Gushy", soon being (unknowingly) face to face with SheZow's old ex-crime fighter/ best friend, Tara- who soon followed the foot steps of evil. After a moment of unknowing ignorance, SheZow is soon challenged to a glamour battle against the former villain- seeking advice from the only woman figure he knows. | ||||
| 3b | "SheZap" | Tania Lacy & Obie Scott Wade | December 21, 2012 | |
| After discarding advice from his sister Kelly on keeping SheZow's appearance and hygiene at maintenance, Guy causes a discarded finger nail to become a new threat to Megadale; but this villain has a "green and nasty" twist to a certain super hero. | ||||
| 4a | "S.I.C.K. Day" | Lazar Saric | December 22, 2012 | |
| One of SheZow's former villains known by Mega Monkey develops a plan to gather a gang of Megadale's most "threatening" villains, but instead of capturing SheZow to stop the inevitable from happening to him; they manage to embarrass and belittle one of Megadale's police force officers known as Guy and kelly's father (Boxter Hamdon). | ||||
| 4b | "Stuck Up" | Josh Hamilton | December 22, 2012 | |
| Guy's huge ego causes him to get Ego-itis; causing household objects and lair equipment to force-ably stick to him, giving his sister Kelly the opportunity to abuse the as she claims "cure" for her brother to do anything she demands for her. Will his head shrink down to size, or will everything blow up in his face? | ||||
| 5a | "SheZow Meets DudePow" | Keith Wagnar | December 23, 2012 | |
| SheZow meets DudePow; the alternate reality version of SheZow, after a failed attempt to defeat SheZow's nemesis. They then must team up to defeat ColdFinger and the alternate reality's villain; Grilla. Although, they can't stand each other! Or is it the total opposite? | ||||
| 5b | "ShePhat" | Dennis Haley & Marcy Brown | December 23, 2012 | |
| Guy's sponsorship with Fizzburp makes him fat. Can Shezow capture villains, or will crime roam free? Her belt can pop everywhere hit the screen. | ||||
| 6a | "Guy and Doll" | Becky Overton | December 28, 2012 | |
| Guy is caught in a dream. Or is it real? | ||||
| 6b | "Family Tree" | Ann Austen | December 28, 2012 | |
| Guy travels through time to visit his ancestors and save them from Megamonkey. | ||||
| 7a | "Babysitter Jitters" | John Hardman | December 29, 2012 | |
| Kelly and Maz get younger with an anti-aging cream, with Shezow as a babysitter. | ||||
| 7b | "No Tattoo 4 U" | Obie Scott Wade | December 29, 2012 | |
| Shezow faces off against Tattoozala and renews her super hero license. | ||||
| 8a | "A Walk in My Heels" | Kevin Sullivan | December 30, 2012 | |
| After Guy's stunt, Kelly thinks she has superpowers. | ||||
| 8b | "She-T" | Brendan Luno | December 30, 2012 | |
| Shezow has to stop aliens before they steal the Earth's oceans. | ||||
| 9a | "BrouHaHa" | Dennis Haley & Marcy Brown | July 6, 2013 | |
| Shezow has to stop a comedian called Brouhaha. | ||||
| 9b | "Shehicle Pickle" | Keith Wagnar | July 6, 2013 | |
| Shezow has to get his glamrock for the shehicle. | ||||
| 10a | "Momnesia" | Josh Hamilton | July 13, 2013 | |
| Droosha learns Guy is Shezow. | ||||
| 10b | "Facsimilady" | Denise Downer | July 13, 2013 | |
| A cleaning robot gets out of control. | ||||
| 11a | "She Pal" | Justin Kennedy | July 20, 2013 | |
| Wanda interviews Shezow and Guy tries to keep his secret. | ||||
| 11b | "Le Pigeon" | Ray Boseley | July 20, 2013 | |
| Shezow battles Le Pigeon, a bird fighting for bird rights. | ||||
| 12a | "In She-D" | Kate Knechtel | July 27, 2013 | |
| After using expired vanishing cream, Guy starts to disappear. | ||||
| 12b | "Fibberachee" | Mark Fellows | July 27, 2013 | |
| A jealous star hypnotizes his fans to destroy Shezow. | ||||
| 13a | "Sarcazmo the Great" | S. Armstrong & S. Krause | August 3, 2013 | |
| A wacky reality tv show host builds a pool for the Hamdon family. | ||||
| 13b | "SheSquatch" | Carter Crocker | August 3, 2013 | |
| Shezow rescues a SheSquatch from a park ranger. | ||||
| 14a | "Fortune Kooky" | Kevin Nemeth | August 10, 2013 | |
| Guy gets great fortune from a fortune cookie. | ||||
| 14b | "Black Is the New Pink" | Chris Carter | August 10, 2013 | |
| Shezow tries to get a graphic novel by trying a new look. | ||||
| 15a | "Mr. Nice Guy" | Eric Truehart | August 17, 2013 | |
| Shezow gets super-empathy and doesn't fight his enemies. | ||||
| 15b | "Dental Breakdown" | Story by : Dan Reheuser Teleplay by : Lazar Saric & Obie Scott Wade | August 17, 2013 | |
| Guy loses a tooth and it corrupts a tooth fairy. | ||||
| 16a | "Crash Thunder" | Tommy Campbell | August 24, 2013 | |
| A wrestler forfeits a match out of fear and Guy tries to get to the bottom of it. | ||||
| 16b | "Meet Dr. Frankenweather" | Story by : Dan Reheuser Teleplay by : Ray Boseley | August 24, 2013 | |
| An ex-weatherman makes crazy weather. | ||||
| 17a | "Maz Junior" | Story by : Dan Reheuser Teleplay by : Becky Overton | August 31, 2013 | |
| Maz and Guy save an endangered animal from a wealthy, illegal animal collector. | ||||
| 17b | "Uncommon Cold" | Brendan Luno | August 31, 2013 | |
| Shezow gets a super cold. | ||||
| 18a | "Transformation Overload" | Carter Crocker | September 7, 2013 | |
| Guy can't control his transformation and gets a new power | ||||
| 18b | "Wishington" | Ray Boseley | September 7, 2013 | |
| Guy goes overboard with wishing | ||||
| 19a | "PSA-Lister" | Josh Hamilton | September 14, 2013 | |
| Shezow becomes a PSA lister and more popular on the air waves. | ||||
| 19b | "Friend or Faux" | Story by : Josh Worth Teleplay by : Carter Crocker, Obie Scott Wade & Josh Worth | September 14, 2013 | |
| Anita Job takes Kelly's place as Shezow Club President, after Kelly argues with Shezow. | ||||
| 20a | "SheZow for a Day" | Brendan Luno | September 21, 2013 | |
| Kelly gets to be Shezow for one day. | ||||
| 20b | "No Girls Allowed" | Ann Austen | September 21, 2013 | |
| A male superhero chauvinist group rejects Shezow. | ||||
| 21a | "Unplugged" | Story by : Dan Reheuser Teleplay by : Philip Dalkin | September 28, 2013 | |
| Sheila goes away after Guy misuses her. | ||||
| 21b | "Lawn Gone Mad" | Obie Scott Wade | September 28, 2013 | |
| Evil plants try to destroy Shezow. | ||||
| 22a | "Evil Villains Day" | Brendan Luno | October 5, 2013 | |
| Villains take over and it's illegal to stop them. | ||||
| 22b | "Vampire Cats in Zombie Town" | Eric Truehart | October 5, 2013 | |
| Guy accidentally brings video game villain Count Pussenbite to life. | ||||
| 23a | "SheZon's Greetings" | Story by : Vivian Geffen Teleplay by : Dan Reheuser, Obie Scott Wade & Merriwether Williams | October 12, 2013 | |
| Santa Claus is being held captive by Tatooselah and SheZow comes to his rescue and helps him deliver Christmas presents. | ||||
| 23b | "Snow Way, Dude!" | Doug MacLeod | October 12, 2013 | |
| Cold Finger is freed from his snow globe prison and plans to do the same to SheZow. | ||||
| 24a | "Hot Rocks" | Nate Knetchel | October 19, 2013 | |
| While trying to prevent the Earth from exploding, SheZow and Maz meet a rock-n-roll loving lava monster. | ||||
| 24b | "SheZap is Whack" | Obie Scott Wade | October 19, 2013 | |
| SheZap seals Guy in a glamrock in order to steal the Shehicle. | ||||
| 25a | "Missing Link" | Ray Boseley | October 26, 2013 | |
| SheZow and Maz find Maz's long lost uncle Link. | ||||
| 25b | "Null and Void" | Brendan Luno | October 26, 2013 | |
| Foreign exchange students Null and Void come to Megadale to defeat SheZow. | ||||
| 26a | "Supernatural History" | Ann Austen | November 2, 2013 | |
| Madame Curiador plans to steal SheZow's ring for a museum exhibit. | ||||
| 26b | "DudePow Returns" | Keith Wagner | November 2, 2013 | |
| DudePow brings SheZow to his dimension to help fight Mega Monkey. | ||||
Broadcast
In the United States, it was added to the schedule lineup of the Hub Network (now Discovery Family) on 1 June 2013 and aired on Discovery Family until 27 December 2015.[11] In the United Kingdom, the series was on Kix in 2016 (later became Pop Max).[12] It is shown on 10 Peach (formerly Eleven) and 7TWO in Australia. Series 1 was streaming on Netflix from 2015 to 2017.[13][14]
Reception
The show was considered controversial by several Christian groups for using cross-dressing and transvestism as a source of humour,[15] with One Million Moms, an affiliate of the American Family Association being one of the groups targeting it.[16] In response, series creator Obie Scott Wade stated, "SheZow is not transgendered. He's a boy, his gender never changes, he's just trapped in a silly costume." He also added that he does not find it child-inappropriate at all, because the idea came to him in his youth.[3]
References
- Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. pp. 280–281. ISBN 9781476672939.
- Pitts, Lan (6 June 2013). "Delving Into SHE-ZOW, the Cross-Dressing Superhero Animated Series". newsarama.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
- Reiher, Andrea (1 June 2013). "'SheZow' creator talks 'transsexual' criticism, a 'coming out' episode and more". Zap2It. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
- Interview with: Obie Scott Wade, retrieved 12 September 2022
- Flint, Joe (28 May 2013). "Kids' cable channel Hub hopes 'SheZow' has magic touch on ratings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- Anders, Charlie Jane (30 May 2013). "Gender-swapping superhero's creator responds to right-wing backlash". Retrieved 11 July 2015.
- Heffernan, Dani (May 31, 2013). "Anti-LGBT activists claim cartoon show 'SheZow' will confuse children about gender". GLAAD. Archived from the original on September 13, 2015. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- Karlan, Sarah (May 29, 2013). "Gender Swapping Cartoon Character Causes Controversy". BuzzFeed. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- Anders, Charlie Jane (May 30, 2013). "Gender-swapping superhero's creator responds to right-wing backlash". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
- Wade, Obie Scott (1 June 2013). "'SheZow' creator talks 'transsexual' criticism, a 'coming out' episode and more" (Online). Interviewed by Andrea Reiher. Zap2it. Archived from the original on 9 February 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
- "Breaking News – The Hub Network Unveils 2013–'14 Program Slate with Six New Additions to Join Nine Returning Original Series". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- "'You Go, Girl!' – SheZow set to launch in the UK | So So Gay magazine". Sosogay.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- "SheZow – Season 1 available on Netflix Canada". canada.nownetflix.com. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- "SheZow". netflix.com. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- "Gender-swapping superhero's creator responds to right-wing backlash". Io9.com. 28 May 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- "One Million Moms Protests Gender-Bending Kids Cartoon 'SheZow'". Christianpost.com. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
External links
- SheZow at IMDb
- SheZow on ABC ME
- Kix Homepage Archived 11 August 2017 at the Wayback Machine
- SheZow's Final Homepage on the Hub Network via Wayback Machine