Monday 30 December 2019

From premise to outline to script: Cobra Stops The World

In this article, we will take a look at the process of animation script writing during the 1980's.  Using the early G.I Joe episode Cobra Stops The World, written by Joe story editor Steve Gerber.

The process began either by a script being assigned to a staff member, some of whom had a script quota on their contract, or by the story editor contacting a freelance writer.  During 1986 and 1987, declining budgets led to a heavier use of staff writing.  To the point that most of Inhumanoids and all of Visionaries' scripts were written in-house.

When a freelance writer was contacted to write a script, they would be sent a list of GI Joe and Cobra characters and vehicles to incorporate into a story.  As time went on and the same writers were hired back again and again for multiple shows, this process became less rigid.

The writer was then expected to submit three premises, which could run between a paragraph and a full page.  The premise gave the basic idea to a story, as demonstrated with this example from the Transformers episode Money Is Everything:

PREMISE:

"Money Is Everything" is Free Trader DIRK MANUS self-serving motto; he proves it by selling the Technobots into the Quintesson's tentacles, not once, but TWICE ... or DOES he?

If a premise was approved, the writer would receive half of their script fee in advance to write an outline.  This would run between 12 -14 pages roughly and would lay out the story, organised into story beats.  Once an outline was submitted, it would be reviewed and any notes or changes passed back to the writer for them to begin the full script.

Once the full script was submitted, it was sent from either Sunbow's Westwood offices in LA or from Marvel Productions' offices (For Transformers season 1 and 2) via commercial email to Sunbow's main offices in New York.  Where Hasbro's representative in that office would review the script and send it back to the story editor with notes of any changes required by Hasbro in the story edit.

The timeline for this process is laid out in the G.I Joe Writer's Guide as follows:


  • Receipt of character/vehicles list to turning in premises: one week
  • Receipt of premises to story approval: one week
  • Story approval to completion of outline: one week
  • Delivery of outline to approval: one week
  • Approval of outline to delivery of script: two weeks
Cobra Stops The World is, at time of writing, the only example of an outline and a full script available at the archive.  So let us begin our examination of how the story changes from outline to full script.

Outline: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1V4LMvbpxOeGTCS7nNCMtXahm2e4-znZh
Full script Act I: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1d957YAmh9lQ_IAOMYhJ_vMIQk3OXc3qT
Full script Act II: https://drive.google.com/open?id=12BrtLIW3DP6hEcHqQMGeGtx35DTLIVB_
Full script Act III: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1AuMbydjokOSWB8UWdet2gg-Ay19_skju

Don't be specific
One of the key changes was to not state that the action was taking place in real-life locations.  Originally, all of the city scenes take place in Los Angeles.  Duke and Ace's scenes are specifically mentioned as taking place in Venezuela, with the waterfall they eject over being named as Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall.  Cobra's secret base is named as being located on Tiera del Fuego, the "land of fire".

Story compression
The first three beats of the story are compressed and simplified in the full script.  Originally, the sequence of events were:
  • General Flagg delivers an intelligence briefing at Joe HQ, while the montage of Cobra forces disrupting oil supplies across the globe plays out
  • The Joes ruminate on the consequences of the oil supply running out when Cobra Commander interrupts all television broadcasts to deliver his demonstration of Cobra's diamond-powered cloaking device, seemingly making the desperately-needed oil tankers disappear from view.
  • The Joes move out from HQ and Duke gives them their orders on the move.
In the full script, the sequence of events plays out as follows:
  • The episode begins with Cobra Commander making his broadcast, the montage of Cobra in action plays as part of the broadcast with his narration over it.
  • The Joes are already on the move as Colonel Sharp (from The Revenge Of Cobra) delivers his briefing from HQ.  Duke then gives the orders to the various teams.
No animals were harmed.....
The original cliffhanger for Act I was cut.  Duke and Ace in a Skystriker are pursued by three Cobra Rattlers.  Through some aerial manoeuvres through a canyon, Ace forces two of the Rattlers to crash.  The third one, however, is able to shoot them down and they are forced to eject over Angel Falls.  The Rattler makes another pass, opening fire and shredding their parachutes.  Once they have fallen into the river at the base of the falls, we go to break with Duke and Ace menaced by caimans, a South American relation to the crocodile.  We return from break with the caimans closing in.  Duke throws a grenade at the riverbank, toppling a tree into the river and causing a distraction that allows him and Ace to make it to the bank.

In the full script, the scenes with the caimans are completely removed.  With the intended cliffhanger gone, the act break is moved to when the third Rattler pilot fires their missiles at the Skystriker.  Once Duke and Ace hit the river, they swim to the bank without incident.

Don't point that thing at me
The original cliffhanger for Act II was changed.  In the episode, Ace tries to fake an injury but Major Bludd and his tribesman' allies are going to execute him anyway.  Originally, the tribesmen aim their Cobra-supplied laser weapons at Ace as we go to break.  Directly aiming and threatening human beings with firearms in a story was a major no-no (at least at this point) due to the fear of children imitating such behaviour.  In the full script, the cliffhanger is changed to Ace being dragged to a pit of snakes, about to be thrown in.  The weapons issue required some editing to the next script Jungle Trap, as well.  

Get out of jail free
Cobra Commander and Destro are captured in the outline.  As having them be captured in every episode wouldn't work for a main series, Cobra Commander escapes by emitting a choking gas from his mask in order to delay Duke.  Perhaps due to the show being in it's early days, the final scene with Duke and Scarlett in a Skystriker over LA has Cobra's escape weighing heavily on Duke's mind.  As the show progressed and Cobra escaping became a recurring trope, Joe characters seemingly ceased to be affected by it.


Even when a script had been completed and passed to production by the story editor, there was usually still material that would need to be deleted.  As the episode's running length had to be 21 minutes.  It was always preferred for scripts to run slightly longer, ideally to around 22 or 23 minutes, so that the production process could whittle the material down to the required running time.  A writer who attempted to turn in exactly 21 minutes of script ran the risk of the episode under-running.  Forcing story editors to write more material to bring the episode up to length and causing delay to the overall production of the show.  A writer who caused an episode to under-run usually found themselves unlikely, if ever, to be commissioned by the same production company again.

Cobra Stops The World is estimated to clock in at around 25 minutes.  Among the key scenes cut for time are:

Diplomacy is not for the patient
Destro is frustrated as the UN debates Cobra's demands.  Cobra Commander suggests another "fireworks display" (blowing up a tanker) to give them more incentive.

Reality ensues
In the broadcast episode, Scarlett is disguised as an old lady as she breaks in to a Cobra safe house.  Before she gets there, she is walking through the deserted streets of LA.  She stops at a food store which has been looted and smashed, with the emotionally shattered store owner sitting on the steps outside.  He explains that with no fuel for the truckers, food shipments into the city have stopped.  She asks him for directions to an address (the safe house) and when he answers, she tells him Cobra won't get away with it.  To which the despairing store owner replies "I wish I could believe that, ma'am..."
While the question of whether to cut scenes and by how much was determined by running time.  One wonders if the producers felt more comfortable choosing this scene for deletion as it depicts a very realistic reaction to the episode's premise of the world's fuel supply being cut off.







Wednesday 25 December 2019

RIP Patricia Alice Albrecht

News from Samantha Newark's Instagram

Jem voice actress Patricia Alice Albrecht passed away on December 25th, 2019.  Throughout the show's 65 episode run, she voiced Misfits frontwoman Phyllis "Pizzazz" Gabor as well as Starlight Girls Deirdre, Terri, Becky, Anne, Marianne, JoEllen, Nancy and Delaree.

In lieu of flowers, Patricia's wish for those who loved and supported her was to make a donation to https://freeforlifeintl.org/


Thursday 19 December 2019

Christmas update and upcoming articles

Happy Christmas to all blog viewers!

It has now been six months since the launch of the archive.  In that time, the collection has more than doubled to include:
  • 75 full TV scripts
  • 117 dialogue scripts
  • 15 storyboard sets
  • 3 movie screenplays
  • 5 show bibles
  • And a whole load of miscellaneous material including internal correspondence, unused story premises, cast lists, story synopses and model sheet packs

But there is still a vast amount of material out there.  If anyone knows the location of any of these items, or is willing to help with scanning and contributing, please get in touch.  Additionally, if anyone is able to provide cover dates for scripts or storyboards.  Please contact the archive so that I can fill in the gaps on the production timeline database.

The archive's Patreon is now live (click the link on the right), with Patrons able to gain early access to production material, as well as articles and analysis of both the shows and the production process a full week before they go up on the archive.

The initial pair of articles will be posted soon.  The first one looks at the process of writing a draft script focusing on the G.I Joe episode Cobra Stops The World.  The second will look at the story-editing process using the Transformers episode Cosmic Rust.

Here's to 2020 and to uncovering more of the untold stories from our favourite shows.


Simon Letch
Sunbow/Marvel Script And Storyboard Archive

Sunday 15 December 2019

Programming by TV season

Episode numbers in parentheses.  Returning shows listed before new shows.


1981/1982

Marvel
Spider-man (26)
Spider-man And His Amazing Friends (13)

1982/1983

Marvel
Spider-man And His Amazing Friends (3)
The Incredible Hulk (13)
Pandamonium (13)
Meatballs & Spaghetti (25)

1983/1984

Sunbow/Marvel
G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (5)
Charmkins (1, special)
My Little Pony (1, special)

Marvel
Spider-man And His Amazing Friends (8)
Dungeons & Dragons (13)

1984/1985

Sunbow/Marvel
G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (5)
The Transformers (16)
My Little Pony (1, special)

Marvel/Other
Dungeons & Dragons (8)
Muppet Babies (13)

1985/1986

Sunbow/Marvel
G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (55)
The Transformers (49)
Super Sunday (7 minute shorts: Robotix, Jem, Imhumanoids: 15 segments.  Bigfoot And The Muscle Machines: 9 segments)
The Glo Friends (1, special)

Marvel/Other
Dungeons & Dragons (6)
Muppet Babies (13)
Little Muppet Monsters (13 ordered, 3 aired)

1986/1987

Sunbow/Marvel
G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (30)
The Transformers (30)
Jem (26 including half-hour edits of previous shorts)
Inhumanoids (13 including half-hour edits of previous shorts)
My Little Pony N Friends (50 half-hours.  Anthology: My Little Pony, Glo Friends, Moondreamers, Potato Head Kids.)

Marvel/Other
Muppet Babies (16)
Defenders Of The Earth (65)

1987/1988

Sunbow/Marvel
G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (repackage season)
The Transformers (3)
Jem (39)
My Little Pony N Friends (15 half-hours)

Sunbow/TMS Entertainment
Visionaries: Knights Of The Magical Light (13)

Marvel/Other
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (18)
Jim Henson's Fraggle Rock (13)
Little Wizards (13)
Little Clowns Of Happytown (18)
Blondie And Dagwood (1, special)

1988/1989

Sunbow/Marvel
The Transformers (20, repackage season)

Marvel/Other
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (13)
Dino-riders (13)
Robocop (12)

1989/1990

Marvel/Other
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (18)
Rude Dog And The Dweebs (13)
Pryde Of The X-men (1)
Blonde And Dagwood (1, special)
The Monster Bed (1, special)

1990/1991

Marvel/Other
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (8)
Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (13)
Kid N' Play (13)

1991/1992

Sunbow/Marvel
Bucky O'Hare And The Toad Wars (13)

Marvel/Other
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (8)
Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (8)
Little Shop (13)
Space Cats (13)

1992/1993

Sunbow/Graz Entertainment
My Little Pony Tales (26)
Conan The Adventurer (13)

1993/1994

Marvel Productions reorganised into New World Animation

Sunbow/C&D/Jetlag Studios
Conan The Adventurer (52)

Sunbow/Marvel
The Transformers: Generation 2 (13, repackaged footage)

1994/1995

Sunbow/Graz Entertainment
Conan And The Young Warriors (13)
The Tick (13)
Sgt. Savage And His Screaming Eagles (1, direct-to-video)

Sunbow/Marvel
The Transformers: Generation 2 (39, repackaged footage)

1995/1996

Sunbow/Graz Entertainment
The Tick (13)
G.I Joe Extreme (13)

Sunbow/Film Roman
The MASK: The Animated Series (15)

Sunbow/C&D/AB Productions
Littlest Pet Shop (40)

1996/1997

Sunbow/Graz Entertainment
The Tick (10)

Sunbow/Gunther-Wahl Productions
G.I Joe Extreme (13)

Sunbow/Film Roman
The MASK: The Animated Series (30)

1997/1998

Sunbow/Film Roman
The MASK: The Animated Series (9)

Sunbow/Other
Salty's Lighthouse (40)
The Crayon Box (26)

1998/1999

Sunbow/TMO-Loonland
Fat Dog Mendoza (26, never aired in US)

1999/2000

Sunbow/Ravensburger Film + TV/Videal
The Brothers Flub (26)

2000/2001

Sunbow/RTV Family Entertainment/Cuckoos Nest Animation
Generation O! (13)

2001/2002

Sunbow
The Cramp Twins (18)

2002/2003

No programming

2003/2004

Sunbow
The Cramp Twins (8)

Sunbow Entertainment shut down in 2004.  Further production of The Cramp Twins handed to Teleimagination





Wednesday 11 December 2019

MP 4057 G.I Joe The Movie script, summary of deleted and changed scenes

Using the final screenplay, which can be found which can be found on the main G.I Joe post here at the archive.  Along with additional information provided by Buzz Dixon's commentary track, which can be found on the 2010 Shout Factory DVD release.  Here is a full summary of deleted and changed scenes from G.I Joe The Movie.

This is not an exhaustive list of every change or cut to action and dialogue.  Rather the key moments that fill in narrative gaps or change context.  This summary presumes that the reader has already seen the movie before continuing.

The full script and sampling of storyboards can be found at the GI Joe Part 2 page:

Various pages - Same Old Story
There are various smaller cut scenes over the course of the film.  Such as page 119 where the Crimson Twins' psychic bond proves to be their undoing in a fight.  Page 153 where Wetsuit and Leatherneck are bickering with each other as they set the charges to breach Cobra-La.  Then finally page 167 where Flint and Lady Jaye are flirting with each other in the middle of a firefight.  All of these scenes were likely cut because they re-tread ground that had been well-covered by the TV series.

Pg. 7 and 8:  Pythona draws first blood
One key theme that Buzz Dixon included throughout his Joe TV scripts was that "war is not a game".  Most of his stories would have a character be seriously injured to drive the point home.  The movie takes this approach to the logical next step as, though the script direction is not always 100% explicit, it is clear that several characters die throughout the course of this film.
The first of these deaths occurs at the beginning of the film when a Viper searching for Pythona, is ambushed by her and backhanded off the roof of the Terrordome.  In the finished film, this is played down by being staged as a scream heard through a security monitor.

Pg.21 Frying tonight
During the first battle of the B.E.T,, the scene of Duke being nicked in the arm by a laser blast is absent.  When Serpentor fights him and throws the boa constrictor, Duke dodges and the snake hits the main dish of the B.E.T "and FRIES to a crisp".

Pg. 24 Abandoned
As Cobra retreats through the Himalayas, a frozen Motor Viper falls from his turret and is left to die in the snow.

Beginning on pg. 34 Meet the Rawhides
The initial scene of Beachhead inspecting the Rawhides was a last minute addition to the script, with the team members initially intended to be introduced separately in the scenes that follow.  Tunnel Rat and Big Lob's training exercise is heavily compressed.  With Beachhead explaining and showing the various booby traps beforehand, instead of referencing "surprises".  The two Rawhides originally ran the course separately instead of simultaneously.

Pg. 53 Two-timing
As Jinx escorts her off the premises, "Heather" makes a realisation: "Don't tell me he stood you up for l'il ol' moi?".  Confirming that Falcon and Jinx have a relationship and giving context to her anger during their scene in the motorpool on pg.58.

Pg. 54 Gotta get that PG rating
As Zarana drops her "Heather" disguise by the lake, she is topless (shown from behind).  This was added intentionally to gain the film a PG rating, akin to the swearing added to Transformers The Movie.  The scene made it to the first draft storyboards, where the decision was made to revise the shot to a two-piece bathing suit.  In the finished film, this is changed to a one-piece bathing suit, with more "open" staging as she throws Thrasher into the lake.



Pg. 64 Blind luck
As the Dreadnoks make their escape from the stockade with Serpentor, Jinx puts on her blindfold and charges the Thunder Machine with a sword.  Falcon, not understanding, tackles her out of the way.  prompting an argument until they see the smoke and damage coming from the stockade and run over, right into General Hawk.

Pg. 68 Glossary of Cobra-La
The script pauses in telling the story to give an entire page of reference to Cobra-La.  With detailed descriptions of their wholly organic society: Cities, roads and buildings composed of interlocking organisms.  The dress and appearance of Cobra-La Nobles and Technicians.  Even organic cars and street lights.

Pg. 74 He ain't heavy, he's my brother
One of the earliest themes proposed for the G.I Joe movie was that of an arrogant rookie Joe who is insubordinate, irresponsible and sometimes putting teammates lives at risk.  But gets away with it due to being related to a high-ranking member of the team.  Originally, this Joe was intended to be the son of General Hawk (Given the placeholder name of Kiddy Hawk in early outlines).  Hasbro were reportedly unhappy with doing a nepotism storyline, so the Joe who would become Lt Falcon was changed to being Duke's half-brother.  Even so, in the final script, Duke makes no bones about it as he asks for leniency during Falcon's hearing: "Falcon is my half-brother.  I pulled strings to get him into G.I Joe."

Pg .85 Enterprise not so Extensive?
After seeing Cobra Commander be further mutated by the spores, the Crimson Twins ponder their future in Cobra-La's new order:


Pg. 88 Meet The Sarge
When Falcon first meets and is then roughed up by the Renegades, Sgt Slaughter is forced to trounce all three of them in a fight before they obey the command of "At ease, disease!".  Immediately selling the idea that this group are so wild and ill-disciplined that only the Sarge can bring them under control.

Pg. 94 "That giant plant eats Joes alive!"
Once Quick Kick, Lady Jaye and the other escaping Joes are caught up in the giant trees and subdued, Golobulus exposits: "Ages ago, when the outer world belonged to us the Carno-Tree snared delicious game for our feasts."  To which, Pythona gloats "Now it traps only disgusting pests and parasites - like G.I Joe!" (she laughs throatily).

Pg. 100 The world reacts
As the fungus plants blast into orbit, we cut to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center In Houston. Where a technician (Vernee Watson Johnson) and an elderly German scientist (Peter Cullen) watch as the monitors fill up with hundreds of blips.  Thinking it could be a new Russian weapon, they immediately call in to the Defense Department.

Pg. 102 Push it to the limit
The montage of Falcon training at the Slaughterhouse was originally a lot longer and more involved, with the script directing "Falcon's Training THEME MUSIC creeps in under the preceding and continues over the Montage Sequence".  That there is no such theme music is a consequence of the decision, likely made for budget reasons, to not commission a dedicated score for this movie.  Instead, the soundtrack is mostly comprised of the existing shared score used for G.I Joe and Transformers, as well as the additional pieces used in Transformers season 3 (G.I Joe season 2 being produced too early to use much of it.).

Pg. 114 Don't stick your finger in that socket
Lt. Falcon breaks into the Terrordrome's communications room where two Tele-Vipers are performing maintenance.  He gets the drop on the first one but ends up wrestling with the second one, who is trying to jam a soldering iron into Falcon's eye.  With "DIE, MAGGOT!" appearing on the Tele-Viper's visor.  Falcon shifts position and sends the Viper pitching forward into the radio console, with the soldering iron going into an open socket and electrocuting him.



Pg. 122 Race against time
Once the Terrordrome has been destroyed, Dr Mindbender orders Cobra's aerial forces to take off and intercept Falcon, Slaughter and the Renegades.  While the group is being pursued by Cobra Morays who are jamming their radio and preventing Falcon from warning Joe HQ of the coming attack.
Meanwhile, Flint's team in the Himalayas are forced to call off their search for Roadblock's unit for the night.  Their Tomahawk passes right above, but doesn't spot, Roadblock and Cobra Commander continuing to trudge through the snow.

Pg. 123 Twenty Questions, but no answers
Sunbow crossover "star" Hector Ramirez reports live from the United Nations, where the US and Soviet envoys are arguing and accusing each other of having a weapon (the spores) now in orbit.



Pg. 130 "Waitin fer a gold-plated invite?"
During the second battle for the B.E.T, we cut away to see the Renegades' Devilfish hit the beach near a small fishing town.  Slaughter makes a run through the town, under fire from a Cobra Moray.  He dashes into a garage that the laser blasts set on fire.  Pulls off a tarp to reveal the Triple-T, smashes out of the building with it and hits the beach to take out the remaining Cobra pursuers.

Pg. 133 Second battle for the B.E.T
Back at the battle, Serpentor's squadron of Night Ravens drop cluster bombs on the Joe ground forces - destroying vehicles and "hurl BLOW TORCH and BARBECUE into the air."
Once the Armored Borers erupt from the ground, Scarlett's vehicle crashes straight into one, with her fate left unstated until....
  
Pg. 142 The Duke's last ride

The most famous change made to the movie.  As it is written, storyboarded and animated, Duke dies from his wound, with the script commanding "ABSOLUTE DEAD SILENCE on the soundtrack; no music, no voice, no sound effects, no nothing".
However, while this film was being animated at Toei.  The Transformers The Movie was released, with the resulting backlash over Optimus Prime's death prompting the decision to hire in B.J Ward (Scarlett) and Ed Gilbert (General Hawk) to record a short overdub.  Rather dubiously claiming that being impaled in the heart had sent Duke into a coma. 



Pg. 145 Money talks

As Serpentor makes his triumphant homecoming to Cobra-La, B.E.T in tow.  The Crimson Twins attempt to sell a Cobra-La Noble on the virtues of a digital watch in exchange for pearls.

Pg. 147 Funeral for a friend

Duke's funeral, where his coffin is floating above the ground on four energy jets.  Once Hawk has read the eulogy he, Beachhead, Scarlett and two other Joes use their pistols to create a gridwork of intersecting lasers.  The vertical jets cut out, the coffin falls into the gridwork and is vaporized.
Immediately after, Dial-Tone runs in to tell Hawk he has located the B.E.T.
The following scene of Falcon insisting on going after Serpentor and being told to stay behind has been edited to remove references to Duke's death.

Pg. 151 A changed man
Falcon sits in the Joe Comms Room and tries unceasingly for hours to contact Flint.  Jinx comes in and when their conversation turns to how he used to be, he remarks "That was the OLD Falcon...the Falcon of a million years ago.".  Jinx tells him that she didn't think the old Falcon was so bad: "He just needed some sense slapped in to him".  As they move in to kiss, Flint comes in on the monitor.

Pg. 166 A rescue too late?
After Big Lob blows up the base of the Carno-Trees and sends them toppling, the captive Joes are unmoving, seemingly dead.  Destro, who leads the counterattack, taunts Flint's group while standing amongst the bodies of the fallen Joes "Your rescue attempt has been wasted.....on CORPSES!".  At that moment, Quick Kick comes to and sweeps Destro's legs out from under him.  The other released Joes all rise amongst the Cobra members and begin fighting.

Pg. 171 Hurry, hurry, hurry! Sale must end! Doors closing at midnight!
As the various organisms that comprise Cobra-La begin swarming the Joes, Quick Kick remarks that this is the weirdest battle he's ever fought in.  To which Shipwreck holds up the arm of a Cobra-La Noble who is cowering at their position and replies "Weird?  WEIRD?  HA!  I'll tell ya weird!  Every single one o' these clowns is wearin' a digital watch!"

Pg. 183 A stake in the serpent's heart
In the finished film, we last see Serpentor spinning out of control on his Air Chariot, his cape caught in the VTOL fans.  Later, after Golubulus taunts Falcon over his failure to stop the spores, he begins to flee Cobra-La.  He stops by Serpentor's fallen body, proclaiming "Death will not defeat you, Serpentor!  I shall reclone you more powerful than ever!"

Pg.188 Aftermath
Video of the ending storyboards from the Sony Maverick DVD, released in 2002






Sunday 8 December 2019

Conan The Adventurer production order master list

Graz Entertainment no. 100

Season 1
01 The Night Of The Fiery Tears                        Christy Marx
02 Blood Brother                                                 Christy Marx
03 Star Of Shadizar                                      Christy Marx
04 Greywolf Of Xanthus                               Katherine Lawrence
05 Shadow Walkers                                         Larry DiTillio
06 Conan The Gladiator                                 Buzz Dixon
07 The Heart Of Rakkir                                    Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
08 The Claw Of Heaven                                      Bridget McKenna
09 Windfang's Eyrie                                         Christy Marx
10 Men Of Stone                                          Roger Slifer
11 The Serpent Riders Of Set                       Doug Booth
12 The Terrible Torrinon                               Lloyd Goldfine

13 Seven Against Stygia                               Larry DiTillio


Season 2
All 52 episodes in this season are credited on the broadcast title cards as being written by Jean Chalopin.  However, US Copyright Office records list the following writers under an "Adapted By" credit.


14 The Curse Of Ax'hoom                                Doug Booth
15 The Red Brotherhood                                Katherine Lawrence
16 Return To Tarantia                                         Christy Marx
17 The Birth Of Wrath-Amon                            George Arthur Bloom
18 In Days Of Old                                        Katherine Lawrence
19 Tribal Warfare                                                Richard Mueller
20 The Labors Of Conan                                    Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
21 Thunder And Lightning                                 Bridget McKenna
22 Earthbound
23 The Queen Of Stygia                                     George Arthur Bloom
24 The Crevasse Of Winds                                George Arthur Bloom
25 The Bones of Damballah                        Richard Merwin
26 The Master Thief Of Shadizar                       Roger Slifer
27 The Vengeance Of Jhebbal-Sag                     George Arthur Bloom
28 Dregs-Amon The Great                                Doug Booth
29 An Evil Wind In Kusan                                 Peter Lawrence
30 Conan Of The Kozaki                                   Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
31 The Treachery Of Emperors                       George Arthur Bloom
32 Dragon's Breath                                       Larry DiTillio
33 Needle In A Haystack                                   Richard Mueller
34 The Return Of Torrinon                               Lloyd Goldfine
35 The Stealer Of Souls                               Doug Booth
36 The Amulet of Vathelos                               Richard Mueller
37 Hanuman The Ape God                               George Arthur Bloom
38 Nature Of The Beast                                    Roger Slifer
39 The Final Hours Of Conan                          George Arthur Bloom
40 The Isle Of The Naiaids                              Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
41 Blood Of My Blood                              George Arthur Bloom
42 Amra The Lion                                      Richard Merwin
43 The City Of The Burning Skull                   Doug Booth
44 Down To The Dregs                                    George Arthur Bloom
45 The Wolf Mother                                      Katherine Lawrence
46 The Last Dagger Of Manir                          Bob Forward
47 The Cornucopia Of Grondar                       George Arthur Bloom
48 When Tolls The Bell Of Night                    George Arthur Bloom
49 The Frost Giant's Daughter                     Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
50 Son Of Atlantis                                     Carla Conway/Roy Thomas
51 The Thorns Of Midnight
52 Turn About Is Foul Play                             Doug Booth
53 Sword, Sai And Shuriken
54 Full Moon Rising                                     George Arthur Bloom
55 The Sword Of Destiny                             Rob Travalino
56 The Book Of Skelos                             Larry DiTillio
57 Vale Of Amazons
58 Conan Rides Again
59 Escape Of Ram-Amon
60 The Star-Metal Monster
61 The Once And Future Conan                     Lloyd Goldfine
62 Into The Abyss                                    Christy Marx
63 A Serpent Coils The Earth, Part 1             Larry DiTillio
64 A Serpent Coils The Earth, Part 2             Larry DiTillio
65 A Serpent Coils The Earth, Part 3             Larry DiTillio
  

Transformers production order master list

The Transformers (AKA More Than Meets The Eye)
4023 More Than Meets The Eye, part 1
4024 More Than Meets The Eye, part 2
4025 More Than Meets The Eye, part 3

MP 700

Season 1
01 Transport To Oblivion
02 Roll For It
03 Divide And Conquer
04 Fire In The Sky
05 S.O.S Dinobots
06 Fire On The Mountain
07 War Of The Dinobots
08 The Ultimate Doom, part 1
09 The Ultimate Doom, part 2
10 The Ultimate Doom, part 3
11 Countdown To Extinction
12 A Plague Of Insecticons
13 Heavy Metal War

Season 2
16 Autobot Spike
17 Changing Gears
18 City Of Steel
19 Attack Of The Autobots
20 Traitor
21 The Immobilizer
22 The Autobot Run
23 Atlantis Arise!
24 Day Of The Machines (FKA The Machine Rebellion)
25 Enter The Nightbird (FKA Enter The Ninja)
26 A Prime Problem
27 The Core
28 The Insecticon Syndrome
29 Dinobot Island, Part 1
30 Dinobot Island, Part 2
31 The Master Builders
32 Auto Berserk
33 Microbots
34 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
35 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2
36 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 1
37 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 2
38 Blaster Blues
39 A Decepticon Raider In King Arthur's Court
40 The Golden Lagoon
41 The God Gambit
42 Make Tracks
43 Child's Play
44 Quest For Survival
45 The Secret Of Omega Supreme
46 The Gambler
47 Kremzeek!
48 Sea Change
49 Triple Takeover
50 Prime Target (FKA Welcome To My Parlor)
51 Auto-bop
52 The Search For Alpha Trion
53 The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
54 Hoist Goes Hollywood
55 The Key To Vector Sigma, Part 1 - Creation Of The Stunticons
56 The Key To Vector Sigma, Part 2 - Fury Of The Aerialbots
57 Aerial Assault
58 War Dawn
59 Trans-Europe Express
60 Cosmic Rust (FKA Rust In Peace)
61 Starscream's Brigade (FKA 30 Seconds Over Megatron, FKA The Mutiny Of Starscream!)
62 The Revenge of Bruticus
63 Masquerade
64 B.O.T

Syndication repackage
70 More Than Meets The Eye, part 1
71 More Than Meets The Eye, part 2
72 More Than Meets The Eye, part 3
73 Transport To Oblivion
74 Roll For It
75 Divide And Conquer
76 Fire In The Sky
77 S.O.S Dinobots
78 Fire On The Mountain
79 War Of The Dinobots
80 The Ultimate Doom, part 1
81 The Ultimate Doom, part 2
82 The Ultimate Doom, part 3
83 Countdown To Extinction
84 A Plague Of Insecticons
85 Heavy Metal War

MP 4034 The Transformers: The Movie

Season 3
Episodes no.86-99 were originally coded as no. 66-79
86 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 1
87 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 2
88 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 3
89 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 4
90 Five Faces Of Darkness, Part 5
91 The Killing Jar
92 Chaos
93 Dark Awakening
94 Forever Is A Long Time Coming
95 Starscream's Ghost
96 Thief In The Night
97 Surprise Party
98 Madman's Paradise
99 Nightmare Planet
100 Ghost In The Machine
101 Webworld
102 Carnage In C-Minor
103 The Quintesson Journal
104 The Ultimate Weapon
105 The Big Broadcast Of 2006
106 Fight Or Flee (FKA Fight Or Die)
107 The Dweller In The Depths
108 Only Human
109 The Face Of The Nijika (script put on hold at Hasbro's request, resubmitted as 113)
110 Grimlock's New Brain
111 Money Is Everything
112 Call Of The Primitives
113 The Face Of The Nijika
114 The Burden Hardest To Bear
115 The Return Of Optimus Prime, Part 1
116 The Return Of Optimus Prime, Part 2

MP 6701 The Transformers: The Rebirth
6701-01 The Rebirth, Part 1
6701-02 The Rebirth, Part 2
6701-03 The Rebirth, Part 3


Transformers Generation 2
TG2-1   More Than Meets The Eye, part 1
TG2-2   More Than Meets The Eye, part 2
TG2-3   More Than Meets The Eye, part 3
TG2-4   S.O.S Dinobots
TG2-5
TG2-6
TG2-7   The Core
TG2-8   Dinobot Island, Part 1
TG2-9   Dinobot Island, Part 2
TG2-10 The Master Builders
TG2-11 A Decepticon Raider In King Arthur's Court
TG2-12 The Golden Lagoon
TG2-13 Prime Target
TG2-14
TG2-15
TG2-16
TG2-17
TG2-18
TG2-19
TG2-20
TG2-21
TG2-22
TG2-23
TG2-24
TG2-25
TG2-26
TG2-27 Fire On The Mountain
TG2-28 Countdown To Extinction
TG2-29 Autobot Spike
TG2-30 Changing Gears
TG2-31 Attack Of The Autobots
TG2-32 City Of Steel
TG2-33 Day Of The Machines
TG2-34 Enter The Nightbird
TG2-35 A Prime Problem
TG2-36 The Insecticon Syndrome
TG2-37 Microbots
TG2-38 Blaster Blues
TG2-39 Sea Change
TG2-40 The Search For Alpha Trion
TG2-41 The Girl Who Loved Powerglide
TG2-42 Aerial Assault
TG2-43 Trans-Europe Express
TG2-44 Cosmic Rust
TG2-45 B.O.T
TG2-46 The Ultimate Doom, Part 1
TG2-47 The Ultimate Doom, Part 2
TG2-48 The Ultimate Doom, Part 3
TG2-49 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 1
TG2-50 Desertion Of The Dinobots, Part 2
TG2-51 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 1
TG2-52 Megatron's Master Plan, Part 2





G.I Joe production order master list

G.I Joe: A Real American Hero (AKA The MASS Device)
4005 The Cobra Strikes
4006 Slaves Of The Cobra Master
4007 The Worms Of Death (FKA Destro, Ruler Of The Earth)
4008 Duel In The Devil's Cauldron
4009 A Snake In The Serpent's Heart

G.I Joe: The Revenge Of Cobra (AKA G.I Joe II)
4018 In The Cobra's Pit
4019 The Vines Of Evil
4020 The Palace Of Doom
4021 Battle On The Roof Of The World
4022 Amusement Park Of Terror

MP 600
01 Cobra’s Creatures
02 Countdown For Zartan
04 Cobra Soundwaves
05 Cobra Stops The World
06 Jungle Trap
07 Haul Down The Heavens
08 Battle For The Train Of Gold
09 Operation: Mind Menace
10 Lights! Camera! Cobra!
11 Cobra’s Candidate
12 Red Rocket’s Glare
13 Satellite Down
14 Money To Burn
15 The Phantom Brigade
16 Synthoid Conspiracy, Part 1
17 Synthoid Conspiracy, Part 2
18 Spell Of The Siren
19 Twenty Questions
20 The Gamesmaster
21 The Greenhouse Effect
22 The Viper Is Coming
23 The Funhouse
24 Where The Reptiles Roam
25 Lasers In The Dark
26 The Germ
27 Worlds Without End, Part 1
28 Captives Of Cobra, Part 1
29 Bazooka Saw A Sea Serpent
30 The Traitor, Part 1
31 Cobra Quake
32 Excalibur
33 Cobra CLAWs Are Coming To Town
34 Worlds Without End, Part 2
35 Eau de Cobra
36 Captives Of Cobra, Part 2
37 The Pyramid Of Darkness, part 1: The Further Adventures Of G.I Joe
38 The Pyramid Of Darkness, part 2: Rendezvous In The City Of The Dead
39 The Pyramid Of Darkness, part 3: Three Cubes To Darkness
40 The Pyramid Of Darkness, part 4: Chaos In The Sea Of Lost Souls
41 The Pyramid Of Darkness, part 5: Knotting Cobra's Coils
42 An Eye For An Eye
43 Primordial Plot
44 Flint’s Vacation
45 Hearts And Cannons
46 The Traitor, Part 2
47 The Gods Below
48 Memories Of Mara
49 The Wrong Stuff
50 Last Hour To Doomsday (script edited and broadcast Season 2)
51 The Pit Of Vipers
52 The Invaders
53 Computer Complications (broadcast Season 2)
54 Sink The Montana (broadcast Season 2)
55 Cold Slither
56 The Great Alaskan Land Rush
57 Skeletons In The Closet
58 There’s No Place Like Springfield, part 1
59 There’s No Place Like Springfield, part 2

60 Let’s Play Soldier
61 Cobrathon
62 The Million Dollar Medic
63 The Rotten Egg
64 Once Upon A Joe
65 Glamour Girls
66 Iceberg Goes South
67 The Spy Who Rooked Me
68 Grey Hairs And Growing Pains
69 My Brother’s Keeper
70 My Favourite Things
71 Raise The Flagg!
72 GI Joe And The Golden Fleece
73 Arise, Serpentor, Arise, part 1
74 Arise, Serpentor, Arise, part 2
75 Arise, Serpentor, Arise, part 3
76 Arise, Serpentor, Arise, part 4
77 Arise, Serpentor, Arise, part 5
78 The Most Dangerous Thing In The World
79 Ninja Holiday
80 Nightmare Assault
81 Joe’s Night Out
82 Second Hand Emotions
83 Not A Ghost Of A Chance
84 Sins Of Our Fathers
85 In The Presence Of Mine Enemies
86 Into Your Tent I Will Silently Creep
87 G.I Joe: The Movie day 1 (syndication broadcast)
88 G.I Joe: The Movie day 2 (syndication broadcast)
89 G.I Joe: The Movie day 3 (syndication broadcast)
90 G.I Joe: The Movie day 4 (syndication broadcast)
91 G.I Joe: The Movie day 5 (syndication broadcast)

MP 4057
G.I Joe: The Movie

Jem production order master list

4041-A The Beginning
4041-B The Challenge
4041-C Fire
4042-A Nowhere To Go
4042-B The Mansion
4042-C The Yacht
4043-A The Video Clip
4043-B Defections
4043-C Zapped
4044-A The Sparks Fly
4044-B The Robbery
4044-C The Detective
4045-A Synergy
4045-B Prisoners
4045-C The Big Contest

4046 Jem: The Movie (Combined edit of 4041-4045)

MP 5205

Season 1
01 Starbright, Part 1: Falling Star
02 Starbright, Part 2: Colliding Stars
03 Starbright, Part 3: Rising Star
04 The World Hunger Shindig
05 Adventure In China
06 Last Resorts
07 In Stitches

08 The Beginning (half-hour version)
09 Disaster (half-hour version)
10 Kimber's Rebellion (half-hour version)
11 Frame Up (half-hour version)
12 Battle Of The Bands (half-hour version)
13 The Music Awards, Part 1
14 The Music Awards, Part 2
15 The Rock Fashion Book
16 Broadway Magic
17 In Search Of The Stolen Album
18 Hot Time In Hawaii
19 The Princess And The Singer
20 Island Of Deception
21 Old Meets New
22 Intrigue At The Indy 500
23 The Jem Jam, Part 1
24 The Jem Jam, Part 2
25 Culture Clash
26 Glitter And Gold


Season 2
28 Scandal
29 The Presidential Dilemma
30 The Talent Search, Part 1
31 The Talent Search, Part 2
32 The Treasure Hunt
33 Trick Or Techrat
34 The Bands Break Up
35 Danse Time
36 The Fan
37 Journey To Shangri-La
38 One Jem Too Many
39 Music Is Magic
40 Father’s Day
41 The Jazz Player
42 Rock N Roll Express
43 The Middle Of Nowhere
44 Roxy Rumbles
45 Aztec Enchantment
46 KJEM
47 Video Wars (broadcast Season 3)
48 Renaissance Woman
49 Alone Again
50 Mardi Gras
51 Homeland, Heartland (broadcast Season 3)
52 Journey Through Time
53 Beauty And The Rock Promoter (broadcast Season 3)
54 Britrock
55 Out Of The Past
56 Hollywood Jem, Part 1
57 Hollywood Jem, Part 2


Season 3
58 The Stingers Hit Town, Part 1
59 The Stingers Hit Town, Part 2
60 Midsummer Nights Madness
61 The Day The Music Died
62 That Old Houdini Magic
63 Straight From The Heart (AKA Your Fifteen Minutes Are Up)
64 A Change Of Heart
65 Riot’s Hope
66 A Father Should Be…