ThunderCats
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
Cast & Key People
▶
Our Review
ThunderCats (1985) is a action and adventure series from Syndication. It has built a run of 125 episodes at roughly 30 minutes each. It premiered on January 23, 1985. Viewers rate it 6.8 out of 10. It is currently ended. It runs 4 seasons.
What ThunderCats Is About
The inhabitants of the planet Thundera evacuate just before it is destroyed. They were pursued by a band of mutants. All but one of their escape ships was destroyed. Only a small group of Thunderans (ThunderCats) remained. With only half engine power, the group, which was led by Jaga, had to set a course for the nearest planet. Jaga commanded their ship while the other 7 were in their stasis tubes. Jaga died on their journey to Third Earth and their ship crashed there. Soon they made friends with various groups in the area and they designed a fortress. Mumm-Ra the centuries-old embodiment of evil, along with the mutants that destroyed the rest of the Thunderans are a constant threat. But Lion-O, the new leader of the ThunderCats, with his weapon the “Sword of Omens” will help the Thundercats to have a standing chance.
What to Expect When You Watch
Episodes run about 30 minutes, which keeps the pace tight, the full run covers 125 episodes, spread across 4 seasons and it leans into its action/adventure roots while leaving room for the quieter character beats.
Performance-wise the series leans on Larry Kenney, Doug Preis and Lynne Lipton to carry the emotional weight, with the rest of the ensemble filling out the world around them.
Cast and Creative Team
Larry Kenney, Doug Preis, Lynne Lipton, Lynne Lipton, Earl Hammond and Earl Hammond lead the cast.
Key roles include Larry Kenney as Jackalman; Doug Preis as Alluro; Lynne Lipton as Wilykit; Lynne Lipton as Luna; Earl Hammond as Jaga.
Why It Stands Out
Fans of action, adventure and fantasy have a clear reason to give this one a shot. It sits comfortably alongside Syndication’s other originals, a 6.8/10 audience score puts it in steady company and it commits to its premise instead of hedging between tones.
Released in 1985 and carried by Syndication with the series still ended, it lands hardest with action and adventure viewers.
How ThunderCats Compares
If ThunderCats lands for you, the next stops are Avatar: The Last Airbender, Attack on Titan and Star Trek: The Next Generation, which share its action/adventure lean.
Each of those sits at a different point on the same spectrum, so they make a natural follow-up once you finish the run here.
Where to Stream
ThunderCats comes from Syndication. Check your preferred platform for current availability, since regional rights move around.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission if you sign up for a streaming service through links on this page. This helps support our independent reviews.
On the whole ThunderCats is the kind of series that rewards a patient watch, with Larry Kenney and Doug Preis doing the heaviest lifting, a tone that stays true to its action/adventure roots, It has held up since 1985 and so if the premise sounds like your lane, the execution holds up.
The Bottom Line
ThunderCats is a safe bet for anyone already inside the action and adventure lane, at 125 episodes it is an easy run to work through, the audience score holds around 6.8/10 and so there is little risk in starting it tonight.
Verdict: 6.8/10. Watch it if you want action/adventure you can settle into.
