Max Steel (2000 TV series)

For the 2013 reboot of this show, see Max Steel (2013 TV series).
Max Steel
Developed by Greg Weisman
Jeff Kline
Starring Christian Campbell
Chi McBride
Keith Szarabajka
Jacob Vargas
Debi Mae West
Ed Asner
Mae Whitman
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 35 (+ 9 films and 37 "Turbo Missions" episodes) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Richard Raynis
Jeff Kline
Producer(s) Bob Richardson
Greg Weisman
Marsha F. Griffin
Running time 23 Minutes
Production company(s) Columbia TriStar Television
Mainframe Entertainment
Netter Digital Animation
Adelaide Productions
Distributor Sony Pictures Television Mainframe Entertainment (Season 3)
Release
Original network Kids WB (seasons 1 and 2) Cartoon Network (season 3)
Original release February 25, 2000 (2000-02-25) – January 15, 2002 (2002-01-15)
Chronology
Related shows Max Steel (2013), Max Steel (2016)
Website

Max Steel is a science fictionaction, CGI, animated series which originally aired from February 25, 2000 to January 15, 2002, based on the Mattel action-figure of the same name. Max Steel ran for three seasons, totaling thirty-five episodes with a predicted audience of young males from the ages of eight to twelve. From 2004-2012, direct-to-DVD movies kept the presence of the main character alive. However, the first movie (titled, "Endangered Species") was the only movie to keep the continuity of the series. After Endangered Species, the continuity was altered. "Endangered Species" was the only movie to be made available in America, while later releases were in Latin America. The voice-acting cast for the series included such people as Chi McBride and Christian Campbell, the older brother of Neve Campbell, as well as well-known sports stars, such as Tony Hawk.

After the bankruptcy of Netter Digital and Foundation Imaging, Mainframe Entertainment took over the productions of the third season and the movies. The last episode, "Truth Be Told", aired January 15, 2002. Max Steel was the first computer-generated series to air on Kids' WB.[1]

A reboot currently airs on Disney XD. However, characters and storylines have been either altered or taken away entirely.

Backstory

The protagonist, Josh McGrath (Campbell), is a 19-year-old fictional extreme sports teen star, whose parents died some time ago. He was later adopted by his father's best friend and partner, Jefferson Smith (McBride), who works in an extreme sports equipment manufacturing company which is in reality a façade for a secret counter-intelligence agency known as N-Tek.[2]

While Josh was visiting his stepfather at work, Psycho (Szarabajka) broke into the facility. The young McGrath faced him and battled against this super-powered cyborg, but in the middle of the fight, he was severely injured and exposed to a swarm of microscopic nanomachines, known to the company as "Nano-Tech Max." The nanomachines entered Josh's body and, as they ran out of energy, started dying, causing Josh to die too. In order to save Josh's life, his foster father, Jefferson Smith, agrees to submit Josh to a high proportion of the transphasic energy (nicknamed "t-juice"), which the machines need to survive. This saves his life and also gives him superpowers. As a result, Josh takes on the identity of Max Steel and fights against super-powered villains, mainly Mr. Dread (Jarvis), Psycho's evil boss, and the members of DREAD, his spy organization. Later, in the movies, they fight off mutants, robots, mad scientists and monsters.

Characters

N-Tek and Civilians

DREAD

Other villains

Episodes

Max Steel debuted on Kids WB with the episode "Strangers" on February 25, 2000. And ended with episode "Truth Be Told" on January 15, 2002. The show ran for three seasons, totaling 35 episodes.

The series can be found on DVD: Volume one contains episodes 1-6, Volume 2 contains episodes 7-13, and the final one is a box-set with all of season one. Seasons 2 and 3 were never released. VHS ones were made available with various "Max Steel" action figures: "Strangers," "Snow Blind," "Sphinxes," and "Old Friend, New Enemy" were sold.

As of 2009, episodes of Max Steel can be found on Crackle's YouTube account,[3] however, these are no longer accessible. Transmitted ONTV series Max Steel for a predetermined time. In 2014, Tiin transmitted the series.

Principal voice actors

Additional voices

Crew

Series ending and continuity

After the official ending of the original series, due to the success of the action figure in Latin America, but the lack of response from United States market, Mattel removed Max Steel from the American market and focused on foreign markets only. As a result, after two years of absence, in partnership by Mattel, Sony Family Pictures Entertainment and Mainframe Entertainment (now Rainmaker Animation) continued with the animated adventures of Max Steel as a series of Direct to DVD movies and a collection of 1 minute video clips. Each movie or clip usually presents Max challenging one of his enemies, and was used initially as a way to keep the presence of Max on TV, but eventually became a way to promote a series of new toys.

After their initial release on TV, the movies were included as bonus gifts in many Max Steel toys or rewards for other activities related to the toy series. Most of the TV ads were grouped under the name of Turbo Missions.

Future series/Reboot

In January 2012, it was reported Mattel and Freemantle Media were working on a new television series and reboot of the "Max Steel" television series, which will still retain the name, but feature different characters, villains, and an entirely new storyline. This time, the show follows 16-year-old Tachyon-Human Hybrid named Maxwell "Max" McGrath and his alien "Ultralink" partner, Steel. Maxwell McGrath learns he has the power to generate "TURBO energy", which he struggles to contain until meeting Steel. Steel gives Maxwell the ability to harness his power while merging his own to create one unified super force. The action adventure series was launched in March 1, 2013 to audiences on Cartoon Network channels throughout Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil, Perú and Argentina.[4] On October 5, 2012, it was confirmed that the series will air on Disney XD in the United States.[5][6] "Max Steel" premiered Monday, March 25, 2013.[7]

References

  1. "Mattel Press Releases". Manbehindthedoll.com. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
  2. "Paramount and Mattel to Reanimate MAX STEEL as a Feature Film". Collider. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  3. "Er is iets misgegaan.". YouTube. Retrieved 2012-07-31.
  4. Por Luis Beltran Romero. "Max Steel: Cartoon Network estrena el reboot en Marzo - Anime, Manga y TV". Anmtvla.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  5. Arrant, Chris (2012-10-05). "Teen Action-Hero "Max Steel" Makes Global Series Debut". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  6. "Disney XD Acquires new CG "Max Steel" Series for 2013". BSCkids. 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
  7. "Max Steel | Disney XD". Disneyxd.disney.com. Retrieved 2013-09-05.
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