I see Jem as a soap opera in cartoon form. If you look at it they had fashion, romance, love triangles, continous drama, heroes and villains and of course music!
I played episodes for the girls in my classes. They loved it and started dressing like the characters. The more dated something is, the more timeless it is. It was psychologically deep, dumb, and bizarre. My favorite cartoon drama.
Funny you mentioned it, when I first saw the show I was convinced it was an anime because of the character design, the somewhat overarching plot, and how crazy it got.
I love this take on April fools videos. Instead of making a fake version of a video people are genuinely expecting, you make a real video that nobody’s expecting. It takes more effort, but I mean, go big or go home.
My 2nd cousin who was a 7 y/o, had a really rough time through her life but when she saw J&TH she latched on like a tick! I was an adult and she was my constant companion whenever she was able. She was being raised by my not too happy about that aunt (her gran) and was constantly being told if it wasn't for her kindness taking her in, she'd be an orphan (not true! All of the cousins of age, wanted her) and she'd be in a foster home or worse. She usually got garage sale hand me downs because my aunt told her, "You'll just grow out of them so why buy new things. When you deserve it, maybe." She was spanked for bed wetting. She was shocked when I didn't get angry at her for it. I often spoke to my aunt who for some reason, listened to me. I had no kids and was still in my late teens to mid-'20s. I was a nurse so maybe that had something to do with it. So the kid finds J&TH. She goes nuts when her Gran won't let her watch it because it's all about drugs, sex & Rock N Roll. She begged me to watch the show and tell her gran that it wasn't bad. I did and thought my aunt had lost her mind. It was positive, though fluffy; had morals and encouragement, what's not to like. I talked to my aunt and sure enough, she gave in. I took my cousin shopping for new clothes to show her she was worth it and the J&TH helped encourage her when I wasn't there. I wound up taping the shows for her on 2 sets of videos as back then, things were aired twice or more. I made music cassette for her by sitting there and FF through the vids to tape the music so she could listen to them in the car (which she did everytime we were together) and as happy as I was that she was enjoying the music and the vids, they often drove me crazy through exposure! When the show went off the air my cousin was inconsolable! I wrote the companies involved asking where I could find more merchandise for her but a sad letter thanked me for my interest on her behalf but they couldn't help. A few weeks later, a Jem doll came in the mail addressed to her c/o me. It went in my closet till I saw her again. Then more things, and more till I had to move them to our basement. Someone was kind enough to do this for a 10 y/o little girl. She was a Jem fan through 13 yrs (probably 15 but she wouldn't admit it then). Almost everyone except me thought she was going to grow up like her rather loose bio mom and even said that in her presence. I did everything I could to be a big sister sort of and encourage her as much as possible. I'm very proud of her. She grew up to have 3 beautiful kids. She became a counselor for families, teens, and children. A few years ago she sent me a DVD set of the J&TH cartoon. She insisted we binge-watch the entire series in a weekend. at least a hundred earworms were cured that weekend. So many bits of songs in my head but I hadn't a clue from where they came till then! She told me that had I not been willing to watch the videos & listen to the cassettes over and over with her (ad nausea) she wouldn't have been the person she grew up to be. She said the cartoon was a parallel to what I tried to teach her and the encouragement she found in both myself and the cartoon. I burst into tears! I had no idea how much my attention and the cartoon had meant to her till then. It was a cartoon for heaven's sakes! I was just her cousin and loving her was easy. She told me just how it all came together for her and she felt she had more self-worth and that she could face anything. Just goes to show that ya never know what a kid is gonna get outta something or even a little time spent w/them. I always loved the phrase I saw on a poster when I was in my teens that said, "Be the person you needed when you were a kid." I still try to follow that. Sometimes there were successes and sometimes not but doesn't stop me from trying. My cousin adopted the same motto and continues to help others in a way no one believed she could partly because, she tells me, of what she learned through the time we spent watching J&TH. When the movie came out, she was crushed and really mad! Nothing stuck to the source material. when the show was canceled originally, I had to make her a coloring book or two of J&TH for her to eas her withdrawal. She asked me to redo them for her kids who watch the show on DVD & Netflix now. She also wanted me to do a where are they now coloring storybook which I am. It's nothing special but it sort of shows where the band went after they got older. She is loving it as much as her kids. Who knew a cartoon could matter that much to a little girl? Nuff said! done with this chapter! Ugh! Did I mention I'm on cold meds which make me wordy! My apologies!
This was a really great response to read- thanks for sharing, the intensity of the responses I see towards this show are all fascinating and wholesome, so no need to apologise!
B- Mask Thanks for the kind response! I’m still amazed at how much influence J&TH had on her! Ya just never know what good a kid will get outta something that seems so simple. Makes you think about what you do when you’re w/them & how much a difference little things can make.
I never thought Jem was cheap or campy, I was a child! I took all these characters at face value, and made no excuses. This is one of the most pure reviews I’ve seen.
The whole JoJo sequence killed me. In fact... >Franchise began in the mid 1980s >Character designs inspired by modern fashion >Story is melodrama of highest degree >Main character's name starts with "J" (or at least a "j" sound) It all checks out.
B-Mask before this moment I had lived my entire life living forgetting that I was a die hard Jem and the Holograms fan. You have given me months of completely suppressed memories back by uttering "Jem and the holograms". My mind probably felt so ashamed of this fact that the only 2 available options for me were either seppuku or forgetting most of what happened in grade 8. My mind may have picked what felt like the correct option at the time but because of this gap in my psyche I still have no fucking idea how to do long division I can't believe my mind has done this and now at the ripe old age of 47 I may have the opportunity to finally figure out how long division works.
For me Jem And The Holograms was my favorite cartoon of the '80s. For me in particular, Stormer was, is and always will be my favorite character from Jem
Yes, you are so right! I was liked Jem as a child but didn’t really remember much from the show. I rewatched as an adult when it was streaming on Netflix and I honestly couldn’t believe how hysterical it was! 😂❤
Stuck on listening Truly Outrageous on loop for over twentieth time and seriously contemplating on watching this show now. Thanks a lot for doing this to me, B- Mask...
@@haydennault5342 I did watch the first arc, though didn't manage to find most of the episodes from there on out, so I mostly settled onto listening a podcast going through the show from episode to episode and watching random episodes here and there, when I could find them.
Jem was in the Betty and Veronica comic books and I was here. For. It. I remember getting a shitty eyeshadow palate and the first look I went for was....Jems
This was my guilty pleasure show I watched whenever no one was at home. I still watch it from time to time when it hops into my memory. And yes, I loved this show. I believe this was as 80's as 80's can get. No, I don't want it to be remade in any shape or form.
Hayden Nault Yea quite a few! ‘Only me and the music’ by jem and the holograms, ‘depends on the mood I’m in’ ‘glitter and gold’, ‘I’m okay’ by Kimber and stormer, ‘destiny’ and ‘under my spell’ by the stingers and ‘designing woman’ and ‘I am a giant’ by the misfits
@@LazyPirate8 Jem came out in 1985, while Phantom Blood, the first part of JoJo, started being published in 1987. I'm sure you know this, but any eventual reader of this comment may not. However, Araki didn't start with the whole "outrageous" thing in JoJo, as he has released works of similar style prior to JoJo.
Another surprisingly good thing about Jem - compared to other 80s SatAM shows - is that there's actually character development. Everyone gets backstories as the show goes on. Some actually change, like how Stormer goes from being just another Misfit to actually being on mostly good terms with J&tH. Or Eric becoming more frantic and put-upon as it goes on. Kimber even stops being such a brat, eventually. (Also, I *adore* how insane the melodrama becomes once The Stingers show up. Rio's in love with Jerrica, but lusts for Jem. Riot lusts for Jem and doesn't understand why she's hung up on Rio. Although Jem also kinda wants Stinger. Minx wants Rio and fawns on him to make Jerrica jealous. Not to mention Pizzazz chasing Riot too, because things weren't complicated enough.)
"a bunch of smooth talking German hucksters" I have never heard anything more accurate to describe the Stingers. And yet, they were my favorites. XD Thanks for giving this series an actual review rather than focusing on the hated movie like so many others. We know it sucks, lol
Even though the Stingers hailed from what was West Germany, their lead singer Riot was American and the son of a military man who tried to discourage him from pursuing music. Minx, their keyboard player, was the European member. I suspect that Rapture, their guitarist, was also American because of her accent
I keep telling my niece and nephew...they dont know what they missed. 80's 90's and early 2000,'s were a treasure trove..and a binatrupuvial golden age of animation.
Universal Appeal by the Misfits is one of the best songs on the entire show. It isnt repetitive, has clever lyrics, and has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Its oddly impressive and satisfying how well Jojo dubs over this material. Not sure how much of that is just good editing or coincidence, but its amazing to watch
I started watching this show when I was in like 3rd grade on Netflix I am now 16 and in my junior year and this show still hold a special place in my heart
Jem is like everything you could ever want in an '80s cartoon and even more. And Paul Dini was also responsible for writing a lot of Harley Quinn's arcs on Batman
I loved Jem when I was a child watching old vhs tapes on the one tv in my house with a vhs player and I do now as basically an adult for very different reasons.
I Got My Eye On You is one of the songs from Jem i STILL remember to this day. You showcased quite a few of my faves in this video. I really appreciate that you took the time to do this.
Absolutely LOVE this video! Totally Agree with everything you said! The Jem cartoon series will always be truly outrageous! 👏👏👏 you’ve just gained yourself a new subscriber!
The show started as a 7 minute cartoon wedged in between two others on a half hour show on Saturday morning network tv. I recorded every ep with our brand new VCR 😄 and watched them to death. This explains why the first season has so many batshit crazy cliffhangers--it was those original shorts plus some filler to explain things better. I don't know if I can express how special the show was to a little girl at that time--you just didn't see cartoons about young women doing fun stuff and having glamorous jobs. It was truly, truly . . . inspirational.
not exactly like it but Mysterious Cities of Gold was an adventure cartoon with maybe some of the heart, but more of an ancient aliens vibe than musical bands vieing ? for money and fame
i saw a weird cartoon on a video on youtube called WebWoman it was made by the people who made HeMan and the Masters of the Universe and the She-Ra cartoons.
Accidentally I stumbled on this video and I really enjoyed it. I love Jem, obviously the Misfits songs were better, but you're so right. I love 'this' Jem..... Hated the movie, tried to get into the comics but they're just 'meh'..... So go on, make that movie!
re-watching this made me realize i watched some idol anime back in middleschool that kinda sorta felt like it took a bit from Jem. I think its Full moon o Sagashite i'm not 100% sure tho.
Came to this channel via Clemps recommendation and this video has sold me. I have vague memories watching this show with my sister as a kid and when some of the songs played in the video, some weird nostalgia switch flipped and remember tunes I completely forgot. This video is hilariously insightful and had to share it with the same sister who grew up on this series, she loved it so much, she was live-texting me while she watched. Also "Riyo, famed anime super Chad" is perfection.
Fun fact: Jem and The Holograms was originally conceived as a doll line by Hasbro, and the TV series was made to promote the dolls. HOWEVER, Mattel had caught wind of Hasbro’s popstar themed dolls and released Barbie and the Rockers a few months earlier than Jem. The doll line wasn’t very successful because of Barbie, and the tv show that was meant to advertise the dolls ironically outlived the dolls by a year.
I saw your channel only because of your sly cooper series. Just through those online I realised that your skill In vocabulary and detailed description when going through the details of sly were unprecedented. Listening to you go into detail about my childhood favorite game gave me a sense of joy and relatability seeing how there was someone else out there that had the sly series leave a mark on them. I was a little sad to see that sly part 3 wasnt out yet but I'm ok with the anticipation for it. So thank you for making them because I know they took s hell of a long time to make
Found out about your channel through clemps and I am absolutely hooked now. Watched the Crash, Sly and Spyro videos but figured why not and checked this one out. As someone who used to do musicals in high school you couldn't have sold me faster. I can't believe I am so tempted to watch this show now. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? Keep it up!
Throughout this video you referenced a bunch of vague shit that I felt like only I was into. This channel has been tapping into my weird sense of humor for ages now, and this is almost like the culmination of those quick edits and wordplay that makes me giggle quietly like an insane person. Thank you
Great. Now I'm spending my evening reviewing the intricacies of a love triangle with your alter-ego and boyfriend - is it cheating? was the fact that she couldn't tell Rio of her alter-ego indicative of deep-seeded trust issues? What was the best Jem song and why was it "Who was he kissing"?. I'll never have the answers because the series ended over 30 years ago. THANKS.
