Hoop Squad
Episode #45 (257-376) - Hoop Squad
Original Airdate - February 28th, 2004
During a visit to L.A. for the All-Star game, Static is amazed to
discover that the NBA is also a cover for a superhero organization.
Media by Bird Boy
Review by Matt Zimmer |
Credits:
Supervising Producer Alan Burnett
Producer Denys Cowan, Swinton O. Scott III
Associate Producer J.C. Cheng
Written by Len Uhley and David Garber
Directed by Vic Dal Chele
Music by Gousse and Big Tank
Animation by Dong Yang Animation Co., LTD., Koko Enterprises
Co., LTD.
Voices:
Phil LaMarr as Virgil Hawkins/Static, Tracy McGrady / Spin Drive
Jason Marsden as Richie Foley/Gear
Kevin Michael Richardson as Robert Hawkins
David Ogden Stiers as Odium
David Paymer as Mason Andrews
Kath Soucie as El Gata
Karl Malone as Himself / Pulverizer
Jen Sung Outerbridge as Yao Ming / Center Force
Chris Cox as Steve Nash / Point Man
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Review
Static teams up with four superpowered NBA superstars in this infamous
episode.
The story is basically Static teaming up with Basketball stars Karl
Malone, Steve Nash, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming who are superheroes
working for the government after their arch-nemesis uses nano technology
to start earthquakes and kidnaps Gear. Honestly I could probably give a
better description if my eyes didn't glaze over every time I watch this
episode.
This is probably not the worst episode in the history of the DCAU. It
just feels like it is. The idea of Basketball Playing Superheroes
belongs in the seventies Hanna Barbera trashbin and not on a show that
is actually decent. Not that you'd know that by watching this episode.
Everything about it was bad including the cliched dialogue, predictable
story, and stupid characters. I swear, they must have thought that
interrupting robot was funny when they wrote it but the only thing
laughable about it is how bad it is.
Static Shock has suffered from clichéd dialogue in the past (it's the
show's biggest weakness) but they pulled out all the stops here. Gear
actually says "You'll never get away with this". I kid you not. Speaking
of Gear he is all kinds of useless. He's gone from annoying sidekick to
the damsel in distress on this show. I also groaned at Static telling
Gear to "speak English" after some techno-babble which is something I'd
expect to hear the Skipper tell the Professor on Gilligan's Island. I
know they used this cliché in the great "Flashback" as well but even the
best Static episodes usually suffer from bad dialogue here and there and
Hoop Squad brings it to new lows. Even the great David Ogden Stiers is
wasted in his role as a mustache twirling villain. I expected him to tie
Gear to the train tracks at any second.
Something good to say about the episode... Something good... Um... Well
the animation isn't that bad actually and the Hoop Squads costumes are
colorful. Other than that the only good thing about this episode is that
it makes BTAS' Trial and JL's War World look like masterpieces in
comparison.
Story: 0
Animation: ***
Average: 1/2
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