(Meeting when the show "James Bond Jr." was conceived)
Boss: Okay, team, we need a new toy line to market. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aren't going to be hot forever.
Person #1: I got it! How about a kid, who goes to an exclusive Prep school, and fights crime as a super secret spy. Super Spy Kid! He'll have weapons, a slick car, and a team that helps him.
Boss: I like where you're going, but we need to tie it to something marketable, something familiar, something that will sell...
Person #2: How about James Bond?
Boss: Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking!
Person #1: James Bond? You mean, the book and film series with violence, sex and dark story lines? How are we going to appeal that to kids?
Boss: Easy. We make it a version with younger characters. Let's make it... his nephew! Call him James Bond Jr.
Person #1: But isn't James Bond an only child? Isn't the Junior surname for sons only, not nephews?
Boss: Nonsense! An eight year old won't know the difference.
Person #2: Yeah, and we tie the toyline to a TV cartoon. We drop the violence and sex to be almost non existent, add characters related to other Bond characters that somehow end up at the same school, and have humor only a kid can appreciate.
Boss: Yes yes yes! The toy promotes the cartoon, which promotes the toyline. I love it!
Person #1: But... isn't that talking down to kids? Blunting what James Bond was really about?
Boss: Who cares! Ian Fleming isn't going to walk through that door in disapproval. Get this going immediately. The next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Basically, that's what I imagine how the meeting went when this series was created. If you couldn't tell, I was never a huge fan of it. Poor animation, watered down action, corny and cheesy jokes and humor, and anything resembling the classic Ian Fleming works neutered to kid friendly levels. The show was a vehicle to sell a toy line and that was pretty much it. It came at the height of "kid versions" of adult characters (Muppet Babies, Flintstone Kids, etc.) as well as the cartoons inspired by toys. Soon after this show, high quality action cartoons were created like "Batman: The Animated Series" and "X-Men", but this show followed the unfortunate trend at the time of action cartoons talking down to kids all in the name of toy sales. Oh yeah, and James Bond was an only child!!! Don't waste your time on this one.
Boss: Okay, team, we need a new toy line to market. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aren't going to be hot forever.
Person #1: I got it! How about a kid, who goes to an exclusive Prep school, and fights crime as a super secret spy. Super Spy Kid! He'll have weapons, a slick car, and a team that helps him.
Boss: I like where you're going, but we need to tie it to something marketable, something familiar, something that will sell...
Person #2: How about James Bond?
Boss: Yes! That's exactly what I was thinking!
Person #1: James Bond? You mean, the book and film series with violence, sex and dark story lines? How are we going to appeal that to kids?
Boss: Easy. We make it a version with younger characters. Let's make it... his nephew! Call him James Bond Jr.
Person #1: But isn't James Bond an only child? Isn't the Junior surname for sons only, not nephews?
Boss: Nonsense! An eight year old won't know the difference.
Person #2: Yeah, and we tie the toyline to a TV cartoon. We drop the violence and sex to be almost non existent, add characters related to other Bond characters that somehow end up at the same school, and have humor only a kid can appreciate.
Boss: Yes yes yes! The toy promotes the cartoon, which promotes the toyline. I love it!
Person #1: But... isn't that talking down to kids? Blunting what James Bond was really about?
Boss: Who cares! Ian Fleming isn't going to walk through that door in disapproval. Get this going immediately. The next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Basically, that's what I imagine how the meeting went when this series was created. If you couldn't tell, I was never a huge fan of it. Poor animation, watered down action, corny and cheesy jokes and humor, and anything resembling the classic Ian Fleming works neutered to kid friendly levels. The show was a vehicle to sell a toy line and that was pretty much it. It came at the height of "kid versions" of adult characters (Muppet Babies, Flintstone Kids, etc.) as well as the cartoons inspired by toys. Soon after this show, high quality action cartoons were created like "Batman: The Animated Series" and "X-Men", but this show followed the unfortunate trend at the time of action cartoons talking down to kids all in the name of toy sales. Oh yeah, and James Bond was an only child!!! Don't waste your time on this one.