Legends of the Superheroes - The Roast

episode 2

USA 1979
produced by
Bill Carruthers, Joseph Barbera (executive) for Hanna-Barbera/NBC
directed by Bill Carruthers
starring Jeff Altman, Ruth Buzzi, Charlie Callas, Pat Carroll, Gabriel Dell, June Gable, Howard Morris, Mickey Morton, Brad Sanders, William Schallert, Ed McMahon, Burt Ward, Adam West, Alfie Wise, A'leisha Brevard, Garrett Craig, Howard Murphy, Danuta, Bill Nuckols, Rod Haase, Barbara Joyce (II)
screenplay by Mike Marmer, Peter Gallay, based on comicbook characters created by Bob Kane, C.C. Beck, Gil Kane, Bob Layton, Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, published by DC Comics, music by Fred Werner

TV-show
Legends of the Superheroes, Justice League, Batman, Batman (Adam West), Robin, Riddler, Captain Marvel, Green Lantern, Black Canary, Hawkman, Flash, Huntress, Atom

review by
Mike Haberfelner

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While the first part of Legends of the Superheroes, The Challenge, presented its audience with a rather traditional superhero story, if ironically told, The Roast veers off into an entirely different direction and comes across as a roast, in which earth's mightiest heroes - Batman (Adam West), Robin (Burt Ward), Captain Marvel (Garrett Craig), Green Lantern (Howard Murphy), Black Canary (Danuta), Hawkman (Bill Nuckols), Flash (Rod Haase) and the Huntress (Barbara Joyce) - are (jokingly) insulted live on stage by their arch enemies but also some of their loved ones.

So we get to see the Weather Wizard (Jeff Altman) letting it rain on the Flash, Hawkman's mother (Pat Carroll complaining about the difficulties of raising a bird, Ghetto Man (Brad Sanders) complaining about the lack of black superheroes, Dr Sivana (Howard Morris) performing a medical check on our heroes, Scarlet CycloneR/etired Man (William Schallert) falling asleep during his story - repeatedly -, gossip reporter Rhoda Rooter (June Gable) revealing a relationship between 6 inch-hero Atom Alfie Wise) and supervillainess Giganta (A'leisha Brevard), Solomon Grundy (Mickey Morton) and Sinestro (Charlie Callas) just being mean, Aunt Minerva (Ruth Buzzi) trying to marry Captain Marvel, and Mordru (Gabriel Dell) presenting a song and dance routine that ends in him destroying the entire studio. But Batman has the last laugh when he throws a pie in his face ...

The Challenge isn't especially liked by superhero comicbook fans, but the decision to give your typical superhero plot a nonsense spin seems at least somehow inspired. The Roast on the other hand sounds like a good idea, but basically it is little more than your typical comedy roast: It's a bunch of celebrities, several of whom you have never even heard of, pretending to be spontaneous, pretending to be mean, and pretending to have a sense of humour, (most of the time clumsily) working themselves through jokes that could have been a little fresher. That the celebrities here are made up is really not that much of a difference. Sure, there is still the occasional funny bit in this one (just like in a real roast), but don't expect to be even half as amused as this was intended ...

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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