TV Reviews : Networks Offer New Animated Shows for Kids

The idea of a “Super Saturday” when all the new network cartoon shows debut has fallen by the wayside this year: Some of the new season’s animated programs won’t appear until early October. So here’s an overview of the first batch of shows, which premiere this morning.

“The Addams Family” (9:30 a.m. on ABC, Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42). The ghoulish clan created by New Yorker cartoonist Chas. Addams returns to television in a third incarnation. Although Morticia and Lurch have been oddly redesigned, Uncle Fester, Gomez, Pugsley and Wednesday look as they should. As the voice of Gomez, John Astin displays all the addled charm he showed in the live-action TV program; Pugsley and Wednesday interact in ways that recall both the children in the recent hit film and Bart and Lisa Simpson. The writing seems to be the weak point of this otherwise enjoyable show.

“The Little Mermaid” (7:30 a.m., on KCBS-TV Channel 2). This is the prettiest and most opulent program on Saturday morning in many years. The visual richness--and the continuing popularity of the characters--will probably please many children, especially little girls; others may reject the series because the more limited versions of Ariel, Sebastian and Triton don’t equal the ones they loved in the film.

“Goof Troop” (9 a.m., ABC) represents the latest attempt to update the classic Disney characters. Goofy has become a good-hearted but inept suburban dad with a rather obnoxious adolescent son, Max, who hangs out at the local mall with Pegleg Pete Jr. The “way cool, dude” slang indicates that the show is aimed at junior high school Bart Simpson fans, but it lacks the take-no-prisoners outrageousness of Matt Groening’s creation. (“Goof Troop” also is airing weekdays at 4:30 p.m. on KCAL-TV Channel 9 and KADY-TV Channel 63, 4 p.m. on XETV-TV Channel 6.)

“Wild West C.O.W.--Boys of Moo Mesa” (8 a.m., ABC) is so much bull. The cowboy heroes of this weird Western--Marshall Moo Montana, Cowlorado Kid and Dakota Dude--are real cows (bulls? steers?). The grotesque designs, stiff animation and formula humor will probably result in these bovine good ol’ boys being consigned to the Golden Arches at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, “Batman: The Animated Series” debuted in syndication earlier this week (weekdays at 4:30 p.m. on KTTV-TV Channel 11, 5 p.m. on XETV-TV Channel 6). The striking designs by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski recapture the dramatic Art Deco look of the original comic books and the Fleischer’s “Superman” cartoon series. In the premiere episode, “On Leather Wings,” the animation itself was nothing to write home about, nor was the writing particularly distinguished; but the snazzy, shadow-laden film noir graphics are sure to delight comic book fans of all ages.

(Other cartoons premiering today are CBS’ “Fievel’s American Tails,” Fox’s “Eek the Cat,” and Fox’s “Super Dave.” They were not available for review.)