Cadillacs and Dinosaurs: animated TV series (series in full).
Let’s take a nostalgic drive down memory lane to the early ’90s, when Cadillacs and Dinosaurs roared onto our screens. This animated series, a blend of post-apocalyptic adventures and ecological awareness, was a Saturday morning staple on CBS from 1993 to 1994, though its journey was as fleeting as a meteor, lasting just one season with 13 episodes.
Based on the comic series Xenozoic Tales by Mark Schultz, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs was birthed into the animated world by screenwriter Steven E. de Souza. De Souza, having already dabbled in the Cadillacs and Dinosaurs universe through a video game, must have thought, “Why stop at a game when you can animate dinosaurs?” And so, the series came to be.
Set in the year 2513, the show took us to a world where New York City had morphed into “The City in the Sea”, and societies, grappling with lost 20th-century technology, lived alongside dinosaurs. Our hero, Jack Tenrec, a mechanic and ecological Robin Hood, along with his crew, the “Mechanics”, fought to restore balance in this wild new world. Enter Hannah Dundee, an ambassador from Wasoon, and Jack’s love interest, who often found herself trying to reel in Jack’s more radical approaches.
The show wasn’t shy about diving into heavy themes. Between resurrected dinosaurs and retrofitted Cadillacs, it tackled ecological and political issues, making it ahead of its time in many ways. Perhaps the show’s most memorable aspect was its cast of characters and creatures: Jack, voiced by David Keeley, a survival-savvy mechanic with a penchant for classic Cadillacs; Hannah Dundee, voiced by Susan Roman, balancing her roles as an ambassador and Jack’s companion; and of course, Hermes, the juvenile “Cutter” (Allosaurus), raised by Jack and gentle until provoked.
But what’s a hero without a nemesis? Wilhelmina Scharnhorst, the power-hungry governor, voiced by Dawn Greenhalgh, often locked horns with Jack, setting the stage for some classic ‘good vs. evil’ drama. And let’s not forget the Griths, an intelligent lizard race adding an extra layer of intrigue to the series.
While the show garnered attention for its environmental message, as noted by UCLA’s Esther Sinclair, it unfortunately didn’t survive past its first season. It’s as if the show, much like the dinosaurs within it, was destined for extinction. But thanks to a cult following, it didn’t entirely disappear. Some episodes found their way onto VHS in the ’90s, and later, the series briefly resurfaced on various online platforms, giving new generations a glimpse into this quirky, dinosaur-filled world.
In retrospect, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs may not have had the longevity of some of its contemporaries, but it left an indelible mark on those who watched it. With its unique blend of ecological themes, adventurous storytelling, and, of course, dinosaurs coexisting with Cadillacs, it was a series that was perhaps too ahead of its time. So, here’s to Jack Tenrec and his Cadillac-riding, dinosaur-fighting escapades – a fleeting but memorable ride through the wilds of ’90s animation.
