Television series
Starcom: The U.S. Space Force
A 1987 space-opera cartoon with genuinely impressive animation for its era. Starcom follows an elite military squadron piloting sleek spacecraft against an empire of robots and dark forces. It's got the swagger of Buck Rogers filtered through Saturday-morning earnestness—action-packed, surprisingly well-made, and pitched at kids who wanted sci-fi with teeth rather than talking animals.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you have a soft spot for Saturday-morning space serials, with square-jawed heroes, robot armies and fleets of gleaming ships, and you like your animation sharp.
Skip it if you want a slow-burn, character-driven saga, since each half-hour is a brisk, episodic action romp and its heroes are broad archetypes more than people.
What it asks of you: Thirteen half-hour episodes, a brisk run that rewards short sittings, a tolerance for earnest, old-fashioned dialogue and a steady stream of space battles.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
ThunderCats1985
Syndicated action cartoon with similarly high animation standards, ensemble cast of pilots/warriors, and a genuine aesthetic identity. Holds up because it knew exactly what it was doing.
But Monster-of-the-week formula gets repetitive. Some episodes feel like padding between the mythology-heavy ones.
Ulysses 311981
French-Japanese co-production that does space opera with real visual imagination and a haunting atmosphere. Serialized plotting and a crew dynamic that actually matters, with stakes that accumulate.
But Quieter and more contemplative than Starcom. The dubbed dialogue is stiff. Only 22 episodes means it ends on a deliberately ambiguous note.
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America2021
Same syndication-era energy and animation quality. Faction-vs-faction warfare with characters you actually cared about. Vehicle alt-modes scratch the same 'cool aircraft' itch as Starcom's spacecraft fleet.
But Early episodes are basically 22-minute toy commercials. Continuity is a mess. Tone shifts wildly once the show found its footing.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Starcom: The U.S. Space Force
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
ReBoot1994
Same spirit of Saturday-morning action elevated by genuine craft, but Reboot asks harder questions about heroism. Where Starcom celebrates the mission, Reboot interrogates whether the mission was ever real.
Canadian CGI series that looks like nothing else from its era. Inside a computer, a guardian program fights viruses—but it's actually a deeply serialized story about freedom, purpose, and what happens when the rules change. Visually inventive and genuinely surprising.
But Early CGI is very early CGI. Premise sounds silly. Takes half a season to reveal what the show is actually about, which tests patience.
More like this (6)
Voltron: Defender of the Universe1984
Another syndicated powerhouse with gorgeous mechanical design, a team that has to work together, and space battles that feel consequential. The giant-robot payoff never gets old.
But Very earnest. The five-person team dynamic means some characters get sidelined. Rotation of stock footage becomes noticeable in later seasons.
Exosquad1993
Late-era cartoon that learned everything from shows like Starcom. Serialized military sci-fi with real character arcs, animation that still impresses, and genuine consequences to failure.
But Took three seasons to find its voice. First season is uneven. Ends on a cliffhanger that never resolved, which some find infuriating.
RoboCop: Prime Directives2001
Indian live-action show with a robot sidekick and adventure-serial pacing. Wildly charming on its own terms; captures that same spirit of optimistic future-tech heroics.
But Extremely low budget. Creature effects are rubber suits. English dub is occasionally baffling. Requires genuine affection for retro charm.
M.A.S.K.1985
Spy-action cartoon with top-tier character design and animation. Vehicles that transform, a morally gray villain you believe in, and storytelling that trusts the audience's intelligence.
But Uneven episode quality in early seasons. Some plots are thin. The show never quite nailed serialized storytelling the way it could have.
SilverHawks1986
Beautifully animated space-cop series with a sleek aesthetic and cyberpunk-adjacent design. Smaller cast than Starcom but each member gets real spotlight and development over time.
But Fewer episodes means less character depth. Some found the premise (cyborg cops) less grounded than other action cartoons of the era.
Fire Force2019
Anthology series of five separate action cartoons rotated weekly. Variety means if one premise doesn't grab you, another will arrive next week. Solid animation across the board.
But Anthology format means no ongoing narrative momentum. Each segment only gets minutes per episode. Easy to lose track of which story you're following.
