Gargoyles (TV series)

Gargoyles is an American cartoon series produced by Disney Television Animation and Buena Vista Television, and originally aired from October 24, 1994 to February 15, 1997. The series is credited for its relatively dark tone, complex story arcs, and melodrama; character arcs were heavily employed throughout the series, as were Shakespearean themes.

A Gargoyles video game adaptation and a spin-off comic series were also created in 1995. The show's storyline continued from 2006–2009 in a comic book series of the same name, written by Greg Weisman and produced by Slave Labor Graphics.

Plot
The series features a species of nocturnal creatures known as gargoyles that turn to stone during the day, focusing on a clan led by Goliath. In the year 994, the clan lives in a castle in medieval Scotland alongside humans, until many of them are killed by betrayal and the remainder are magically frozen in stone until the castle "rises above the clouds."

A millennium later, in 1994, billionaire David Xanatos purchases the gargoyles' castle and has it reconstructed atop his New York City skyscraper, awakening the six remaining gargoyles. In trying to adjust to their new world, they are aided by a sympathetic NYPD detective, Elisa Maza, and quickly come into conflict with the plotting Xanatos. In addition to dealing with the gargoyles' attempts to adjust to modern New York, the series also incorporated various supernatural threats to their safety and to the world at large.

Episodes
A total of 78 half-hour episodes were produced. The first two seasons aired in the Disney Afternoon programming block. The controversial third and final season aired on Disney's One Saturday Morning format on ABC as Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles. Greg Weisman, who had been involved with the show from the beginning, wrote the first episode of the third season, "The Journey", but was dissatisfied with the remaining episodes and refused a proposed creative consultant credit on them. Weisman later wrote a Gargoyles comic book series that was a direct sequel to the first and second seasons, ignoring the third season and telling his preferred story in its place.

Cast
The voice cast featured several actors who are alumni of the Star Trek franchise including Marina Sirtis and Jonathan Frakes (respectively, Deanna Troi and William Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation), who were featured regularly as principal cast members. Other Star Trek actors such as Michael Dorn (Worf on TNG amd DS9), Brent Spiner (Data on TNG), Colm Meaney (Miles O’Brien on TNG and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge on TNG), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series), Avery Brooks (Benjamin Sisko on DS9), Paul Winfield (Clark Terrell in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), David Warner (various characters, most notably Gul Madred in "Chain of Command", a two-part episode of TNG) and Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager) were guest or recurring stars in the series.

Development
The series itself bears no "created by" credit. Greg Weisman, a former English teacher, was working as a Disney executive when early versions of Gargoyles were pitched by himself and others. On his blog, he describes himself as "one of the creators" of Gargoyles, and is generally acknowledged by the fan community as the series' originator.

However, although Weisman may have co-created Gargoyles, the series' first season was almost entirely written by husband-and-wife team of Michael Reaves and Brynne Chandler Reaves. They wrote 12 of the 13 episodes, with the one remaining episode being written by Steve Perry. Weisman officially joined the series as a co-producer with episode 6, though he also oversaw earlier episodes in his capacity as a Disney exec. Weisman himself did not have any writing credits on the show until the third season—a season which, ironically, Weisman has since disowned.

The second season consisted of 52 episodes, and featured a much larger writing staff, including Reaves, Chandler Reaves and Perry, as well as newcomers Lydia Marano, Cary Bates, Gary Sperling, Adam Gilad, Diane Duane and Peter Morwood, amongst others. For this season, story editing duties were handled on a rotating basis by Reaves, Chandler Reaves, Bates and Sperling.

For the third season (consisting of 13 episodes), most of the writing staff was new to the show, although returning writers included Marano, Gilad and Bates.

Many Shakespearean characters and stories found their way into the show's storylines, particularly Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream. The series was also influenced by medieval Scottish history. Weisman also cited the influences of Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears and Hill Street Blues on the series. The latter in particular inspired the ensemble format of the series and the 30-second "Previously, on Gargoyles…" recap found at the beginning of later episodes. The former was an influence on the original comedy development of the show, which was subsequently made darker and more serious before production. Some aspects of the series Bonkers, which Weisman helped develop, also influenced the show to some degree. Most noticeably, the relationship of toon cop Bonkers and his human partner Miranda Wright was used as a template for the relationship of gargoyle Goliath and Elisa Maza, as was the then-recent movie Beauty and the Beast.

New York artist Joe Tomasini brought a suit against Disney, claiming that his copyrighted screen play and character designs had been copied during the development and production of Gargoyles. The case was ultimately thrown out, after it was proven that Disney did not have access to Joe Tomasini's creations.

Reception
The show was only moderately successful at the time, yet did not fall into obscurity. In 2009, IGN ranked Gargoyles 45th place on the list of top 100 animated series of all time ("A decent success at the time, Gargoyles has maintained a strong cult following since it ended more than a decade ago"). In 2010, Hollywood.com featured it on the list of six cartoons that should be movies. In 2011, UGO.com included it on their list of legendary medieval and fantasy TV shows "that rock your face". WatchMojo.com ranked Gargoyles #4 in their 2013's Top 10 Disney Animated Series.

Disney Adventures
Gargoyles comics were published in the magazine Disney Studios Adventures, 11 stories in total. A two-part story "Stone Cold" is notable in that it provided a story idea that was later used in the TV series in the episode "The Price". Another story, "The Experts", was intended as tie-in advertising for Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Marvel
In 1995, Marvel Comics issued a Gargoyles comic book series which ran for 11 issues. The books did not directly follow the continuity of the series, but they did reference specific events that took place within it. The Marvel series was tonally darker than the television series, dealing largely with Xanatos' experiments to create creatures and machines to defeat the Gargoyles. Greg Weisman, television series co-creator, did not have any direct involvement in the story development of the comic series, but was consulted on some plot points to be sure it stayed within certain boundaries.

Weisman was eventually hired to write for the comic, but Marvel cut the deal with Disney before his run could be produced. Weisman still has his unpublished script for the comic, and would eventually use it as issue #6 of Gargoyles SLG comic. The characters Beth Maza (who appeared in a photo in "Deadly Force") and Petros Xanatos appeared in the comics before their full debut on the show.

Slave Labor Graphics
On June 21, 2006, Slave Labor Graphics, in association with CreatureComics, began producing a new Gargoyles comic written by Greg Weisman. The comic continues the storyline of the animated series, picking up after the second season finale, "Hunter's Moon, Part III". The first two issues adapt the first episode of The Goliath Chronicles, which Weisman story edited.

In August 2008, Greg Weisman announced that, due to Disney increasing its licensing fees, Slave Labor Graphics would not be renewing its license of Gargoyles after it ran out on August 31, 2008. The final two issues of Bad Guys and four of Gargoyles were released in the comic trades collecting both series in August 2009. Weisman also stated that SLG president Dan Vado has not given up on the Gargoyles franchise and hopes to pursue the idea of Gargoyles graphic novels in the future.

Action figures
A series of 22 five-inch action figures (along with two vehicles and a castle playset) was released by Kenner in 1995.

Card game
A card game, Gargoyles Stone Warriors Battle Card Game, was published by Parker Brothers in 1994.

Video game
The Gargoyles video game was released in the United States by Buena Vista Interactive exclusively for the Sega Genesis in 1995. The game was a side-scrolling platform action game. Its plot was considered non-canon and involved the Eye of Odin attempting to destroy the world.

Miscellaneous
Other licensed merchandise included numerous other toys and figures, collectible trading card and sticker series, and a wide range of clothing items, books, art supplies, kitchen and bathroom items and supplies, clocks and watches, etc.

VHS and Laserdisc
The five-episode pilot edited into a single movie under the title Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken was released on VHS and Laserdisc in February 1995. The following videos were later released containing the remaining first-season episodes:


 * The Hunted (October 1995), containing episodes "The Thrill of the Hunt" and "Temptation"
 * The Force of Macbeth (October 1995), containing episodes "Deadly Force" and "Enter Macbeth"
 * Deeds of Deception (April 1996), containing episodes "The Edge" and "Long Way to Morning"
 * Brothers Betrayed (April 1996), containing episodes "Her Brother's Keeper" and "Reawakening".

Episodes 6-13 were left unaltered, except for the removal of the "Previously on Gargoyles..." segment from "Enter Macbeth".

DVD releases
In 2004, the 10th anniversary of its premiere, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released Season 1 of Gargoyles on DVD in Region 1. The first half of the second season was released in December 2005.

On June 25, 2013, Volume Two of Season Two was released on DVD as a Disney Movie Club exclusive. Season Two Volume 2 Is also for sale on The Disney Store.com.

The episodes themselves are uncensored, restoring scenes which were removed on Toon Disney (now known as Disney XD) and the VHS releases.

Fan community
A small but loyal fanbase for the property developed after its cancellation, largely online.

In 1997, Weisman began answering fan questions about the series in an online forum at Ask Greg, revealing, among other things, productions details about the series, in-universe details about the characters, and his plans for the property if it had not been cancelled or if he was able to revive it in the future. Among other revelations, Weisman has detailed spinoffs for the series that reached various stages of development, including Bad Guys (for which a leica reel and comics were produced), Gargoyles 2198, Timedancer, Pendragon, Dark Ages and The New Olympians.

Conventions
The Gathering of the Gargoyles was an annual fan convention which began in 1997. The Gathering featured several regular guests close to the Gargoyles franchise including Greg Weisman and voice actors Keith David and Thom Adcox. The Gathering has featured several recurring special events such as a radio play where attendees audition and take speaking roles, a masquerade ball where attendees dress up as their favorite character, an art show where the many artists within the fandom can display or sell their artwork. Weisman has in the past shown the leica reel of Bad Guys at Gatherings. Footage and interviews from the 2004 Gathering appears as an extra feature on the Season 1 DVD of the show.

Cultural impact

 * Freakazoid!'s minisegment "The Lawn Gnomes" is a parody of Gargoyles, featuring a race of lawn gnomes who were cursed in AD 995 Denmark to turn to stone during the day because they caused too much mischief. The 1995 episode "Freakazoid is History" also featured Freakazoid listening to a gargoyle who bears resemblance to Goliath, during which a loose parody of the Gargoyles musical score and melodramatic exposition from the gargoyle is heard.
 * Greg Weisman wrote a story for DC Comics' JLA Showcase 80-Page #1, published in February 2000. Weisman's story was set during the time of the Justice League Europe and titled "Flashback of Notre Dame". The story has Captain Atom, the JLE and Plastique meeting a group of gargoyles at the cathedral Notre Dame de Paris. After an misunderstanding battle, the JLE help the gargoyles return to their home island Brigadoon. This version of the clan are more batlike than the characters they parodied and have names based from Paris: Behemoth (Goliath), Diabolique (Demona), Seine (Hudson), Angelique (Angela), Montparnasse (Broadway), Montmartre (Brooklyn), Champs-Élysées (Lexington), Left Bank (Bronx), Thomeheb (Thailog), Cyrano (Othello/Coldstone), Christian (Iago/Coldsteel) and Roxanne (Desdemona/Coldfire).
 * The 2001 Pioneer LDC English dubbing version of the anime series 3×3 Eyes (the English voice cast featured members of the Gargoyles cast including David, Bako, Fagerbakke, Adcox-Hernandez and Ed Asner) has Gargoyles homage scenes, including a homeless man humming the Gargoyles theme and a character who wonders "What could make claw marks in solid stone?"
 * In the episode 14 of the anime series The Big O ("Roger the Wanderer", 2003), there are three stone gargoyles that bear a striking resemblance to Brooklyn, Broadway and Lexington on a rooftop as Roger Smith wanders through a memory of Paradigm City (the Gargoyle resembling Broadway appears to have Goliath's jaw) (6:03).
 * In the episode 45 of X-Men: Evolution ("No Good Deed", 2003), during the staged "heroics" montage, Avalanche knocks a stone gargoyle statue, which bears a resemblance to Broadway, off a building in order for Blob to catch, preventing it from smashing into a crowd of people below.
 * In the episode 21 of the second season of W.I.T.C.H. ("U Is For Undivided", 2006), parts of the city transformed into a medieval type setting. A couple shown in the middle of it are Brenda and Marco, respectively based on the Gargoyles yuppie couple Margot and Brendan; Pat Fraley voiced both Brendan and Marco.
 * The first episode of The Spectacular Spider-Man ("Survival of the Fittest", 2008), which was written by Weisman, has Spider-Man swinging past a few gargoyle statues, two of whom resemble Hudson and Broadway. Another scene in this episode depicts a statue of Broadway being smashed on a helicopter pad by Spider-Man, in his attempt to flee from Vulture and an attacking helicopter.
 * In Saints Row IV, Keith David plays himself. In a crowd shot is a sign for "I Heart Goliath".