Someone mentioned MTV's new animated spy show recently. Anyone else watched it? Bleah! The character designs look like a cross between Old Navy and Gap commercials and the actual animation (if you can call it that) makes Hannah-Barbera 'toons look like, well, Aeon Flux. The writing is actually pretty decent, but otherwise... it looked like something you'd see on a website done in Flash. I say again, bleah! If MTV wanted to do a hip spy series, they coulda just given Peter a call, or hell, even put up AF re-runs. What do y'all think? Agree or disagree?

-- Charles Martin (cmmartin@princeton.edu), July 09, 2000

Answers

Well I hope you Spy Groover's out there are happy! The directors of Spy Groove visit an Aeon Flux forum and chat about Spy Groove, (and intersting stuff too) we need a toll booth or something. Haha. This is a real courtesy for their fans. I see Mtv has done it again. Knocking off good shows for who knows what reasons. I hope someone over there gets an animation crave again because we all want back our shows. Writing the big gorilla is a good idea.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), April 17, 2002.

I had a feeling that this topic would come up one of these days... Although I certainly don't value it as one of MTV's better animated shows, I do find it something fun to watch. I actually like the character design, not my favorite style, but it's done well (especially life-like when they do caricatures of supermodels, celebrities and such, not to mention funny). The animation isn't bad, it's actually nice and smooth and slick at times. I agree about the writing, sometimes the conversations between Agents 1 and 2 bordline on interesting to me. The one thing I do not like at all is the constant narration and voice-over explanation of all the little gadgets. I was actually watching it a couple of hours ago, and was thinking how much better it would be if we were left to figure out what was going on ourselves instead of continually having our ears talked off. It would make for a much more interesting view. Oh, well. We're Aeon Flux fans, I guess we're naturally critical of stuff like this :)

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), July 09, 2000.

Yes, totally agree with you, CM,(cool initials man), why in the world do they run this stuff, untried, and not call Peter Chung for another go around with a winner is beyond me. Management decisions, ever the mystery. Poorest graphic visuals seen since Dexter's laboratory.

-- Barb e. (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), July 10, 2000.

I actually like the look of it. I think it's meant to look that way. It's got real style. Myself, I thought the writing was disappointing. It just seemed way too pretentious. That's just the vibe i got.

-- Bob Smith Bob (snapperorgans@ausi.com), March 17, 2001.

well i think spygroove's great! it's fast-talking good entertainment, and has spiffy character design and neat voice-overs! the agents are cool dudes, and the girls are babelicious! mtv's done a wonderful job! the whole thing is like funky fashion illustration with music and voices and a nice storyline! it's fantastic!

-- carla l. marcia (carlalewismarcia342@yahoo.com), July 28, 2001.

oooooh. :( Don't go knocking on Dexter. I love that show. Dexter's not about the art. The writing is the big thing there. The total opposite of what Peter was trying to do with Aeon.

-- pixi (pixiness@yahoo.com), July 30, 2001.

Please don't use a fake email address; it creates a lot of technical problems for the community. For example, this software will send you an email alert if someone responds to your message and those alerts will bounce back to us if the address you type isn't valid.

-- not about the writing!?! (spam@harvard.edu), August 01, 2001.

Carla is from MTV. She is here to infiltrate our forum. Resist her mind control :-$

-- William (stateofflux@yahoo.com), August 01, 2001.

The whole point of the show is to make fun of what spy movies and shows like James Bond and Man from U.N.C.L.E. became. They dress like they do to be a parody of these classic stories while at the same time show how audacious the basic story line in these movies and shows are. The explanation of every little thing is also along these same lines of showing you how crazy some of the gadgets are. I agree the animation isn't exactly fantastic, but it works. I like the show and I wish MTV would show it more, not the occasional 3 in the morning slot that it seems to be in now.

-- Matt James (mapei@excite.com), September 04, 2001.

Spy Groove is great! The animation matches the style of Wallpaper* magazine which I absolutely love. The characters are actually similar to some illustrations in Wallpaper*. I also like all the exaggeration Spy Groove has! It's a shame I can't find Spy Groove on MTV.com! I think there should be a web edition of Spy Groove, too.

-- Kay (vonderaltenschule@yahoo.com), September 09, 2001.

i completely disagree..! i fell in love with spy groove the moment i watched it. it's fun and it could really give you a good laugh. the animation is one of the first things that caught my eye..i love the fancy babes and the character designs. it's neat and cute, and i think it's original. i love aeon flux but i'd choose agents #1&2 over her anytime. if MTV wanted to do a hip spy series, then they actually did!

-- sndz dela (sndz_8@hotmail.com), September 10, 2001.

Spy groove est le meilleure série d'animation que j'ai jamais vue , beaucoup d'humour et de l'action !! AAHhhhhhh si seulement les agent #1 et #2 existaient réellement !!!! lol!

-- Myrina (myri.na@wanadoo.fr), September 20, 2001.

They watch Spy Groove in France? Aren't those the guys who consider Jerry Lewis a genius?

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), September 21, 2001.

Although the enthusiam for SpyGroove is making me curious about this show.

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), September 21, 2001.

Jerry Lewis IS a genius. Lady!

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), September 22, 2001.

Einstein and Lewis. Of course, what was I thinking.

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), September 22, 2001.

Spy Groove...well its not really okay by my standards...but its okay in general, I suppose. its entertaining in its own weird way. The voices are hoot & the characters are wayyy overboard which in poor graphics makes it entertaining.

-- Cynical Junkie Bytch (cynical_junkie_bytch@yahoo.com), October 01, 2001.

Wow, all the serious people. First off it's on MTV so you shouldn't be too critical. I love the show- the characters crack me up. Compared to most of the crap on tv that tries to take itself seriously it's great to see a show like this.

-- Agent#3 (partz_2000@yahoo.com), October 13, 2001.

Come on, Spy Groove is easily one the best parody on James Bond movies and the pop-culture in general i've ever seen. the dry humour adds up a lot to the atmosphere and the secret-service setting of the series, as well as the animation that obviously seems too crude for some of you. (ever watched south park??) 10 out of 10!!

-- Eike Umlauf (spygroove@eik.at), October 18, 2001.

Well i have watched a lot of Spy Groove on my small little island. At first i found the amination to be very lacking, but for some strange reason i kept on watching it, and it grew on me. Sure anyone with Director 8 could create the animation, but The show has style, and the writing is so Austin Powers meets the Mod Squad. The inside jokes, and the babes are hot. I can understand how most people hate it, and everyone has there opinion. I just want to state Spy Groove is one the better shows out there. I think most Television is crap, but with Shows like Spy Groove it shows that there is hope out there for tv.

-- Carlos Cortez (strange_luv@hotmail.com), October 19, 2001.

I think Spy Groove is hilarious! Who cares about the lack of animation, besides it adds uniqueness to the show. The witty dialogue is perfect for late night viewing

-- Steve (sreimer@cal.devry.ca), October 19, 2001.

Awww... Spy Groove is the QTest show ever!! There are TONS of cartoons that have bad graphics, but remember that everyone thinks differently about that kind of stuff... I have an anime obsession, only cuz i love the drawings SO SO much *i am really into drawing!* and Spy Groove is totally oposite from them, but its only cuz its just another style! I think its fine :D i mean, i can draw anime fine, but cant draw Agent #1 as he is at all... hahahaha... C'mon, its just for the fun of it :D even if its not the best, u guys dun have to put it down SO much do you?!

-- Misato K. (misato@ranmamail.com), October 20, 2001.

Spy Groove is my favorite show!!! too bad they dont show it more often, it's hilarious! I love the humor, and those caricatures of celebrities! HAHAHAHAHA! ;D the animation is so cool, i even drew my friends in that style so we could all be characters on spy groove! omigod! one of my favorite episodes was the one about the Pamplona singer Julio Blanco, what a riot! Love the dialog, so witty! agent: your sewers are so clean margarita: yes, it is because of the Sisters of the Immaculate Sewers of Pamplona HAHAHAHA!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!

-- Foxy (gothiagrrrl@yahoo.com), October 28, 2001.

Hey, I'm looking for any downloadable spy groove episodes!! Anybody have any leads on where to look?

thanks,

A

-- Anthony Dean (pyknotic@yahoo.com), November 17, 2001.

people i have a favor to ask all of you spy groove watchers.. this goes out to only the really devoted freaks of the show.. in the las vegas episode who is the singer in the background.. its the scene were the dark haired agent is holding the tracking device and agent #2 is looking for dr schizoplex and the thing is saying cold colder hot hot baby im on fire and the music is going on in the bathroom.. its just a beat and really no singing but if anyone one of you knows who does this song i will kiss you.. ive been searching for so long please someone put me out of my misery. thanks dimitrios

-- Dimitrios Stefanis (dimitriosstefani@hotmail.com), November 21, 2001.

Normally, quite cheap with my opinion, I keep my two cents to myself but I think Spy Groove is cleverly written, ironic and still entertaining, sometimes sophisticated, sometimes juvenile, and slickly animated. And frankly I'm tired of recent trends in animation to be ultra-realistic and like the quite purposefully stylized animation. It's like the Hardy Boys, only sponsored by the Gap or something and, of course, on heat, and perhaps inspired by Tom of Finland. Always a consumer, I won't be happy until it comes out on DVD, eh MTV? And make sure it's sold in Canada because it sure seems to me that's where many of the followers are.

-- Kevin Slack (kslack69@hotmail.com), November 23, 2001.

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYY I love the show. Does anyone know how I can get VHS copies of it? Or DVD, even. I need them.

-- MIKEY POO (michael.shore@weston.ca), December 21, 2001.

Spy Groove is a great show. Its writing makes me laugh and its animation is simple yet appealing. And I too have been trying to buy a VHS or DVD copy of the first season. If anyone has any leads regarding purchase, please contact this loyal fan. I understand it aired earlier this year in Asia on MTV.

-- Andy (andy1310021@yahoo.com), December 27, 2001.

hi. I love watching Spy groove It is a show much different then others. The animation is flash like. I had a question, hopefully some one can answer it. I am very interrested in the technics used in Spy Groove. Dose any one know how they make the show. Weather thay use macromedia flash or other program... or is in made in the old fashion way with a pencil and pen

-- Enrique (suave_suave_@hotmail.com), January 03, 2002.

I love that show. I wish it was on the air. The ski one was one of favorites. MTV should play it again. PLAY IT!

-- Kevin Packyourbags (kevinp557@hotmail.com), January 14, 2002.

Spy groove totally rocks. Yeah, it may sound quite monotonous and very fast ,but hey, just by the art, it's really interesting.

-- bishoujo (teeveealien@hotmail.com), April 05, 2002.

Thanks to everyone who is a fan of, "Spy Groove"! We directed all 13 episodes with a group of amazingly talented people and its great to see so many people still watch it. Unfortunately, only the first 6 episodes aired here in the U.S. before MTV pulled the plug on it- but all 13 episodes aired in other countries and, from what we hear, its still pretty popular outside the U.S. as well. For those of you who are wondering, the show was traditionally drawn and animated (by hand, that is) and then composited in Adobe After Effects where the camera moves and additional "sliding-cel" type animation was done. The look of the show was created by Glen Hanson (go to his website for a look at his other incredible work) and was voiced by the creators of the show, Michael Gans and Richard Register (who were a blast to work with!). We were animators at Disney for a number of years before we left to direct this show, and we hired on a number of our ex-Disney friends to work on the show as well. With that said, we were extremely limited to the amount of animation that was bugeted for the show (2 minutes of 'traditional' type animation per episode!) but what little actual animation there is, we think is awesome. We were truly fortunate to work with so many incredible artists and that year of our career will always be a highlight for us. Unfortunately, the show has yet to be released on video or DVD- but hopefully someday soon! Perhaps if you fans out there submitted your requests to MTV via their website? Believe us, we want it just as much as you do! But until then, thanks for appreciating all the hard work we and the entire 'Spy Groove' crew put into that show. Its encouraging!

-- Elliot M. Bour & Saul Andrew Blinkoff (elliot.bour@sbcglobal.net), April 17, 2002.

The shows we love obviously have a loyal fan base, but how big is that fan base? In the case of Aeon Flux and Spy Groove that fan base is obviously pretty small. I don't blame MTV for cancelling these shows. MTV is a business trying to make money and they have to cancel shows that are not popular. Had these shows been popular they would still be around because MTV isn't about to turn down easy money. To be honest, I'm not really that surprised that Aeon Flux got cancelled. It's sexy and "edgy", but aside from those blatant marketing gimmicks it doesn't really fit in with MTV programming. It's too original and too different and most of all, too thought provoking for crowd that enjoys shows like Beavis and Butthead and TRL. It's really a case of mismarketing. Aeon Flux is a great show, but in order to be successfull it needs to find a market where it will be appreciated.

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), April 17, 2002.

I'm sure someone else has pointed this out before, but Aeon was probably very very expensive.

-- Kristine Rooks (krooks@agnesscott.edu), April 17, 2002.

I ate SG with a total spoon -- even called MTV and enlisted an independent TV critic to score me the VHS or DVD -- and still quote the show to this day, so let's say I'm speaking as a fan.

*Spy Groove* ranks, with the WB's equally doomed *Grosse Pointe*, as a show that had too keen a gay sensibility for mainstream programming. Gans and Register read like urban gayfolk, and they had a sense of the fabulous unparalleled outside the subculture. (I understand the Maxi Bar was even modeled on a place in the Village, and I'm pretty sure I've met that fish-guy clubbing.) The style of the animation was *perfect* for the nature of the show -- campy as hell, but in the best possible way -- stark, fast, glib, and irrepressibly chicker-than-thou. The panning shots of the Maxi Bar set the scene no-nonsense and wicked atmospheric. And Gans and Register played off of each other flawlessly, with improv skill that I've seen even *approached* recently only by Christopher Guest in *Best in Show*.

Hell, the agents' sexual tension alone was worth the watching. Even the girls were sweet; they hit a level of amazing that, were they not animated, would turn me straight in a second. Great show, then, but not viable in the mainstream. DVD it and market with *Queer as Folk*. Better yet: Set it with *Grosse Pointe*. And call me when you do.

"What were you doing in the sewer?" / "What were *nuns* doing in the sewer?"

"The agents pass a palm tree, and a juice bar."

"Ohhhhhhh, yo canto numeros..."

"Two words: BAD ASS."

"He grew up to be unnaturally pretty for a man. Most people hated him."

"...Mom and Pop Momandpopadopolis. They run a mom-and-pop shop atop the Acropolis."

-- Julio Blanco (sly_stoner@msn.com), July 04, 2002.

I, I think I suddenly like Spy Groove.

-- Kristine Rooks (mbkrooks@bellsouth.net), July 06, 2002.

I feel that Spy Groove is one of the better non-hentai adult cartoons on the market right now. It's dialogue is quick, witty a la "house of yes" style at times. The characters are blatantly sexual something we could all do without but we do enjoy it non the less. It gives us a cross between reaity and fantasy we can all enjoy and that speaks of it's demographics. The writers and the marketers, while clearly not genius(they do work for mtv.) are of moderately above average intelligence, or they own a good dictionary. If there is a place for Spy Groove within a University lecture hall than there is a place for Spy Groove within you home and you brain. Thank you, Raeven Ki Davisdatta

-- Raeven Ki Davisdatta (hooker_in_boots@hotmail.com), July 09, 2002.

I think that it is one of the BEST shows on the planet!!! I think that it is really awsome to have a new animation style and that you all should look at some of the older cartoons like finstones and jetsons and tell me that that isn't bad animee.

-- Kate (clgksf@hotmail.com), October 27, 2002.

Man, I think this is THE gnarliest show out there! I mean come on, with the quick witty remarks and the slightly off the wall humour, this show has it all. Why are some of you bashing the animation? I think it's somewhat fresh and adds to the humour and appeal of the show. Yeah sure it's been done before, but who cares? There's only so many ways to do a cartoon, right?

-- Derek Wasylenko (dwasylenko1@hotmail.com), November 09, 2002.

I'm working on a cartoon in Flash for my graduation project, and my promotor mentioned that he was pretty sure that Spy Groove was done in Flash. Is there anyone out there who could confirm this? I've also been looking for a place where I could download it, I'm fairly sure it won't show on MTV Europe again. Please answer through email if you think you can help.

-- Maddie (madelien.waegemans@howest.be), November 16, 2002.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!?????? YOU PPL ARE CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SPY GROOVE WAS THE BEST CARTOON EVER MADE! WHHHHHHYYYYY THE HECK DID THEY TAKE IT OFF? THEY ARE STUPID!! TO TAKE SPY GROOVE OFF, ME AND MY CUZ LIKE, LOVED THAT CARTOON, I WANT IT BACK ON!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- tiffany warren (tiff_tiffer69@hotmail.com), December 15, 2002.

Spy Groove is the greatest show on the face of this planet!!! i'v only seen one episode(the Greek Freaks one) and i am totally in love with it!!! I Drew Agent #1 and i am absolutely making my friends go crazy with so much talking about it..u guys that thing SG is awsome..UR THE COOLEST!!!;)

-- Anna H. (anna_binks@hotmail.com), December 30, 2002.

I allso think that sypgroove is the coolest cartoon ever been. I've mailed mtv(germany)now several times asking if they will produce a dvd, but they never even answert!! right now i'm making a dvd myself - does anybody has recorded some episodes??? please kontakt me!

-- Kenny (kenny@excessive-clan.de), February 09, 2003.

They still air Spy Groove on Teletoon in Canada. I've only seen three episodes personally, so I'm not sure how many the station owns. At least the first six, as in America...

Anyway, I think the show is a stroke of genius. The animation is AWESOME and deliberate - it's just another style of animation and one I rather enjoy. The dialogue is fast and funny - I luv that - and the concept entirely satirical. (Hence, the narration - which I actually like, as it adds to the style and humor.) The show is unique - something all it's own. It's stylish, amusing and often kinda clever. Everything is deliberate for effect, playing into its original style. Admittedly, the agents are the best part - the reason I watch. They're great! Hell, they make the show.

I mean, I don't really watch TV and I just found this show - but hey, I enjoyed it so much I just had to actually post and defend it. ;) It rox!

-- St. Shifting Sand (tabbie77@hotmail.com), February 21, 2003.

Just a follow up note, guys...

The week after I posted this back in February... Spy Groove didn't air. They took it off. :( You can imagine how much that sucked. Taken off just in time for my birthday, ppl! Err, and it apparently aired for a YEAR when I didn't know about it!

Hopefully it can be found somewhere else. I'd only seen three episodes, personally...

-- St. Shifting Sand (tabbie77@hotmail.com), April 16, 2003.

I absolutely loved the show and was thunderstruck when they took it off the air in Canada. So now I am on a hunt to find out all the names and the songs of the brilliant electronic artists they used for the show. If anyone can help me send me an e-mail, it would be greatly appreciated.

-- Robert Carmichael (JoeCool877@Hotmail.com), August 10, 2003.

Hey, Beavis & Butt Head rocks. I'm too tired to think a way to explain how intelligent the show was, but it was genius stuff too. More then Aeon Flux in a number of ways.

-- Ricardo Dirani (spharion75@netscape.net), August 15, 2003.

I, too, am looking to d/l episodes of spy groove. can't find them anywhere, of course. ARAGH. Any ideas? thx.

-- Sonya (everglade_sb@hotmail.com), September 09, 2003.

We had spy Groove on MTV here on cable, in Istanbul too.. I could only catch a few episodes and found it amazing.. I just did not understand why MTV gave up giving the show! Now, Im looking for a DVD edition like every body, and Im happy to have been introduced to an artist like Glen Hanson..so clear,simple, neat..very original taste..I would be glad if anybody could inform me of any chance getting the video from somewhere..

-- Bora Sezer (cbsezer@ixir.com), February 20, 2004.

its a sweet show

-- leah (leoelise224@msn.com), March 13, 2004.

Everyone is saying this show is crap----i have no idea what they're talking about!! i love this show! and for all those dumbasses saying that the narrator is cheesy.....its supposed to be!! thats wat makes him funny morons. its intended! i laugh weneva i hear that guy. anywayz, i love that show, from ryan

-- Ryan Hewitt (ryan_hewitt_333@hotmail.com), April 10, 2004.

hi guys

why the hell did it end :( i think humanity doesn´t have the sence of (brilliant) humor it takes to watch this show. anyway i´m glad that i have seen all shows that appeared on german mtv (sometimes twice ^^)

-- Stoepsel (BlackUkulele@web.de), June 21, 2004.

I'm glad to find that I'm not the only one who enjoyed the show. Now if only they would make a comeback....

-- Steven (steven@simplegenius.ca), August 31, 2004.

it's too bad it had to end...I really didn't mind it. Are there any other shows like it out there?...drop an e-mail. Later

-- Jason (jason_m_24@hotmail.com), November 29, 2004.