Jonny Quest is one of my favorite cartoons but I've never seen all the episodes. Here I'll just be looking at the original series. I'm going to be sharing thoughts as I go.
Double Danger! This one starts off with Dr. Quest researching a way to help astronauts in spaceflight, and for some reason they have to go to Thailand to continue his work. Apparently there's a drug he's testing and a plant specimen is needed. So they're on their way and soon touch down in a remote area where the vine grows. Bandit is soon chasing monkeys and Dr. Quest reveals that the problem they're working on is mental deterioration during long space flights. He wants to synthesize a plant formula that will help crews stay alert during the long months of solitude in space. His formula is based on a hallucinogenic (!) though, so naturally they have to take care to keep things secret.
Naturally. Cue our nefarious mastermind Dr. Zin, who wants that formula and has a body double of Race Bannon to help him get it! After all, he sneers, a dose added to the water supply of a major city would leave the populace subject to his control. And we get a training sequence where the double, named Korchek, learns to fight like Bannon and even eat like him. Korchek then sets out on his mission, and is admonished by Zin not to return without the formula!
The real Bannon, meanwhile, is going with Jonny and Hadji to photograph a giant Buddha in the jungle and they almost get killed when their driver swerves to avoid a tree in the road. This driver seems sketchy, honestly. Race goes the rest of the way on foot, leaving the kids behind- it's not safe in the jungle because of cobras- and of course the driver is indeed bad news, causing Race to be captured- and replaced by Korchek. It doesn't take long for Jonny and Hadji to get suspicious, though- and Cogo the monkey adds his two cents by not wanting anything to do with Race- which makes the kids even more suspicious.
Speaking of Cogo, he gets a lot of screen time, and his hijinks with Bandit are kind of annoying. Korchek catches the kids trying to look at film from his camera and decides they need to be eliminated. He tells their guide, Suthep, to arrange their demise. Suthep helpfully replies
"In the jungle, the too curious often meet with accidents." Okay, then.
But wait! We have a surprise guest star- Jezebel Jade shows up! I have no idea who she is, but the boys know her and she's apparently Race Bannon's love interest? Hmm. She's a sultry thing. The boys tell her their suspicions and she decides to see for herself what the deal is. She tells Race he's in danger, and when he goes to leave she asks him if he has anything else to say to her. She's not really talking about talking, naturally. They kiss and the next day Jade takes the boys to go find the real Race at the Buddha. Jonny asks Jade how she knows the Race in camp is a fake, to which she replies,
"There are some ways a woman cannot be fooled."
Unfortunately, Jade and the boys get captured and Korchek decides to work over Dr. Quest and steal the formula. Jade and the real Race have a little reunion and after a little trickery they manage to get free. Zin's flunky has set explosives, though, to blow up the Buddha (and everyone in it) but Jade comes through when her helicopter shows up. She's kinda badass. Oh, and she tells Race she's charging him 5,000 pounds for the escape. Anyway, the explosion triggers an elephant stampede- because of course it does- and Hadji rides an elephant to the rescue. As usual, the ending feels a bit rushed and silly, but Korchek is dealt with and I imagine Zin is furious. Foiled again. And Jade takes her leave after giving Race a little kiss goodbye. We definitely need to see more of her.
So this one wasn't bad. The first appearance of Jade and a little skulduggery with body doubles. I give this one 3 of 5 stars.
![Jonny Quest: The Complete Original Series [Blu-ray]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71xBNq1JthL._SX385_.jpg)
