On this week’s episode of Saturday Morning Cartoons, we will visit with our friend Jem and her Holograms. While most of the cartoons some of us watched were aimed at boys or were just generally aimed at kids, Jem was aimed at the most outrageous of us all!
Jem, aka Jem and the Holograms, followed the adventured of Jerrica Benton, a record company owner who could turn herself into Jem with the simple touch of her earring, connected to her computer Synergy. Once turned into Jem, she would go and have all kinds of fabulous adventures. Created originally as counter-programming aimed at girls, the series gained a wide following with a sort of cult status happening in the 2000s. Now, her adventures can be obtained on disc and watched whenever one wants. Back in the day, you had to get up early on the weekend and wait for her turn on the screen.
What made Jem different behind the scenes was that she came from a collaboration between Hasbro, Marvel, and Sunbow Productions. And how says Hasbro, says merchandising. And merch there was! From the dolls (which didn’t fit in Barbie’s clothes, house, or car, good going there for selling more) to music to clothes to lunchboxes, Jem was everywhere. And then she wasn’t. Jem came and went so fast; it was like those of use loving her didn’t matter. Or rather her ratings were not exactly asking for more seasons. The show ran from 1985 to 1988 and had reruns until 1993. Then nothing. Then in 2011, The Hub Network brought her back, until 2015. Since 2012, she has been available on streaming platforms around the world. The boxsets can be hard to find, but to a diehard Jem fan, they are a must.
Since the airing of the 2010’s reruns, Jem has had a comic book series to some success, and a theatrically-released, live action absolute bomb of a film. Regarded as one of the worst films ever made, it cinematic adventures of Jem did nothing to help bring her back for new audiences.
In terms of nostalgia, this one is pure 1980s. Like she is all that represents the late 80s from colors to music to adventures, Jem is still beloved by her fans and they still want more.