Underdog is an American animated television series that debuted October 3, 1964, on the NBC network under the primary sponsorship of General Mills, and continued in syndication until 1973, for a run of 124 episodes.
Underdog, Shoeshine Boy's heroic alter-ego, appeared whenever love interest Sweet Polly Purebred was being victimized by such villains as Simon Bar Sinister or Riff Raff. Underdog nearly always speaks in rhyme, as in, "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!" His voice was supplied by Wally Cox.
Best Episodes of Underdog
Tricky Trap by Tap Tap
S1 Ep8
9.0
Underdog's double, an evil criminal, plots to steal a priceless diamond after he escapes from prison.
Zot, Part 4
S1 Ep12
8.7
The story of Zot concludes, as Underdog and the princess are about to be married. Just at that moment the evil two-headed dragon attacks the city. Underdog defeats the dragon and saves the city. King Klobber grants underdog a favor and he asks to be allowed to return to Earth without marrying his daughter. The King agrees and the princess decides she was in love with the Prime minister of Zot all along and all are happy.
Safe Waif
S1 Ep1
8.1
3rd Oct 1964
Underdog breaks out of the phone booth, and hears the cries for help again. Underdog flies to the lady, who tells him that her little boy has been accidentally locked in a bank vault. With only this information, Underdog flies off toward the bank. He reaches a bank, crashes in, much to the shock of the occupants, and then proceeds to rip open the giant door to the vault. The bank president blows up at Underdog, saying that he's got the wrong bank! So, Underdog flies to the correct bank, and attempts to rescue the boy. But at first, nothing he tries works. He crashes through the vault door, only to crash through the whole building and the one next door as well. He tries using his X-ray vision to locate the boy, but instead, starts a fire! All the people in the bank are in a panic now! Underdog uses his atomic breath to blow out the fire, and in the process, blows virtually the whole building away! But at least the mother's little boy is found all safe and sound.
The Big Shrink, Part 1
S1 Ep21
8.0
7th Jan 1970
Simon Bar Sinister is working an a chemical that will shrink the city's citizens to miniature size.
Go-Go Gophers - Tapping the Telegraph: General Nuisance returns with a transmission station and 400 troops. His plan is to keep in contact with the fort and coordinate attacks on Running Board and Ruffled Feathers. However, the Indians get a transmitter of their own and block those messages and send their own.
Commander McBragg - Rabelasia: The commander relates his story of the time he outwitted the Secret Service and made off with some plans while working as a spy.
Fearo, Part 2
S1 Ep18
8.0
1st Dec 1964
After overcoming a mutiny at sea Polly and the gang continue on to the south sea Island to find "Fearo the Ferocious". Upon arriving at the Island Underdog saves the day as he overcomes ferocious dinosaurs.
Worst Episodes of Underdog
A New Villain, Part 2
S3 Ep26
1.0
Flim and Polly agree that humble, loveable Shoeshine boy would be able to make sense of the riddle 'A Rhyme in Time Saves Nine'. Shoeshine deduces that 'rhyme' refers to Underdog, since he always talks in rhyme, 'time' refers to clock, Polly suggests Big Ben, but says that that's in London. Shoeshine deduces, what the biggest 'Ben' is around in the city, to which Polly responds 'Ben's Jewelry Store' (not Big Ben). As for 'Nine' Shoeshine deciphers that there are nine players on a baseball team and baseball is played on a diamond. Polly then sums up the solution of the riddle that if Underdog gets to Ben's Jewelry Store he can save the diamonds. She then tells Shoeshine to hurry and find Underdog. Shoeshine immediately rushes to the nearest phone booth and becomes Underdog (no waiting) Prior to arriving the Electric Eel demonstrates to Ben and the others he is holding up, the trap of an electrical field he has waiting for Underdog. When Underdog arrives, he steps into the trap and can't break free of the electrical field.
Zot, Part 2
S1 Ep10
6.0
The story of Zot continues with King Klobber searching the galaxy and then the universe for the strongest warrior. They discover Underdog on an insignificant planet named Earth. King Klobber sends a fleet of spaceships to capture underdog and return him to the planet Zot.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 4
S1 Ep16
6.0
The train full of gold is about to crash into another train, with Riff-Raff's plan going just as he expected. However, Underdog has just rescued Sweet Polly and manages to make it in time, stopping the two trains before a major derailment occurs. Underdog then chases Riff-Raff throughout the station winds up catching Riff-Raff, and all is well once again.
Zot, Part 3
S1 Ep11
6.5
As the story of Zot continues King Klobber of Zot sends a spaceship to capture Sweet Polly Purebred. He holds Polly under "The Great Zot", a 10 ton weight. When Underdog arrives to save Polly he agrees to marry the princess if Polly is returned safely to Earth.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 1
S1 Ep13
6.5
Riff-Raff is no longer Public Enemy No. 1, so he comes up with the ultimate plan: robbing a trainload of gold by distracting Underdog from his duties of protecting the gold on the train.
Underdog Episode Guide
Safe Waif
S1 Ep1
8.1
3rd Oct 1964
Underdog breaks out of the phone booth, and hears the cries for help again. Underdog flies to the lady, who tells him that her little boy has been accidentally locked in a bank vault. With only this information, Underdog flies off toward the bank. He reaches a bank, crashes in, much to the shock of the occupants, and then proceeds to rip open the giant door to the vault. The bank president blows up at Underdog, saying that he's got the wrong bank! So, Underdog flies to the correct bank, and attempts to rescue the boy. But at first, nothing he tries works. He crashes through the vault door, only to crash through the whole building and the one next door as well. He tries using his X-ray vision to locate the boy, but instead, starts a fire! All the people in the bank are in a panic now! Underdog uses his atomic breath to blow out the fire, and in the process, blows virtually the whole building away! But at least the mother's little boy is found all safe and sound.
March of the Monsters
S1 Ep2
7.2
10th Oct 1964
An army of giant robots take over the city and capture Polly. Underdog foils the monsters by using his high-pitched voice to destroy the robots' electronic brains. The robots aren't the only thing destroyed, but so is all of the city's glassware.
Simon Says
S1 Ep3
7.8
17th Oct 1964
Simon, a mad scientist, creates a camera. This is not some ordinary camera however. When he takes someone's picture, the freezes them in the photograph!
Go Snow Part 1
S1 Ep4
8.0
Simon Bar Sinister creates a new super weapon: the Go-Snow Gun. The gun freezes people, turning them into snow people. Simon and his Henchman Cad take over the First National Bank, holding the bank President, his staff and customers prisoner.
Tricky Trap by Tap Tap
S1 Ep8
9.0
Underdog's double, an evil criminal, plots to steal a priceless diamond after he escapes from prison.
Zot: Part 1
S1 Ep9
7.0
Underdog is having an average day. He foils a bank robbery, rescued Sweet Polly and made himself useful across the world. Meanwhile, a million, million miles away on the planet Zot, King Klobber is upset. It seams that his daughter the princess wants to get married and can't find anyone suitable.
Zot, Part 2
S1 Ep10
6.0
The story of Zot continues with King Klobber searching the galaxy and then the universe for the strongest warrior. They discover Underdog on an insignificant planet named Earth. King Klobber sends a fleet of spaceships to capture underdog and return him to the planet Zot.
Zot, Part 3
S1 Ep11
6.5
As the story of Zot continues King Klobber of Zot sends a spaceship to capture Sweet Polly Purebred. He holds Polly under "The Great Zot", a 10 ton weight. When Underdog arrives to save Polly he agrees to marry the princess if Polly is returned safely to Earth.
Zot, Part 4
S1 Ep12
8.7
The story of Zot concludes, as Underdog and the princess are about to be married. Just at that moment the evil two-headed dragon attacks the city. Underdog defeats the dragon and saves the city. King Klobber grants underdog a favor and he asks to be allowed to return to Earth without marrying his daughter. The King agrees and the princess decides she was in love with the Prime minister of Zot all along and all are happy.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 1
S1 Ep13
6.5
Riff-Raff is no longer Public Enemy No. 1, so he comes up with the ultimate plan: robbing a trainload of gold by distracting Underdog from his duties of protecting the gold on the train.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 2
S1 Ep14
8.0
Riff-Raff's plan goes into action: they kidnap Sweet Polly Purebred, tie her up and put her in a balloon, and set up a bunch of other balloons with record players inside them playing records of Sweet Polly shouting "HELP! HELP!" Once the plan is under way, Riff-Raff's gang heads over to the train station and hold up the stationmaster, and Underdog leaves his post and heads over to the balloons, only to be confused by the record players.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 3
S1 Ep15
8.0
Underdog is still confused and frustrated trying to find Sweet Polly among all the balloons, so far only coming across the record players Riff Raff's gang implanted in the balloons. But then Sweet Polly's balloon springs a leak and is plummeting towards earth toward a hungry alligator. Underdog then finds the real Polly in trouble and saves her from danger. Meanwhile Riff-Raff and his gang take over a railroad station, planning to throw the switch so the gold train Underdog was guarding will collide with another train.
The Great Gold Robbery, Part 4
S1 Ep16
6.0
The train full of gold is about to crash into another train, with Riff-Raff's plan going just as he expected. However, Underdog has just rescued Sweet Polly and manages to make it in time, stopping the two trains before a major derailment occurs. Underdog then chases Riff-Raff throughout the station winds up catching Riff-Raff, and all is well once again.
Fearo, Part 1
S1 Ep17
7.0
1st Dec 1964
Sweet Polly Purebread boards a ship to travel to a south sea island to investigate the world's biggest monster "Fearo the Ferocious".
Go-Go Gophers: Colonel Coyote thinks a book entitled "How to Fight Indians and Win" will help him succeed in capturing Running Board and Ruffled Feathers.
Commander McBragg - Dodge City Dodge: The commander tells of the time he cleaned up Dodge City of it's outlaws with the help of a water tower.
Fearo, Part 2
S1 Ep18
8.0
1st Dec 1964
After overcoming a mutiny at sea Polly and the gang continue on to the south sea Island to find "Fearo the Ferocious". Upon arriving at the Island Underdog saves the day as he overcomes ferocious dinosaurs.
Fearo, Part 3
S1 Ep19
7.0
1st Dec 1964
Reminiscent of the movie King Kong the gang captures "Fearo" and return him to civilization to meet the public in a big television broadcast. But "Fearo" escapes in a rampage, kidnapping Polly in the process.
Go Go Gophers - Who's a Dummy?: The colonel tries a tactic from the football playbook and he and the sergeant fail miserably.
Commander McBragg - Football By Hex: The commander tells of the time he single-handedly won a football game at his old university.
Fearo, Part 4
S1 Ep20
1st Dec 1964
"Fearo" runs amok and even the Army cannot stop him. Underdog arrives on the scene and battles "Fearo" by tantalizing him with a jungle delicacy.
The Big Shrink, Part 1
S1 Ep21
8.0
7th Jan 1970
Simon Bar Sinister is working an a chemical that will shrink the city's citizens to miniature size.
Go-Go Gophers - Tapping the Telegraph: General Nuisance returns with a transmission station and 400 troops. His plan is to keep in contact with the fort and coordinate attacks on Running Board and Ruffled Feathers. However, the Indians get a transmitter of their own and block those messages and send their own.
Commander McBragg - Rabelasia: The commander relates his story of the time he outwitted the Secret Service and made off with some plans while working as a spy.
