Line #17 WesternAnimation/Shazzan


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3	[[quoteright:333:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shazzan_9305.jpg]]
4	[[caption-width-right:333:Hohohohohoho HO!!]]
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6	''Shazzan'' was a [[AnimatedSeries cartoon]] created by Creator/AlexToth and produced by the Creator/HannaBarbera company for Creator/{{CBS}} back in 1967. It featured a giant genie named Shazzan who served two American kids, a boy named Chuck and his sister, Nancy, who had found a pair of magical rings in a cave and were transported to a MagicWorld that resembled the one from the Literature/ArabianNights tales. Each of the kids had one of the rings that, when touched to each other (and the word "Shazzan!" is spoken) summons the genie to grant their wishes -- anything except being sent home; they were required to find Shazzan's true owner first (with no clues provided, even by Shazzan himself). The genie also gifted them with an InvisibilityCloak, a bag of dust that can create illusions, and a magic rope. The series followed the two (and their winged camel, Kaboobie) as they traveled this strange world, [[TheDrifter helping those in need along the way]].
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8	The show was, as was typical for cartoons of the time, very [[OnceAnEpisode formulaic]]: Every episode, the kids would reach a new land, where some villain was up to no good; after being threatened, they finally put their rings together, after which Shazzan appeared and quickly disposed of the villains (while mocking them). Alex Toth, the series' creator, later said, "It was a conceptual problem. The genie had no weaknesses; once you summoned him, the episode was over."
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10	Also as typical of the time, there was no "final episode", so we never got to see the resolution of the plot.
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12	The character has made appearances in other shows and projects in the decades since, including ''WesternAnimation/HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Jellystone}}'' (where he serves as a SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute to [[WesternAnimation/{{Jeannie}} Babu]] thanks to [[ScrewedByTheLawyers legal issues]]).
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14	Not to be confused with ''{{ComicBook/Shazam}}'' or even less with ''{{Film/Kazaam}}''.
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16	!!Tropes in ''Shazzan'':
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18	* AlternativeForeignThemeSong: The Japanese version has [[https://youtu.be/6R4UVbt5Ik8 this]].
19	* AnimalCompanion: Kaboobie the winged camel, who was there mostly to transport the kids and look funny. Occasionally, he got to help in combat.
20	* BenevolentGenie: Although kinda mischievous. The genie ''never'' stopped laughing, no matter how serious the situation.
21	* ContinuityNod: The series is obviously based on the Literature/ArabianNights tales, but one episode has Shazzan battle a dumb-witted genie and then grant him to... a boy named Literature/{{Aladdin}}. (Most of the stories were original however.)
22	* {{Crossover}}: With WesternAnimation/SpaceGhost in the ''Space Ghost'' episode "The Council of Doom".
23	* CurbStompBattle: Shazzan himself was ''never'' hurt by anything, and always easily defeated his foes.
24	* CutShort: The Kids didnt find the owner of the ring in the finale.
25	* DeadpanSnarker: Even the kids got snarked on by the genie on occasion.
26	* EthnicMagician: Pretty much everybody in the show was Arabic ([[FantasyCounterpartCulture or its equivalent in this world]]) except the all-American kids.
27	* {{Expy}}: Visually speaking, Shazzan is very clearly based on the genie from Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1940, right down to the elfin features, the unique hairstyle, the constant laughing and his truly ''massive'' size.
28	* GentleGiant:
29	** Despite towering above most other characters, Shazzan did not scare the kids.
30	** Played even straighter with the good Baharum.
31	* TheImp: Mysterio The Mini Magi is served by Imps.
32	* InvincibleHero: The genie Shazzan which was a failing in the show. Even when the bad guys tried to fight him it was clear he could not be hurt. The only exception were there were a few magical rules he could not directly break, but in straight combat he was invincible.
33	* NoEnding: We never see the kids get home.
34	* RingOfPower: The kids' rings; each always carried one- which meant that if separated, [[TooDumbToLive they were in real trouble]].
35	* SequelEpisode:
36	** "The Master of Thieves", "Baharum the Befuddled" and "Quest For the Magic Lamp" form a trilogy for Chuck and Nancy dealing with the Master of Thieves.
37	** "Demon in the Bottle Returns" is a sequel to "Demon in the Bottle".
38	* ShoutOut: Shazzan's appearance suggests he may have been based on the genie in ''Film/TheThiefOfBagdad1940''.
39	* SiblingTeam: Chuck and Nancy. They occasionally annoyed each other, but otherwise were good siblings.
40	* SubvertedKidsShow: The ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' TV Funhouse parody ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdSz3rjgxOM Shazzang]]'' takes the concept of an all-powerful genie inflicting his will on "bad guys" up to eleven. After rescuing the kids from [[TheWallsAreClosingIn an evil wizard's trap]], the genie subjects their opponent to a typical pinned to the wall by his own arrow/human juggling ball/used as a pushbroom HumiliationConga. [[WhatTheHellHero Then he forces him to swallow ammonia, pulls his tongue out of his mouth, and burns the skin off of his body with eye-beams]]. [[AnArmAndALeg Then it]] [[{{Autocannibalism}} gets]] [[ForcedToWatch kinda]] [[WellDoneSonGuy intense]].
41	* TrappedInAnotherWorld: Chuck and Nancy.
42	* TwoHalvesMakeAPlot: Chuck and Nancy each wear half of a magic ring. When the two halves are reunited, it summons the mighty genie Shazzan.
43	* TheUnreveal:
44	** Just ''who'' was Shazzan's "True Owner?" He's mentioned (once?) as the "Wizard of the Seventh Mountain", but that's all we know. Presumably, the kids have to find the Seventh Mountain to find him -- but why is it the ''Seventh'' Mountain?
45	** And where was Shazzan when he wasn't summoned?
46	* TwoShorts: One episode contained two segments both going to Shazzan.
47	* WalkingTheEarth: While not Earth ''per se'', Chuck and Nancy travel all around "the land of the fabled Arabian nights".
48	* WhatTheHellHero: In one episode, Chuck challenges a performing magician to a WizardDuel (despite Nancy's protests) using Shazzan's magical gifts. When they are not enough, Chuck summons Shazzan. Shazzan defeats the magician, but then scolds Chuck for summoning him and using the gifts for something so trivial, as the magician was not an enemy until Chuck made him one with his need to show off.
49	* WonderTwinPowers: The kids needed each other to summon Shazzan.
50	* WordsOfPower: The rings won't summon Shazzan unless his name is also spoken.

Context WesternAnimation / Shazzan