Category:Wing Commander Academy (TV): Difference between revisions

Wing Commander Academy
Language(s)	English, Arabic
Studio	Universal Cartoon Studios
Release Date	September 21, 1996
Running time	13 episodes x ~21 minutes each min

Wing Commander Academy was a television series produced by Universal Cartoon Studios. A single season of thirteen episodes were aired from September 21, 1996 to December 21, 1996 on USA Network as part of the station's Action Extreme Team. The series was developed as a prequel to Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger and reunites Mark Hamill, Tom Wilson and Malcolm McDowell voicing younger versions of their characters. Dana Delany also stars. The series heavily references the settings, ships and other lore elements of Wing Commander I and II.

Episodes

Card	Episode	Title	Air Date	Production Code
	1x01	Red and Blue	September 21, 1996	74701
	1x02	The Last One Left	September 28, 1996	74702
	1x03	The Most Delicate Instrument	October 5, 1996	74703
	1x04	Word of Honor	October 12, 1996	74705
	1x05	Lords of the Sky	October 19, 1996	74704
	1x06	Chain of Command	November 2, 1996	74707
	1x07	Expendable	November 9, 1996	74706
	1x08	Recreation	November 16, 1996	74709
	1x09	Walking Wounded	November 23, 1996	74711
	1x10	On Both Your Houses	November 30, 1996	74710
	1x11	Invisible Enemy	December 7, 1996	74708
	1x12	Price of Victory	December 14, 1996	74712
	1x13	Glory of Sivar	December 21, 1996	74713

Home Video

DVD Release

Wing Commander Academy was released on DVD in Region 1 on May 29, 2012. The DVD set was produced under license by Canadian company Visual Entertainment Inc. (VEI) for the release and distributed by First Look Studios/Millennium Entertainment in the United States. The only extra included is animated menus. The package includes all thirteen episodes on two discs. The release is packaged in a standard Keep Case with a cardboard slipcover.

The order of episodes on the DVD does not match the previously used air date, timeline or production order. Disc 1: Red and Blue, The Last One Left, Most Delicate Instrument (sic), Chain of Command, Lords of the Sky, Word of Honor, Expendable. Disc 2: Invisible Enemy, Recreation, On Both Your Houses, Walking Wounded, Price of Victory, Glory of Sivar

Box Copy

In the year 2655, a generation-long battle rages between the Terran Confederation and the evil Kilrathi, a feline race of savages bent on destroying humanity.

A trio of spirited novice fighter pilots (voiced by Mark Hamill, Dana Delany and Thomas F. Wilson) are thrust into battle under the command of the legendary Commodore Geoffrey Tolwyn (Malcolm McDowell). Skills will be tested and friendships forged as they fly missions more dangerous than they could have ever imagined.

Inspired by the wildly successful computer game and voiced by a star-studded cast, Wing Commander Academy boasts stunning special effects and creative character-driven storylines that appeal to fans young and old.

Marketing Copy

A spirited and elite corps of novice fighter pilots attends the Wing Commander Academy in the year 2655. Often thrust into battle against the mighty and ruthless Kilrathi race, the crew must master daring manoeuvres and veer through constant danger to save the world. Sedate and honorable Maverick, devil-may-care and impulsive Maniac, and serious-minded, cautious and competent Archer make up a quarter of the cadet wing at the academy under their brilliant, if argumentative, captain, Commodore Tolwyn.

Technical Details

• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012
• Run Time: 268 minutes
• Studio: Millennium Media Services
• Initial MSRP: $24.98

Media

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  DVD Cover

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  Disc 1

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  Disc 2

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  Physical Product

DVD Menus

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  Disc 1 Root Menu

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  Disc 2 Episode Selection Menu

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  Disc 2 Root Menu

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  Disc 2 Episode Selection Menu

Promotional Material

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  Initial Solicitation Image (note typo, "Mark Hamill")

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  First Updated Solicitation Image

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  Second Updated Solicitation Image

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  Final Solicitation Image

Issues

Issues with the sound mixing causes some in-flight dialogue to be drowned out by music. This is especially noticeable during the first simulated dogfight in Red and Blue although it is present throughout the DVD episodes.

Streaming

Peacock Logo

Wing Commander Academy is available streaming through NBCUniversal's Peacock service. The series became available with early previews of the Peacock service for Comcast users starting on April 15, 2020 and was released to the general public starting July 15, 2020. Episodes are presented in production order and feature newly generated captions. Universal Cartoon Studio's Savage Dragon, part of the Action Extreme Team crossover event, is also available for streaming via Peacock for the first time.

Marketing Copy

In the year 2655, a group of new graduates of the Space Naval Academy replaces the crew of a refurbished ship to complete training, but members find themselves taking part in a very real battle against the Kilrathi.

Images

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  Show Selection

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  Episode Selection

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  Splash Screen

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  Initial Video Sample

Arabic Version

Series Title in Arabic

Wing Commander Academy was localized in Arabic by Al-Zhra Center and broadcast in the Middle East by Space Toon. The dub made several changes to the show including new credits and several edits for content. The series aired in production order. The series was also aired on MBC 3, a free-to-air children's network broadcasting from the United Arab Emirates, in 2006.

Download

Low quality off-air dubs of the Arabic version of Wing Commander Academy are available for download. Only the first episode includes the introduction and credits.

Changes

Several scenes were edited for content in the dubbed version of On Both Your Houses. Shots of Archer wearing a nightgown were clipped and a scene in which Dr. Sing, Maverick and Maniac wear swimsuits was removed entirely. The most interesting change is that the dubbed version replaces the instrumental theme songs with an original song that features lyrics. A short clip of the Kilrathi tug towing the Warrior King's sleeper ship from Recreation was added to the end of the introduction so it would match the running time of the song. The credits were also redone, with translated text scrolling over footage from the introduction while the same song plays.

Translated Theme Lyrics

Fly Soar
Like an eagle
Growl Roar.. Decimate evil
Fly Soar
You are the toughest
Quenched your thirst from the fountain of courage
The enemy of virtue ..a bully
Tyrannical catastrophic malicious unjustly
Clear sky is now bloody
Maneuver aim
Incinerate the enemy
Roar Growl
So our sky is clear again
Fly

Behind The Screens

Concept Art

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Press Kit

A press kit was circulated prior to the first showing of the Wing Commander Academy TV show.

Main article: Academy Television Press Kit

Series Bible & Scripts

• Academy Television Series Bible
• Recreation - First Draft Revised
• Chain of Command - First Draft Script
• Walking Wounded
• The Most Delicate Instrument

Extra's

• Ships Guide
• Background Artwork
• Production Jacket

2012 DVD Release

Technical Details

• Format: NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada)
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 3
• DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012
• Run Time: 286 minutes
• Studio: Millennium Media Services

Sample: Intro Animation

<mediaplayer>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z0JSfCejY4</mediaplayer>

Where to Buy

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Blowitoutahere.com
• Books-a-Million
• CD Universe
• Deep Discount
• DVD Empire
• Overstock.com
• RightStuf

Episodes

Episode List

• Episode 1: Red and Blue

  Mark Edens/Michael Edens

  Plot: Blair and Maniac are assigned to the Tiger's Claw for training.

• Episode 2: The Last One Left

  Mark Edens/Michael Edens

  Blair and Maniac encounter a Confed war hero turned renegade.

  Additional: Scary tattoos.

• Episode 3: The Most Delicate Instrument

  Mark Edens/Shari Goodhartz

  Mentally unbalanced from stellar phenomena, four cadets begin to exhibit erratic behavior.

  Additional: Excellent episode, probably best of the series.

• Episode 4: Word of Honor

  Mark Edens/Richard Mueller

  Blair and Grunt crashland on an alien world, but they're not alone...

  Aditional: Grunt has a freaky lingering disability from his days on Repleetah.

• Episode 5: Lords of the Sky

  Mark Edens/Matthew Edens

  Blair and Maniac land on an alien world where the local savages worship the dastardly "Lords of the Sky."

• Episode 6: Chain of Command

  Mark Edens/Brooks Wachtel

  Tolwyn meets an old "friend"- who just happens to outrank him now!

• Episode 7: Expendable

  Mark Edens/Ted Pederson/Francis Moss

  Blair and Payback scout an unstable jump node.

• Episode 8: Recreation

  Mark Edens/Matthew Edens

  The crew of the Claw discovers a mysterious being in suspended animation aboard a derelict space capsule.

  Additional: Guest Star- Michael Dorn

• Episode 9: Walking Wounded

  Mark Edens/Ralph Sanchez

  Maniac scores guard duty on a crippled medical ship.

• Episode 10: On Both Your Houses

  Mark Edens/Shari Goodhartz

  Blair, Maniac, and Archer pursue Kilrathi fighters to a lush tropical planet where things are not as they seem.

• Episode 11: Invisible Enemy

  Mark Edens/Richard Mueller

  The Kilrathi have a new and terrible weapon: the Stealth Fighter.

  Additional: Actually enhances the plot of WC2, instead of destroying it.

• Episode 12: Price of Victory

  Mark Edens/Steve Cuden

  Blair crashes on an ice world, where he meets an unusual Kilrathi- who just happens to have an agenda...

  Additional: Another excellent episode.

• Episode 13: Glory of Sivar

  Mark Edens/Mark Edens/Michael Edens

  Blair and Grunt land on the planet Dolos- and find themselves surrounded by fur!

Viewing Guide

Perhaps you're probably asking yourself, what order should I watch these episodes in? The question isn't as easy as it seems... as there are three distinct schools of thought!

Airdate Order

This is the order in which Academy originally aired on the USA Network in 1996. The show was run Saturday mornings at 11:30 AM (except for "Recreation", which was shown at noon) and then rerun on Sundays at the same time (the Oct. 26th showing was a rerun).

• Episode 01 - Red & Blue - Sept. 21st, 1996
• Episode 02 - The Last One Left - Sept. 28th, 1996
• Episode 03 - The Most Delicate Instrument - Oct. 5th, 1996
• Episode 04 - Word of Honor - Oct. 12th, 1996
• Episode 05 - Lords of the Sky - Oct. 19th, 1996
• Episode 06 - Chain of Command - Nov. 2th, 1996
• Episode 07 - Expendable - Nov. 9nd, 1996
• Episode 08 - Recreation - Nov. 16th, 1996
• Episode 09 - Walking Wounded - Nov. 23rd, 1996
• Episode 10 - On Both Your Houses - Nov. 30th, 1996
• Episode 11 - Invisible Enemy - Dec. 7th, 1996
• Episode 12 - Price of Victory - Dec. 14th, 1996
• Episode 13 - Glory of Sivar - Dec. 21st, 1996

Timeline Order

This is the order in which the series occurs within the context of the Wing Commander universe. It's noticably different, but probably best for watching the show in order... as, for instance, Chain of Command references the events of Expendable. Stardates are rough, and could be within a few days off in each case.

• Episode 01 - Red & Blue - 2654.072-.073
• Episode 02 - The Last One Left - 2654.094
• Episode 03 - The Most Delicate Instrument - 2654.155
• Episode 04 - Lords of the Sky - 2654.162-163
• Episode 05 - Word of Honor - 2654.169
• Episode 06 - Expendable - 2654.176
• Episode 07 - Chain of Command - 2654.177
• Episode 08 - Walking Wounded - 2654.183
• Episode 09 - Invisible Enemy - 2654.184
• Episode 10 - Recreation - 2654.185-.186
• Episode 11 - On Both Your Houses - 2654.190-.191
• Episode 12 - Price of Victory - 2654.292
• Episode 13 - Glory of Sivar - 2654.292-.293

Production Order

Last, and probably least, is the production order. There's no real reason to watch the show in the order in which it was made (as animated shows are generally produced out of order), but it's an important historical footnote!

• Episode 01 - Red & Blue
• Episode 02 - The Last One Left
• Episode 03 - The Most Delicate Instrument
• Episode 04 - Lords of the Sky
• Episode 05 - Word of Honor
• Episode 06 - Chain of Command
• Episode 07 - Expendable
• Episode 08 - Recreation
• Episode 09 - Walking Wounded
• Episode 10 - On Both Your Houses
• Episode 11 - Invisible Enemy
• Episode 12 - Price of Victory
• Episode 13 - Glory of Sivar

Extra: Saga of the Warrior King

The strangest TV crossover ever imagined! Four separate animation studios agreed to pool their efforts and have Michael Dorn travel as a space viking through their shows (Street Fighter, Savage Dragon, Mortal Kombat and Wing Commander). Find out more: Saga of the Warrior King.