No, I'm not talking about "KaBlam!" which did star these two cartoon characters as hosts, but no I'm talking about a special that might have been a failed pilot for a spinoff series to "KaBlam!" that's right that's something that could have happened.
There was a time Nickelodeon used Henry and June beyond "KaBlam!" essentially making them a type of mascots for the channel to use them in away they probably couldn't use any other Nicktoons characters around them at the time, in fact this same year they hosted an afternoon block called "Henry and June's Nicktoons Summer Jam" which later would have their jobs stolen by Spongebob. (Good, you are keeping attentive to this post) They also hosted a block where you, the viewer, could pick shows. (We have to go back) It's kind of sad we don't get fun blocks on TV anymore. boo!
"The Henry and June Show" was created by the team who made "KaBlam!" like the main part of the show not the shorts inside the series. That would be Robert Mittenthal, Will McRobb, and Chris Viscardi. With many of the people who worked the series coming here to work on this as well. This specials decides instead of just having our hosting duo introducing segments for various cartoon shorts and maybe having their own little fun, they would have their own focused series.
This special is broken up into to halves, the first half is called "A Show of their Own" which was written by Jay Martel.
What can be noticed is that the special doesn't look different from the original series it's keeping it's style and look familiar. The only difference is that this is the show completely so it won't be changing to other cartoons and styles. The main idea is can Henry and June hold a show as characters beyond what was seen in "KaBlam!" ?
The plot of the first half is the duo are set to host their own show called "The Henry and June Show" (roll credits?) and Henry bought a fancy car with all the money they both got from this show. Which is too young to drive. (oops) This makes June rage and we get to see Emeril LeGasse, Al Roker, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Undertaker; which is interesting cast of characters together in one show, no other show can say that can they? (That's right CatDog, you have to sit down, you can't brag Spongebob!) The fight doesn't mean too much as it stops because the show is about to start. (Just like how the people of "Good Morning America" get ready for their show, don't quote this as fact)
A few more reoccurring characters from "KaBlam!" show up that's Fred Stockdale, the network executive, and Mr. Foot, a Big Foot. Henry is convinced by Stockdale to act like star and boss Mr. Foot to get him a breath mint, which he does do by taking the red car that Henry bought.
This is June and Henry, they are standing in the wrong order/ Copyright Paramount, I guess
How 90's is this special? Besides the starts I mentioned before , they also mention the Olsen Twins are showing up and not Jack Hanna. (Did he not sign himself to be used, was he going to sue? I need to know!) "The Henry and June Show" ,the show inside this show, is like a late night talk show. (Henry is funnier than ALL of the current hosts too!) The audience seems to rather wanting to see "Wheel of Fortune" which I understand.
The Olsen twins don't want to come out of their dressing room because they aren't pleased with how they ware drawn. So Zoo guy comes out and Henry accidently kills an endangered hamster with his bad breath. (oops) I thought the snake was going to eat it , but nice use of having that be subverted and making the breath mints play into it.
Mr. Foot driving the car and the REO Speedwagon song "Roll with the Changes" is playing so, they paid some money for this. (cool) Henry and June have to find some way to keep the show going so Henry does a magic act which makes the audience not happy. Mr. Foot driving the car becomes a show interrupting news break and Stockdale tells them they've been replaced with static. (I like that show) The Olsen Twins show up, along with Al Roker, Steve Austin and The Undertaker, which makes the show great and work for them,
I'd watch this sitcom/ Copyright Paramount
They remembered the running gag from the original series where Mr. Foot and Henry sometimes would get into a fight.
There's an aura to this shot/ Copyright Paramount
The second half is called "Be True to Your School" was written by Robert Mittenthal and Michael Rubiner . It takes place after the results of the first segment. Instead of being focused on them doing hosting stuff, it's like what do Henry and June do on their off time? It has the time to do a Henry forgot his pants joke. Then they go to school, which is weird to see them at school, but alright. Junes wants to know if anyone watched the show and she finds out these two girls did not they watched a 30 minute show about James Van Der Beek. (Ah 90's) That makes June angry and she ends up hitting a wall. Meanwhile, Henry tries to impress his teacher with a head shot but that doesn't work.
It is kind of funny, you'd think that there would be more impressed about two kids in their school having their own show. There is a kid who was impressed though, like one. The boy, Ryan, is surprised they are still there because there's a school of kids who are in show business. We get a fun musical number. I like how it fits, even though it's so random, it works two ways.
They are stealing my soul! / Copyright Paramount
Henry and June seem to have a little struggle at this school, Taking us to fancy lunchtime, and they end up sitting with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, along with Tara Lipinski, and Zac Hanson (the youngest of the three Hanson brothers for the uncultured) and Madonna's then baby Lordes. (She's not a baby now, so that's why it's then baby) Which is random and 90's. This part is funny because when June says something the Olsen's grab on that and start to sing about being first day. Henry says something about that song being great and Zac starts to sing about everyone being great, using a knock of score that sounds like MMMBop. (duh) Then after asking for the salt, Lipinksi starts to sing about passing the salt and it turns into a whole musical number where everyone else starts to sing , Henry and June get weirded out and sneak out during the song.
They chose to go back to normal school and see Ryan again who wants a souvenir of their blood. (What?) The theme credits use the REO Speedwagon song,
So this special is very lean heavy in to then current time pop-culture which both gives it an edge compared to other Nicktoons, but also kind of loses it's appeal with time meaning it sacrifices a timelessness to it to fit a current space. Henry and June are fun characters though, and there was some potential for them to have their own series. This special tries to give us two different things a series could have done, the first half focused on them working on a show. It's the closer to "KaBlam!" it could be, much of the behind the scenes and show hosting antics they did on that show works here as well. It felt like different segments mushed, but still making sense. There was some potential there. The 2nd half is interesting, would be nice to see what these two characters' lives are like outside of doing TV.
It's kind of a messy show, lots of chaos, but kind of fits the nature of Henry and June which did always embrace being a cartoon and doing odd things and high energy. It's not the strongest of specials though, but it does feel like a longer pitch for what could be a series than a special that could also be the first episode. It's not bad, and it was fun, but there are parts that might not work. I liked it having fun though, the jokes in the 2nd half about musicals and stuff worked well.
It is is kind of strange how things from "KaBlam!" mostly didn't take off in other spaces at all. Most of the short series in the show didn't get their own things. "Action League Now!" really doesn't count that was just Nickelodeon reusing the shorts the only thing that really got anything more than a special or something was Angela Anaconda. "Welcome to her very own Show" everything else mostly just drifted away. Nickelodeon's usage of Henry and June eventually withered too, Spongebob later took their role as hosting the summer block, and the network, doesn't really bring up "KaBlam!" or at the very least these two characters anymore.
That's it for now, tune in next time, when Nickelodeon brings back Henry and June as a live-action show.
This is from the Kablam episode "Best of Both Worlds" not from the H&J show.
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