Classic cartoon Wacky Races is rebooted

Classic 1960s animation Wacky Races has been rebooted by Turner Broadcasting.

The original Hanna-Barbera series, inspired by the 1965 film The Great Race, saw colourful duos in wild road rallies across the US, employing all kinds of weapons and tricks to win a car race. Amongst the racers were Dastardly and Muttley, Penelope Pitstop, the Slag Brothers and Professor Pat Pending. It ran for just 17 episodes but lived on in syndication.

A brand new version will revive several much-loved characters, and unveil new ones, on Boomerang in August.

Penelope Pitstop in the Compact Pussycat is the sassy Southern belle whose charm and intelligence make her a formidable racer, but most of the time she’s taking a detour to save the other racers.
Penelope’s best friend, Peter Perfect in the Turbo Terrific, has a big heart and an even bigger ego, which fuels his super positive “can-do” attitude. Meanwhile, in the Mean Machine, Dick Dastardly and his accomplice, Muttley, continue to stop at nothing to win the race by any means necessary. And if it’s bizarre, creepy, slimy or just plain weird, The Gruesome Twosome — Tiny and Bella — are either related to it or keep it in their “monster” truck, the Doombuggy.

Joining these familiar faces will be a whole new roster of racers ready to take to the track and race to strange and exotic locales around the world — and beyond! With new racers, new vehicles and spectacular new locations, Wacky Races is not just a tune-up, it’s a full-engine overhaul filled with fast-paced slapstick comedy, high-octane thrills and pure zany fun from start to finish.

Wacky Races premieres weekends from Saturday, August 5 at 9:25am.

Boomerang also announced animated series Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz, complete with “farm girl feistiness.”

Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz is an uplifting comedic fantasy based on the classic L. Frank Baum book series, and set soon after Dorothy and her friends have defeated the Wicked Witch of the West. Following the original story, Queen Ozma has appointed Dorothy the Princess of Emerald City and, practically born for the role, Dorothy tackles her royal duties with enthusiasm, bravery and farm girl feistiness.

It’s also a whole lot of responsibility, because Oz is pretty chaotic. There are Witches, Wizards, Munchkins, Flying Monkeys and a whole menagerie of mystical creatures. More often than not, magic falls into the wrong hands and that’s where Dorothy comes in! As Princess of Emerald City, Dorothy feels responsible to rein in the chaos. She loves to track down whichever magical person, place, or thing is causing mischief in Oz and put a stop to it. It’s not always easy: make a mistake in Kansas and it’s usually not a big deal; make a mistake in Oz and a Wicked Witch or two come after you.

Dorothy & the Wizard of Oz premieres weekdays on Boomerang from Monday, June 26 at 7:25am.