Sealab 2021

About Sealab 2021

'Sealab 2021' is an American adult animated television series, a parody of 1972's Sealab 2020, created by Adam Reed and Matt Thompson, and produced by Williams Street for Cartoon Network's late-night programming block, Adult Swim. The show is set in the year 2021 and revolves around a dysfunctional crew of a naval research station, Sealab, located on the ocean floor, and their ridiculous escapades. It's a potent mix of witty dialogues, absurdity, with occasional glimpses into serious issues like environmental protection, responsibility, and teamwork.

Making / Production

Following the style of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, the show reuses original footage from Sealab 2020, and superimposes its new comedy dialogue to create a completely unique premise. It uses recycled frames and gets creative with out-of-context animation, making it a distinguished specimen of surreal humor.

Actors

• Harry Goz as Captain Murphy - His distinguished voice lent character to the madcap captain, often delivering his lines with a perfect blend of seriousness and absurdity.
• Erik Estrada as Marco Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar Gabriel Garcia Marquez - His performance as the vain, smooth-talking, self-absorbed Marco perfectly fits the character's portrayal.
• Bill Lobley as Sparks - His voice acting for the conniving radio operator brought authenticity to the show’s overall ridiculousness.
• Kate Miller as Debbie DuPree - Brilliantly voiced as a fickle scientist.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The theme music of Sealab 2021 is the reorchestrated version of 'Sealab 2020' to be more in tune with the series' light and funky tone.
• The main characters in the series gain new personalities, differing significantly from their 1972 counterparts.
• Sealab 2021 often parodies the trope of the authority figure running amok, focusing largely on Captain Murphy's unpredictable leadership.

Awards

While Sealab 2021 hasn't won major awards, its popularity and critical appeal led to other successes for Adam Reed and Matt Thompson, who later created the award-winning series Archer.

Quotes

• "Oh, if I only had a pair of bongos..." - Captain Murphy
• "Yeah, well... that's like your... opinion, man." - Sparks
• "Dear God, I'm surrounded by idiots!" - Marco

Music, Soundtrack

• The layering of a groovy beat on the original 70's style soundtrack, composed by Calamine, provides an edgy mood for the series.
• Eccentric and goofy sound effects accompany each character’s idiosyncrasies, which further enhances the comedic touch.