What was the Star Wars Cartoon with C3-PO?

Star Wars Droids:

The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO was a 1985 animated television series that spun off the original Star Wars trilogy. It revolved around the escapades of the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO between the Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The series was created by Nelvana on behalf of Lucasfilm and was broadcasted on ABC as part of The Ewoks and Droids Adventure Hour. The series ran for a single season of 13 half-hour episodes, a one-hour special being the finale.

The opening song, "In Trouble Again," was performed by the Police's Stewart Copeland. Throughout their journeys, the droids come across a variety of different masters. Boba Fett and IG-88, two characters from the original trilogy, each appeared in one episode. Since then, the animated series has become a cult classic.

The Story:

This story chronicles the escapades of R2-D2 and C-3PO, who frequently find themselves up against criminals, buccaneers, bounty hunters, the Galactic Empire, and other potential risks. As they have numerous adventures, the droids often switch between different owners and experience challenging circumstances. Concerning the Star Wars franchise, the series was set four years after the Revenge of the Sith and fifteen years before A New Hope. In the last movie, C-3PO informs Luke Skywalker that he and R2-D2's "last master was Captain Antilles." Bail Organa had entrusted the Antilles with the droids at the close of Revenge of the Sith, thus forming a possible inconsistency. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that the droids had been unintentionally separated from the Antilles during the events of the animated series.

Throughout the series, the droids are joined by three different sets of owners. The show can be divided into three parts; the droids typically meet their new masters at the start of each arc and, eventually, have to go their way. The Great Heep, a 48-minute television special following the series, is set before the last arc. Syndication: Nelvana, a Canadian firm, was responsible for making the series, and Ben Burtt, a sound designer for the Star Wars franchise, wrote some of the episodes. The Korean business Hanho Heung-Up Co. was hired to create the animation for the show.

The BBC acquired the rights to air the series throughout the UK between 1986 and 1991 as part of the Children's BBC programming module. This series was shown twice over the five years (1986 and 1988) to match the full release of the Star Wars trilogy and Droids on VHS. The Great Heep was broadcasted in 1989 on BBC's Going Live!, a Saturday morning children's program divided into two parts over two weeks.

Droids Opening Theme Song:

Stewart Copeland of The Police made the show's theme song, "In Trouble Again," which he wrote alongside Derek Holt. The show aired on ABC in 1985 as part of a two-part special presented by Tony Danza, which also included live-action segments featuring the droids. Unfortunately, it only ran for one season of 13 half-hour episodes, with an extended episode serving as the finale. A few years later, in 1996, the Droids and Ewoks were re-aired on Cartoon Quest on the Sci-Fi Channel.

In the United Kingdom, this series and Ewoks were given away on VHS as part of a promotion with Dairylea Cheese. People who sent empty Cheese packages would receive one of 6 VHS tapes as a reward. These tapes are now considered valuable by collectors.

John Romita, Sr. illustrated four issues and created the covers for issue #5 of Marvel's Star Comics imprint's Star Wars: Droids comic series, which was spun off from the cartoon. The bi-monthly series ran for eight issues. The story of "Lost in Time" from Droids #4 was continued in an Ewoks issue. The last three points narrated the first Star Wars movie from the droids' perspective. Additionally, Spanish comics publisher Editorial Gepsa released two-page Droids comic books as part of an anthology.

Star Wars Droids Toys:

In 1985, Kenner developed a range of merchandise for the series, like action figures, ship models, and more. Boba Fett and A-wing Pilot were two of the original Star Wars action figures reprinted for the collection. However, the toy line was discontinued after the first 12 figures as its popularity decreased. Later in 1987 and 1988, Glasslite of Brazil took over the leftover Kenner products and produced a minor batch of Return of the Jedi and Droids products in new packaging. Additionally, the company developed a unique figure, Vlix (Tig Fromm's sidekick), from new molds created by Kenner. 

Unfortunately, most of the Glasslite items were recycled because of a challenging financial situation in the country at the time. Vlix was the most valuable Star Wars action figure (at about $6,000 carded or $1,200 loose) until a Fett figure sold for £69,000 ($USD 92,000) at an auction.

To commemorate Lucasfilm's 50th anniversary in 2021, Hasbro launched a Target-exclusive set of action figures that revolved around the series and featured the iconic droid duo and Boba Fett. Moreover, Fett was also released as a Black Series figure, making him even more prominent.

The show attempts a very kid-friendly take on that galaxy far away. Although it doesn't always hit the mark,  it is a must-see for any Star Wars Fan.

Cheers,

Hophead Jon

(a genuine human)