Lazer Tag Academy

"Lazer Tag Academy" was an animated series inspired by Worlds of Wonder's Lazer Tag (their branded version of the pursuit game referred to generically as "laser tag").

ynposis

The premise of the show is Jamie Jaren traveled back in time from the year 3010 to the 1980s to help her ancestors, teenagers Tom and Beth and toddler Nicky.

The kids needed protection from another futuristic being, an evil relative of Jamie's named Draxon Drear, who led a group of genetically engineered werewolf-like beings called Skuggs whose spaceship had crashed into the Atlantic Ocean at some point in the past, but they were unwittingly awakened from suspended animation in the '80s by Professor Olanga.

The bad guys had traveled back in time to destroy Beth because she would eventually create the Starlyte gun and Starsensor (two real-life Lazer Tag products) worn by Jamie. These machines enabled Jamie to stun others and move items around, which came in handy in the many battle scenes featured on the series.

Beth and Tom's parents, Andrew and Genna Jaren, were mostly ignorant to the battles with the werewolf like beings and believed Jamie was a foreign exchange student.

Production

The series was produced by Ruby-Spears Productions, and aired on NBC from 1986-1987. At the same time, another laser tag related series, DiC's live-action "Photon" series aired the same year in syndication.

Cast

*Booker Bradshaw ... Draxon Drear
*Pat Fraley ... Charlie Ferguson / Skugs
*Noelle Harling ... Jamie Jaren
*Billy Jayne ... Tom Jaren
*Christina MacGregor ... Beth Jaren
*Tress MacNeille ... Mrs. Jaren
*Sid McCoy ... Prof. Olanga
*Frank Welker ... Mr. Jaren / Skuggs / Ralphie
*R.J. Williams ... Nicky Jaren

yndication

"Lazer Tag Academy" was later rerun in syndication under the name "Laser Patrol". This version was also shown briefly on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Trivia

*The plot device in which the Draxon Drear goes to destroy Beth whom develops the Lazer Tag gear seems to mirror the plot of The Terminator in terms of the main antagonist is sent from the future to the present to kill someone that is of future importance.

External links

*imdb title|id=0361197|title=Lazer Tag Academy
*tv.com show|id=24310|title=Lazer Tag Academy
* [http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/9746/lazertag/lazertagmain.html The Lazer Tag Academy Main Page]