"Monkey Fun" is the 13th episode of the second season of Superman: The Animated Series, and the 26th of the overall series. It depicts the appearance of Titano, a monkey that Lois knew in her childhood. After two decades of being dormant out in space, Titano is brought back to earth. However, due to the effects of a strange gas, Titano suddenly starts to grow. Though not at all malevolent in his actions, Titano is still massively destructive and Superman must find a way to defeat him.
Plot[]
Twenty years ago, Lois and Lucy Lane would play with a young chimp by the name of Titano. They also played with a stuffed monkey called "Beppo" that would play the song "Pop! Goes the Weasel" when squeezed. Unfortunately, this was not to last. Titano was taken by members of the military and sent out into space. In spite of all reassurances, Lois was fearful that something would go wrong. Her fears were confirmed as the rocket was lost in space.
In the present day, Superman is out in space and ready to destroy a meteor storm heading towards a space station. He punches one of the meteors which unexpectedly causes a chain reaction that causes all of them to start to explode. A strange blue aura surrounds all of the meteors, but Superman doesn't seem to notice. What he does notice, however, is a ship lodged into a large meteor. He flies to it and frees the capsule, and discovers that inside the capsule is Titano, alive and well.
Titano is returned to Earth but is unresponsive to everyone. Professor Hamilton mentions to Clark Kent that Titano is twice as heavy now as when they launched him, but no explanation is apparent just as how he is possibly still alive after so long. Lois walks in and speaks with Titano, identifying herself and he finally becomes responsive. In spite of Lois's initial protests, Titano is sent home with her where he immediately makes a mess. Now realizing that having apes indoors was easier when her mother was the one cleaning, Lois sits down to rest her eyes and doesn't notice that Titano suddenly has a growth spurt.
Later, Jimmy comes by to take pictures of Titano. Seeing an opportunity to get out of the apartment for a while having been inside with the ape the entire time, Lois asks him to look out for Titano for an hour or two while he gets his photos and leaves him there. However, Titano starts growing, which Jimmy quickly notices.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Superman learns that there was gas in the meteors, which may be why Titano had been kept in a suspended state. Just then, there is a scream. Superman and Hamilton investigate and notice some blob like creatures attacking the personnel. He fights them and Hamilton finally manages to freeze them with a fire extinguisher. Hamilton then explains that they are bacteria trapped inside the jars holding the meteor gas samples, they have grown to human size through exposure to Earth's atmosphere. At the same time, both Superman and Hamilton realize the implications of Titano's exposure.
Jimmy is having a hard time with Titano who is now about seven feet tall and massively unsettled. He calls for Lois to return and frantically searches for a way out. He nearly gets out the front door, but Titano throws Lois' refrigerator at him. Titano grows again this time reaching a height of about twenty feet and Jimmy runs out to the apartment balcony, where he slips on a banana peel and goes over the side. Fortunately, Superman manages to save him. However, when they return to the apartment Titano is gone, having smashed through the wall that had the balcony entranceway. Lois returns right after to witness the horror of what's left of her home.
Titano sets his fellow primates free.
Out in the city, Titano, now about fifty feet in height, decides to make a visit to the zoo and frees his fellow monkeys. The monkeys run amok and one of them accidentally opens the lion cage. A pair of lions make a dash at some kids, but Superman traps them in another cage. Titano continues his trip through the city and finds a shipment of bananas at the dock. Bibbo is not pleased with the mess the giant chimp causes and slaps Titano with a newspaper while calling him "Bad monkey". Of course, this only annoys Titano, and he throws Bibbo into a garbage barge. The SCU comes shortly afterward and hit Titano with tranquilizer darts but they only make him angry. Superman confronts Titano but even he can't beat him. Titano makes his escape by jumping into the harbor. Fortunately, Sam Lane calls up Lois and says he has something that can calm Titano.
Meanwhile, Titano climbs out of the water at an amusement park but becomes frightened when he sees a rocket ship ride which reminds him of the ship he launched in. He backs away and accidently knocks a woman out of a parachute ride. Superman saves her but has to save some people on the roller coaster from a curious Titano. Superman and Titano continue to fight. The SCU arrives, but their plan to use sleeping gas dropped from helicopters will not work as long as he won't stay still in one spot. Lois tries to use Beppo on Titano but it's not loud enough. Superman is distracted by Lois and gets hit into a booth full of toy monkeys. Unfortunately, Beppo is lost amongst the similar-looking monkeys.
Titano safe and happy in his new home.
While Lois and Jimmy frantically search for Beppo, Superman goes after Titano who has grabbed up a Ferris wheel. Lois finally finds Beppo and plays his song over the park's loudspeaker system. Titano is calmed by the music and the SCU sends in the helicopters.
Titano is taken to a tropical island where he can live happily with other monkeys and protect them from predators. S.T.A.R. Labs has stopped Titano's growth spurts and though Lois has to say goodbye to him again, she isn't heartbroken. As a memento, Titano has Beppo hanging from a stout chain as a necklace.
Continuity[]
- Only appearances of Sam Lane and Lucy Lane. Both would be mentioned by Lois in later episodes; "Mxyzpixilated" and "Legacy", respectively.
- This episode puts Lois' age at 28 years.
Background information[]
Home video releases[]
- Superman: The Animated Series, Volume Two (DVD)
- Superman: The Complete Animated Series (DVD)
- Superman: The Complete Animated Series (Blu-ray)
Production inconsistencies[]
- In the scene where a family is watching the monkeys in the Metropolis Zoo, the father's eyes are out of alignment - one pupil is looking up, the other looking down.
- When Titano starts to rip the Ferris wheel off, none of the people are seen on the carriers.
- The carriers that the people exit out of are a lot bigger than previously shown.
Trivia[]
- The name "Beppo" (the toy monkey's name) is the name of the Super Monkey from the early Silver Age Superman comics.
- The space station threatened by the meteor shower resembles the first Justice League satellite.
- The episode features Pat Musick and her daughter, Mae Whitman, who would often accompany her to work and became a voice actress herself at a young age.
- Two of the kids in the zoo threatened by the lions resemble Bobby and Sarita Felix.
Cast[]
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Tim Daly | Superman/Clark Kent |
| Dana Delany | Lois Lane |
| David Kaufman | Jimmy Olsen |
| Brad Garrett | Bibbo |
| Victor Brandt | Professor Hamilton |
| Joanna Cassidy | Maggie Sawyer |
| Joseph Bologna | Dan Turpin General (uncredited) |
| Frank Welker | Scientist Titano (uncredited) Mission control tech (uncredited) |
| Dean Jones | Colonel Sam Lane |
| Pat Musick | Mother Scientist (uncredited) |
| Mae Whitman | Young Lois |
| Aria Curzon | Young Lucy Lane |
| Vinnie Paul | Boy |
Quotes[]
Colonel Lane: Lois, it's time. |
Lois: Titano! Remember me? Lolo? |
Lois: No, Titano, put down that vase! Give me back the remote! Come down from there!!!! (to herself) Sure was easier to have a monkey in a house where mom did the cleaning... |
Lois: Er, Jimmy, think you could keep an eye on him for a hour or two? |
Bibbo: All right, Cheetah, you asked for it. (slaps giant Titano with a newspaper) Bad monkey! Bad, bad monkey! |
Maggie Sawyer: Criminals, madmen and aliens we can handle, but this? |
(Jimmy and Lois are looking for Beppo) |