J.D. Roth Movies

This series turns the typical game show format on its head, by taking preparation out of the equation. The show's hosts show up at contestant's doors unannounced, to challenge them with quiz questions on the trickiest topic - their families. Under pressure not just to win the game but to prove themselves to their loved ones, competitors answer questions about their own households, hoping to win prizes that range from flat-screen TV's to cold hard cash. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

Executive produced by actor Ashton Kutcher and veteran game show emcee J.D. Roth, the hour-long WB network reality series Beauty and the Geek pretty much offered what its title promised. On each episode, a group of male geeks -- funny-looking creatures with extremely high IQs -- were paired with an equal number of beautiful, well-endowed young women. The series was described in its press release as a "pseudo-makeover" game, in which the beauties helped the geeks learn something about fashion, style, and romance, while the geeks taught the beauties the basics about math and science (the girls even had to build rockets!). And in typical "reality" fashion, one of the couples was eliminated at the end of each episode, presumably on the basis of their cluelessness in matters of "cool" and "intellect." Hosted by MTV's Bryan McFayden, Beauty and the Geek inaugurated its first WB season on June 1, 2005. For its second season, the series was briefly shown on multiple weeknights to make certain that everyone got a chance to see it at least once. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

One of six Saturday-morning programs comprising the Discovery Kids on NBC three-hour block, Endurance was a sanitized junior version of Survivor. Twenty youngsters, divided into teams of two, were cast away on a remote island bereft of adults. The kids were required to compete in a 12-level series of physical and mental challenges, with points awarded for "knowledge, athleticism, savvy, and team skills." Naturally, the number of contestants was reduced with each successive episode, until only two teams remained. Hosted by J.D. Roth and packaged by Three Ball Productions, Endurance made its NBC bow on October 5, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having sustained serious injuries in a rodeo accident, a comatose Race Bannon is rushed to Questworld to be revived. Unfortunately, the Quest team had reckoned without their old nemesis Jeremiah Surd, who caused the accident in the first place, and who intends to get even with his lifelong enemy, Race, now that the poor man is unconcious and helpless. Technically the 39th episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, "To Bardo and Back" is listed in most sources as the 26th and final episode of season one -- even though it was telecast on January 2, 1997, well into the series' second season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The old Hanna Barbera cartoon adventure series Jonny Quest was given a new coat of paint -- and infinitely better animation -- in this daily, half-hour cable-TV offering, co-produced by Japan's Pacific Animation and several Korean cartoon firms. The basic characters -- spunky teenager Jonny Quest, his scientist dad Benton Quest, his muscular teacher-guardian Race Bannon, his mystical best pal (and now adoptive brother) Hadji, and his little dog Bandit -- remained intact, as did the original series' globetrotting-adventurer premise. This time around, however, there was whole new cast of voiceover actors, including (during the first season, at least) J.D. Roth as Jonny and George Segal as his dad. Also, there was a typically '90s emphasis on computer technology; in fact, Dr. Quest was now described as a "computer genius," ready and willing to use the vast resources of his Quest Foundation, and the limitless opportunities afforded him by his new virtual-reality domain Questworld, to battle the forces of evil. The scripters also broadened the appeal of the series by adding a strong, positive female character, Jessie Bannon, the teenaged daughter of Race Bannon (whose estranged spouse Estella Velasquez also showed up on occasion). Premiering August 26, 1996 and running until April 16, 1997, the 52 episodes of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest were first-run simulatenously on three different Ted Turner-controlled cable services: TBS, TNT, and The Cartoon Network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Estella Scheele asks the Quest team (minus Jessie) to locate her missing grandfather, a famed ornithologist. The heroes are unaware that Estella actually hopes to locate the legendary "city of gold" El Dorado, and she doesn't care who perishes in the attempt. A startling finale caps this beautifully rendered episode. Bandit, Jonny Quest's faithful bulldog, makes his first Real Adventures of Jonny Quest appearance in "In the Realm of the Condor," which made its American TV debut on August 28, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In Tanzania, Quest team members Jonny, Jessie, and Hadji receive a summons from "beyond" to protect a pachyderm named Ndovu as it makes its final journey to the elephant's graveyard. En route, our heroes run afoul of poachers who intend to rob the sacred burial site of its rich ivory deposits. Parent alert: There are several deaths in this episode, though the actual violence is held to a minimum. "Ndovu's Last Journey" was first telecast on August 30, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Several ships have vanished without a trace in the Indian ocean, near Christie Island in the Republic of Seychelles. The Quest team investigates the phenomenon, hoping to disprove rumors of a huge sea monster in the region. Inevitably, however, both Jonny and Hadji find themselves in the grip of an enormous squid -- and at the mercy of the squid's human "masters." "East of Zanzibar" made its first cable-TV appearance on September 3, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although the villainous Ezekial Rage first appeared in "Rage's Burning Wheel," episode four of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, the character was introduced in the episode that ended up as the series' ninth telecast, the appropriately titled "Ezekial Rage." A horribly disfigured former government agent, Rage has been driven insane by the deaths of his family during a botched covert operation. Swearing vengeance against the entire "evil" world, Rage happens to be cooking up his latest scheme in the same location where the Quest team has arrived in search of a missing naturalist -- and a giant bat. "Ezekial Rage" originally aired on September 5, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide