Shazam!

The live-action adventures of Captain Marvel! By uttering a single magic word young Billy Batson transforms himself into the world's mightiest mortal, Captain Marvel. The acronym of the first letters of the names of the six elders who train Billy with their respective special gifts: Solomon, wisdom; Hercules, strength; Atlas, stamina; Zeus, power; Achilles, courage; and Mercury, speed, in a word ... SHAZAM!

Shazam! (1974-1976) is an American live-action superhero series produced by Filmation Associates and Warner Bros. Television for CBS, adapted from the DC comic book character. Michael Gray plays Billy Batson, a young boy who speaks a single magic word and becomes the grown-up Captain Marvel, played in most episodes by Jackson Bostwick and in others by John Davey. Les Tremayne voices and appears as the Mentor, the wise guardian who oversees Billy's training. Across three seasons and twenty-eight episodes of roughly twenty-two minutes each, the series follows a gentle engine: Billy must use his borrowed strength, wisdom, speed and courage to help people in trouble and to keep his powers a secret. Each episode is largely self-contained, built around a rescue or a moral test that shows how the six mythic mentors shape the hero. Set in a contemporary American city, the show feels like a wholesome seventies Saturday morning adventure, bright and earnest, with a warm family register. Its mythic framing draws on Greek legend. Fans of The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys will find a similar mix of superhero spectacle, classical myth and gentle family adventure.

• The Incredible Hulklive action superhero adventure, family friendly tone, seventies television serial
• Wonder Womanlighthearted superhero fantasy with a secret identity and magical transformation
• Hercules: The Legendary Journeysmythological figures granting powers to a mortal youth, wholesome fantasy adventure

Release Date

1974-09-07

Episode runtime

22 min

Rating

6.5 / 10 (27)

What is Shazam! about?

A teenage orphan who speaks one magic word becomes the adult superhero Captain Marvel, trained by six mythic mentors.

What is Shazam! like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Shazam! as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Shazam! violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Shazam!.

Which shows are like Shazam!?

Shows with a similar feel include The Incredible Hulk, Wonder Woman, and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

How long is Shazam!?

Shazam!: 3 seasons, 28 episodes.

Is Shazam! still running?

No, Shazam! has ended.

Where can I watch Shazam!?

In United States, Shazam! is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home.