User reviews

Love this cartoon, and like most cartoons from the 1980s, it was a great one. It follows the adventures of Jerrica Benton, who lives a double life as the musical sensation, Jem, and her friends/band mates,the Holograms. On their heels, are the rival band, the Misfits, and their sleazeball manager Eric Raymond, who are obsessed with ruining Jem & the holograms. It has a good number of other characters, such as Rio, Jerrica's/Jem's boyfriend, and during the last season, the other rival band, The Stingers. Also this cartoon taught great life lessons, along with entertaining the viewers. I know a lot of people like to complain that it's villains did get away with committing crimes, but it's a cartoon, let's just have fun folks. Great cartoon, I loved it as a kid back in the '80s, and still love it today, as an adult. It's a shame they don't make cartoons like this anymore.

I am a 49 year old guy who likes auto racing shows, science shows and murder mysteries. Never watched Jem when it was new. But I do like certain cartoons, it's a weakness ;)

Jem is of course unrealistic and a bit sappy at times.

But, I figured out, the good episodes I have seen were written by Christy Marx, especially the very first ones. They are sometimes a bit soap opera like, but I think she's good at the emotional sort of stuff.

The Starlight house regulars do touch at one's heart strings a bit. And when they forget to include them, the episodes are less appealing to me ( I think that was one of Christy Marx good ideas to have them.)

The bad parts - the main male characters are no good. Rio is bipolar or something. One episode he has almost nothing to say and the next he's having some emotional breakdown. Perhaps we are supposed to think he's messed up due to his dual Jerica/Jem love, but that gets old. Eric is an idiot. If they made him clever, it would be more interesting. I realize this is primarily a kid's show, but kids are far smarter than this show gives them credit.

The music is dull IMO. I love new wave, and would have liked to hear more of the new wave thing on this show. Better synthesizers, electronic drums...something. Some of the problem I hear are overly blended mixes where nothing stands out. I think they also went for quantity over quality and felt they needed 3 music videos per show. I ffwd through most of them.

I think this show has more female than male appeal as they are often more in touch with their emotions ( stereotype, but true in my experience.)

Anyway, it's been on re-runs, and I have tivo'd them, and I have enjoyed some of the shows enough to give this 6/10. I can see why people liked the show, as it has the whole feel good thing and the good guys win and the buy guys don't.

My cousin loved it when she was a little girl having had a tough childhood. I took her under my wing in a way as I was 17 years older. When ever she was in town we'd spend as much time as possible together. My Aunt (actually her grandmother) didn't want her to watch the show because it "promoted fame too much" but of course she had never watched it and only heard the theme song. My little cousin loved it so I checked it out and started taping them for her so she could watch it. My Aunt trusted me implicitly so never questioned what I gave her on the tapes. When it went off the air, she was devastated. I contacted the company that produced the novelties and they were kind enough to send her all sorts of merchandise, some "signed" by Jem which made her very happy. I just found out that Walmart has it on DVD. I watched the whole thing and now I understand certain things my cousin did, said or related to when she was a kid. She grew up to make me proud. She has 3 beautiful kids and is a Therapist. If you're interested in a unique cartoon series with the basis of compassion, kindness and more, it would be as relevant now as it was when it was on TV. Preteens and young adolescents would appreciate it. There may have to be some minimal things related to history perhaps that may need explaining but other than that, Go to Walmart on line! It may be on Amazon but I haven't checked.

If you're an 80s child like me, Jem played a big part in being a kid. Jem had it all; action, adventure, romance, and best of all, music videos to sing along to and pretend you're a rock star!-(the dolls even came with a music tape which featured these songs. Jem totally kicked Barbie's butt!!!). Jem and the Holograms, The Misfits, The Stingers could well have been real 80s bands on their own; they had catchy songs, big hair and a glam/punk sense of style. Tuning in every episode was an absolute must. Jem was the perfect cartoon for the MTV era (another 80s cartoon Kid Video had some cool tunes too). Unfortunately, the show was cancelled in 1988, and we never got to see if Jerrica told Rio the truth about her secret identity!

I will never forget the thrill and sheer happiness this show brought into my life. It was a constant topic of conversation for me and my friends and it even turned me into the music fan I am today. It would be great to see Jem on TV again someday or on DVD (who knows), to bring back some of that great 80s nostalgia...Jem will always be truly outrageous!!!

Where did Jem go? Why did the last show end so oddly? Why was this the greatest show I almost didn't get to see, being that it came out 2 years before I was born and ended 1 year after my birth. Jem had it all:singing, quarrels, suspense, mystery, magic, and love. Heartwarming and magical for it's generation; and would still be for the new generations if it was able to be seen once again on television. Jem is the type of show that u would never have missed an episode, and if u did....someone would have recorded it for you. They have released the show on DVD though and it should be available someplace near you. I am unable to give anything away because if u really want to know, then go get your hands on the (now to DVD) series.

Jem was the best cartoon ever!!! I loved that fact that Jerrica Benton's Father had created Synergy as a reflection of her mother. Jem loses her mom prior to her mother boarding a plane...they had a misunderstanding earlier... Rio is attracted to JEM, he does not realize that they are the same person. I did the JEM personality test online with the different characters: Jem matched mine, Roxy matched me for the Misfits, and Rapture from the Stingers I still remember the songs...I used to collect them. I had Glitter n Gold Jem, the books (still around somewhere), I got JEM soap and lotion for my 10th birthday. This was more than are cartoon...it was about human relations. I remember I was ''Aaja" for Halloween one year because we could not find a pink wig! IF anyone is interested they do sell DVDs at HMV... They do not make cartoons like this anymore. Every show had at least three songs, and there was continuity in the story line. Though there were three groups: Jem and the Holograms, The Misfits, and The Stingers they all contain qualities one can relate too. Jerrica felt guilt for being angry and she never gets over that, JEM is really and aspect of her but she needs SYNERGY to become her...(she needed that strength from her mother)...there is so much more to say about this show. "Showtime Synergy" www.jemunlimited.com

I'm was a kid from the 80's and one of the best things about the decade was the music, there were just so many memorable tunes for me in this decade that I can still play again to this day, just like this show. This is another childhood relic of mine, I'll confess I'm a guy and I'm a Jem fan, I'm not ashamed to admit that, I thought it was kinda cool. Seeing it now, it's actually kinda silly which makes it a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine but there's nothing wrong with that.

The story isn't anything really special, it's the kind of format you'd see in any sports or music film where it's some up and coming underdog team that is struggling to survive and get to the top. And there is tons of melodrama which makes the cartoon sort of an animated soap opera, from certain absurd twists and snafus, or even love dynamics that get twisty and turnny. Strangely this melodrama I actually found enjoyable because of it's absurdity.

And the characters are actually pretty good, there not entirely three dimensional but it's an 80's cartoon what do you expect. However I do like that there is a certain amount of depth given to them to at times make us actually care about what their going though and what it's going to lead to. Jerica/Jem is solid, she's the typical struggling sweet heroine, selfless, independent, persona wise she's a bit bland but in a good way. Her niche is her hologram ability where some supercomputer gives her the power to change her hairstyle and look so she wouldn't be recognized. Why the hell Rio can't put two and two together that both Jerica and Jem are the same person is anyone's guess, if I were in his position I would be able to tell it's Jenica from her voice, face and eyes. There is a slight romance dynamic with both Rio and Jerica/Jem is decent. And I thought it was interesting for it's time, where for once animated girl and boy would genuinely interact and even kiss, while most animated shows at the time the girl and boy would never kiss which I always found weird.

Though my favorite character of the Holograms is Kimber. She's a fun character, she was feisty, energetic, a little fire, despite naive her heart was always in the right place and held a certain amount of loyalty to her sister Jem.

The Misfits are fun rivals, personally I found them to be the most interesting and fun. My favorite one was always Stormer, whom to me is interesting and I'll admit as a kid had a bit of a crush on her (I said I was a kid). Because she never really seemed like a bad guy she actually was kinda sweet, just a person that I felt was playing for the wrong team or influenced by the wrong people. But also there was this mystery to her, in episodes she kinda can surprise you because she does something that is contrary to the Misfits sometimes.

However it's really not the story that drive the show so much it's really more by it's nature style over toping substance, and this show has lots of style. It really is a product of it's time as it really tackles the 80's customs of music, fashion, and "MTV" when it was still actually good.

I really like the animation, it's the same kinda from some of the other Hasbro properties like "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" but I'm fine with that I wouldn't want it any other way, I still think it's very good to this day. I mainly like the character designs, for both the Holygrams and the Misfits that are don't know a light way to put it, well sculpted. As well as the wardrobe they wear which is bright and reflects the 80's decade.

And the highlight no doubt is the music, most of the songs I think are memorable, and I remember as a kid I danced to some of them which is cool which is a rare thing in animation. Even like the music video sequences that I think are colorful and fit well with the songs, seeing them really makes me miss the creative aspect of music videos which seem to be few far between now. My absolute favorite is "Starlight" I just thought was beautiful despite kinda sad. And lets not forget the original theme song which is one of my personal favorite theme songs, it's just a lot of fun and full of energy which perfectly reflects the show.

It's true it's not perfect, there are a lot of inconsistencies that are easy to spot as much as a movie on "MST 3000", though in a strange way as I said that I feel ads to it's charm so I can't complain too much. The character Rio sometimes doesn't always make sense for me, at times he's a good guy to bet on but then sometimes he acts like a jerk for no good reason which just comes out of left field. I don't think this is the fault of the character but in the writing. Season 3 I thought was a weak point, I wouldn't say it was terrible but it wasn't great, it was too much about "The Stingers" I really didn't care about them.

And the show had no real conclusion, which is a shame would've loved to of seen what would of happened as the characters get older the lives of all start to change, each started to go their own way and decide to end their carriers on a high note which is what Season 3 should've been but oh well.

Overall Jem is a fun show, that has lots of synergy to make it truly outrageous.

Rating: 3 and a half stars

Unfortunately I was unable to watch Jem on T.V. but I did watch the show on VHS. I loved this show as a kid. It has everything: a lesson in every episode, mini music videos, and great role models for kids. It was also one of the few cartoons that changed the outfits for the characters. The only problem I have with Jem is how completely unbelievable it is. Of course, I didn't realize it as a child but when you watch the first episode it is so illogical. Jerica's father supposedly owned a record company, housed a bunch of young female orphans and also created a holographic computer named Synergy that is way before its time. Who is this man?

Well, I may not be a child of the 80's,(born in 1991)but I just adore this cartoon very much, no matter what era your from the 80's, 90's whatever. I love this show and I was born in the early 90's. It's just so addictive to watch. The Music, the fashion and the glammer. But, the band that used to drive my bands were 'The Misfits' and the bands lead singer, Pizazz. And believe or not, her hissy fits would drive me crazy and were as bad as mine when I was little!lol

It's... IT'S JUSTTRULY OUTRAGEOUS!

Buy the DVD set in store's today or if your lucky enough, you might find the dolls sets too! JEM FOREVER!!!

The 1980s had some really good cartoons: "Biskitts"..."My Little Pony"..."Tailspin"...unfortunately,"Jem" was not amongst them."Jem" suffers from cheap animation,no plots,and horrible singing that sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard. "Jem" was even guilty of jumping onto the morals bandwagon;while cartoons like "She-Ra" actually gave good morals,"Jem" simply plagiarized the morals that other cartoons featured and made complete messes of the morals by changing words around. "Jem" even tried to impress people by jumping onto the anti-drug bandwagon and tried to act smart by showing an anti-drug episode.The result? A badly made episode that was rushed and had stolen ideas from other anti-drug cartoons and skewed those ideas.In fact,ALL the episodes were rushed and had no plots(anyone remember the migraine inducing episode that had a bunch of untalented jazz artists?).

Celebrities were cruelly mocked and disgraced on this series;great celebrities like Stevie Wonder,Mick Jagger,Tina Turner and even Joan Rivers were made to look absolutely foolish on the series.And not once did the show's staff publicly apologize to these celebrities for embarrassing them on TV. Did this show REALLY need to drag on and on for 3-4 whole seasons? No. The air time that was wasted on "Jem" could've been used to show cartoon classics like "Woody Woodpecker","Pink Panther" or "Looney Toons".

The hair colors and makeup made peoples' eyes bleed;it is obvious the creators of this show decided to give the characters anime hair colors for who knows what odd reason.I really hate to say this,but watching" Billy and Mandy" is 100 times better than watching "Jem".

So,if you want to watch a great video or DVD,do NOT waste your money on "Jem". Get "Bugs Bunny" or "Simpsons" instead.

I feel sorry for kids nowadays,coz' they never had the chance to watch Jem! on tv like we did('we' as in those who consider themselves as the 'children of the 80s').Jem! was THE coolest cartoon show back in the 80's.Well,sure,the characters didn't have super powers like the PowerPuff Girls,or belong in a funny,superficial family like 'The Simpsons',but heck,they had CLASS!The cartoon evolves around rock bands,their rivals and of course,the music scene!Jem was such a hit,she became an icon,a role model for girls and boys alike!Jem has taught me a lot when i was kid,and up until now,she still manages to bring out the best in me!Jem rules!!!

This show is amazing i love it so much. my favorite character would have to be Jem, she is so awesome. Seasons 1&2 have a lot better episodes than some from season 3(they are still awesome though). I have been dying to see those last episodes of the show, although i did not watch the show as a child i got into it this year and it is my favorite show in the whole world. The songs are so catchy and there good ones to just get u happy i think there is very few songs that are not very good.my favorite song would have to be Broadway magic.If season 3 part 2 never comes out i have to say that would be pretty disappointing.... Any chance of season 3 part 2 coming out anytime soon????

Great musical and that Jen chick is really hot for a cartoon character

Well...I loved this, at least as a child. I honestly haven't found a copy of this to watch as an adult...so I can't tell you if it stands the test of time like G.I. Joe does...or if it fails to hold the love like Brave Starr did.

But, I do remember thinking that this was MTV for kids. Or at least it was what the cool kids watched. It was part New Wave and part children's adventure cartoon. So, it sort of gets the love from two ways.

And even my father described it as "The Runaways meets Kiss." which was a little before my time as a child...but everyone loves The Runaways so he couldn't have meant it in a bad way.

I saw Jem for the first time on video last night and could not believe all the positive messages it contained. Kids need more of this now more than ever. Also, I really enjoyed the artistic animation it contained. Favorite episode was when Jem and her friend Dance sacrificed a major award to help lost abused runaways. It was nice to see such morality existing such artistic, creative, and beautiful 80's Bohemian women at the same time. This is a show that is good for the whole family. Hope that it comes back to be viewed for today's kids. Recommended for the entire family. Also, recommended to teach kids values they need for today unlike all the "South Park" or "Beavis and Butthead" trash that's out there today. Go ahead and see it for yourself!! (I'm such a kid at heart!!)

Being a singer and musician now, one of the many reasons I became a singer and recording artist is because of JEM. I was about 5-8 years old during its airing and continued to watch til it was taken off of the air. I was a singer since I could talk, but watching Jem was mesmerizing for me. I wanted to be Jem. I wanted to look like her, dress like her, act like her, even have Pink hair like her. There aren't too many female-inspired cartoons out there, especially a cartoon about musicians. I thought her magical earrings were so cool, as well as her powers. Lots of great songs were recorded from the series and I would sing and dance to them regularly. I am so glad the show was released on dvd. I wish they bring it back for a more updated reboot. Wishful thinking. Jem = my childhood

This show had it all ! Great music, great characters, great stories and and great effects even for a cartoon. I don't know of a real recording manager could have really balanced being a singer, manager, foster mother and a private life, but this series made it look possible. Synergy, the Jem Earrings and the theoretical hologram technology was another thing that made the series a hit as Jerica never realized the full power of what she could do.The female characters did look a bit thin and anorexic, but they were made to look like the dolls the series endorsed. The characters mostly didn't have the animation of the G.I.JOE cartoon, but it more than made up with it with the lively music and cartoon videos. I loved Jem, even probably have dated Jerica or Kimber if they were real. The Misfits were the band you loved to hate. In real life, they might have been accused of using drugs or witchcraft. Eric Raymond was the only character I could live without; his role as the opportunistic and unethical business man became too far-fetched and unlikely as his stereotype became stretched and stretched. Eventually, he made J.R. Ewing look like Tony Nelson as a cowboy. All together, all these characters sometimes seemed like they really existed in another reality along with G.I.JOE and the Marvel and D.C. characters.Unfortunately,the series had reached it's end with the Stingers; their appearance just didn't fit the series. It was a sure sign the series was at an end. The only chance to see this again is the dream of a live-action movie with Jem played by her true-life counterpart, Britta Phillips.

Jem is such a classic and always will be! Although it is a children's cartoon there is something in this show for everyone, brilliant 80s music and classic story lines really are worth a watch.

If you ever get the chance to see it you won't regret it! It's a shame you can't get the videos any more (well you can't in England!) as they are brilliant! *****

I was a very shy, withdrawn teen in the 80's. I was constantly ridiculed and sometimes bullied. I would watch Jem to see what NICE cool young people were like. Jem & her band was the type of people I WISHED I could encounter. Yeah, I knew it was a cartoon, but it was full of the kinda things girls go through (and not the obvious things, either). In an era of HEMAN & TRANSFORMERS & THUNDER CATS, Jem was a wonderful girls' show. I liked being able to see social situations solved in positive, uplifting ways. I liked the wild makeup even more...they made it look elegant. They could wear wild stuff and still look girly, glamorous and cool. Yep...Jem's audience was bigger than you think. :D

This cartoon has it all. Mystery, adventure, music, glammer and glitter, and romance. If you have not seen Jem! You do not know what you are missing. This is the best cartoon ever made. It is about an all girl rock band. The band is called Jem and The Holograms. The show also has a wonderful doll and toy line that came out in the 80s.

Looking at the trash cartoons they have out nowadays like Pokemon, it makes me really miss this cartoon, and this was probably one of the only cartoons that was made especially for girls! And it was really good and Jem was such a great role model. The songs and the outfits were great! It got a little outrageous at times, (Jem actually won the Indy 500 once!), but hey since Barbie could do every career so why not Jem? I miss this show, it was truly a classic and I'm hoping for either reruns or maybe DVDs one day in the near future

In case some of you didn't know...The real reason that Jem was canceled (from what I hear) is that Transformers was airing at the same time on a different channel...however both stations were owned by the same company...at that time boy toys and cartoons were bigger than it was for girl stuff...Jem was giving the transformers too much competition and the company decided to cancel the girl's series!! WHAT A BUTT!!! anyway...I have the seasons on DVD and I laugh because its basically a Kid's Soap Opera..lol...the joke and things you understand once you become an adult...Just thought I would let you all know...I had too look for the series for years...I am 23 now (soon to be 24) and I have been looking for Jem since I was a teenager...my fav was the glitter and gold series!! I remember telling my grandmother that I wasn't going to school because the glitter and gold episode was coming on...of all the cartoons I watched as a child Jem is my all time favorite and I still remember all the songs!!!