Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad

Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad was a 1994 syndicated television series distributed by DiC Entertainment based on the Japanese television series Denkou Choujin Gridman produced by Tsuburaya Production. It was one of two alternatives to the extremely popular Power Rangers, which is based off of the Super Sentai Franchise (specifically , it first based itself off of Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger ) . The other was a short-lived show named Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills.

Matthew Lawrence starred as Sam "Servo" Collins, a teenager who was sucked into his computer when it was hit by a massive power surge, causing him to become the cyber-avatar Servo, a computer defense program designed to travel cyberspace fighting computer viruses. Lucky for him, Sam was able to transport back to the real world and soon gained the ability to travel back and forth between reality and cyberspace when necessary. To get into cyberspace, Sam uses an electric guitar attached to his computer which he strums to create a power surge similar to the one that sucked him into his computer the first time. If the guitar isn't available, he also has a wrist device that he can strike that serves the same purpose.

Tim Curry provided the voice of "Kilokahn," a military artificial intelligence program who unleashes computer viruses that are usually drawn by his human acquaintance, Malcolm Frink, to attack major computer systems. Malcolm Frink is a loner and goes to the same high school as Sam and only finds companionship with Kilokahn (even though Kilokahn derisively refers to him as "meat thing"). While Malcolm derives enjoyment from hurting other people with his computer viruses, Kilokahn wishes to take over the world with them, starting with the world's computer network.

Sam, as Servo, fights Malcolm's Mega Virus Monsters with the help of his Team Samurai Bandmates. Sam's friends, Tanker, the band's drummer and a stereotypical jock; Sydney "Syd" Forrester, a brainiac and a good singer and keyboard player; Amp Ere, the team's so-called space cadet and the band's bass player; and Lucky London, Amp's replacement, are also able to enter cyberspace to pilot their individual attack vehicles. These vehicles can transform and attach with Servo to upgrade Servo's offense and defense. Unfortunately, the show failed to attract audiences and was abrubtilly cancelled after only one season. However, ironically, this show was more popular than it's Japanese counterpart.

Transformation Commands

Sam - "Let's Samurize Guys!" (most times he proceeds to hit a single strum his guitar)

Tanker - "Let's Kick Some Giga-Butt!" (most times he would knock his drumsticks together when saying the phrase)

Sydney - "Pump Up The Power!"

Amp - different phrase every time, meant to be humorous (e.g. "Three For a Dollar!", "With a Cherry on Top!", "With a Side of Fries!", "Shake Well Before Using!", "Over the Lips, Past the Gums, Look Out Virus....Here We Comes!", etc.)

Lucky - "Surf's Up!"

Vehicles

Vitor: An attack jet armed with laser beams and a capture ring used to restrain monsters; it was first piloted by Amp and later by Lucky. On one occasion it was piloted by Sydney.
Tracto: A mini tank; its driver is Tanker.
Borr: A drill tank that can burrow underground; its driver is Sydney. Once it was piloted by Amp.
Zenon: A powerful humanoid robot created when Vitor, Tracto, and Borr combine. When it combines with Servo, they form Servo's upgrade, SYNCHRO, which is armed with a pair of shoulder drill missiles.
Jamb: A dragon head mini-jet which also acts as a bazooka type flame thrower, known as the Dragon Cannon, which is used by Servo. Its main pilot is Sydney.
Torb: A giant jet with various weaponry. Its main pilot is Tanker. Later in the series, Jamb and Torb would just appear as one single jet fighter (in the Japanese version, it was referred as Dragon Fortress) and was piloted by either Sydney or Tanker and eventually just transform into Drago.
Drago: A mechanized Dragon formed when Jamb and Torb combine. It was almost always piloted by Tanker, except for on a couple of occasions when Sydney piloted it. When it combines with Servo, they form Servo's upgrade, PHORMO, which is armed with a pair of laser gauntlets.

Trivia

Neither Amp or Lucky have piloted Drago even once during the series.
When mentioned that Tanker and Syd were the default pilots for the "Drago Jet;" the Cafeteria Lady, Miss Starky, did pilot the vehicle in one episode ("Starkey in Syberspace"), as did a famous basketball player--Charles "High Jump" Johnson--who was dragged along to fight a Mega Virus Monster when the band used the vehicles to escape a locked cafeteria.
There were four American settings used, not including the Japanese footage... they were the Basement (Sam's room), The High School Hallway, The High School Cafeteria, and Malcolm's room.

Science fiction television series

Compared to other American adaptations of Japanese Tokusatsu series , SSSS actually kept more plot points from "Gridman" than series adapted by Saban (Such as "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers" and "Masked Rider" ) . One of the major differences , however , was that Zenon and Drago did not have Pilots in Gridman , and instead were "Helper Programs" which aided Gridman in battle. Furthermore , Naoto (Gridman's human "host" ) always entered the computer world with his changing brace , known "Accessor" , while Sam rarely used this brace and instead struck his guitar, there was no guitar within Gridman
SSSS actually was 13 episodes longer than Denkou Choujin Gridman , which lasted for only 39 episodes.
Other than the time Malcolm was turned into a virus (in the episode Mal-Kahn-Tent), only 3 other different viruses in the show's history could actually speak. The most famous of those would have to be the one known as Skorn, deemed to be maybe the smartest of viruses, who was voiced by Neil Ross. Skorn was used on 4 different occasions (though he only spoke in 3 of those, while on one other he was silent). Ross would actually also provide the voice for the Stupid Virus (from Cheater, Cheater, Megabyte Eater), and Jess Harnell provided the voice of the Rock n' Roll Virus (from Rock n' Roll Virucide).
In Japan, Tsuburya and Terebi-Kun Magazine had an article concerning Gridman Sigma with Takeshi Todo becoming Sigma; unfortunately, it wasn't a second season series. In the series, Malcom Frink almost became Servo when Kilokhan attacked Sam. However, he was only able to send Sam's soul into the computer. This is noted to be interesting because if Tsuburya did create Gridman Sigma, it would be quite evident that Syber Squad would have a second season and Malcom Frink would take up the role of Sigma and making him a protagonist in the series.

Episodes

Amp Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!
An Un-Helping Hand
His Master's Voice
Mal-Kahn-Tent
Some Like it Scalding
The Cold Shoulder
Que Sera Servo
A Break in The Food Chain
Ashes To Ashes Disk to Disk
Lights, Camera, Action
Sweet and Sour Kilokahn
To Sleep, Perchance To Scream
Out of Sight, Out of Time
Money For Nothin' and Bits For Free
Water You Doing?
Just Brown and Servo
My Virus Ate My Homework
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
Born With a Jealous Mind
Cheater, Cheater, Megabyte Eater
Romeo and Joule-Watt
Rock n' Roll Virucide
Stiff as a Motherboard
Pride Goeth Before a Brawl
Starkey in Syberspace
Hair I Stand, Head In Hand
The Taunt Heard Round The World
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Virus
Tanks For The Memories
Love Me Don't
Syberteria Combat
Hide and Servo
Hasta La Virus, Baby!
Give 'Til It Megahertz
The President's a Frink!
Beep My, Beep My Baby
Forget You!
Loose Lips Sink Microchips
It's Magic
Pratchet's Redical Departure
Foreign Languages
Truant False
To Protect and Servo
Samurize
Samurize, Guys!
Over The River and Through The Grid
Lucky's Unlucky Adventure
What Rad Universe!
Syber-Dunk
Take a Hike
Do Not Reboot 'Til Christmas
Kilokahn is Coming To Town
Little Ditch, Big Glitch
Malcolm's Secret Unveiled
Servo's Makeover, Part 1
Servo's Makeover, Part 2
When Push Comes to Shove
The Final Adventure

Mega-Virus Monsters

These are viruses that are drawn up by Malcolm and brought to life by Kilokahn, who sends them into different electronic devices, computer systems, etc.

Volcano Virus (first apperance: "To Protect and Servo")
Blink (first appearance: "Samurize")
Trembulor (first appearance: "Samurize, Guys!")
Krono (first appearance: "Out of Sight, Out of Time")
Plexton (first appearance: "Some Like it Scalding") - a fire virus. He appeared a few different times. He first appeared in the school's thermostat to make the temperature scorching hot. Servo fought him and later the virus retreated from battle. He later appeared alongside his sister, the ice virus Gramm, and was taken down by Servo's sword which had some Grid Power to it. He then appeared with an armor upgrade and went inside Sam's blow-dryer. After getting blasted by the Dragon Cannon, he was knocked out this time by Servo's main Grid Power.
Chronic (first appearance: "Money For Nothin' and Bits For Free")
Skorn (first appearance: "His Master's Voice"; voiced by Neil Ross) - deemed as perhaps the smartest of viruses, and one of the only few who could actually talk. His combat skills were up to par with Servo's, and he wielded different weapons in battle, such as a sword, and a pair of nunchakus (which he also turned into a Bo). On one occasion he was taken out by Phormo's Grid Power, and on the other he was killed by Servo when Servo launched his shield/sword combination through Skorn.
Kord (first appearance: "Lights, Camera, Action") - a giant, four-legged monster who was responsible for trapping Sam inside a video camera. He was at first killed by Servo who used a Grid Power slicer, which he launched at the virus, slicing him up before turning orange and disintegrating. He was later given some upgrades by Malcolm. This time he had blinding floodlights built into his back, and also had the ability to suck out Servo's main power. Eventually, with the help of Xenon, Servo was able to defeat Kord with his Grid Power punch.
Gramm (first appearance: "The Cold Shoulder") - an ice virus, the sister of Plexton. She was sent into Sam's air conditioner, causing Sydney, Tanker and Amp to turn cold against one another. She was destroyed when Servo thrusted his sword through the gem on her chest.
Sucker Virus (first appearance: "Amp Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!") - a virus with a large mouth that tried to suck Servo inside of him until Sam's friends bailed him out in their vehicles. The Virus was eliminated by Synchro's Grid Power.
Skeleton Virus (first appearance: "Lights, Camera, Action") - a skeletal virus who had a loud howl. He was eliminated by Synchro who used Fire Power.
Unnamed Virus #1 (first appearance: "Que Sera Servo") - This virus was sent into the fortune-telling game that would turn everyone into the opposite of what their future would be. While fighting a cowardly Servo (as a result of Sam becoming a coward because of the spell), he turned Servo briefly evil. Xenon came in to attack them both but was sent out of Syberspace by the virus. After the game was smashed by Amp, Servo turned good (and brave) again and finished off the virus with a powerful kick which had Grid Power on it.
Hock (first appearance: "A Break in the Food Chain") - a deadly virus indeed. He had swords on his arms. He was able to block Servo's Grid Power punch, but as the battle was turned back in Servo's favor, the virus retreated. He later reappeared with some upgraded armor and was redubbed "The Hockinator". He had a target system in one eye and threw powerful boomerangs at Servo that would knock out at least 12% of his power per hit. Eventually though, he was finally eliminated by Servo's Grid Power. He did appear again in the episode "Truant False", inside the school's computer, but was destroyed by an anti-virus system.
Malcolm Virus (first apperance: "Mal-Kahn-Tent"; voiced by Glen Beaudin, uncredited) - when Kilokahn took over Malcolm's body, he stuck Malcolm inside this virus, who still had Malcolm's voice. He tried to break out of Syberspace but he was stopped by Servo and was destroyed by his Grid Power. After that Malcolm was back in his old body again. Some episodes later Servo fought this virus again but obviously without Malcolm attached to him. Later, this virus was re-designed by Malcolm with some upgraded armor and a mace ball on his tail. He was destroyed by the Grid Power of Synchro this time.
Troid (first appearance: "Ashes to Ashes Disk to Disk") - a virus with pterodactyl wings who had the ability to fly and attack from the air. He first appeared inside Jennifer's Pom-Poms, causing whoever held them to be trapped inside SyberSpace, to be stored on floppy disks. After a battle with Servo, he retreated. Servo fought him again at the beginning of "My Virus Ate My Homework", and it was very much the same battle, only this time, Servo destroyed him with his Grid Power.
Unnamed Virus #2 (first appearance: "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend")
Sydney's Virus (first appearance: "Pride Goeth Before a Brawl")
Nightmare Virus (first appearance: "An Un-Helping Hand")
Rock n' Roll Virus (first appearance: "Rock n' Roll Virucide"; voiced by Jess Harnell)
Smog Virus (first appearance: "Born With a Jealous Mind")
Stupid Virus (first appearance: "Cheater, Cheater, Megabyte Eater"; voiced by Neil Ross)
Manfu (first appearance: "Stiff as a Motherboard")
Nixtor (first appearance: "Water You Doing?")
Thorned Virus (first appearance: "Out of Sight, Out of Time")
Chronic II (first appearance: "Romeo & Joule-watt")
Unnamed Virus #3 (first appearance: "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Virus")
Unnamed Virus #4 (first appearance: "Starkey in Syberspace")
Krono II (first appearance: "Love Me Don't")

Cast

Matthew Lawrence as Sam "Servo" Collins
Glen Beaudin as Malcolm Frink
Troy Slaten as Amp Ere
Kevin Castro as Tanker
Robin Mary Florence as Sydney "Syd" Forrester
Jayme Betcher as Jennifer Doyle
Diana Bellamy as Mrs. Cha-Cha Rimba Starkey
John Wesley as Principal Pratchett
Kelli Kirkland as Yolanda "Yoli" Pratchett
Tim Curry as the voice of Kilokahn
Rembrant as Lucky London