Surf’s up — underwater! Premiering in 1976, Jabberjaw splashed onto Saturday mornings as one of Hanna-Barbera’s most delightfully absurd creations. Set in an underwater future world populated by talking sea creatures, the show followed the rock band The Neptunes as they traveled from gig to gig — with their loud, lovable, and endlessly anxious drummer, Jabberjaw, a 15-foot great white shark who just wanted respect (“No respect — no respect at all!”).
Voiced by Frank Welker, Jabberjaw was equal parts comedian and cowardly hero, channeling Rodney Dangerfield’s humor through bubble-blowing slapstick. Each episode mixed groovy music, silly chases, and classic Hanna-Barbera mystery formulas, giving it that unmistakable ’70s cartoon charm.
While it only ran for one season, Jabberjaw became a cult favorite — a goofy, feel-good relic of an era when even sharks could play in rock bands.
