This was the 7th. animated TV show to feature the friendly neighborhood wall-crawler.It first aired in 2008 and ran for two seasons.A fine cartoon,and my favorite of Marvel's TV offerings.Worth commemorating.
Episode 1---"Survival of the Fittest"
We meet Spidey a few months into his career.He comes across a pair of thieves,Flint Marko and Alex O'Hirn,making the first of many appearances on this show,though not always in these guises.Spidey makes short work if nabbing them.The scene shifts to somewhere else,where Hammerhead and an unseen "Big Man" are watching the encounter on surveillance video.The mystery man tells Hammerhead to call in the Enforcers.Cue the opening credits,which briskly introduces the show's cast of characters.But that theme song...I advise hitting the mute button and playing the ♫ Spider-Man,Spider-Man ♪ theme from the '60s show.It fits fairly well.
After the opening,we cut to Peter Parker leaving for high school,and we meet Aunt May,still grieving Uncle Ben and fretting about money.We learn Peter's classmates include Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborn.After school,Peter and Gwen are off to the laboratories at Empire State University,run by one Curt Connors and his wife.This happens to be the same place where Peter gained his powers(by the way,here his webbing is non-organic).We meet Eddie Brock,who's also an intern there.On this show,Peter and Eddie are old friends.
Unfortunately,internships don't pay salaries,so it's off to the Daily Bugle for a paying job.The J. Jonah Jameson of this show is J.K. Simmons cranked up to 11.Should've dialed it back.
The main action scene this eipsode is Spidey protecting Norman Osborn from the Vulture,a disgruntled ex-employee,while defending himself from the Enforceers.The web-head can multi-task.
The art style is...unique.The characters resemble those Funko bobbleheads.some of them,like Gwen and Aunt May,have odd sidelocks of hair.But the animation is well done.The action scenes are fast paced and cleverly staged.
Josh Keaton plays Spider-Man;his portrayal is high spirited and light-hearted.He gets off more zingers in this one episode than Tobey Macguire probably got off in all three of his movies.Other voices include Robert Englund (Vulture),John Di Maggio,and Clancy Brown.
A solid,fast paced debut,packed with characters and incident.

It's nice when a new take on a character can draw upon a rich history to create
a slightly revised storyline. I never got a chance to see this series, and it sounds
pretty good so far.

Pisses me off that you can get the first season in a single DVD package, but season 2 is only available in 3 volumes.

Yeah, I hate stuff like that. I eventually just bought the six separate Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes DVDs.
Disney eventually came out with Blu-Rays for Canada. All about the cash and club membership, I guess.

This is still my favorite Spider-Man adaptation. It's really annoying that I have Netflix, Amazon Prime, AND Hulu Plus and can't watch it streaming anywhere.

"Interactions"
An accident at Empire State labs transforms Max the repairman into Electro.Spider-Man takes him down twice,and he's a bit of a dick about it the first time.On top of that,Peter has to tutor Liz Allan,a stuck-up cheerleader who also happens to be Flash Thompson's girlfriend.
The Daily Bugle is offering money for photos of Spider-Man,leading to Peter's first attempts at photography.They don't go well.There's a gag later on with another would-be photojounalist,when Spidey demands half of the prize money.
Twice,Peter has to call Aunt May in the middle of fighting Electro.Classically typical situation for him.His ring tone is ♫ Itsy Bitsy Spider ♪(what else?)
Eddie Brock is a unambiguously good guy here;he defends Connors from Electro when the latter shows up at the lab blaming Connors for his accident,saving Peter from blowing his secret ID.
The show features a pair of beat cops:Jean DeWolff and Stan Carter.A perverse pairing,considering their history in the comics...
Liz Allan goes thru several phases here--initially hostile towards Peter,then softening to him,but revering to bitchy when Flash shows up,yet regretful about taking that attitude.
Spidey is remorseful about his past dickishness towards Electro,apologizing to him when then meet again and offering to help.But Electro is too far gone by then.
In a final scene,Curt Connors almost injects himself with lizard DNA before he's stopped by his wife.Uh oh...

"Natural Selection"
Curt Connors takes the plunge,and injects himself with lizard DNA,growing a new arm.
Spidey nabs some crooks (leaving his first "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" calling card for the cops) then checks his camera.He's still having trouble with his stills.It's the first of several instances of TPL (Typical Parker Luck) this time.
At the lab,Connors is celebrating his new arm with Peter,Gwen and Eddie when the extra DNA kicks in,transforming him into the Lizard. Peter Parker:Major Jinx.
Eddie is still the hero,chasing after the Lizard.However Peter has to feign panic in in order to change into Spidey,taking one for the secret ID. More TPL.
The big scene is the Spidey vs Lizard fight on a subway train,echoing a similar scene in Spider-Man 2,and just as good.
The Lizard turns back to Connors,thanks to a "gene cleanser" brewed up by Gwen and Connor's wife.Peter gets some usable photos of the fight and sells them,resulting in his getting fired from the lab and angering his friends.In frustration,Peter swipes some of the gene clenser,intending to use it on himself to rid himself of his powers.He reconsiders,but keeps the serum just in case...
A whole lot of TPL this time.

"Market Forces"
Montana,one of the Enforcers,acquires some hijacked tech and becomes the Shocker and is sent by the Big Man to squash Spidey.
First mention of Mrs. Watson's unseen niece.Aunt May thinks she would be a nice prom date for Peter,but he's got his eye on Betty Brandt;he likes older women.
Norman Osborn takes a meeting with Hammerhead--turns out he was behind the theft of the Shocker suit.He goes into partnership with the Big Man to create supervillains.
Great climatic battle with Shocker in an empty theater,and the usual amount of TPL.

"Competition"
Flint Marko (John Dimaggio,Bender from Futurama) is the test subject of an experiment to create "dermal armor" by injecting silicates into his skin.The procedure is conducted by Otto Octavius,using his robot arms,and overseen by Norman Osborn and Hammerhead (also voiced by Dimaggio).Things go bad,and in a scene out of an anime,Sandman is born.
Peter and Harry try out for the football team.They both become finalists,but there's only one open spot on the team.Seeing how much being on the team means to Harry,Peter deliberately fumbles,letting Harry be picked for the team.Harry even gets a new girlfriend,the ex of one of his new teammates.
Spidey and Sandy end up battling at a construction site;Sandy gets buried under concrete.
Gwen sends out some romantic signals that Peter misses.
We meet Harry's mother,who seems cowed and never says a word.
There's a funny bit where the Spider-emblem that appears at the end of every episode twists into the shape of a football.

"The Invisible Hand"
Oscorp:Supervillains made while U wait.This time,it's Alex O'Hirn who gets a makeover,into the rampaging Rhino.He sets off to the Daily Bugle to track down Spidey,leading to a slobberknocker of a fight that the web-head wins by exploiting a design flaw in Rhino's suit.He also learns the identity of the Big Man;one Mr. Lincoln,aka Tombstone.He swings off for a confrontation,but the crime boss trounces him easily,then offers him a job with his organization,then sets the police against Spidey when he refuses the offer.What a burn.
First appearence of Capt. Stacy. Both he and Rhino are voiced by Clancy Brown.
Best lines:(trying to stop Rhino)"This always works in cartoons"
(after it fails)"Television so cannot be trusted."
Betty Brandt shoots down being Peter's date at the dance,but not to worry;Mary Jane Watson appears at the Parker's door,uttering the classic words,"Face it tiger..."

"Catalysts"
Enter the Green Goblin.He's crashed a soiree hosted by Tombstone.Peter has to interrupt his own prom date with MJ to deal with his new archenemy.
First appearance of John Jameson,and he's quite heroic here,even figuring out where Goblin hid his big bomb.Those pumpkin bombs scream when they explode.
Goblin has some moves here,even Spidey has to say,"Oh wow...just...wow."
Harry Osborn is using a drug called "globulin green",property of Oscorp.
JJJ utters the word "furshlugginer";probably the only time that word was uttered on network TV that week.
MJ and Flash Thompson are voted queen and king of the prom.But she saves the last dance for Peter when he returns from battle.Goblin's ID remains a secret.
The actor who voices the Green Goblin is not the one who voices Norman Osborn.Hmm...

"Reaction"
The action scene that begins the episode is a callback to the train scene in the second Spider-movie.
Timid Otto Octavius is bullied by Norman Osborn before he starts a radiation test.A green gloved saboteur creates an accident that transforms Otto into Dr. Octopus ( interesting moment:before the big bang,Otto whines,"No! I've been good.." like a frightened child.) His personality undergoes a sharp Jekyll/Hyde shift--Doc Ock is very agressive,lashing out on Osborn and Spidey,who came by to help.Ock develops a mad-on for Spidey really quickly,and not very logically.He also spouts dialogue that sounds too much like,well,a comic book villain.Why does the Green Goblin sabotage the test to begin with?
Harry's secret drug use increases,causing blackouts.Gwen is concerned,tells Peter something's wrong with Harry.
Liz becomes friendlier with Peter;he spend time at a carnival.Peter wins a toy octopus.
Dr. Octopus battles Spidey at that very carnival.Liz is taken hostage at one point.At the end,Octopus' unconscious body is lying on an "octopus ride".Touches like that is what makes this show so winning.

"The Uncertainty Principle"
Lots going on...
John Jameson is in orbit flying the space shuttle when it's hit by an asteroid that he really should've noticed.Lesson:always stay alert when driving.
Hammerhead is kidnapped by the Green Goblin to lure Tombstone into a trap.
Harry's drug use is escalating.
Peter's school is hosting a Halloween-themed carnival where everyone's in costume.Peter arrives in his spider-duds and only some quick thinking saves his secret ID from Gwen.
MJ and Liz are both very admiring of Peter in his costume.We get the first appearance of the Black Cat,strolling thru the carnival,blending right in.
Spidey and Tombstone team up to rescue Hammerhead from a foundry (which is completely unstaffed).Tombstone is a stand-in for Kingpin,who was unavailable for the show because the character was still tied up with the Daredevil movie.He's not missed;he could never be as athletic as Tombstone is here.
The Green Goblin unmasks,and there's a surprise.
The space shuttle makes it safely back to Earth.On inspection,a strange black mass is discovered on the underside.
Easter eggs--the episode opens on a TV airing a broadcast from John Jameson's space shuttle in orbit;as it does so,the camera passes by a wolf mask,recalling Jameson's Man-Wolf persona.
The cover of Amazing Spider-Man #39 is referenced.
Another great episode.

"Persona"
The black gunk discovered on the space shuttle,which turns out to be organic,is taken to Curt Connors' lab for further study.Peter is eager to be there,but he's still on the outs with the Connors.Peter becomes Spidey and swings by the lab to at least get some photos.There,he stops the Black Cat from stealing the "ooze" in an encounter that's equal part fight and foreplay.During their tussle,the ooze gets loose and bonds itself to Spidey's costume,turning it black with white webbing.It does look quite snazzy.

In addition to Selina Felicia,we also meet 3 new adversaries;Chameleon,Tinkerer,and Mysterio. Chameleon decides to pull some capers disguised as Spidey,with the other two providing backup.It all ends up at a yacht party,where their big heist is foiled by the real Spidey in his new costume.
Peter Parker and Eddie Brock are both orphans,their parents both killed in the same plane crash.Eddie has developed a real anger against both Peter and Spidey.
Aunt May has a fainting spell.Uh oh...
Black Cat's dialogue purrs with double entendres (best one:"Better not get your goop in my hair.") She's smitten with Spidey,but not so much so that she fails to swipe a big jewel right out from under Spidey's nose.
Spidey's new costume is a wonder--it not only makes it's own webbing and undresses itself,but it boosts Spidey's own strength.What could go wrong?

This is the one episode I saw, I think. I loved it.

I really liked this cartoon and watched with my kids.

"Group Therapy"
Electro and Hammerhead help Dr. Octopus,the Enforcers,Vulture,Rhino,and Sandman escape from prison (just how is Electro not in prison,anyway?).
Eddie has gotten venomously angry at Peter.His anger spills over and ruins his date with MJ,who compares him unfavorably with Peter.He's taken to wearing a black jacket with a white,vaguely spiderish emblem on the front...
Most of the escapees have gotten together as the Sinister Six,consisting of Dr. Octopus as their unquestioned leader (on what basis?) followed by Electro, Vulture, Sandman, Shocker,and Rhino.
They attack Spidey in front of a theater that Aunt May happens to be at.The excitement is too much for her;heart attack.
The Six are too much for Spidey,who makes a strategic retreat,unaware of his aunt's condition.He returns home and falls into a deep sleep.
The new suit takes over,wrapping itself over the unconscious Peter and swinging out for a return bout with the Six,taking them all down in what may be the best battle this show ever had.The new costume is brutally efficient,even threatening to stab Doc Ock with his own claws before Capt. Stacy intervenes.
The costume subtly changes during the episode,phasing out the white webbing gradually.It also has an adverse reaction to the Shocker's sound waves.Make a note of that....
When Peter awakens,he's surprised to discover that he not only captured the Six but took photos;he slept thru it all.He figures out that the new costume is a symbiote and starts to refer to himself as "we".MJ comes to the door and that's when Peter learns about the heart attack (blooper:Peter doesn't react on hearing the words "heart attack" but registers shock on the word "hospital" ).
To be continued...

"Intervention"
Peter arrives at the hospital where Aunt May is recuperating.After a nasty encounter with Eddie,he sees his aunt is on the mend.But hospital care doesn't come cheap,so Spidey swings over to Tombstone's office to ask for a job.
Clearly,the symbiote is taking over.The change in Peter in the first act and in the last episode is handled subtly and well,without the need for a goofy dance sequence or giving MJ a slap across the face.Peter drops in a bell tower to have a talk with the voice in his head.The symbiote imprisons Spidey in a cocoon for a final takeover,leading to a flashback of Spider-Man's origin.
Ed Asner plays Uncle Ben.The origin is a mix of Ditko and the 2002 movie.Reliving the memories of Uncle Ben and his friends (even Norman Osborn?) gives Peter the strength to resist the symbiote;ringing the church bell defeats it.
The ESU lab has lost funding due to the break-in,causing Eddie to lose his job there.When Spidey returns the symbiote to the lab,Eddie is elated,thinking this will get his job back.When Spidey puts the ooze in deep freeze,in an attempt to kill it,Eddie is furious,screaming at Spidey as he swings off.But the ooze isn't dead;it calls to Eddie,they bond,Eddie learns all about Peter's secret life,and so is born---Venom!
Easter egg--the cover of Amazing Spider-Man #100 is referenced.
Flash Thompson's real name is Eugene.He actually schools Peter about his bad attitude towards his friends.
The episode is a bit of a cheater--it's laced with clips from previous episodes.But it doesn't feel like a cheat.

"Nature vs. Nurture"
It's Spidey vs. Venom for the finish.The symbiote reveals Spidey's secrets to Eddie,so Venom attacks Peter thru his loved ones,resulting in Gwen dangling from a balloon during a parade.
Eddie's transformation into Venom was very abrupt.Like Dr. Octopus,the show was in too much of a rush to turn the good buy bad.Venom's character design was lacking.They not kept the tongue,but made it even longer.It looks even sillier in animation.The proportions of Venom's body are preposterous;three yard wide shoulders and a foot wide waist.Anyone with a body shaped like that would be forever falling over.However,Venom did have a couple of nicely creepy moments:once,when he answers the phone,Venom's head splits open,allowing Eddie to speak in his regular voice.Later,when Spidey webs his mouth shut,Venom grows a second mouth in his stomach.Ew.
Spidey manages to separate the symbiote from Eddie and bury in in concrete.However,Eddie's gone when Spidey returns
Aunt May is recuperating,so Peter tries to cook Thanksgiving dinner.He makes a mess of it;Peter wonders if "Romita's" delivers.But,Gwen and her father arrive bearing food,and all have a nice holiday meal.Before the Stacy's leave,Gwen gives Peter a kiss,leaving him standing dazed and confused under a spider's web.



So ends the first season.What's most impressive about the show is how fully formed it is from the start.Even great shows like Batman:TAS have some awkward moments in their early days,but this show hit the air swinging.The animation is first rate.The writing deftly weaves subplots and character points in a way that children will understand and won't confuse adults.Now for season 2...

"Blueprints"
Peter has Venom on his mind,even having nightmares about him.He goes looking for Eddie,but he's vacated his apartment and vanished without trace.
Gwen is also on his mind--they spend the episode not saying anything to each other.What's more,Liz has taken an interest in "Petey".So here,Gwen and Liz are rivals for our hero,and Gwen and MJ are confidants.
Mysterio returns,dressed in his usual costume.He pretends to use mystic powers to steal hi tech items,including a raid on Oscorp.He utilizes robots resembling little devils that talk and are just too cute to bear.
Norman Osborn is hosting a dinner party for Curt and Martha Connors,as well as Peter and Gwen's teacher Aaron Warren and his brother Miles,who's now working at ESU with the Connors.At the urging of Norman and Miles,the Connors rehire Peter.Mrs. Osborn is also at the dinner,and again doesn't say a word.
Part of the final Spidey/Mysterio fight takes place on a saloon set,a callback to the very first Mysterio story.Spidey thinks he's captured Mysterio,but it's one of his robot doubles (which has his real face stamped on it;dumb-funny or just dumb?) The real guy escapes,and reports to the Tinkerer,who reports to an unseen "Master Planner"....
Stan Lee has a funny cameo.

"Destructive Testing"
An anonymous request puts Kraven the Hunter on the hunt against Spidey,who trounces him.Spoiling for a rematch,Kraven uses his pet lion's sense of smell (?!) to track down his prey.The trail leads to ESU labs,where Dr. Warren is studying Dr. Connors' research,which brought about the Lizard transformation.Jumping to conclusions,Kraven believes Warren gave Spider-Man his powers.Kraven persuades Warren to use Connors' work to mix his DNA with that of his lion to give him enhanced abilities to beat Spidey;Kraven is transformed into Lion-o from the Thundercats.If this was never done in the comics,it's a marvel.
Peter and Liz are growing closer,even though he still thinks about Gwen.Liz also gives mixed signals;she goes to the hospital when her old boyfriend Flash Thompson is injured in a football game,but she calls Petey (in the middle of a fight with Kraven) to ask him to come to the hospital to support her.
Spidey and Kraven have it out in a snowy Central Park.Kraven is beaten,but manages to escape.In his limousine with his ladyfirend,he takes a call from the anonymous benefactor,who turns out to be the Master Planner,who asks Kraven how he feels about hunting in packs...

"Reinforcement"
'Twas the night (or two) before Christmas.The Master Planner has assembled a new Sinister Six (Vulture,Sandman,Kraven,Rhino,Electro,and Mysterio) to take down Spidey,who's hot on his trail.The Yuletime donnybrook begins at the skating rink at Rockefeller Center,continues at a tire yard,the dockyards,and concludes in a department store.Gags a'plenty; the best one is Spidey trying to talk with a burnt tongue.
First appearance of the mysterious Patch.
Electro displays his electro-breath.
The nu-Six are all beaten,but all (save Mysterio) elude arrest by the police.Dr. Octopus,who's in custody (and has reverted to timid Otto) is having a therapy session when his robot arms break thru the wall,grab Otto and scamper away with Otto yelling in protest.