So much average

Better Late Then Never

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a fictionalized animated series based on the lives of the Jackson 5ive. The brothers Jermaine, Michael, Tito, Marlon, and Jackie Jackson try to make their way in the music industry. They have wacky outlandish adventures. As in real life, Michael is the star. He has his mice, Ray & Charles, and his snake Rosie. The other brothers don't have as much mention and Michael is usually the subject of the stories. There is plenty of Jackson 5ive music especially ABC. It is noticeable that Michael is the central character. It would help to have the brothers' names in the opening credits because in most episodes, their names aren't even mentioned in the script. The older brothers don't get individual personalities. It's also noticeable that the boys aren't contributing their voices. That's more understandable since they were way too busy at that time. This is a jive, psychedelic, fantasy, children's cartoon. It's white bread and harmless. Most of the episodes have a light meaningless quality although Michael in Wonderland is foreshadowing. The show needs a goal, a journey, or possibly a villain. It is interesting for Michael fans to see one aspect of his beginning. This probably sold the family quite well to the public. I don't remember watching this as a kid but I do recall something, possibly from the reruns.

I found the entire Jackson 5ive TV series (from 1971) to be nothing but a blatantly shameless marketing ploy for selling the Jackson boys' record albums to the public.These limited-animation cartoons were the absolute nadir of entertainment inferiority. They were an utter embarrassment of bad programming on all counts. The "comedy" elements of these episodes just stank.Plagued with annoying "canned laughter", throughout - These 46 Jackson 5ive cartoons not only showed no imagination, whatsoever, when it came to their painfully predictable story-lines - But, there was clearly no chemistry or character dynamics happening, at all, between any of the 5 brothers.Obviously a pathetically shoddy product of its time - I think it's kinda odd (indeed) that in none of these episodes did any of the Jackson boys ever show any interest in women.

The jackson five cartoon is great. And the first episode titled it all started is my favroite episode of all the episodes shown. I wish the cartoon network would add it to there line up it would be great. I would watch it when ever its on.

First there was the Beatles cartoon. I couldn't wait to hear the songs on the show. When the J-5ive came out I went WILD. Not long after,The Osmond Brothers had a competing show and we used to debate who was better,Michael or Donny Osmond. Some of the stories were hokie,but enjoyable. There was an episode showing how Diana Ross discovered the J-5. That is purely Motown myth. Ross never discovered the Jackson 5,she only introduced them on their public unveiling.