Sidekicks (TV series)

Sidekicks is a 1986-1987 martial arts TV series, a spin-off of the original Walt Disney one-time special, The Last Electric Knight. The series starred Ernie Reyes, Jr. as Ernie Lee, the Last Electric Knight, and Gil Gerard as Sergeant Jake Rizzo. Sidekicks aired on ABC Friday nights at 9pm and then Saturdays at 8pm.

Synopsis

Sergeant Jake Rizzo (Gil Gerard) is chosen by Sabasan as tutor of his grandson Ernie Lee (Ernie Reyes, Jr.), the last heir of an antique clan of special martial artists and a highly trained karate fighter.

Through the series, Ernie tends to often get into dangerous situations where bullies at school or in the streets of Los Angeles threaten him or his friends, or in dangerous situations where his adoptive father ends up needing his help after criminals which he has captured try to escape or try to harm him. With help of his quick moves, unique powerful skills and the clever advice of his deceased grandfather, Ernie manages every time to overcome all of the dangerous situations he gets into and manages to overwhelm his opponents.

Characters

• Ernie Lee - played by Ernie Reyes, Jr. - The Last Electric Knight. The main character of the series. Ernie is a young boy who specializes in martial arts.
• Sergeant Jake Rizzo - played by Gil Gerard - Ernie's adoptive father. Works as a Police officer.
• Sabasan - played by Keye Luke - Ernie's deceased grandfather. Appears through the series in short flashbacks. In each episode Ernie is faced with different dilemmas to which he cannot find solutions. Most of the times, after he uses meditation he is capable of remembering relevant advice Sabasan gave him in the past which helps him gain success.
• Patricia Blake - played by Nancy Stafford - Sergeant Rizzo's love interest.
• Capt. Blanks - Rizzo and Mooney's commanding officer, played by Vinny Argiro
• Det. R.T. Mooney - Sgt. Rizzo's partner, played by Frank Bonner

Episode list

1. "The Last Electric Knight" (Pilot) / 1986.02.16
2. "Are These Your Kicks?" / 1986.09.26
3. "Open House" / 1986.10.03
4. "I Hate the Neighbors" / 1986.10.17
5. "My Dad the Crook" / 1986.10.24
6. "Down and Out in Van Nuys" / 1986.10.31
7. "Thrill of the Chase" / 1986.11.07
8. "Catherine the Not-So-Great" / 1986.11.14
9. "My Dad's Bigger Than Yours" / 1986.11.22
10. "The Birds and the Killer Bees" / 1986.11.29
11. "I Remember Mama, But Does She Remember Me?" / 1986.12.13
12. "Grey Belts" / 1986.12.20
13. "The Cousin Who Fell to Earth" / 1987.01.03
14. "The Boy Who Saw Too Much" / 1987.01.10
15. "Just for Kicks" / 1987.01.17
16. "Kicked Upstairs" / 1987.01.31
17. "An Eye for an Ear" / 1987.02.07
18. "The Next Best Thing to Winning" / 1987.02.14
19. "The Patusani Always Rings Twice" / 1987.02.21
20. "Petty Cache" / 1987.02.28
21. "The Worst of the Mohicans" / 1987.03.07
22. "Playing for Keeps" / 1987.06.06
23. "Read Between the Lines" / 1987.06.13

Alternative titles

• Le Chevalier Lumière (French title)
• ילד הקראטה (Yeled Ha-Karate) (Israeli title, translated: The Karate Kid)
• El Karateca eléctrico (Latin American title)
• El Pequeño Karateca (Argentinian and Chilean title)
• O Pequeno Mestre (Brazilian title)
• 태권소년 어니 (Korean title)
• 功夫小子 (Gongfu Xiaozi) (Chinese title)
• Az utolsó(elektromos)lovag (Hungarian title)
• Partnerzy (Polish title, translated: Partners)
• Partnerid (Estonian title, translated: Partners)

Sereis Ownership:

DePasse Entertainment as successor to Motown Productions and Disney-ABC Domestic Television as a successor to Walt Disney Television currently own sereis rights

External links

• Sidekicks at the Internet Movie Database
• Sidekicks at TV.com
• Sidekicks intro video (Youtube)