When a superhero’s own theme song proudly pronounces that he ‘runs around in underwear’ you know you’re in for some kooky, surreal good times. Produced by Steven Spielberg, Freakazoid! joined the legions of animated crime fighters who patrolled the streets with serious style.

Freakazoid was the alter ego of mild-mannered Dexter Douglas, a nerdy teen living in Washington D.C. After Dexter gets sucked into his computer, he assimilated all the information stored in cyberspace and attained superpowers—but that’s not all. His appearance changed into a manic fellow with blue skin and a shock of black hair that looked like it went a few rounds with an electrical outlet and lost.  Clad in a red outfit oddly reminiscent of a union suit, Freakazoid was a whirlwind of activity and pop culture knowledge, referencing familiar and obscure TV shows and movies. His helpers included gal pal Stephanie, D.C. police officer, Sgt. Cosgrove and Roddy McStew, Freakazoid’s mentor.

The insane superhero did battle with a vast array of super villains, like Arms Akimbo, The Lobe, Cave Guy and Cobra Queen, trading witty banter, punches and surreal dialogue. There were also mini-segments featuring other unrelated characters, especially during the first season. They were mostly the adventures of other unlikely superheroes, like Lord Bravery, The Huntsman and Toby Danger.

The show’s humor was often self-referential, with Freakazoid and other characters speaking directly to the audience, commenting on the ongoing action. There were several cameos by real-life people and celebrities, as well as other Warner Bros. cartoon characters. The series had cult hit appeal but the ratings were too low and it was cancelled after 24 episodes. Freakazoid! got a second chance at life on the Cartoon Network, where episodes aired until 2003.