Recap / Godzilla: The Series

This is the Recap page for Godzilla: The Series, the sequel animated series to the 1998 Godzilla film that aired on Fox Kids from 1998 to 2000. Taking place after the events of the film, the series centers around H.E.A.T. (Humanitarian Environmental Analysis Team), which consists of Dr. Nick Tatopulos, Dr. Elsie Chapman, Dr. Mendel Craven (all characters from the film), Randy Hernandez, and Monique Dupre (original to the show). H.E.A.T. specializes in tracking down and eliminating the various giant monsters and mutant creatures that have began to appear across the globe. The team is accompanied by the son of the original Godzilla (or Zilla if you prefer)^note For the purposes of this page, the monster shall be referred to as Godzilla, who imprinted on Nick as an infant and often helps H.E.A.T. fight the monsters.

Although well-received by many for being a vast improvement over the mediocre film it spun off from, the show was short-lived due to heavy network-screwing. Many of its episodes were aired Out of Order and two never saw the light of television until they were shown at the 2001 Asian Fantasy Film Expo.

All the episodes are listed in production order.

For more information, check out this series guide from Sci-Fi Japan. ^note Archived link version used

Episodes

1. New Family Pt. 1: Right after the death of Godzilla, Nick discovers a surviving egg that hatches into a second Godzilla. The infant immediately imprints on him and Nick decides to raise the creature. He forms H.E.A.T. to study the creature, but as it grows larger, the army led by Major Anthony Hicks, and Nick's journalist girlfriend Audrey Timmonds with her cameraman Victor "Animal" Palotti, begin to notice.

2. New Family Pt. 2: When the military seemingly destroys Godzilla, but H.E.A.T. remains to study the appearances of other mutants and monsters around the world. Their first case is a series of attacks on swimmers in Jamaica by a new species of giant squid. There, the team finds out two things - Godzilla is not quite gone and the squids are fleeing a giant tentacled crustacean the team dubs C-Rex.

3. Talkin’ Trash: A strike by New York's sanitation workers results in the city being overflown with trash. So some scientists create a nanotech colony of petroleum-eating microbes to solve the problem. However, their leader's greater interest in earning money from the mayor means the creation goes untested, which results in the colony transforming into an ever-growing out-of-control monster.

4. D.O.A.: Mendel prefers the comfort of a laboratory over the field expeditions performed by H.E.A.T., leading him to question his place on the team. Meanwhile, the Latin American country of Costa Rojo is under attack by a giant mutated earthworm. The country's dictator wants to destroy it with a biological weapon, but it poisons Godzilla and strengthens the worm, which only Mendel can reverse.

5. The Winter of Discontent: When Godzilla is harassed by man-sized robotic insects, the attack is traced back to technological mogul and Nick's old rival Cameron Winter, who claims he wants to put a pacifying device on Godzilla as a precaution. Meanwhile, Randy is in trouble for hacking his college's computer system and Winter is offering him a career in his Solstice Technologies.

6. Cat and Mouse: Mutant rats ranging from man-sized to Godzilla-sized emerge from the Manhattan Subway into New York City, which Godzilla takes as intrusion to his territory. However, Godzilla's efforts to eliminate the rats are causing a lot of mayhem. Now H.E.A.T. must eliminate the rats' nest to keep the army from killing Godzilla, which is made harder by redneck hunters going after the Big G.

7. Leviathan: Dr. Alexander Preloran, Hans Sopler, and Ted Hoffman discover the Leviathan, an alien spacecraft that crashed into the ocean during the Mesozoic. Investigating the ship with H.E.A.T. reveals alien-dinosaur hybrids guarding the ship, still-functioning technology, and the still-living Tachyon crew, who absorb Hoffman and Sopler and learn that Earth would make an excellent invasion target.

8. What Dreams May Come: A bizarre electric monster named the Crackler unexpectedly appears in New York and vanishes in thin air just as quickly, targeting an apartment and the MTA bus yard. Searching for clues linking the location of the attacks uncovers that an insomniac man with suppressed anger named Sidney Walker lived and worked there and sleep therapy has awoken his subconscious.^note This episode was written by famed comic book author Len Wein, co-creator of Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Swamp Thing.

9. Hive: The popular island resort Santa Marta is evacuated in the wake of a volcanic eruption and explorers sent to investigate the rapidly recovered island are attacked by carnivorous vines. Investigating, H.E.A.T. discovers the lava is irradiated, hence the mutant ecosystem, but the bigger problem is that the island's hotel is now home to a very territorial colony of giant mutant bees.^note This episode was written by famed comic book author Marv Wolfman, co-creator of the New Teen Titans and Crisis on Infinite Earths.

10. Bird of Paradise: H.E.A.T. goes to southern Mexico to defeat a prehistoric bird monster known as (and possibly the inspiration for) Quetzalcoatl that is rampaging through the country. Accompanying the team is Lawrence Cohen, a rugged ornithologist and Elsie's ex-boyfriend. When the team approaches the monster's volcano roost, it is soon discovered that Quetzalcoatl has some mouths to feed.

11. Freeze: An oil company's research team vanishes in Antarctica, so Audrey is sent to get the story on it. They are accompanied by the oil company's representative Chad Gordon, who Nick believes is trying to cover up something about the story. Sure enough, it turns out that the researchers were attacked by Ice Borers, giant mole-like monsters that tunnel via extreme body temperature.

12. Deadloch: H.E.A.T. goes to Scotland when Dr. Hugh Trevor claims his facility was attacked by the Loch Ness Monster. Investigating Loch Ness uncovers that there really is a Nessie and it is one of a long-lived line of reptiles that only surface once every twenty years to bear a child and successor. However, Nessie's out on the surface earlier than she should be, meaning somebody has disturbed her peace.

13. Competition: H.E.A.T. goes to Japan when there are reports of a monster attacking hikers at Mt. Fuji. At the site, they are attacked by an enormous yeti. When the yeti is defeated by Godzilla, it turns out to be a robot built by the brilliant Yukiko Ikufube to replace Godzilla as a more reliable defender of humanity. However, the real threat, a giant spitting King Cobra, soon shows up to take on both.

14. Bug Out!: H.E.A.T. receives a disturbing report - something is consuming the Amazon Jungle a 100 times faster than the destruction caused by humans. The team investigate along with Audrey and Animal, discovering the culprits are a colony of giant mutant termites. The team will need to get rid of the termite queen, but Godzilla's recently more belligerent temper is problematic, too.

15. Monster Wars Pt. 1: H.E.A.T. discovers that Hoffman and Sopler have dredged up the Tachyon Leviathan in a mysterious military project spearheaded by Major Hicks and Elsie. Things get stranger when a giant bat terrorizing Nigeria suddenly leaves to follow a mysterious signal. What they don't realize is the two doctors are now Tachyon minions mind controlling Elsie, the army, and the world's monsters.

16. Monster Wars Pt. 2: Following the odd happenings, Randy and Monique trail the giant bat to the remote Isle del Diablo while Nick and Mendel sneak into the army base to spy on the project and rescue Elsie from Tachyon control. The latter discover that the Tachyons have found the corpse of the first Godzilla and reanimated it as a cyborg! Meanwhile, the Tachyons unleash their monsters upon Earth!

17. Monster Wars Pt. 3: As the Tachyons' monster army devastates major cities and the invasion fleet heads for Earth, H.E.A.T. heads for Sopler and Hoffman's base at Isle del Diablo to disrupt the aliens' control over the monsters and free the scientists from a slow metamorphosis into Tachyons. There, Godzilla faces off against his cyborg true father while H.E.A.T. has to sneak by mind controlled US soldiers.

18. An Early Frost: When Godzilla begins to inexplicably rampage through New York, Nick, Elsie, and Craven are regathered to destroy Godzilla. Monique and her master Phillipe Roache are in it too under France's orders, but the objecting Randy and Nick believe something's up. Sure enough, a second Godzilla shows up and the rampaging one is a genetic Godzilla-mimic created by Cameron Winter.

19. What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been: After battling a virus mutated to giant size, Godzilla becomes extremely sick. It turns out that miniature versions of the virus have infected Godzilla, so Nick and Monique take on a fantastic voyage into the Big G's body to destroy the virus from inside, while Elsie and Randy have to watch over an equally infected Mendel. Meanwhile, the original virus monster has regenerated and must be stopped from reaching New York's reservoir.

20. Web Site: H.E.A.T. is sent by the US government with Major Hicks to investigate a population explosion of a new species of deadly hybrid spider at a US military base in the Canary Islands. The investigation reveals the millions of spiders are babies born from a gigantic mutated spider that threatens to overwhelm the island with her young unless Godzilla and the army can destroy her.

21. Wedding Bells Blew: Elsie's more favored younger sister Kate is getting married soon, so her parents are pestering her more than usual about her life, especially her job, which they just don't understand. However, H.E.A.T. has bigger problems on their hands when a giant mutant flying manta ray that breathes icy blasts of freezing air appears and begins to fly towards the location of Kate's wedding.

22. Juggernaut: H.E.A.T. is asked to investigate the appearance of a bizarre piece of living, self-aware technology that is absorbing every electronic and machine it can find. The so-called Techno-Sentient begins to grow in size, absorbing a car with Mendel inside during the process. Things become more alarming when the monster gains access to the Internet and discovers American nuclear launch codes!

23. Shafted: While on a trip to Wyoming for a funding presentation, H.E.A.T. meets a hysterical young girl who says her brothers have vanished when they went to explore an abandoned mineshaft. H.E.A.T. heads in to check out the case and discovers a bizarre monster known in local legend as the Silver Hydra, a creature that can encase victims in cocoons of silver and split into smaller individuals.

24. Trust No One: H.E.A.T. goes to the Amazon Rainforest to investigate a story about a scientist who created a male and female of two creatures called DNA Mimics, shapeshifting protoplasmic blobs of pure DNA. They discover the legend is indeed true when one of the creatures turns out to have been freed by accident, turning H.E.A.T. against each other and searching for its sealed-away mate.

25. Lizard Season: Cameron Winter breaks the redneck hunters from "Cat and Mouse" out of jail, intent on having them go hunting for Godzilla again. He gives the hunters Lizard Slayers, three extremely powerful giant mecha consisting of an aquatic vehicle with retractable legs, a flying tank, and a bipedal tank. The three hunters go on a rampage, causing plenty of collateral damage in their hunt.

26. The Ballad of Gens Du Marais: During Mardi Gras, Audrey and Animal interview aristocrat Paul Dimanche, who is unpopular amongst the local Cajun "Gens du Marais" for his damage to their swamp. Sure enough, a monstrous half-animal, half-plant creature is terrorizing Dimanche, prompting a H.E.A.T. investigation, but the Cajuns say the Spirit of the Swamps is exacting revenge on Dimanche.^note The first of two unaired episodes that were first shown at 2001 Asian Fantasy Film Expo.

27. Ring of Fire: Exploring the destruction of an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, H.E.A.T. finds the attacker is a strange shrimp-like monster that feeds on fire to give itself a protective field of flame. H.E.A.T. only manages to defeat the monster by stopping Godzilla from using his atomic fire, but Mendel is excited about the potential breakthroughs to be made by bringing the unconscious monster home.

28. Protector: A team of Middle Eastern archaeologists are excavating the city of Amon-Ra when they find a huge rusted statue of a winged lion, which comes to life upon applying an anti-oxidant solution! The living statue is Norzzug, the ancient guardian of Amon-Ra gone berserk, and it rampages through the Middle East, absorbing every drop of oil it can find, so H.E.A.T. and Major Hicks are called in.

29. Vision: In San Francisco, a military airbase is under attack by some kind of invisible flying monsters. When H.E.A.T. comes in to check it out, they find out they're up against giant mutant hummingbirds whose rapid wingbeats reflect all light. The problem is that Godzilla can't battle the invisible creatures, so H.E.A.T. sets to work on a special pair of goggles specially made for the Big G.

30. Freak Show: Slick circus master Tobias Wilson comes to New York with his Mutant Mania show. Among his monstrous exhibitions is a mutant sea anemone called Medusa. However, the creatures escapes during the performance, absorbing all water and dehydrating everything it touches. As Medusa makes its way to the ocean, it's up to H.E.A.T. and Godzilla to stop it before it drinks the world dry.

31. Metamorphosis: A gigantic centipede-like monster dubbed Megapede appears in Midwest USA, calling H.E.A.T. into action. But during their encounter with the monster at Indiana State Fair, it suddenly heads underground. Within a matter of hours, it turns out Megapede is actually the grub of a mutant cicada, and the creature flies to Chicago, where it disrupts the city with its incessant buzzing.

32. Where is Thy Sting?: Godzilla suddenly leaves his home in the waters off New York Harbor and heads towards New Mexico. Since it is obvious he's sensed something, H.E.A.T. and Major Hicks follow the Big G to Fort Armstrong, where it turns out that Colonel Charles Tarrington is breeding mutant scorpions for a top-secret government project to destroy Godzilla — and Tarrington wants no interference.

33. Underground Movement: While Nick, Elsie, and Monique are in a Miami court for damages caused by Godziila's offscreen fight with a mutant vampire bat, Mendel and Randy look into the appearance of giant tentacles sprouting around Michigan and eating everything they can find. The monster is revealed to be a mutant fungus and it strands Mendel and Randy in the woods when it eats their supplies.

34. The Twister: A twister is whirling its way through the American east coast despite the lack of proper weather conditions for one. H.E.A.T. looks into it and discovers that the twister is actually the creation of a mutated shrew using its new power to eat everything caught in the tornado. The "Shrewster" proves to be even faster than Godzilla, so H.E.A.T. works to counteract its whirlwind.

35. S.C.A.L.E.: While Godzilla battles a mutant power-copying mosquito at Miami, H.E.A.T. encounters S.C.A.L.E. (Servants of Creatures Arriving Late to Earth), a monster rights fringe group led by Alexander Springer (voice of Linda Blair). When the mosquito is taken to Isle del Diablo (now Monster Island), S.C.A.L.E. frees the monsters there, while Audrey and Animal get the scoop on S.C.A.L.E.

36. Future Shock: Nick, Elsie, Randy, and Monique are caught in a mysterious storm. When they exit the tempest, they discover an apocalyptic future where the remnants of humanity (led by an older Mendel and Hicks) lives in fear of monsters called Dragmas, which have killed Godzilla too. H.E.A.T. soon goes back through the storm to their time and prepares to save the future by preventing it.

37. End of the Line: While on a cruise in Alaska, Nick and Audrey's boat is attacked by a giant turtle. The two wash up on a deserted island where they encounter the turtle again and its rival, a mutant Komodo dragon dubbed Komodithrax. Meanwhile, the rest of H.E.A.T. trails Godzilla to Alaska, where they make a shocking discovery — Komodithrax is Godzilla's mate, and they have an egg!

38. Area 51: H.E.A.T. goes to Area 51, where they find out that the site is really a sanctuary for desert animals mutated by nuclear testing with the UFO story as a convenient cover-up. The reason for the request is that Area 51's chief scientist Dr. Candace Kirk needs help with a giant mutated thorny devil and armadillo that are trying to escape the facility's walls.

39. Tourist Trap: H.E.A.T. contends with a giant frogfish that has wandered into shallower waters off the coast of New Jersey. However, Milo Sanders, a slimy opportunist always eager for a quick buck has opened a Manhattan Monster Liner Tour business for tourists to get a close up of Godzilla. Worse still, he's also stealing top-secret information from H.E.A.T.^note The second of two unaired episodes that were first shown at 2001 Asian Fantasy Film Expo.

40. Cash of the Titans: When a giant water beetle attacks H.E.A.T.'s facility, men capture Godzilla and take him away. H.E.A.T. notices this quickly and finds out that shady promoter Maximilian Spiel is capturing monsters to make them fight for the entertainment of the wealthy. Now, H.E.A.T., along with Audrey and Animal, have to get Godzilla out of the fighting ring and expose the operation.