Debuting simultaneously on Saturday morning and as part of the syndicated weekday Disney Afternoon, the show set a pattern for several future Disney series. Many of the films' stars provided the voices of their TV counterparts, with Dan Castellaneta filling in for Robin Williams in the Genie role, as he did for The Return of Jafar.
Disney Channel reran the series in the late-1990s until it was replaced by their pre-teen lineup. Toon Disney aired the reruns from 1998 until it was replaced by Jetix programming in 2004. It was also a cult classic in the Arab world, where the Aladdin franchise is set, because of its Egyptian Arabic dub and broadcast on MBC3 and Disney Channel.
Picking up where The Return of Jafar left off, Aladdin is still living on the streets of Agrabah and still engaged to the beautiful and spunky Princess Jasmine. The two go on many adventures together into peril among sorcerers, monsters, thieves, and more. Monkey sidekick Abu and the fast-talking, shape-shifting Genie comes along to help, as does sassy, temperamental and complaining parrot Iago, formerly Jafar’s pet, but now a grudgingly good and neutral guy.
Main Characters[]
Aladdin (voiced by Scott Weinger): He was originally a street urchin and thief, but is now the hero of Agrabah and is engaged to marry Princess Jasmine. Aladdin now spends most of his time protecting the city from threats or monsters, while learning of his future responsibilities as the future Prince and someday Sultan of Agrabah.
Princess Jasmine (voiced by Linda Larkin): The Princess of Agrabah. She was originally forced to choose a suitor by her following birthday until she fell in love with Aladdin and they are now engaged to be married. She now spends her time finally getting the chance to see the world outside of the palace and regularly accompanies Aladdin on his adventures.
Genie (voiced by Dan Castellaneta): Now that he is free from his lamp and has returned home, Genie helps Aladdin in his adventures to protect Agrabah, but also brings comedy and a bit of trouble wherever he goes.
Iago (voiced by Gilbert Gottfried): A former enemy-turned-ally, Iago is always coming up with get-rich-quick-schemes and has now become friends with Abu. He's still very greedy though and is known to cause trouble at times, however he always does the right thing in the end. He also gains a love interest in Thundra and becomes her boyfriend.
Abu (voiced by Frank Welker): Aladdin's best friend and pet monkey. Abu is known to be a master thief being able to steal anything without anyone even noticing, but is working on letting go of his old thievery ways. He also becomes best friends with Iago.
Magic Carpet: He is the group's main mode of transportation when going on new adventures. He also has a rivalry with Genie, constantly competing against each other in any competition although Carpet is always victorious.
Villains and Enemies[]
Abis Mal (voiced by Jason Alexander): The main antagonist of the first season. He always has a plan to rule Agrabah, usually involving a new magical item. He has an obsession of attaining the Sultan's "big hat." He is joined in the series by Haroud Hazi Bin (voiced by James L. Avery, Sr.): Haroud is Abis Mal's right-hand man, who often considers his boss' schemes ill-conceived.
Mechanicles (voiced by Charlie Adler): A Greek with OCD tendencies and a knack for building evil war machines resembling insects mostly, also an obsession with keeping things neat and tidy.
Mozenrath (voiced by Jonathan Brandis): A supremely strong and vindictive teenage sorcerer and ruler of the Land of the Black Sand, as well as the main antagonist of the second and third seasons. He is always seeking to gain more magical power and constantly tries to steal Genie's magic for himself, but always fails.
Xerxes (voiced by Frank Welker): This flying eel is Mozenrath's pet familiar.
Mirage (voiced by Bebe Neuwirth): An evil cat woman intent on spreading fear and misery.
Saleen (voiced by Julie Brown): A snobbish water elemental siren who hates not getting her way. She originally tried to steal Aladdin away from Jasmine, but now seeks revenge against him for rejecting her. Unlike Sadira, she doesn't reform.
Ayam Aghoul (voiced by Hamilton Camp): An undead ghoul, obsessed with trapping Aladdin and his friends in the Netherworld forever.
Shadow Aladdin: Shadow Aladdin was created by Ayam Aghoul, he originally is a henchman of Aghoul's shadow, but when Aghoul is killed, Shadow Aladdin goes off by himself. However, as he looks for a new host body, Aladdin recaptures him, but later he appears once more when Chaos summons him to try to kill Aladdin.
Caliph Kapok (voiced by Tim Curry): A headless wizard who desires to have ultimate control over his kind hearted body. He managed to behead Aladdin once, only to be thwarted by his own game in the end.
Amin Damoola (voiced by Jeff Bennett): A clumsy thief who constantly tries to prove himself, but inevitably fails.
Sootinai (voiced by Dorian Harewood): A smoke spirit that only appeared in the episode, "The Vapor Chase"; was originally composed of smaller spirits. When all of the spirits merge into one, they become Sootinai. Sootinai can absorb the smoke from fires, making him himself larger and more powerful.
The Al Muddy: The Al Muddy are a race of subterranean mud-monsters.
Malcho (voiced by Héctor Elizondo): Malcho is a giant flying serpent who is an enemy of Thundra and (later) Iago and Aladdin.
Aziz (voiced by Michael Bell): Aziz was an old acquaintance of Aladdin's who, upon finding the Destiny Stone, turned into an evil creature who could use his breath to do just about anything he wanted.
Nefir Hasenuf (voiced by René Auberjonois): Nefir is an imp whose greed rivals that of Iago, but unlike Iago, he is not bound moral restraint. He always causes great calamity and uses his great imp ingenuity to capitalize on the needs of those involved.
Chaos (voiced by Matt Frewer): A flying cat with god-like powers.
Khartoum (voiced by the late Tony Jay): An evil wizard imprisoned within his own book. His only hope of release is a magical gem called the Philosophers' Stone which consists the power of the cosmos. All he needs is someone greedy enough to create the stone and release him from his prison. It turns out, Mozenrath was that "someone" when he finds the book. After the young wizard creates the stone, Khartoum doublecrosses him and takes the stone for himself. Khartoum likes a power-hungry wizard. His name is an adaptation of the capital and second largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State.
Magma (voiced by Tone Lōc): A fire elemental ifrit with the power to control Earth's temperature. Known as the Lord of Volcanoes, he is summoned by lighting the Candle of Magma. Abis Mal calls for him so he will force the Sultan to hand over Agrabah to the thief. When the Sultan refuses, Magma heats up the city ground temperature at the point that water vaporizes and wooden carts spontaneously combust. Eventually, the ifrit is defeated when he falls down a deep well. The resulting steam pressure launches him into the sun.
Ajed Al-Gebraic (voiced by the late Jonathan Harris): Genie's old master, who is very greedy. He used up all his three wishes and sold Genie to a Sorcerer for eternal life, but not eternal youth. He appears in the episode "Genie Hunt" and his name is based on the math problem "Algebraic".
Supporting Characters[]
Sultan (voiced by Val Bettin): Jasmine's father, and the ruler of Agrabah. In the episode "As the Netherworld Turns", his nickname is revealed to be Little Bobo.
The Royal Guards: Headed by the Captain of the Guard, Razoul (voiced by Jim Cummings) they double as police and soldiers for Agrabah, though Razoul remains consistently suspicious of Aladdin's intentions. Despite their supporting role, Razoul is the only Royal Guard to have a lead role, in the episode "Destiny on Fire".
Sadira (voiced by Kellie Martin): A female street rat who was saved by Aladdin and fell in love. Jealous of the princess, she learns the art of "Sand Magic" and uses it to try and make Aladdin love her instead of Jasmine. She eventually reforms and becomes friends with the group.
Sultan Pasta Al-Dente (voiced by Stuart Pankin): Pasta is the ruler of the land of Getzistan, known throughout the Seven Deserts for their casinos.
Queen Hippsodeth (voiced by Kate Mulgrew): Queen Hippsodeth is the ruler of the Isle of Galifem, home of the Galifem warriors. After being defeated by the Sultan in battle, she fell in love with him. Her "right-hand woman" is Scara (voiced by Susan Tolsky), one of the Galifem warriors.
The Mukhtar (voiced by John Kassir): The Mukhtar is perhaps the last surviving member of the race of Mukhtars, renowned as the sworn enemies of the genies. Originally hired by one of Genie's old masters, Aged Al Gebraic, to capture Genie in "Genie Hunt", he eventually became Genie's friend following the events of "The Hunted", where he was hired by Mozenrath to capture Genie to steal his powers, but ultimately helped Aladdin and the defeat Mozenrath.
Prince Uncouthma (voiced by Tino Insana): Uncouthma is the ruler of the barbarian land of Odiferous. He first appeared in the episode "That Stinking Feeling" as a suitor for Princess Jasmine, unaware that she was already betrothed. He went on to marry a woman named Brawnhilda (Voiced by Carol Kane) and have a son called Bud (E.G. Daily). He has a cameo in Aladdin and the King of Thieves in the crowd around the wedding procession path. His military chief is General Gouda (Voiced by Ron Perlman).
Thundra (voiced by Candi Milo): Thundra, the Rainbird, oversees all the world's weather. She instantly falls in love with Iago and is now his girlfriend.
Fasir (voiced by Ed Gilbert): Fasir is a seer who hides his cycloptic nature by wearing a bandage over his eye, appearing as a blind beggar. He is the brother of the giant Fashoom, and was once in love with Mirage. He helped Aladdin and his friends in a number of episodes, often thwarting Mirage's evil plans.
Samir the "Destroyer" (voiced by Michael Gough): Samir is a giant pink rhinoceros. His only appearance was in the episode "Never Say Nefir". He was once Nefir's slave, forced to destroy Sultan Pasta Al-Dente's city; Getzistan, while dancing, every night due to some magic dancing shoes until Aladdin and his friends (mostly Genie) helped destroy the shoes and he was later made a Getzistan citizen.
Captain Al Bahtross (voiced by Jason Alexander): Captain Al Bahtross is a minor character who appeared in the Aladdin episode "Plunder the Sea". He is known as the nautical hero who defeated the Seven Fleets of Jambalaya. He always smiles and speaks in the third person. His ship is covered with little red flags to mark the number of victories he won during his adventures at sea. His name is a comical adaptation of a sea bird known as an "Albatross".
Squirt (voiced by Frank Welker): A small wallaby/rabbit/gorilla-like creature of unknown origin, he only appeared in the episode "Scare Necessities". He is often prey on multiple species of different kinds, including humans. He has the power to grant the wish of whoever scares him, allowing him to run away. In the episode he appears in, he made as a good friend to Iago, who set a mirror in front of him, scaring him, and granting his own wish, sending him to his homeland.
Tanti (voiced by Tahj Mowry): A young boy who lives in the marketplace with his mother and sister. He has a strong relationship with Jasmine. She gives him and his family a huge watermelon when she's a rat. He had a larger role in "The Ethereal". She buys something from him and gives him a bag of gold coins. She later sacrifices her life to save him from a crashing building. When she's brought back to life, Tanti gives her a great big hug.
After this series ended, another direct-to-video/DVD movie Aladdin and the King of Thieves, was released to officially end the Aladdin franchise of films and TV series.
Notes[]
Like most TV shows, Aladdin has its fair share of running gags throughout the series. One involves Rajah threatening to eat Iago if he doesn't do as the group says and another features an injured Genie telling the audience not to play with different objects or people as "someone always gets hurt".
Trivia[]
Some clips from The Return of Jafar are featured in the opening title sequence. Additionally, the sequel's rendition of Arabian Nights, (originally written for an extended opening of the first film) serves as the theme.
Unlike the Aladdin movies, which are already out on DVDs, this TV show has only appeared on VHS.
This and The Shnookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show are currently the only Disney Afternoon shows that are not available on Disney+, but the entire series is available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video in Germany.
This is so far the only Disney Princess series to not have any songs.
Aladdin (TV series) on WikipediaAladdin on The Disney Afternoon Wiki
