Effective period / Period of releases: 1984

Snorks was a children's animated television series created by Belgian cartoonist Nicolas Broca (1932—1993), with four seasons and 65 episodes aired in the United States on the NBC network and in syndication between September 1984 and March 1989. A commercial failure in American broadcast, the show performed significantly better in the international distribution, gaining a limited "cult following" years later. Between 2012 and 2016, Warner Archive released all four seasons on DVD, and the show was partially available on the Hulu streaming platform.

Intricately connected to an acclaimed Smurfs cartoon series launched in 1981, the "Snorks" ran concurrently on the same television network for five years. Freddy Monnickendam (b. 1954), the creator of both shows, first joined prolific Belgian comic publisher Dupuis in 1977, where he soon negotiated a licensing deal for the company's flagship series, renowned Peyo's graphic novel "Smurfs," for Father Abraham In Smurfland album by French singer Pierre Kartner on Decca/Polydor. Freddy then got promoted to the head of the SEPP International division responsible for the "Smurfs" merchandising. He established a fruitful partnership with Hanna-Barbera Productions and 3M France, launching an eponymous children's animated TV series for National Broadcasting Company, one of the "Big Three" American networks, in September 1981. Even though Smurfs was an instant smashing hit and one of NBC's primetime offerings for the children's audience, Peyo and Freddy constantly clashed over creative differences, royalties distribution, and every possible contract clause during lengthy negotiations, culminating in Peyo's lawsuit against Monnickendam shortly after the show's premiere.

Thus, the Snorks originated as a direct competitor to "Smurfs," devised by Monnickendam as a payback to Peyo; Freddy was confident he could easily repeat the same "recipe for success" by sourcing another comic series in Europe with a more agreeable author and licensing it to NBC via Hanna Barbera. In early 1982, he found just the right match — Snorks, a new comic book self-published by Belgian cartoonist Nic Broca and portraying "snorks" — brightly-colored anthropomorphic sea creatures. Fundamentally similar to "Smurfs," the aspiring publication differed enough to attract the same audience while avoiding plagiarism accusations. Broca agreed to sell television rights to SEPP, and Freddy immediately began working on a pilot episode for NBC with William Hanna & Joseph Barbera.

The Snorks premiered on NBC on Saturday, 15th September 1984 — the same day as the fourth season of "Smurfs" — featuring a prolific cast of voiceover actors: Michael Bell, Brian Cummings (6), B.J. Ward, Nancy Cartwright, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, and Frank Welker. Despite all promotional efforts, the Snorks never gained audience ratings and commercial profits even remotely comparable to "Smurfs," discontinued in March 1989 after four seasons. The show's declining ratings cost Monnickendam his showrunner contract with Hanna Barbera (his former partners co-produced the final two seasons of "Smurfs" with Lafig S.A. instead) and ultimately led to SEPP's dissolution.