Why Cartoon Network Fell Off
Summary
TLDRThis video script explores the evolution of Cartoon Network from its 'Golden Age' in the 2010s to its current state. It delves into iconic shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show, highlighting their unique storytelling and appeal. However, the script also discusses the network's shift towards younger audiences with shows like Teen Titans Go and the Ben 10 reboot, which led to a decline in quality and viewer engagement. The video concludes with a reflection on the impact of these changes on the network's legacy and the nostalgia associated with its classic era.
Takeaways
- 📺 Cartoon Network was once highly regarded for its quality programming and unique shows, but has seen a decline in recent years.
- 🌟 The 'Golden Age' of Cartoon Network is considered to be from 2007 to 2019, characterized by a renaissance of memorable shows.
- 📈 Shows like 'Total Drama Island', 'Star Wars: The Clone Wars', and 'Ben 10: Alien Force' set the stage for the success of 'Adventure Time' and 'Steven Universe'.
- 🔁 The importance of continuity in shows was highlighted, as it contributed to the longevity and success of series like 'Adventure Time'.
- 🏆 'Total Drama Island' was unique for its reality TV parody format and diverse character archetypes, appealing to a wide audience.
- 🎨 'Adventure Time' and 'Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated' were praised for their mature themes and character development, despite being on a channel for kids.
- 🚀 'Regular Show' was noted for its original pitch to Adult Swim and its appeal to a more mature audience, setting it apart from other Cartoon Network shows.
- 🎉 The release of 'The Amazing World of Gumball' marked a shift towards shows that blended various animation styles and were more child-oriented.
- 📉 The rise of 'Teen Titans Go!' and 'Ben 10' (2016 reboot) indicated a strategic shift by Cartoon Network towards younger audiences, at the expense of older fans.
- 💔 The cancellation of shows like 'Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc' and 'Regular Show', and the decline in quality of reboots, signified the end of Cartoon Network's golden era.
- 🌌 The final takeaway is a reflection on the nostalgia and cultural impact of Cartoon Network, with a quote from 'Adventure Time' that resonates with the channel's changing fortunes.
Q & A
What is considered the 'Golden Age' of Cartoon Network?
-The 'Golden Age' of Cartoon Network is considered to be the period from 2007 to 2019, often referred to as the 'Renaissance', where many memorable shows were released.
What were some of the key shows that dominated Cartoon Network during the beginning of the Renaissance?
-Shows like Total Drama Island, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Ben 10: Alien Force were dominating the network during the beginning of the Renaissance.
Why was Total Drama Island unique compared to other shows at the time?
-Total Drama Island was unique because it was a parody of a reality TV show, contrasting with the majority of shows at the time that focused on fantasy.
What was significant about the January 2010 period in Cartoon Network's history?
-In January 2010, Total Drama Island became the longest currently running show on Cartoon Network with a total of 54 episodes, and Cartoon Network released Adventure Time and Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated.
What made Adventure Time so special and why was it successful?
-Adventure Time was special because it was serialized, meaning there was continuity from one episode to the next, which is crucial to the success of shows like Adventure Time and Steven Universe.
What was unique about Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated compared to other Scooby-Doo reboots?
-Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated was a darker and edgier take on the classic Scooby-Doo, focusing on character development while still playing into their established roles.
Why was Regular Show considered one of the 'big four' shows on Cartoon Network?
-Regular Show was considered one of the 'big four' because it was one of the most watched shows on the network by 2012, known for its mature themes and unique character development.
What was the significance of The Amazing World of Gumball's release and its impact on Cartoon Network?
-The Amazing World of Gumball was significant because it marked a turning point for the channel, focusing on a very young protagonist and blending various styles of animation, which made it visually appealing and successful.
What was the turning point for Cartoon Network in terms of its content shift towards younger audiences?
-The release of Teen Titans Go in 2013 marked the beginning of Cartoon Network's shift towards content aimed at younger audiences, despite the show's poor reception from older viewers.
How did the cancellation of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Inc and the release of Steven Universe, Uncle Grandpa, and Teen Titans Go in 2013 impact Cartoon Network's direction?
-The cancellation of Scooby-Doo: Mystery Inc and the release of these new shows marked a shift in Cartoon Network's content strategy, focusing more on younger audiences and less on mature cartoons.
What was the final blow to Cartoon Network's 'Golden Age' and why did it end?
-The final blow to Cartoon Network's 'Golden Age' was the cancellation of Steven Universe and Gumball in 2019, marking the end of an era where the channel was a staple in popular culture.
Outlines
📺 The Golden Age of Cartoon Network
This paragraph discusses the evolution of Cartoon Network from its peak as a respected cable channel with acclaimed shows to its decline in recent years. The script delves into the 'Golden Age' or 'Renaissance' period from 2007 to 2019, highlighting key shows like 'Total Drama Island', 'Star Wars the Clone Wars', and 'Ben 10' that set the stage for future hits. It emphasizes the importance of serialized storytelling in shows like 'Adventure Time' and 'Steven Universe', which contributed to their longevity and success. The paragraph also mentions the unique appeal of 'Total Drama Island' as a reality TV parody and its impact on the network's programming strategy.
🌐 The Shift in Cartoon Network's Programming
The second paragraph examines the shift in Cartoon Network's programming strategy, focusing on the rise of shows targeting younger audiences. It discusses the mixed reception of 'Teen Titans Go' and its impact on the network's direction, leading to an increase in shows for younger viewers despite criticism. The paragraph also covers the cancellation of 'Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc' and the introduction of 'Steven Universe', 'Uncle Grandpa', and the controversial 'Teen Titans Go'. It reflects on the struggle of shows like 'Adventure Time' and 'Regular Show' to maintain viewership amidst the network's changing audience preferences and the eventual decline of Cartoon Network's original appeal.
🔄 The Downfall and Reboots of Cartoon Network
The final paragraph addresses the downfall of Cartoon Network, marked by the cancellation of beloved shows and the rise of reboots that failed to capture the essence of the originals. It details the disappointment surrounding the 2016 'Ben 10' reboot and the controversial 'Total Drama Rama', which reimagined characters as preschoolers. The paragraph also touches on the dominance of 'Teen Titans Go' and the channel's focus on profit over quality storytelling. The narrative concludes with the cancellation of 'Steven Universe' and 'The Amazing World of Gumball', signifying the end of the 'Golden Age'. It reflects on the cultural impact of Cartoon Network and the enduring memories it left behind, despite its transformation.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cartoon Network
💡Golden Age
💡Adventure Time
💡Regular Show
💡Teen Titans Go!
💡Steven Universe
💡Total Drama Island
💡Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
💡The Amazing World of Gumball
💡Ben 10
Highlights
Cartoon Network was once a highly respected cable channel known for its exceptional shows.
The 'Golden Age' of Cartoon Network is considered to be from 2007 to 2019, often referred to as the 'Renaissance'.
Shows like Total Drama Island, Star Wars the Clone Wars, and Ben 10 alien and force dominated the network during the beginning of the Renaissance.
Adventure Time and Steven Universe are noted for their continuity and success, setting a precedent for other shows.
Total Drama Island became the longest running show on Cartoon Network in January 2010.
Adventure Time and Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated were released on the same day, showcasing different approaches to animation.
Regular Show was initially pitched for Adult Swim, indicating its mature content.
The Amazing World of Gumball was released, blending various animation styles and appealing to a younger audience.
Looney Tune show was released alongside Gumball, marking a turning point for the channel.
Adventure Time's fourth and fifth seasons marked a shift towards a more story-based approach.
2013 saw the beginning of the end for Cartoon Network with the revival of Teen Titans and the cancellation of Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc.
Teen Titans Go was Cartoon Network's first attempt at reaching a younger audience, despite negative reception.
2014 and 2015 saw Adventure Time and Regular Show as dominant shows, but Teen Titans Go was gaining viewers.
Total Drama Island was cancelled in 2014, but the 'big four' shows were still going strong.
2016 brought a revival of Ben 10, which was poorly received and considered a betrayal of the original series.
Regular Show aired its final episode in January, marking the loss of one of the 'big four' shows.
Adventure Time's final episode aired in 2018, signaling the end of an era for Cartoon Network.
The final two pillars, Steven Universe and Gumball, were cancelled in 2019, ending the 'Golden Age'.
Craig of the Creek is mentioned as a genuinely good show still airing on Cartoon Network.
Transcripts
Cartoon Network used to be one of the
most well-respected channels on Cable
television being home to some of the
best shows currently on air however it
seems that in recent years the network
has taken a dive and as time goes on it
only continues to get worse in this
video I'm going to be talking about what
made Cartoon Network so special and why
it eventually turned into what is today
we're going to be going incredibly deep
into some of the best shows of the 2010s
so anyways don't forget to subscribe and
as always enjoy the
video first of all all we need to
establish what the Golden Age of Cartoon
Network really was which I consider to
be the run from 2007 all the way to 2019
which is more often referred to as the
Renaissance the most memorable shows
were released in 2010 and some of the
ones that replaced them are still
running today so our timeline is going
to run from 2010 all the way to the
present day and to begin we have to look
back to the beginning of the Renaissance
when shows like Total Drama Island Star
Wars the Clone Wars and Ben 10 alien and
force were dominating the network and
saying the scene for shows like
Adventure Time the reason that these
three shows are important is that they
were all calized in some way meaning
that there was continuity from one
episode to the next this isn't something
that's always important to enjoyability
but is crucial to the success of shows
like Adventure Time in Steven universe
as the precedent said allowed those
shows to run for as long as they did
during January of 2010 Total Drama
Island became the longest currently
running show on Cartoon Network work
with a total of 54 episodes Total Drama
Island was incredibly unique because the
majority of shows at the time focused on
fantasy in some way or another while in
contrast Total Drama Island was the
parody of a reality TV show where in
each season its contestants would
compete trying to be the last one
standing the reason that the show
succeeded despite how different it was
was mainly due to its writing and
specifically its characters the show's
cast had a wide variety of archetypes
meaning that no matter what you were
looking for or you would find at least
one character that you would enjoy by
writing their scripts in a way that
targeted all age ranges the show managed
to deliver in a way that still holds up
today despite being over a decade old
during the same time Benton Alien Force
was cancelled but to compensated for
this Cartoon Network would release
Adventure Time as well as Scooby-Doo Mr
Incorporated on the same day if you're
someone watching this video I'm sure you
know all about what made Adventure Time
so good but I'm not sure that all of you
know about Scooby-Doo mystery and it was
a darker and kind of edgier take on
classic Scooby-Doo and in the short
runtime that had it did an amazing job
developing its characters while still
playing into their established roles
when people think of Scooby-Doo reboots
today a certain show comes to mind but
Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc was nothing like
this and for a short time was the best
reboot on Cartoon Network I could keep
going about what makes it so great but I
think I'll do that in its own video
around the same time Cartoon Network
would release Regular Show the second
show to be considered one of the big
four along with Adventure Time and by
2012 it was these two shows that were
already some of the most watched shows
on the network what makes Regular Show
special is that was originally pitched
as a show for Adult Swim the late night
Channel owned by Cartoon Network which
focuses more on adult animation and
isn't as suable for kids this makes
perfect sense to anyone who has watched
Regular Show as it was clearly more
mature than the shows that aired before
it and seemed like it was missing
something having seen the pilot 2 in the
AM PM it's very clear what the show
wanted to be something that made Regular
Show Stand Out is the fact that main
characters were in their 20s and weren't
really impressive in any way the
episodes all followed a formula where
they started fairly normal then quickly
escalated but they did this in an
incredibly entertaining way which paired
well with the way the characters were
written the series continued to grow and
change but the one thing that remained
consistent was that each episode had
heart and as with most shows at the Time
Regular Show was enjoyable by everyone
something that was very important during
this time period as Regular Show and
Adventure Time were gaining popularity
another very important show would be
released on May 3rd of 2011 Cartoon
Network would reveal The Amazing World
of Gumball for the first time they
released it on the same day as the
Looney Tune show which marked the
turning point of the channel unlike
Regular Show Gumball focused on a very
young protagonist and Blended various
styles of Animation to make an
incredibly visually appealing show which
could still be produced relatively
quickly Gumball was immediately
successful being one of the funniest
shows airing at the time this being said
something was slightly different about
Gumball well Gumball is an amazing show
it was ever so slightly more aimed at
children than all of the shows to come
before it this doesn't make it any worse
but is important to the direction that
Cartoon Network would end up heading
released at the same time the Looney
Tune show wasn't the most popular but is
very worth mentioning as like its
contemporaries it was a show that had a
very broad appeal and a unique sense of
humor that could be appreciated by many
people it mimicked the humor of sitcoms
like Seinfeld with a very satirical
approach to Comedy but unfortunately it
wasn't really appreciated in its time
and was canceled relatively quickly but
I do think it was worth mentioning
throughout this time Cartoon Network was
still finding its identity and as shows
continued to be produced the overall
quality of the network was only
increasing and for over a year we
continued to live in peace as Cartoon
Network continued to please its
Community during 2012 Adventure Time
would release its fourth and fifth
Seasons marking the turning point in the
show where it became much more story-
based focusing on the overall plot
rather than each individual episode at
the same time they were also acquired by
Netflix and these two things ultimately
led to Adventure Time beginning to lose
some of its live viewers although many
people consider season 5 to be one of
the best seasons it was this change that
made the show have a more specific
appeal and this didn't fit with the new
style that Cartoon Network was shifting
to where they preferred to air
individual episodes not accounting for
the order this would cause Adventure
Time to slowly begin losing on runtime
to shows like Gumball although it would
still be one of the dominant shows for
years to come what's so great about this
time period is that the shows were new
enough to be interesting but old enough
to have all found their voice even when
they followed a formula they were
distinct enough that each episode had
something to provide and it didn't feel
repetitive in any way when people think
of Cartoon Network Nostalgia this is
most often what they think about because
at this time things were true perfect so
far not much bad has happened and it
seemed that Cartoon Network system has
only led to wrid shows with amazing
storytelling it didn't seem like
anything was going to change but every
day we inched a little bit closer to the
event that would change
everything 2013 marks the beginning of
the end for Cartoon Network the channel
would always release new shows and the
community was very accepting of this but
this time it was is different during
late 2012 Cartoon Network officially
announced the Revival of Teen Titans the
DC show which ran from 2003 to 2006 on
paper this sounds like a good thing but
something wasn't quite right no one knew
it at the time but something dark was
simmering and it was about to cause an
uproar like nothing ever seen before on
Cartoon Network the show was set to
debut on April 23rd of 2013 and
anticipation was Rising upon release
something was clear teen Titan's go was
like nothing before it and to be clear
this is not a good thing you see Gumball
was incredibly successful one of the
best performing shows on Cartoon Network
and this could be attributed to any
number of things but the increase of
young viewers was something that Cartoon
Network simply could not ignore during
this time period there was a significant
increase in young children watching
television and it was happening in
numbers that had not been seen before in
the past the strategy of reaching all
ages worked because that's where the
numbers were but unfortunately this
wouldn't always be the case Teen Titans
Go was Cartoon Network's first attempt
at reaching the younger audience and
despite the horrible reception from the
majority of viewers it was clear that
the show was succeeding 2013 was a
pivotal year for Cartoon Network as a
marked the cancellation of Scooby-Doo as
well as the release of Steven Universe
Uncle Grandpa and Teen Titans Go and to
see Scooby-Doo Mystery Inc be replaced
by the atrocity that was Uncle Grandpa
was the first hint that things were
changing the number of mature cartoons
was beginning to decrease and the number
of shows which targeted a younger
audience was on the rise things seemed
to be going in a bad Direction but we
didn't yet realize to what extent
throughout 2014 and 15 Adventure Time
and Regular Show were still the two
dominant TV shows But as time went on
and their Rings began to drop teen
Titan's go was only gaining viewers
despite the continuation ation of
extreme criticism if you were on the
internet during this time you probably
remember how ha this show really was it
United the community like never before
and brought a wave of hatred unlike
anything before it or after during 2014
we lost Total Drama Island in a wave of
cancellation but all four of the big
shows were still going strong the state
CTO network was in during this year was
very mixed and although the story-driven
shows like Adventure Time and Steven
Universe were still the doing pretty
good the ratings did not reflect this on
the other hand the episodic shows like
regular show and gumball were still
doing very good but they could only
maintain this for so long you see even
though these shows were doing good on
their own they had to compete with the
best because if it wasn't the most
popular show it would make more sense to
air the show that was on top of this
these shows weren't made for the
audience that Cartoon Network was
shifting to and didn't really fit with
the new theme at this point people had
come to accept that despite how poorly
received it was Teen Titan's go was not
going anywhere also I'd like to make it
clear that teen Titan's go isn't the
worst show ever it's just not that good
since it released in 2013 there have
been dozens of shows that I would
consider to be ridiculously worse the
problem is only partially with the show
itself but more what was replacing from
what I've heard it's gone better over
the years but even then it's never going
to be as good as the original in 2016 we
received a light in the Darkness it was
announced that benen would receive a
Revival and this was great news at this
point benen had been cancelled for over
6 years and fans of the show were happy
to hear that was coming back on October
1st Ben 10 was released and to
everyone's disappointment it was awful
it's very hard to call something
objectively awful especially in
something as opinion-based as a TV show
but what the show did to the original
series was truly awful what Teen Titans
Go did to the original series wasn't
even half as bad as what been intended
I'm not going to go too deep into this
but this show genuinely had no appeal to
anyone above the age of 10 and it was
clear that it was created for nothing
other than profit it just genuinely had
no soul behind it almost no redeemable
qualities at this point in the video I
think I should make it clear that these
series aren't bad because they're aimed
at children or even because they betray
their Source material but they're bad
because of the same reason that YouTube
shorts are bad I'm generalizing here
because some YouTube shorts are are
pretty good but the majority of them
don't deliver any meaning and just keep
you there Teen Titans Go and Ben give
you nothing more than the Subway Surfers
that you watch below Minecraft Parkour
at this point teen 's go and Ben T
dominate the channel and through events
like the 3-day teen times go marathons
no I'm not joking it was made clear that
they weren't going anywhere every day it
became a bit more clear that this age of
Cartoon Network was coming to an end but
we could still have hope in our favorite
shows as almost all of them were still
running well they were on January 16th
Regular Show would air its final episode
and a few month after this it was
nowhere to be seen it was that day that
we lost the first of the big four shows
Adventure Time managed to stay a little
longer but when the ninth season only
had 14 episodes we knew something was up
Adventure Time seasons always had at
least 26 episodes with very slight
exceptions the rise of Adventure Time
began to wrap up the story as they
really had no other choice choice and
the pacing of the show took a slight
Decline and throughout the rest of the
year Adventure Time and Gumball would
fight for ear time but with each month
that would pass it was clear that they
were losing on September 3rd Adventure
Time would air its final episode the two
shows which were once the core of
Cartoon Network were nowhere to be seen
it's hard to describe the state that
Cartoon Network was in but what happened
was tragic it wasn't just that teen
tit's go was the most aired show but it
was the fact that it was so aired that
accounted for over 70% of what was shown
or at least according to a red post I
found from 8 years ago 2018 was truly a
dark year for Cartoon Network and to
make matters worse there was a total
drama island reboot and I think by now
you know why this is a bad thing well
the Teen Titans were rebooted as their
actual age and Ben 10 was rebooted as a
10-year-old no one got worse than the
cast of Total Drama Island in the new
series total drama Rama the cast were
rebooted as preschoolers like actual
preschool like like four-year-olds why
would they do this man at this point we
understood Cartoon Network didn't care
they just want to make as much money as
possible and we always kind of knew this
but we never thought they would go this
far at this point Cartoon Network was
taken over and there was nothing we
could do about it during 2019 we would
lose the final two pillars with the
cancellation of Steven Universe and then
Gumball and with this the Golden Age was
truly over currently Cartoon Network is
in the same state it has been mainly
being teen 's go but then again who uses
cable nowadays I should also mention
that Craig of the creek is a genuinely
good show and I think it's still airing
but shows like Adventure Time and
Regular Show are never making a comeback
the channel That was once a staple in
our culture raising a whole generation
is officially gone but even though
Cartoon Network is gone the memories
that gave us are not there's a line from
the final episode of Adventure time that
I think does a pretty good job summing
up my final thoughts I think the quote
is in reference to the show but also
applies to Cartoon Network as a whole
the quote goes it seems unforgiving when
a good thing ends but you and I will
always be back then anyways that's all I
have to say so if you enjoyed the video
please consider subscribing and I'll see
you in the next one
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