Why Cartoon Network Fell Off

Summary

This 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

00:00

📺 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.

05:01

🌐 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.

10:03

🔄 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.

Keywords

💡Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network is a cable television channel known for its animated shows. The video discusses its rise and fall, highlighting its Golden Age and subsequent decline in quality and popularity. The network was once celebrated for innovative shows but has faced criticism in recent years.

💡Golden Age

The Golden Age refers to the period between 2007 and 2019 when Cartoon Network was at its peak, producing highly acclaimed shows. This era is often called the Renaissance, marked by beloved series like Adventure Time and Regular Show. The term signifies a time of high quality and creativity in the network's history.

💡Adventure Time

Adventure Time is one of Cartoon Network's most successful shows from the Golden Age, known for its unique storytelling and rich character development. It started airing in 2010 and became a cornerstone of the network's lineup, influencing the animation industry and maintaining a loyal fanbase.

💡Regular Show

Regular Show is another key series from Cartoon Network's Golden Age, originally pitched for Adult Swim but adapted for a younger audience. It featured mature themes and relatable characters in their 20s, contributing to its broad appeal. The show's success was instrumental in the network's popularity.

💡Teen Titans Go!

Teen Titans Go! is a controversial reboot of the original Teen Titans series, aimed at a younger audience. Released in 2013, it faced significant backlash from older fans for its departure from the original's tone and style. Despite the criticism, it became a major part of Cartoon Network's programming.

💡Steven Universe

Steven Universe is a notable show that aired during the later years of Cartoon Network's Golden Age. Premiering in 2013, it was praised for its storytelling, character diversity, and progressive themes. The show played a significant role in the network's reputation for quality animated content.

💡Total Drama Island

Total Drama Island is a unique series that parodied reality TV shows. Running from 2007, it stood out for its continuous narrative across episodes and its diverse cast of characters. Its popularity highlighted the network's ability to innovate within the animation genre.

💡Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is a darker, edgier take on the classic Scooby-Doo series. Released in 2010, it received praise for its character development and storytelling. Despite its short run, it left a lasting impression as one of the better reboots on Cartoon Network.

💡The Amazing World of Gumball

The Amazing World of Gumball is a visually innovative show that combined various animation styles. Debuting in 2011, it focused on a younger protagonist and quickly became a hit due to its humor and unique aesthetic. It represented a shift towards a younger target audience for the network.

💡Ben 10

Ben 10 is a series that underwent multiple iterations on Cartoon Network. The original was popular, but the 2016 reboot aimed at a younger audience was poorly received. The changes in the reboot highlighted the network's shift towards targeting younger viewers, often at the expense of original fans.

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