From 2010 Cartoon Network finally dug itself out of a downward spiral and returned to making cartoons, it's worth noting that Cartoon Network had successfully made a cartoon every year since 1993 except for 2009.
Now we finish the mini guide with today's cartoons. 7 entries today.
1. Adventure Time - 2010
Fantasy epic about a boy and his shape shifting dog in a magical world of princesses, vampires, ice kings and everything awesome.
Verdict: Is well deserving of it's cult status even if some episodes are a bit lacking in content but always entertaining to watch and surprisingly dark in places.
Fact: The second time Nickelodeon has kicked themselves for letting a good cartoon go to their rivals. (The other being Ed, Edd & Eddy) Would you believe they chose Fanboy & Chum Chum over Adventure Time?
2. Regular Show - 2010
The surreal adventures of a group of park keepers which consist of a Blue Jay, a Raccoon, a Yeti, a Gumball Machine, a Lollyman, a small chubby Hulk and a Ghost with a hand on his head.
Verdict: One of the best cartoons on tv today, packed to the brim with 80s & 90s references and surreal humor created from mundane tasks, they even make Milk & Cereal look awesome.
Fact: Mordecai is creator JG Quintel with much of the show representing his college years.
3. Sym-Bionic Titan - 2010
Two alien humanoids and their robot escape to Planet Earth only to followed by the villains that took over their home world, they fight back with a giant mecha called Sym-Bionic Titan.
Verdict: Genndy Tartakovsky's trademark art style is plain to see and the show can easily compete with most anime series (seeing as it was inspired by early mecha anime) but I don't think the world was ready for it or Cartoon Network for that matter.
Fact: They listed the main reason for cancellation was "No toys attached to it" which is a load of crap, they couldn't afford to keep Genndy so they cancelled his project to save money.
4. Robotomy - 2010
Two outsider robots enter a world of murderous robots as they attempt to get through school.
Verdict: Terrible. Someone clearly watched Futurama and said "copy that" not realizing you need John Di Maggio to make any robot series work.
Fact: Shortest cartoon on the Network's history.
5. The Problem Solverz - 2011
A bunch of badly drawn characters solving problems.
Verdict: IT HURTS MY EYES!!!! The psychedelic color scheme really hurts my eyes and I can usually handle it having been an anime fan for years.
Fact: Technical Difficulties Please Wait. (Please note that I am currently on my computer chair in pain holding my eyes after re-watching Problem Solverz)
6. The Amazing World of Gumball - 2011
The Watterson family made up of blue cats, pink rabbits & a talking fish go through day to day life in a world full of advertisement characters in every animation technique possible.
Verdict: A fantastic show with some of the best child voice acting in the business along with some very memorable moments.
Fact: This show is British made. (Finally a cartoon I can be proud of) In fact some of it's writers live only a few miles away from where I live.
Bonus: I say advertisement characters seeing as most of the designs were used by creator Ben Boquelet as part of an advertising project in college.
7. Secret Mountain Fort Awesome - 2011
Five monsters come to Earth to try and live with humans but as with anything to do with this plot, hilarity ensues.
Verdict: Strange.
Fact: Placed on hiatus and eventually cancelled and will be replaced by the show it was originally attached to "Uncle Grandpa"
Bonus: How are Cartoon Network doing now?
While they still give up too easily on some good ideas, while making bad decisions with others and still insist on live action programming, Cartoon Network's powerhouse three of Regular Show, Gumball & Adventure Time keep the channel alive and as long as they keep going with shows like those and keep replaying the older works during the night run, there should be nothing to worry about.
Bonus: The new Cartoons this year - 2013
Quick look at the three latest cartoons coming later in the year.
Steven Universe: Looks like Scott Pilgrim channeling Charlie's Angels.
Uncle Grandpa: Idea is stupid, character is stupid, the whole series looks stupid.
Clarence: Blatant ripoff of Phineas & Ferb.
Yeah only Steven Universe looks interesting.
Welcome to the final generation of Cartoon Network's mini guide, there is one more guide after this one so some context is in order for the reason behind the final generation bit.
Context: These were the last Cartoons on Cartoon Network before someone at the Network decided to drop all the cartoons in favor of live action kid sitcoms in 2009, everyone knows how that turned out.
There are 9 entries this time.
1. Life & Times of Juniper Lee - 2005
Half Chinese pre-teen girl with magical powers passed down through her family fighting against various monsters & demons.
Verdict: If the premise sounds familiar then you've probably watched American Dragon & Kim Possible which is what this show is like, a cross between those two Disney Cartoons, which means it's fairly good but compared to those two Juniper Lee seems a little too perfect.
Fact: In fact the comparisons maybe closer than you think when you consider that both this and American Dragon went through Development Hell, ironically both this and Kim Possible were poorly treated for their third seasons.
2. Camp Lazlo - 2005
A group of zoo animals attend a poorly run summer camp. That's it.
Verdict: Nothing special, most of the humor is stale and suits Nickelodeon more than Cartoon Network.
Fact: Funny I should say that as the guy who made this created Rocko's Modern Life.
3. My Gym Partner's a Monkey - 2005
A boy gets transferred to an all animal school due to mistaken identity. (Sounds like the tamest version of Rosario X Vampire)
Verdict: It's got some decent humor but runs on one joke most of the time.
Fact: The voice actress for main character Adam Lyon featured in Offspring's song "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" as vocals.
4. Squirrel Boy - 2006
A boy and his annoying pet squirrel. That's it.
Verdict: Terrible. Someone took one look at Ren & Stimpy and said "Copy that" not realizing what made that cartoon so popular.
Fact: The creator also did adult cartoon Duckman (Another terrible cartoon)
5. Class of 3000 - 2006
Hip-Hop artist Andre 3000 of OutKast re-imagined as a Music Teacher in a school set in Atlanta Georgia.
Verdict: Better attempt at this than what MC Hammer did in the early 90s.
Fact: Said to be the last of Cartoon Network's works before the vigorous changes to the network started when the Network's leader resigned.
6. Chowder - 2007
A young chef made of a mixture of three animals works at a Catering firm.
Verdict: Forgettable in most places, looks like Garfield if he got a job as a chef.
Fact: The creator is a Spongebob refugee who got his inspiration for this series from Dr Suess.
7. Transformers: Animated - 2007
I think everyone knows what Transformers is.
Verdict: Lowest point of the franchise before the CGI series happened. (Why does CGI ruin everything?)
Fact: While being made by Cartoon Network it didn't even show on the channel in Europe and even back home it ended up on the Hub.
8. The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack - 2008
A boy raised by a talking whale find a pirate starting an adventure in a candy filled world.
Verdict: The lousy color scheme and the stupid characters make this one of the worst cartoons ever made by Cartoon Network.
Fact: Pendleton Ward & JG Quintel worked on this show as well later breaking free to save Cartoon Network two years later.
9. The Secret Saturdays - 2008
A family of scientists save the world. That's it.
Verdict: While inspired by Jonny Quest it looks more like a Nickelodeon show, it's not bad but relies far too much on tried and tested gags.
Fact: The final cartoon of Cartoon Network before this.
Bonus: 2009 the Year we shall not speak of ever again.
As mentioned earlier Class of 3000 was the last show under the Network's old leader, his resignation happened due to a marketing campaign involving Adult Swim cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force went wrong when the electric light devices placed around the city of Boston were mistaken for bombs.
Under a new leader Cartoon Network's shows started to disappear one by one until all that was left were shows created between the Bomb scare & 2009, Ben 10 & Ed, Edd & Eddy. In 2007 the Network experimented with live action shows creating the hybrid series Out of Jimmy's Head, then in summer 2009 pretty much every cartoon was scrapped in favor of five live action kid sitcoms to rival Nickelodeon & Disney who were still going strong with their own powerhouse sitcoms Hannah Montana & ICarly just to name two of them.
It was a ratings disaster and by the end of that year even Ed, Edd & Eddy finally left the Network leaving just Ben 10 to pick up what remained of Cartoon Network's dignity, tomorrow I shall reveal what happened a year later when two former Flapjack writers made names for themselves.
Going back in time with the mini guide to the pre-Cartoon Cartoon era as I present to you the TBS Era of Cartoon Network.
Context: Early in Cartoon Network's run it had to rely on TBS for cartoons as well as Hanna Barbara, MGM & Warner Bros.
There are three in this section.
1. The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest - 1996
90s remake of the 60s action cartoon of the same name. Uses early CGI animation for some of it's segments.
Verdict: Enjoyable but doesn't have ever lasting appeal, the CGI segments are surprisingly well done for a 90s cartoon.
Fact: The show had a troubled production run being passed around writers like parcels and fans of the old show just couldn't warm up to Jessie Bannon.
Extra: You know Jonny Quest looks a lot like Ben 10.
2. SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron - 1993
Two fighter pilot cats get court marshaled by their force and ordered to work in a scrapyard where they build a Jet Fighter out of the scrap and return to the battlegrounds as vigilantes fighting the many super villains in the city.
Verdict: This is one of Hanna Barbara's finest, it's interesting to see how much Hanna Barbara can accomplish if they stopped using their pioneering cost cutting techniques and actually spend some money.
Fact: The Turbokat jet fighter is based on a Grumman F-14 Tomcat & Saab 35 Draken Jet Fighters
3. 2 Stupid Dogs - 1993
Misadventures of a big and little dog as they attempt to understand in vain the world around them.
Verdict: A great selection of gags that doesn't tire out too quickly even if the set pieces do tend to repeat themselves.
Fact: Many elements of this show inspired the likes of Cow & Chicken particularly the character Mr Hollywood (The guy who says "BUT ITS WRONG!!!) who is basically the human equivalent of the pantless Red Guy.
Bonus: Secret Squirrel - 1993
Remake of the 60s Hanna Barbara cartoon of the same name attached as the extra cartoon to 2 Stupid Dogs.
Verdict: Nothing special, mildly entertaining.
Fact: The action of having a backup cartoon within the main cartoon is an old Hanna Barbara tradition dating back to Huckleberry Hound where that cartoon introduced Yogi Bear.
It's Father's Day in my country so lets celebrate this with the top 10 fathers of Cartoon Network. Happy Fathers Day everyone.
It matches my eyes
10. Wendell from Mike, Lu & Og
Spare a thought for this guy, he tries really hard to govern the island but has to constantly deal with his spoilt daughter and numerous misunderstandings on the island.
9. The Emperor from Samurai Jack
Jack's father taught his son everything from sword play to honor. In my mind this guy doesn't get enough screen time.
8. Dad from Cow & Chicken
He's nothing more than a pair of legs and a pelvis but that doesn't stop him being the father to a cow & a chicken, although he seems to spend more time falling over while laughing.
7. Grandpa Max from Ben 10
Back in his day he was an intergalactic hero, nowadays he's retired and training his Grandson to continue his legacy but can still hold his own.
6. Doc Saturday from Secret Saturdays
He looks like a cross between a James Bond villain and the Samuel L Jackson, Nick Fury, but this guy is tough and has the brains to back it up.
5. Richard Watterson from Amazing World of Gumball
He's a stay at home dad with a keen eye for food, pranking and the odd game of Dungeons & Dragons. He even eats your homework.
4. Joshua from Adventure Time
Jake's father and Finn's adoptive father, a former adventurer who knows how to make a dungeon and how to bring out the best in his children, even if he does call them a whiny baby first.
3. Professor Utonium from Powerpuff Girls
I will not question technical reasons, Professor Utonium is practically the father of the Powerpuff Girls, a tough job being a single father to three super powered kindergartens but the Professor seems to manage just fine.
2. Father from Kids Next Door
Ironic that one of the highest entries is actually a villain but that's Kids Next Door for you. Apart from having a great voice he can unleash fire and stands well above the other villains in the show. You can expect that from Benedict Uno, Numbuh One's Uncle
1. Dexter's Dad from Dexter's Laboratory
But no one is more fun than Dexter's Dad, an over excited personality combined with typical father traits equals the most fun you can have from a parent. Just a few of his highlights include: The Muffin Episode, The Snowball Episode, The Speed Racer Episode & The Arm Wrestling Episode.
Moving on to a special of the mini guide and considering how big the works are, here is a guide to the works of comic group Man of Action. Adds up to 5 entries all together this time.
1. Ben 10 - 2005
A kid finds what looks like a watch is actually a device that transforms you into different aliens turns into a big adventure which was originally supposed to be a typical summer.
Verdict: I was ten years too late for this show, but that's not to say it's bad, it really connects to the psyche of a ten year old boy in so many ways.
Fact: Counting all it's series it's had more episodes than any other Cartoon Network show but it might want to look out for Adventure Time & Regular Show.
2. Ben 10 Alien Force - 2008
Continuing adventures of Ben 10 in teenage form alongside new allies and new aliens.
Verdict: A great example of character develop from kid to teenager and the addition of Kevin & Gwen as regular heroes was a nice touch
Fact: It still won't beat Ed, Edd & Eddy in terms of broadcasting length.
3. Ben 10 Ultimate Alien - 2010
Still continuing adventures of teen Ben 10 with more aliens.
Verdict: They seem to revert Ben back into a cocky brat neglecting all the development they had up til then.
Fact: One of few cartoons that can claim it has done every form of media including Live Action, 2D & CGI animation. Still hasn't been done in Anime form though.
4. Ben 10 Omniverse - 2012
Ben 10 in a new art style and more aliens.
Verdict: Adds a new dimension to the franchise but can't seem to accept that it's best days are over.
Fact: Cow & Chicken cameo in this series of Ben 10 which included their original voice actors.
5. Generator Rex - 2010
A group of nanites are infecting the world and mutating people and it's up to a teenager who uses the power of the nanites to save them.
Verdict: A worthy attempt at making a more mature cartoon but can't seem to stop making bad main characters.
Fact: When I was young I used to draw characters with giant metal fists. Makes you wonder doesn't it?
