Adult Animation Revolution: Adult Swim’s “Checkered Past” And How To Reinvent Cartoon Network

Adult Swim has created a new block of programing called “Checkered Past” that showcases TV programs from Cartoon Network’s early days like Dexter’s Lab, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed, Edd n Eddy and The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. The 5:00-7:00 pm programing block has been met with success and many viewers are calling for an expansion of original programing.

Growing up, Cartoon Network was my favorite TV channel and I believe it’s time for bold reinvention. We’re seeing new types of cartoons being created in the age of streaming and indie animation. As someone who’s literally as old as Cartoon Network, I have some thoughts as to what works for Cartoon Network and what needs to change.

Make More Action Adventure Shows

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal and My Adventures With Superman have been met with excellent fan and critical reception. Viewers of all ages and genders are passionate about high stakes action, gripping drama, and world-building within serialized storytelling. It’s a mystery as to why Cartoon Network never tried to do its equivalent to the Avatar series. The commercial success of anime like Demon Slayer and Attack on Titan prove that viewers young and old are hungry for epic stories told in animated form.

Move Beyond Adventure Time

When Adventure Time debuted in 2010, it became a phenomenon that many networks are still trying to emulate. But one of the downsides to Adventure Time’s popularity is that many shows started to look and feel superficially similar. When every cartoon is “weird” in the same way it stops being unique and charming and starts becoming aggravating.

While Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake is a solid spiritual successor to the original series, we’re entering a new decade, so I want to see new types of shows. Instead of more cartoons that bank on “quirky random humor,” I want to see a new animated show that kicks pop-culture in the butt the same way Adventure Time did when it first premiered.

Support Fresh Art Styles

Look, I’m not here to complain about “bean-mouth,” “noodle arms,” or other stylistic choices that get people riled up on the internet. But I think we can all agree that the art style should support the story being told and that “House Styles” get stale when they’re overused.

Fabien Mense has worked on many animated shows and films as a concept artist including Mitchells vs Machines, Hotel Transylvania, and DuckTales. I usually prefer Fabien’s concept designs when compared to the final result. Mense’s art strikes the perfect balance between edgy and appealing. He seamlessly blends Anime and Western cartoon aesthetics together to create something original. Please make an animated series that reflects Mense’s beautiful work in the final product. This is what the future should look like!

Bring Back Horror Comedies, You Cowards!

Cartoon Network was known as being the go-to destination for nightmare fuel. You could see stuff that you couldn’t on any other network. Horror is one of the most popular genres in entertainment with film and games delivering some of their best chills yet. Cartoon Network should return to its roots and bring back horror comedies to give a new generation a love of horror and the courage to combat an increasingly frightening world.

Create Romantic Comedies

 

Romanic comedy is one of the most popular genres in anime and manga with an equal following amongst boys and girls. Many cartoon fans have their favorite cartoon couples and cartoon crushes. There’s room for shows where romantic and dramatic relationships can take center stage. Additionally, romantic comedies could be a great way to explore the current cultural shifts and openness to queer relationships. If romantic comedies were done properly, this could be a game changer that reignites interest in Cartoon Network and speaks to an audience that deserves to be heard.

Adapt Popular Young Adult Novels

 

The same people who grew up on Cartoon Network are the same generation who grew up during the rise of Young Adult fiction. After it was announced that Harry Potter would be rebooted as a TV series, me and every other Millennial rolled our eyes at such an obvious display of greed. However, if the next Harry Potter-sized sensation were to be adapted into animation we would gladly show up.

Nimona was a huge success for Netflix and there’s already an animated adaptation of The Lunar Chronicles in the works. So, now’s the perfect time for more. Animation can explore fantastic concepts and worlds more easily than live action. Cartoon Network should make PG-13 shows that speak directly to its passionate Young Adult viewership. We’re in a golden age of Sci-Fi and Fantasy adaptations for film and TV, and it’s time for animation to step up to the plate.

In Closing

 

Cartoon Network has the opportunity for bold reinvention and becoming the go-to destination for high quality, thought provoking, narratively sophisticated, and artistically rich animated programing. It’s going to take visionary show-runners and forward-thinking executives to pull this off. If Cartoon Network doesn’t seriously consider even one of these suggestions, then the channel will lose creativity and credibility in the long run. We respect the past by moving forward.