Anyone else say what is all this crud when turn on Cartoon Network ? (1 Viewer)

[florence franks]

I personally always thought majority new stuff Cartoon Network makes me very glad I grew up few decades before. I did not think it was much more then difference of taste until yesterday when my sister finally got CN and called me and said, What is all this crap? Having looked at newsgroups today as well, we not only ones.

Animation looks "lazy" and huge backstep compared to shows made even far as 40 years ago. What is goal here, to churn out as many eps as possible and aim them at 5 and under crowd? With few exceptions like Justice League and Masters of Universe special, from what I see it looks like they hired some kid go at it with crayon. Has cost of animation taken some bizzare hike where can not even have same quality put into it that ones decades ago did?
Which I must add is not exclusive just animation quality itself.

 

[Scott Van Dyke]

I like Tom & Jerry.

 

[Ben Menix]

Both Cartoon Network and Nickelodean have both "in-house" and contract creators, animators, producers, directors, etc. that they use over and over again for new programs. If you watch the credits for new cartoons debuting on both networks, you will see the same names come up over and over again. Right now, the teams producing most of cartoon network's cartoons tend to stick with the same styles of animation. It's not a lack of budget or poor production values, it's actually a stylistic choice. Don't ask me why that style is popular, though...I don't really know.
Ben Menix
[email protected]

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Of the daytime and primetime material, I like both the animation and the style of The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack.

Frankly, the technical visual quality (some aesthetic choices notwithstanding) of todays TV animation, including Cartoon Network, blows away most of what was animated for TV in the late 60s through the early 90s. This is largely due to effective use of computers.

As far as 40+ years ago, you are talking about theatrical animation (with theatrical budgets) that then found its way home. Virtually nothing EVER animated for series TV can touch the best of vintage Warner and MGM theatrical shorts.

 

[TheLongshot]

Animated shows made for TV have always been cheap, and of low quality. The quality of TV animation is much better than it used to be. The colors, specifically, are much brighter and viverant than in the old days.

Remember, Looney Tunes were made for film, therefore being of a higher quality than most animation on TV. What you should be comparing it to is stuff from Hanna-Barbera (Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, etc) or Scooby Doo. Now, you can't argue to me that Scooby Doo is animated far better than The Powerpuff Girls.

Jason

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Pretty much the only time I make it a thing to watch CN is during Adult Swim.

 

[florence franks]

"Now, you can't argue to me that Scooby Doo is animated far better than The Powerpuff Girls"

Yes I can! That is exactly what I been trying to say, so thanks for giving that example. Something like original Scooby show all way until frandise started 1hour scooby celebraty shows far surpass dribble that fills up most of CN now. Well that is what I and my sister, those posts in newgroups feel having grown up in around 80s. Setting, mood, from dusty combwebs to dark city streets. LOL and I swear seen copyright of 1969. It place want to explore or ecscape too, not neon pink sky and purple look. Like something MTV would do. Thanks for replies, just find this topic interesting, apparent there are some like that new stuff, so CN must know what they are doing.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Wha...?

I thought this discussion was akin to comparing the Dutch masters to pop-art/op-art/minimalism, but this Scooby-Doo thing has thrown me out the window. You actually prefer that boring, assembly-line Hanna-barbara stuff to the clean bold vivid gestures of Powerpuff girls? This is an aesthetic I can't begin to grasp.

 

[Carl Johnson]

Well I hate Scooby Doo with a vengance and the Powerpuff Girls is my second favorite show (right behind the Sopranos). So there.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I'm a long-time animation fan and in my opinion, modern Cartoon Network fare (I'm talking Powerpuff, Samurai Jack, even Dexter's Lab and Johnny Bravo) isn't just technically superior to 'Scooby Doo', it's also written a hell of a lot better!
I say the real drivel is 'Scooby Doo' and all of its 70s-era clones like Speed Buggy and so on.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I agree with Florence. When CN started they showed alot of older cartoons; Hanna Barbera, Popeye, Looney Tunes Etc. Now most of this has been replaced with mostly new shows. I can't stand any of the new shows except for stuff like Batman and Justice League those shows look elegant. But most of the other Prime time stuff...Yuck!. They have better colors yes but I think they are poorly written with juvenile and repitive jokes; farts, nosepicking, vandelism, screaming and yelling. They might be funny for the first 5 minutes but after that they are plan annoying. I think the character designs and backgrounds are also poor. They look like poor daily newspaper comic strips. I much prefer Hanna Barbera. They may not have as pretty colors and as detailed animation but at least the characters look professionaly drawn and they have a story. The stories may be reused alot but at least there is one other than lets be obnoxious or lets scream and yell and then fart and burp. Thank God there is Boomerang. I recommend you watch that channel Florence if you get it. I'm sure alot of the younger ones here will disagree but I guess you have to be younger at least under 30 to enjoy the new CN programming.

 

[Kenneth Cummings]

While I left Cartoon Network tempory for almost a year, it has return to my daily watching with my favorite show there, Courge the Cowardy Dog. It just so funny and good to watch the show (it doesn't seem to be cheap either). Used to like Dexter, but that jump the shark recently. Powerpuff Girls are still good, yet wish the reruns would show more episode then Power Lunch or the one about the Dog statue tape. Would watch JLA, but it in pan and scam, so no go. Still better then Toon Disney (only having the Disney Afternoon and House of the Mouse to keep it alive for me).

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Would watch JLA, but it in pan and scam, so no go.

You do know that the widescreen versions are simply Bruce Timm's mattings applied to the 4x3 animated frame, correct? Just construct some felt or construction paper mattes if it bothers you that much.

 

[Max Leung]

I loved Dexter's Lab, and now I think Powerpuff Girls trumps the big D (anyone else think they ran out of ideas for the Dexter's Lab show after the 2nd season?). The style of PG just blows me away...an incredible mix of hardcore action anime a la Fist of the Northstar, Gatchaman (well, a wee bit anyways!), and a smidgen of film noir stylisms. Heh, is stylism even a word?

And don't forget that gross-out masterpiece, Ren and Stimpy! Mmmmm edible cat litter...

I liked Scooby Doo, but that was because I wasn't fully sentient at the time and I didn't catch on that every episode was the same. Now I can't stand to watch that tripe anymore. Ditto for Rocket Robin Hood...yeccch. But, I did like the dialog in the original Spiderman cartoon. "Must....stay....awake."

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I'm sure alot of the younger ones here will disagree but I guess you have to be younger at least under 30 to enjoy the new CN programming.

I think not. I'm 35 years old and feel quite strongly that the good stuff on Cartoon Network blows away what the Hanna Barbera and Filmation crapmills were churning out for television when I was a young pup.

My favorite cartoons? Warner Bros and MGM, pre-1955. Other amazing stuff from Ub Iwerks, Disney, Fleischer (including Betty Boop, Popeye, and Superman), even UPA, among a few others.

My least favorite? Anything (except Schoolhouse Rock) made for saturday morning television from 1965 to 1990. Cartoon Network is so much better than that pablum.

 

[florence franks]

Randy, wow! I could not said better myself, what I was trying say. Batman and justice league is all around quality talking about, sadly shows like that far and few between say least! Thanks for posting

 

[Grant B]

CN reuses some of the most inane cartoons of the 60/70s and turn it into the some the funniest; most inventive stuff on TV. I always thought that space ghost coast to coast was the greatest reuse of a lame cartoon until I saw the Sealab 2021.
I hurt myself from laughter when I watch it.....and the 70s show is one of the most god awful things I have ever seen

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If you like the older cartoons, there is a network called Boomerang that was started by CN to run JUST old cartoons.

I think that a lot of CN's newer stuff is written quite well. The little in-jokes about other cartoons, the rare dirty jokes, and a lot of the quite intelligent jokes are things that I haven't seen in cartoons since The Animaniacs (the best cartoon from the 90s).

About Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Lab having crappy animation and poor backgrounds, it's just the style. I personally think Scooby-Doo had horrible animation and crappy storylines, but I chalk it up more to the style of the show than anything else. Shows like Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and all of those similar shows from back then had the EXACT SAME unoriginal style. Considering that only a few shows on CN have the aforementioned style (the DL/PPG style) should be something to applaud, considering all cartoons used to have the same style.