The Cartoon Network Wiki
Register
Advertisement
For other original series produced by Cartoon Network, see Cartoon Network Original Series and Movies.
Cartoon Cartoons 000000

The original Cartoon Cartoons logo from 1998-2004.

Cartoon Cartoons new logo

Cartoon Cartoons revival logo introduced in 2021.

Cartoon Cartoons is a collective name for 15 Cartoon Network Original Series that premiered between 1996 and 2003. They were produced by Hanna-Barbera and/or Cartoon Network Studios, with smaller studios like A.K.A. Cartoon, Kinofilm, Stretch Films, and Curious Pictures focusing on individual projects. Most Cartoon Cartoons were featured on CN's Friday night programming block, Cartoon Cartoon Fridays.

The "Cartoon Cartoon" moniker was first introduced in 1997. In 2003, CCF was retooled into the live-action Fridays, and in 2004, CN stopped using the moniker for its original animation that was still in production. Many original series have premiered since then, but are not considered Cartoon Cartoons. From 2005 to 2008, the moniker was primarily used for CN's "retro" cartoons that were being re-run on Cartoon Cartoons: The Top 5 and The Cartoon Cartoon Show; it has been dropped since then.

As of 2012, the Cartoon Cartoons along with other Cartoon Network Studios shows (from the post-Cartoon Cartoons era) have been airing in reruns on the 2012 revival of Cartoon Planet, a block strictly airing Cartoon Cartoons and other original shows for the network's 20th anniversary.

In 2021, the Cartoon Cartoons name was resurrected by the network for a new animation showcase program as a successor to the What a Cartoon! project.

History[]

Cartoon Cartoons were first showcased as World Premiere Toons and later in 1995 on What a Cartoon!, a series of comedic animated shorts produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Cartoon Network Studios guided by Fred Seibert. Seibert had been a guiding force for Nickelodeon (having overseen the creation of Nicktoons shortly prior to his departure) prior to joining Hanna-Barbera and would establish Frederator Studios years later.[1] The first series to spin off from The What a Cartoon! Show was Dexter's Laboratory in 1996. A year later, Johnny Bravo and Cow and Chicken joined Dexter on the Cartoon Network lineup. The Powerpuff Girls became a Cartoon Cartoon in the fall of 1998. I Am Weasel and Ed, Edd n Eddy were the first two Cartoon Cartoons not to be introduced as What a Cartoon! shorts.

More shows premiered bearing the Cartoon Cartoons brand, airing throughout the network's schedule and prominently on Cartoon Cartoon Fridays, which became the marquee night for premieres of new episodes and shows beginning June 11, 1999.

On March 3, 2002, Cartoon Network introduced Cartoon Cartoons: The Top 5, an hour-long programming block featuring a countdown of the week's five "best" Cartoon Cartoons. The block was cancelled on July 13, 2008.

In October 2003, the Cartoon Cartoons brand was discontinued (however, the Cartoon Cartoons bumpers remained intact until the network's rebrand in June 2004) and Cartoon Cartoon Fridays was rebooted as Fridays, hosted by Tommy Snider, Nzinga Blake (2003–2004), and Tara Sands (2005–2007). It aired shows outside the Cartoon Cartoon moniker, such as Samurai Jack, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Camp Lazlo, My Gym Partner's a Monkey, Squirrel Boy, and Class of 3000. The last airing of Fridays was on February 23, 2007.

On September 19, 2004, Cartoon Cartoons: The Top 5 expanded its programming to include both newer CN Originals (such as Camp Lazlo, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) and older Cartoon Cartoons.

On September 12, 2005, CN re-introduced The Cartoon Cartoon Show, a half-hour program featuring re-runs of older cartoons that were no longer shown regularly on the network. The block was cancelled on June 21, 2008.

The block Cartoon Planet was revived on Cartoon Network on March 30, 2012, airing in a format similar to The Cartoon Cartoon Show. It features Cartoon Cartoons such as Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, I Am Weasel, The Powerpuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Codename: Kids Next Door, and other original Cartoon Network Studios series such as Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Camp Lazlo, and Chowder. Cartoon Planet returned on October 5, 2012, for Cartoon Network's 20th anniversary. On February 8, 2014, the block ended.

In April 2021, Cartoon Network announced a new iteration of the Cartoon Cartoons shorts program.[2]

On November 23, 2021, the first new Cartoon Cartoons shorts completed production.[3] On June 7, 2022, more Cartoon Cartoons completed production.[4]

List of Cartoon Cartoons[]

Full series[]

Title Premiere date Finale date
Dexter's Laboratory April 27, 1996 November 20, 2003
Johnny Bravo July 7, 1997 August 27, 2004
Cow and Chicken July 15, 1997 July 24, 1999
I Am Weasel March 2, 2000
The Powerpuff Girls November 18, 1998 March 25, 2005
Ed, Edd n Eddy January 4, 1999 November 8, 2009
Mike, Lu & Og November 12, 1999 May 27, 2001
Courage the Cowardly Dog November 22, 2002
Sheep in the Big City November 17, 2000 April 7, 2002
Time Squad June 8, 2001 November 26, 2003
Grim & Evil August 24, 2001 October 18, 2002
Whatever Happened to... Robot Jones? July 12, 2002 November 14, 2003
Codename: Kids Next Door December 6, 2002 January 21, 2008
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy+ June 13, 2003 November 9, 2007
Evil Con Carne+ July 11, 2003 October 22, 2004
  • (+) Indicates that the show originally aired as part of Grim & Evil, and that the 2003-2004 episodes were not produced for the standalone show.

Anthology/showcase series[]

Title Premiere date Finale date
What a Cartoon! February 20, 1995 November 28, 1997
The Premiere Premiere Show June 8, 2001 December 13, 2002

Blocks[]

Bumpers[]

These opening bumpers of the Cartoon Cartoons brand were used from November 6, 1998 to June 13, 2004. It featured a Cartoon Cartoon character pops out of the first "O" in "CARTOONS" and says, "Cartoon Cartoons!" on the blue swirly background with beaming circles and rays.

Appearances in other media[]

DC Comics ran an anthology comic based on the Cartoon Cartoon umbrella title, the ongoing series ran from March 2001 to October 2004 for a total of 33 issues.

The Cartoon Cartoons logo was featured in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode, Crossover Nexus.

Trivia[]

  • The Cartoon Cartoons theme song is composed by Stephen Mank of Primal Screen, a studio from Atlanta who also worked on the bumpers for both Starburst and Powerhouse eras.
    • The song debuted around late July 1997 with brand new bumpers and promos featuring the Cartoon Network logo being placed on a swirly colorful background with sunburst and ripples.
    • An extended version of the theme is played on a promo entitled "What's That?" from 1997, where the Red Guy takes Cow to a stage play explaining the use of the moniker. This version was also used on a generic promo of Cartoon Cartoons in Latin America during 1999 and 2000.
    • The 10-second version of the song was notably played in the opening bumpers and promos between 1997 and 2003 and it featured a random voice-over or a original Cartoon Network character shouting the words "Cartoon Cartoons!" at the end. This short version was remixed by Michael Kohler for the block Cartoon Cartoon Fridays.
    • Its jingle is also played at the Cartoon Network Productions "ripple" logo that can be seen at the end of CN original series from November 26, 1999 to November 3, 2017.
    • In 2000, a new arrangement of the theme was used for The Cartoon Cartoon Show which changed the opening and ending titles for the original What a Cartoon! shorts.
    • From 2005 to 2007, a new remixed version of the song is played for the intro of The Cartoon Cartoon Show.
    • It can also be heard on some shows that were distributed by various international Cartoon Network channels such as Animal Control: Season 1 and the 2014 Courage the Cowardly Dog special titled The Fog of Courage (both were distributed by the Southeast Asian branch of Cartoon Network).
    • A rearranged and modernized version of the song is played in the OK K.O. episode “Crossover Nexus”.
    • The ending part of the theme was used on a bumper for the 2018 revival of Cartoon Cartoons in Cartoon Network Asia.
  • The 1st logo from 1997-1998, consisted of the black and white Eagle typeface taken from the 1992-2004 Cartoon Network logo, except the word "Network" is replaced with another "Cartoon". The wordmark is now placed on a green oval as seen on the original bumpers.
  • The 2nd logo from 1998-2004 and 2005-2007, consisted of the red and yellow typeface taken from the Powerhouse era, except the first "Cartoon" is written in a cursive style.
  • Many fans tell the original Cartoon Network series from 2003 until now, Cartoon Cartoons, to think that the term Cartoon Cartoons, was discontinued since 2003.

Gallery[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

Advertisement