Cartoon Network Invaded was a special crossover event that aired on Cartoon Network in the United States from May 4th, 2007 through May 28th, 2007 (which was Memorial Day of 2007). It aired towards the end of the CN City and Yes! era bumpers, before the start of Summer 2007. This was a special event about a continuing storyline of an alien invasion which ran through five different episodes that were special episodes of five CN Original Series: Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Ed, Edd n Eddy, My Gym Partner's a Monkey, Camp Lazlo, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy.
According to Maxwell Atoms, creator of Billy & Mandy, the event occurred because Kraft Cheese sponsored it, hence the connections between cheese and the aliens on each show's episode. However the company backed out at the last minute (presumably due to the actions of Billy in the Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon episode) so the episodes were shown as a special event on the network. Craig McCracken, creator of Foster's Home, stated that nobody on board was excited. Three aliens were created during advertisements, including Sklrrvss (red alien; voiced by Ben Amick), Peaches (green alien; voiced by Tom Kenny), and Glog (blue alien; voiced by Jason DeMarco).
Chris Phillips, one of the original announcers for Cartoon Network during the Checkerboard era, returns to serve as the announcer for this event.
Chapter 1: Cheese A Go-Go[]
During this episode of Foster's, Frankie is first at a post office getting a package ready and in middle of a phone call with Madame Foster she has when she comes across Cheese and ignores him. Later as she is leaving the post office, she realizes that Cheese is running around streets yelling "Gotta go!" repetitively so she lets him into the Foster's bus. They pick up both Mac and Bloo at the local movie theater where they were watching a science-fiction film about an alien invasion called "Brain Sucking Aliens From The Moon". They also pick up both Eduardo and Coco from a dentist clinic, and Eduardo becomes loopy from anesthetics causing him to suddenly and ironically warn Bloo that he's hiding from the aliens like in the movie him and Mac were watching. And because it comes out of Eduardo, and Bloo reads a tabloid newspaper in the clinic's waiting room which has an article about an alien invasion with a picture of an alien that resembles Cheese, he suddenly feels as if Cheese is one of those alien race spy hitmen about to cause an alien invasion. And soon they're back in the Foster's bus en route to the courthouse as Wilt is defending Madame Foster, and meanwhile in the bus, Bloo shows Mac the newspaper he got from the clinic they were at and warns him that because this alien invader is this article's picture is really similar to Cheese, he believes that Cheese is one the alien invaders and from how Eduardo is, has removed his brain. But Mac won't believe Bloo about this. And when they arrive at the destination, which is the courthouse, Frankie insists both Mac and Coco exit the bus because the two of them are both witnesses to the court case and Frankie goes with them inside. She also insists and warns Bloo to stay in the bus with Cheese and Eduardo, do not exit, and wait until the three of them get back. And as Bloo is waiting for them, he uses the bus' 2-way radio to contact the galaxy, though it barely works.
Bloo soon disobeys Frankie's orders because the three of them leave the bus, Bloo removes the bus' 2-way radio, traps Cheese under a picnic basket, and brings him to an observatory tower calling out, "We have your Cheese, aliens!" And when the group leaves the courthouse, they find Bloo, Cheese, and Eduardo missing, and then everyone falls out and the bus gets towed away. A cop also shows them that the bus was parked in a no parking zone. Then Coco, Jackie Khones, and the cop go to get a sandwich. So Wilt and Frankie look for Bloo, Eduardo, and Cheese while Mac and Madame Foster attempt to retrieve the bus. But with Eduardo sprinting all over the community, smooching people throughout town, and they fear that he's doing this to remove their brains. As Wilt went to intercept him, the cops decided to investigate also. Frankie also rrives at the observatory to drag Bloo and Cheese away. And when Frankie returns Cheese home to his rightful owner, Louise (who is Mac's neighbor), Madame Foster contacts her telling that she and the entire crew is under solitary confinement. Frankie responds by telling her she'll be at the penitentiary first thing in the morning. And as luck would have it, that evening back at the observatory, an unidentified flying object soon comes beeping as the aliens inside this moan, "Cheese." The imaginary friend Cheese also returns to the observatory which means the start of an alien invasion!
Chapter 2: The Eds are Coming, The Eds are Coming[]
That night, Jimmy believes that aliens are coming to collect the Cul-de-Sac. Meanwhile, Jonny 2x4 and Plank try to find Rolf at his house. However, an eerily green glow and mist is coming out of the place. Meanwhile, Double D is tutoring Eddy but then hears Jonny screaming. Jonny tries to tell everyone that the aliens are coming, but only Jimmy (with a sunburned face) believes him.
Everyone realizes that Ed is missing. Double D reveals a note found at Ed's that says "At Rolf's, needs help." Jimmy and Jonny think that the "aliens" have captured Ed. A meteor then shoots out of Rolf's chimney and crash lands in the playground. The neighborhood kids check on the so-called meteor when a gooey, green hand pops out of it. Everyone panics and hides. Eddy and Double D then run off but bump into the "alien." The collision between it and the two Eds causes the goo to come off, revealing the alien to only be Ed.
Ed tells of his experience at Rolf's place. Kevin then takes the role as leader and try to storm Rolf's house, however a circle of heat is covering the area. After planning how to attack Rolf's heat-covered house, choosing weapons and creating heat-vision shields, everyone storms the house, but to no avail. Kevin storms off but Ed thinks of a plan. This plan involved a female sacrifice, Nazz.
Later that night, everyone gets ready to attack. One of the "aliens" comes out of the house. Revealing itself to be Rolf. He also reveals that the other "aliens" in the house are Rolf's relatives, staying for a while. But they still go back to their places. Though Jimmy's fears occur when claws and buzz-saws from a UFO suddenly come and removes the Cul-de-Sac, bringing this block through space.
Chapter 3: That Darn Platypus[]
Electricity in town is not working including vehicles! So everyone has to walk to destinations. On the way, Windsor shows a magazine about recent alien invasion events. And this magazine has a story about the removal of the Cul-de-Sac made front page news and shows the Eds (marking it one of the only time the Eds have appeared on another show - the other being the KND/Billy & Mandy crossover episode). Meanwhile, a new student arrives at Charles Darwin Middle School named Rick Platypus. Rick tries to trick everyone into thinking he's an alien by mentioning Brain Juice. It seems to work but not for Adam, who believes Rick is just a normal platypus. In the end, Richard reveals that the brain juice he kept talking about was just a normal juice drink.
Chapter 4: Strange Trout from Outer Space / Cheese Orbs[]
Strange Trout from Outer Space: Aliens kidnap Samson and reveal that they've arrived for cheese. Most likely because they never realized that cheese was just the name of the titular imaginary friend in "Cheese A Go-Go." However, after torturing him by giving him a wedgie, the aliens realize that Samson would not make a good hostage. So they drop him out of the UFO. Three new Bean Scouts arrive and appear to be Canadian. Samson thinks the trouts are aliens and tries to prove it as the "aliens" steal McMuesli's cheese stash. The trouts then leave Camp Kidney in a car. The three background characters that helped Samson appear to be the aliens in disguise. They then get beamed up into their ship and take off to Acorn Flats.
Cheese Orbs: The aliens arrive at Acorn Flats. The campers get ready for their Annual International Cheese Ball. However, Patsy and her friends don't go because Patsy is allergic to cheese. Nina reveals her latest invention. This invention won't let a single molecule get to Patsy so she can go to the Cheese Ball. However, Patsy goes too fast and crashes, destroying the vehicle. Nina then walks around the camp at night and is confronted by the aliens. Nina invites them into her lab. Nina asks what part of the galaxy they're from, Zygat 12 or Sector Z (a reference to the missing Kids Next Door operatives). The aliens then play board games all night. The next day, Patsy and Gretchen try to lure Nina out with no success. Everyone, including the Jelly Bean Scouts, arrive at the Cheese Ball. The aliens almost vaporize Nina, though at the last second, the Cheese Ball starts. However, Patsy eats all the cheese to look like an alien in order to bring Nina back. The aliens soon realize that cheese is gone, currently foiling their efforts.
Chapter 5: Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon[]
The alien's objectives are finally revealed. They were determined to escape with the earth's cheese. When it's the full moon, the aliens will turn into werewolves and eat everyone. They will then replace everyone with cardboard cutouts. Cardboard cameos of Numbuh Two (Codename: Kids Next Door), Dexter (Dexter's Laboratory, though he was facing backwards), Mac, Bloo (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends), and Ed (Ed, Edd n Eddy). The aliens also implanted a huge bomb in Sperg's head that explodes 12 hours from when it was first implanted. When fighting, Mandy "accidentally" sets off the bomb.
These alien invaders almost succeed. Billy was even turned into a werewolf. However, Grim turns everyone into superheroes. Meanwhile, Sperg is singing in the control room during his final seconds. His head then explodes, saving Earth. However, he is still alive. He's only headless. The aliens, on the other hand, rebuild the moon using the cheese sprayed from their armpits. As they are sinking in the cheese and eating their way out, the Kids Next Door are seen playing video games at the Moon Base when Numbuh 1 smells the cheese. Numbuhs 1, 3, 4, and 5 look at Numbuh 2, thinking that he "cut the cheese."
And during end credits, these invaders' spy hitmen did cameo appearances: Wally from Camp Lazlo as Agent 405, Rick from My Gym Partner's a Monkey as Agent 804, Plank from Ed, Edd n Eddy as Agent 314 and Pud'n from Billy & Mandy as Agent 001. The aliens had also captured five earthlings in order to absorb brain juice. These cameo appearances are actually five of Earth's most idiotic characters of the five shows that were part of this special event: Slips Python (My Gym Partner's a Monkey), Cheese (Foster's Home), Skip (Camp Lazlo), Ed (Ed, Edd n Eddy), and Fred Fredburger (Billy & Mandy). This showed that Cartoon Network Invaded was a conspiracy!
Gallery[]
Themes[]
As a crossover event, all five episodes share a bunch of themes with each other.
- Three-eyed crab aliens: The main alien species in the event.
- Cheese A Go-Go: The three-eyed crab alien of this episode was actually a person disguising as it on a movie Bloo was watching it at a movie theater.
- The Eds are Coming, The Eds are Coming: The three-eyed crab alien of this episode was actually a silhouette of the octopus Rolf was wearing on his head.
- That Darn Platypus: Rick transforms into his true form, the three-eyed crab alien.
- Strange Trout from Outer Space/Cheese Orbs: Three aliens were inside of their three-eyed crab alien capsule machine.
- Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon: The three-eyed crab aliens of the episode have two arms instead of two tentacles.
- UFO: A flying UFO was seen in the event but with the same design.
- Cheese A Go-Go: Two UFO's were seen on a movie poster of "Brain Sucking Aliens from the Moon" in the cinema.
- The Eds are Coming, The Eds are Coming: The UFO was carrying the Cul-De-Sac away from Earth.
- That Darn Platypus: The UFO was shown in the TV of Charles Darwin Middle School's AV room.
- Strange Trout from Outer Space/Cheese Orbs: For the former segment, the UFO was abducting Samson.
- Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon: There were multiple UFO's like that in the episode, and one of them was abducting Billy and Sperg.
- Cheese: The aliens want to steal from cheese from Earth.
- Cheese A Go-Go: Bloo went to an observatory to call the aliens to take Cheese away from Earth. Moments later, the aliens from an unknown flying object were moaning "Cheese", which infers the fact that Bloo's contact with the aliens caused the alien invasion in the other shows.
- The Eds are Coming, The Eds are Coming: A giant ball of cheese crash landed into the playground, and Ed was inside of it.
- That Darn Platypus: Rick was eating cheese inside of Adam's locker, referencing the aliens' evil plan to steal cheese.
- Strange Trout From Outer Space/Cheese Orbs: In the first segment, one of the aliens told Samson that they want cheese.
- Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon: The aliens spray cheese out of their armpits.
Trivia[]
- Due to Ed, Edd n Eddy, My Gym Partner's a Monkey, Camp Lazlo, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy not being available on Hulu at all, Cheese A Go-Go (from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends) was the only episode of this event to be available to watch on Hulu itself. However, Camp Lazlo and My Gym Partner's a Monkey are available on the Boomerang streaming app, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy and Ed, Edd n' Eddy are available to watch on HBO Max, alongside Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, making all 5 Invaded episodes available to watch.
- For some reasons, this event was never released on DVD or as an iTunes volume, despite the shows' episodes being part of their original source.
- In 2023, Cartoon Network acknowledged the event on a YouTube livestream known as Best of the Crossover Episodes, which featured all five episodes of the event itself in chronological order.
- In the livestream, "Cheese A Go-Go" from Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, "That Darn Platypus" from My Gym Partner's a Monkey, "Strange Trout from Outer Space/Cheese Orbs" from Camp Lazlo, and "Billy & Mandy Moon the Moon" from The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy were all in widescreen rather than being cropped to fullscreen.
- Of the five featured shows:
- Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is the only one to be animated in flash animation.
- Ed, Edd n Eddy is the only one to not be made in widescreen and to not be produced by Cartoon Network Studios.
- My Gym Partner's a Monkey is the only one to feature a celebrity guest star: the late Gilbert Gottfried.
- Camp Lazlo is the only one to have two segments and to not have a preview in a Cartoon Network Podcast episode.