CN Real.....oh yeah....it's real

[PhantomBPR]

Hell, Cartoon Network has expanded its programming to "Cartoon Live".  They are now airing non-cartoons in order to compete with Disney; they're the largest threat to other networks in this program.

Really now. I don't think Cartoon Network could have stooped any lower.

The entire reason for its existence is to show CARTOONS. I mean it was one thing to show reruns of Saved by the bell or PeeWee's play house on Adult Swim, but that was in a satirical sense. This is just outrageous.

So the other day, I decided to sit down and actually watch a few of their "Real" shows, just so I could have an honest opinion.

So Brainrush wasn't too bad, it's nice to see an attempt at a kid's game show (even if it lacks creativity). It's fun to watch maybe once or twice, but I can't exactly see myself running home to catch kids shouting random answers out to trivia questions at 75 mph. It almost has a staged feel to it, almost as if the players rehearsed how they would answer the questions while on the roller coasters.

Survive This is a sad attempt at reality TV for kids. There is not a damn thing "Real" about this show. I don't really remember much about the episode I watched (I was watching it inbetween commercials during a Michael Jackson biography) but it doesn't really seem to serve as anything beyond watching kids bitch and moan in the forest, or watching smug boy scout motherfuckers act like they could live inside a volcano. It's just bullshit.

The Othersiders.....I'm not even sure if there is anything I can say about this. Ghost hunting programs are pretty lame to begin with.....but this is just awful. And to think that they could be showing Teen Titans in this time slate, but no, we've got to compete with the larger networks, let's show a bunch of kids running around a sound stage with a nightvision lense on the camera.

What can I say about Destroy Build Destroy? I suppose it's my favorite out of all of the "Real" shows. The competition is just slightly interesting, and they seem to combine game play and mechanics into one show. Sort of like Guts meets Robot Wars meets Extreme Home Make Over. It's always interesting to see something explode. Beyond that, there's nothing really special about this show, and I can see it getting old very fast. There really is only one reason I like this show



LET'S GET A PARTY GOING!

You know. If Cartoon Network really wanted to bring live actors and kids into their programing block, they could have tried the segment they used with Friday's a few years back inwhich Cartoons were HOSTED by live actors.

If they really wanted to they could even evolve it into a sort of Slime Time or Upick style. That would have been 10 times better than this.....joke.

[The Ancient Warrior]

I must be the devil's advocate then... Either that, or I'm not that picky.

It's not like live-action is becoming predominant or anything; it's just a small portion of their total airing schedule.  I honestly liked Destroy Build Destroy myself; I just don't watch Cartoon Network that much, but I don't mind seeing that one or Brainrush.  The other two don't interest me, though.  That much I can give you.

I can see where yer coming from Bryan, but I tend not to think circumstantially like that.  That is, mentally I separate the show from the channel.  As a show, I like Destroy Build Destroy for the concept and it seems cool to watch.  Brainrush can be a bit tiring (I'm still a bit pissed that the first show featured a kid who couldn't think of Starscream when asked to list as many Transformers as possible? then again, they do seem to pick contestants randomly).

I can see why people might be upset about this, but if there's any ill will cast on the shows that's directly related to CN taking a new direction, I don't think there should be myself.  But to each his own, I guess...

[PhantomBPR]

I must be the devil's advocate then... Either that, or I'm not that picky.

It's not like live-action is becoming predominant or anything; it's just a small portion of their total airing schedule.  I honestly liked Destroy Build Destroy myself; I just don't watch Cartoon Network that much, but I don't mind seeing that one or Brainrush.  The other two don't interest me, though.  That much I can give you.

I can see where yer coming from Bryan, but I tend not to think circumstantially like that.  That is, mentally I separate the show from the channel.  As a show, I like Destroy Build Destroy for the concept and it seems cool to watch.  Brainrush can be a bit tiring (I'm still a bit pissed that the first show featured a kid who couldn't think of Starscream when asked to list as many Transformers as possible? then again, they do seem to pick contestants randomly).

I can see why people might be upset about this, but if there's any ill will cast on the shows that's directly related to CN taking a new direction, I don't think there should be myself.  But to each his own, I guess...

Well I guess what really gets me is that Cartoon Network has been going down hill for years now. The original Cartoon Cartoons are basically dead (except for Ed, Edd, and Eddy which NEEDS TO DIE), we've lost Toonami, and Adult Swim gave up on both Yu Yu Hakusho and Case Closed, fucking lost Teen Titans.....it's like everytime Cartoon Network has something good going for them, they kill it off.

I mean we've had to sit through so much bull shit: Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi, Lazlo, Gym Monkey, and now this mess.

I'm not saying it's all bad, but Cartoon Network really needs to rethink a few things.

[The Ancient Warrior]

True, true.  I never liked Chowder, Gym Partner's a Monkey, Hi Hi Puffy, Flapjack...

I guess that, yeah, this is why I watch so little TV these days.  Either that or I've gotten so used to YouTube in its place.

I actually loved the Eds though but as far as I know, they're just doing reruns (I will admit the school setting did mess with the show a bit; I guess they ran out of other ideas ).  Teen Titans and Toonami being lost were also bad moves, but I do see Teen Titans in reruns once in a blue moon.  I wish I saw it way more because it was awesome, but yeah.

You do have a point though.  Looking at CN, they have been going in a poor direction lately (or is thinking that just a sign we're outgrowing it? lol).  Looking at the shows, there are OCCASIONAL gems, but nowhere near as many good ones as before.

[The Bandit King]

CN is going downhill fast. I can safely say that they jumped the shark when they took all the classic stuff (Flintstones, Jetsons, Scooby Doo, etc.) off their regular network and put it on Boomerang. Hell, the only shows they broadcast regularly from the pre-1970s era are Scooby-Doo and Tom & Jerry (and that last one really surprises me).

Then, they took off all the original stuff that they made in the 90's (Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, Cow & Chicken) and put THOSE SHOWS on Boomerang. Then, they fill it with some of the most unentertaining bullshit I've ever seen (Lazlo, Billy & Mandy, My Gym Partner's a Monkey). They then introduce the world to what must be the two most retarded shows of all time in Chowder and Flapjack. The only reason I still watch CN on Thursday nights anymore is for Total Drama Island (one of the few things they broadcast that's actually pretty damn good).

Now, they've got this live-action shit. I swear to God, if they fill the entire viewing day with stuff like this, I don't know what the world's coming to. As recently as 1999, I saw a CN commercial that claimed (and I quote):

"No matter when you tune into Cartoon Network, you'll see a cartoon, because that's all we play. All cartoons, all the time."

Well, apparently the makers of this commercial couldn't see a decade into the future, because Cartoon Network is becoming--dare I say it--a wasteland. It's times like now I'm glad I have the full Dish Network package, so I can watch classic stuff on Boomerang and not some retarded...um...what the hell is Chowder supposed to be again?

Congratulations, Mr. President of Cartoon Network. You've managed to make your programming even shittier than anyone could've ever imagined. I hope you're proud of yourself.

[Toltendo]

Same here. Right now, I'm watching the movie "Home Alone 3" on CN and found out that they're gonna air a live-action TV movie of Scooby Doo some time soon.

I have watched BrainRush when it started airing and it really has gotten boring. I've seen Survive This and I feel very no defection of reality shows anymore. I just lost faith in CN's programming and they seem to be just airing those reality-based game shows for filling in time for summer.

I remember discussing about how CN reality shows are trying to compete with The Disney Channel's programming, which is full of "Hanna JONAS Zack Montana Wizardly Place" shows that flood the channel.

Every time I flip over to Nick, they're airing only animated shows, which is what CN should be doing, only it has become the SpongeBob Channel.

I think people have lost that niche that they understand what their objective was. Now today's generation watches low-quality dirt on the tri-children cable channels(Cartoon Network, Disney, Nick). Even my cousins watch the Disney channel and I feel almost disappointed in what they're missing.

My conclusion is that CN was already dead, but is still on life support and you just can't bear it to watch programming that isn't living with today.

[Notundercovercop327]

I'm sick of all the live Action shows on CN. DBD is just a lame remake of Operation Junkyard which was a remake of Junkyard wars which was a remake of Junkyard wars UK. I never understood the appeal of andrew WK or knew he even existed untill VH1 told me he was the huge thing during 2001. Thats news to me. I acctually like Chowder and Flapjack, unfortunatlly both programs are being anexed by these dumb live action shows.