It should be no surprise to any of my readers to know that I’m a giant fan of children’s animation. At it’s best, the genre can be fun, insightful, and sometimes even groundbreaking. However, for the past seven years or so, cartoons have suffered from a slump in quality.

I don’t know if anyone remembers a little show called Rocko’s Modern Life, but one of the episodes dealt with an issue that was years ahead of it’s time. The episode in question was called “Wacky Delly” and I think a lot of people miss the point of it’s message. In the episode, Rocko, Heffer, and Filbert are commissioned to help direct a cartoon for Ralph Bighead. Wanting out of the animation world, Ralph lets them have full control over the project to systematically ruin both the product and his career. The result ends up being a non-sensical mess, much to Ralph’s pleasure. However, it turns out to be a giant hit. As the show continues, it gets even more and more non-sensical and random, to the point where the audience is amused by just watching a jar of mayo. When Ralph finally accepts this hit, he decides to contribute, adding class to the project, causing it to fail.

I bring this up simply because it’s very telling of this generation’s taste in it’s television. No longer do we strive to put any thought into what we’re watching. Animators today feel content enough to draw random imagery and pass it off as a series. Without jumping into examples of this genre of television right away, I’d like to address one of the biggest misfortunes children’s television has endured in quite some time.



Sym-Bionic Titan was the brainchild of Genndy Tartakovski (Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack) who had been with Cartoon Network since the beginning. I don’t mean that, as if to say, he just showed up in the golden age of the network, but he was there from day one of the new content. The man worked not only worked on his three series, but also worked on countless scripts and storyboards for other shows. He’s a prime example of someone who quite literally deserves to be called a legend in the field.



To summarize the show is a crime against it’s awesome plot, characters, and art. I just recommend you go and watch it, because it won’t be around for much longer. Sometime towards the end of March, Cartoon Network revealed their Spring and Summer schedule and SBT was nowhere to be found. Instead, in it’s place, was this.


Now, does this look familiar to anyone? Does it resemble anything? You know, other than every single non-action show on Cartoon Network?

It’s Wacky Delly. Again.

How many times can not only kids, but people who value animation as an art, force themselves to watch random imagery over and over again? When does this all stop? When do we say to ourselves, “OK, I’d like something that doesn’t insult my intelligence with flashy images and 80s pop culture references?”. Well, according to the forecast for the future of children’s television, never. We will continue to watch the various incarnations of Adventure Time, Regular Show, Chowder, Flapjack, and first and foremost Spongebob Squarepants.

I understand that the point of a cartoon, sometimes, is to be as whacky as possible. However, when you substitute likable characters and acceptable art design for more zaniness, you are seriously hurting the art. A balance between all of these things needs to be present for a show to succeed, no matter what audience or demographic you’re aiming at. Regardless of whether you’re doing comedy or action, these factors should be taken into account.

Case and point; Bugs Bunny. There are things in the early days of Warner Bros. that are completely bat-shit insane, but through it all, there were likable, witty, sometimes even smart characters. I don’t need to talk about the art, it’s classic. But, I’m just using these cartoons as an example. That’s not to say characters need always need to be like that, Tom and Jerry was a cartoon that simply relied on extremely well thought-out gags. Really, what it all comes down to is effort. Something television is seriously lacking in.

Sym-Bionic Titan, at twenty-episodes, went above and beyond the call of duty. It not only had likable characters and amazing art, but it also had deep story-lines, wonderful music, and shout-outs to all it’s influences without naming any of them, just to name a few. The idea that Cartoon Network would cancel this to not only further indulge it’s audience in random stupidity, but because they couldn’t merchandise it, is a slap in the face to not only your viewers, but the idea that television is supposed to be a stage for entertainment. Not only that, but any of these new executives that questioned Genndy must be out of their minds. All of his work, including Titan, has been critically hailed and to try and suggest ways to “fine tune” the show is insane.

Granted, I’m assuming that’s what they were doing when it was revealed that the show had some suggestive content (meriting a TV-PG rating, which is more than enough warning for what you’re in for). Genndy eventually left the network for Sony Pictures Animation to work on a new film.

As an aspiring writer for children’s and teen’s television, I found the past few weeks to be very unsettling. The lack of enthusiasm (outside a very dedicated fan-base’s facebook page) towards this show is appalling. It’s not subjective people, this show was good.

Which brings me to my closing statement. Understandably, there are fans of these new shows and their humor that have told me “I just don’t get it” or “not to think”.

Well, why shouldn’t I have to think?

Why should I let non-sensical humor, devoid of any plot, entertain me? I think it’s fun once in a while, mostly when it’s a deviation from the norm, but this constant bombardment of it is terrible.

So, creators, executives, artists, and especially viewers; please think.