Cartoon Cartoons

Cartoon Cartoons first appeared as shorts on animation showcase series What a Cartoon! in 1995, under the name of World Premiere Toons. The series was produced by Hanna-Barbera and Cartoon Network Studios under the direction of 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]

Through What a Cartoon!, Cartoon Network was able to assess the potential of certain shorts to serve as pilots for spin-off series and signed contracts with their creators to create ongoing series.[2] Dexter's Laboratory was the most popular short series according to a vote held in 1995, and became the first Cartoon Cartoon in 1996. The network's previous original shows, The Moxy Show and Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, as well as all acquired programming were not retroactively given the Cartoon Cartoons label. Three more series based on shorts debuted in 1997: Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, and I Am Weasel (the latter two as segments of the same show; I Am Weasel was later spun off into a separate show). These are followed by The Powerpuff Girls in 1998 and Ed, Edd n Eddy in 1999,[2][1] and concluded with Mike, Lu & Og and Courage the Cowardly Dog in 1999, creating a lineup of critically acclaimed shows.[3] In 2001, the network received Time Squad and Grim & Evil (the previous state of Evil Con Carne and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy). Also in 2001, the show Samurai Jack premiered, but was not officially branded as a Cartoon Cartoon despite airing during the various programming blocks. In 2002, Codename: Kids Next Door became a full series after being chosen in the previous year's "Big Pick Weekend". It was also the last original series to officially carry the Cartoon Cartoon branding before being discontinued.

The "Cartoon Cartoon" brand was first introduced in July 1997 for the network's Cartoon Cartoon Fridays, originally part of the network's Friday night programming block. This block would become the marquee night for premieres of new episodes and series, beginning on June 11, 1999.

The Cartoon Cartoons were intended to appeal to a wider audience than the average Saturday morning cartoon. Linda Simensky, vice president of original animation, reminded adults and teenage girls that the cartoons could appeal to them as well. Kevin Sandler's article on them claimed that these cartoons were both less "bawdy" than their counterparts at Comedy Central and less "socially responsible" than their counterparts at Nickelodeon. Sandler pointed to the whimsical rebelliousness, high rate of exaggeration and self-consciousness of the overall output which each individual series managed.[4]

In October 2003, that same month for the new Fridays premiered on the network, the Cartoon Cartoons brand was discontinued and the openings of Cartoon Cartoons that were shown before the opening of the actual Cartoon Cartoon was dropped.

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 October 3, 2003, the block was rebooted under a hybrid live-action format as "Fridays", hosted by Tommy Snider and Nzinga Blake, the latter of whom was later replaced by Tara Sands. It aired shows outside the "Cartoon Cartoon" moniker, such as 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.

As early as September 2005, the "Cartoon Cartoons" label was primarily used for The Cartoon Cartoon Show, a half-hour program featuring episodes of older Cartoon Cartoons that were no longer shown regularly on the network, and "Cartoon Cartoons The Top 5", an hour-long program featuring a countdown of the week's five "best" Cartoon Cartoons from the older lineup.

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, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, 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.

In the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode "Crossover Nexus", the "Cartoon Cartoon" logo is shown in the bottom of a wall inside the Cartoon Network headquarters; the theme song can be heard when Ben Tennyson (Ben 10) shapeshifts into different Cartoon Network characters.

• List of programs broadcast by Cartoon Network
• Nicktoons

• Fridays at ToonZone.net.