Saturday Morning Cartoons

*MikeandRaph87* · 10-03-2022, 08:22 AM

Its been a decade now since Fox, the WB/UPN merger, and the big three (CBS,ABC, and NBC) stopped airing Saturday morning cartoon lineups. Typically there are infomercials or recycling news programs that start Saturdays on the networks now. I realized it has been a full decade since a thread I started in a group here marked the end of the Saturday morning ritual of the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y when I came across this video. I also acknowledge that cartoons are still aired on Saturday mornings on the likes of Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, but its not a block of time in which new episodes premiere for seasons. I admit that I find myself streaming YouTube, watching live baseball, or 20th century favorites on METV (feels odd saying/writing it, but its true). So with the time since and the advent of streaming since along with endless choices, but no real choices, will kids beyond Generation Y see new episodes on Saturday mornings? I do feel like 90s' kids are the last to be able to appreciate Looney Tunes and Disney shorts and getting to see their favorite cartoon or kid centric live-action show on a Saturday morning airing new episodes in a special block. Thoughts? Memories?

*Original TMNT Cartoon Fan* · 10-03-2022, 08:38 AM

I already posted a similair thread last Thursday.

https://forums.thetechnodrome.com/sh...ad.php?t=65449

*IMJ* · 10-03-2022, 08:53 AM

I don't think any generation has experienced the real Saturday Morning Cartoon culture probably since the youngest of Gen X were kids.

As far as I can tell, real SMC airings ended around the late-90's once everything basically went to specialty channels. It just feels like there is a big difference between all of the broadcast stations (2, 5, 7, 9, 32) airing non-stops SMCs between 7 am and noon as opposed to calling whatever the Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel aired in the late-90s on their own.

But as a kid in the 80's? It was like a mad rush to figure out what was on across those 5 channels and learn where to hop at what times to catch stuff like The Littles, The Smurfs, Heathcliff, The Real Ghostbusters, Dungeons & Dragons, and eventually TMNT when that went Saturday Morning.

*CyberCubed* · 10-03-2022, 04:18 PM

Saturday Morning cartoons were very popular up till about 2010ish. Both WB/CW and 4kids block had tons of shows up to then. No idea where the idea the early 2000's didn't have heavily promoted cartoon blocks come from.

*TigerClaw* · 10-04-2022, 03:40 PM

I think Saturday Morning Cartoons started to peak in the 90s, Everything else after that was mostly anime cartoons on Saturday Morning.

*IMJ* · 10-04-2022, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TigerClaw

I think Saturday Morning Cartoons started to peak in the 90s, Everything else after that was mostly anime cartoons on Saturday Morning.

I'd say the peaked in the late 80's and the 90's started the general decline.

*CyberCubed* · 10-04-2022, 04:21 PM

2000-2008 was also very popular on Saturday Mornings. KidsWb and the 4kids Fox Block aired in this era and all the most popular shows.

10-03-2022, 08:22 AM	#1
MikeandRaph87 Jedi Master Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: JLA Satellite Headquarters Posts: 11,189	Saturday Morning Cartoons Its been a decade now since Fox, the WB/UPN merger, and the big three (CBS,ABC, and NBC) stopped airing Saturday morning cartoon lineups. Typically there are infomercials or recycling news programs that start Saturdays on the networks now. I realized it has been a full decade since a thread I started in a group here marked the end of the Saturday morning ritual of the Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y when I came across this video. I also acknowledge that cartoons are still aired on Saturday mornings on the likes of Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon, but its not a block of time in which new episodes premiere for seasons. I admit that I find myself streaming YouTube, watching live baseball, or 20th century favorites on METV (feels odd saying/writing it, but its true). So with the time since and the advent of streaming since along with endless choices, but no real choices, will kids beyond Generation Y see new episodes on Saturday mornings? I do feel like 90s' kids are the last to be able to appreciate Looney Tunes and Disney shorts and getting to see their favorite cartoon or kid centric live-action show on a Saturday morning airing new episodes in a special block. Thoughts? Memories? __________________ Michelangelo: This looks like a job for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Raphael: Sheesh, Mikey this ain't a cartoon!

10-03-2022, 08:53 AM	#3
IMJ Emperor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Midwest, U.S.A. Posts: 8,892	I don't think any generation has experienced the real Saturday Morning Cartoon culture probably since the youngest of Gen X were kids. As far as I can tell, real SMC airings ended around the late-90's once everything basically went to specialty channels. It just feels like there is a big difference between all of the broadcast stations (2, 5, 7, 9, 32) airing non-stops SMCs between 7 am and noon as opposed to calling whatever the Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel aired in the late-90s on their own. But as a kid in the 80's? It was like a mad rush to figure out what was on across those 5 channels and learn where to hop at what times to catch stuff like The Littles, The Smurfs, Heathcliff, The Real Ghostbusters, Dungeons & Dragons, and eventually TMNT when that went Saturday Morning. __________________ Wave 1 Collectibles Online Market Watch Blog Collection Photography

10-04-2022, 03:40 PM	#5
TigerClaw Mutant Tiger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Hialeah, Florida, USA Posts: 14,165	I think Saturday Morning Cartoons started to peak in the 90s, Everything else after that was mostly anime cartoons on Saturday Morning. __________________ Follow me on my Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@tygerclaw305

10-03-2022, 08:38 AM	#2
Original TMNT Cartoon Fan Overlord Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 10,481	I already posted a similair thread last Thursday. https://forums.thetechnodrome.com/sh...ad.php?t=65449

10-03-2022, 04:18 PM	#4
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,881	Saturday Morning cartoons were very popular up till about 2010ish. Both WB/CW and 4kids block had tons of shows up to then. No idea where the idea the early 2000's didn't have heavily promoted cartoon blocks come from.

10-04-2022, 04:21 PM	#7
CyberCubed Overlord Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 43,881	2000-2008 was also very popular on Saturday Mornings. KidsWb and the 4kids Fox Block aired in this era and all the most popular shows.