Major Classic Cartoon Network Shows Returning to TV
Cartoon lovers seeking a bout of nostalgia have plenty to get excited about. Following Adult Swim's successful one-hour expansion last month, Warner Bros. Media is once again set to expand the program's lineup by launching a new expanded block, dubbed "Checkered Past," later this summer featuring some of Cartoon Network's most popular animated series, including Dexter's Laboratory, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog.
The additional hour-long nostalgic block will kick off on Monday, Aug. 28, Deadline confirmed in a Wednesday report, and will replace a rotation of current Cartoon Network shows like Teen Titans Go! Checkered Past will air on Adult Swim Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. local time. The extra hour of content will feature Cartoon Network classics such as Dexter's Laboratory, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Ed, Edd, n' Eddy. On Saturdays, the 6 p.m. block will showcase reruns of current TV-PG originals including Unicorn: Warriors Eternal and My Adventures With Superman. There will be no change to Sunday's programming, which will continue to be used for the "Acme Night" blocks, which airs family-friendly films from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Deadline reports that the rest of Adult Swim's schedule is expected to stay intact.
"Animation can both speak to multiple age groups in the moment, and also find new audiences across decades," Michael Ouweleen, the president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Discovery Kids, said. "The early Cartoon Network originals – like Dexter's Laboratory or Courage the Cowardly Dog are examples of shows that do both."
The upcoming launch of Checkered Past comes just a month after Warner Bros. Discovery added an extra hour of Adult Swim to its programming. Beginning on May 1, Adult Swim programming began airing an additional hour beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Deadline reports that the first two weeks of the new 7 p.m. hour bumped the number of viewers 18 to 49 by 24% and also brought a 38% increase in the 18-to-34 demo, compared with the previous Cartoon Network-branded schedule. The 18-to-49 bracket saw a 66% increase on Mondays and 87% on Tuesdays, with the overall gains carrying over into the 8 p.m. hour.
Cartoon Network's Checkered Past programming block debuts on Monday, Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. ET.