Cartoons ruined by executive meddling.

[Xelien]

Both Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series cancellations bummed me out >.< Also Danny Phantom on it's last season went a bit to crap because it was trying to tie up loose ends with the main writer fired, and episodes were out of order, uhg.

 

[Lizardon]

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is a show I couldn't watch until I found it on Netflix. I'm blaming scheduling on that one since it never airs on Disney channel proper and the times it's aired on Disney XD seem sporadic and odd.

Odd scheduling is a big factor for a lot of other cartoons too...like how Nick Toons will show Danny Phantom every so often but generally in either early-morning or, late night when I'm either at work or, at work or, asleep.

The scheduling for Avengers was terrible in America as Disney kept messing around with it, airing it one week and not the next. And then it went on hiatus halfway through season 2 for no apparent reason.

Luckily for me here in Australia, it aired on our ABC channel which ran season 2 Mon-Fri over a few weeks. So we got to see it all long before the US, as well as an episode that never ending up being aired on Disney so it could be a DVD exclusive.

Young Justice has had similar hardship with it's scheduling. It finally returned after a 6 month hiatus, which happened right after a big reveal, 2 episodes aired before going on hiatus again at the last minute for 4 months. Even the creators weren't aware that it had been pulled again until something different showed up in its timeslot. No wonder it's not getting decent ratings if you make it nearly impossible for people to watch it.

You know I haven't thought about Danny Phantom in years, I should try and track down some episodes of that. I heard that the reason it got cancelled was the it was overspending it's budget on expensive voice actors and animation. The only reason we got 3 season was they signed a contract for 3 seasons worth of episodes during season 1, before it started costing them more than it was making.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

A while ago it struck me that despite there being a lot of shows (well, cartoons for the sake of this thread) there is one show that was not only allowed to run its course but it also spawned two TV movies and lasted several seasons. This show was a spin-off of another popular cartoon series and if you wanted another hint, this cartoon is arguably the most intelligent thing ever aired by MTV. I'm talking about Daria which somehow managed to defy the odds and not only complete the series in a satisfying way but it's still being aired on MTV2 at very odd hours and various other channels like Oxygen and I think WE at not-quite-as-odd hours.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

The higher ups (Mainly Jeph Loeb) changed the second half of season 2 from what was planned by the creators. It was felt that the show was becoming to serialised so people couldn't drop in and out, and that the focus had drifted to far from the "Main Three" (Thor, Cap and Iron Man). They even brought in new, and in my opinion worse writers. So an overarching plot point about the demon Surtur was dropped and interesting ideas like Yellowjacket's instability were abandoned in favour of episodes about the main characters where the status quo was always re-established.

One of the most infuriating changes made was that Spider-Man appeared in one episode, and they had gotten the voice actor from Spectacular Spider-Man to reprise the role. After he had gone in and recorded everything and the episode had been mostly animated, the show was put on hiatus for the second season so they could premier it along side the movie and their new Ultimate Spider-Man show. I don't know the exact behind the scenes details, but the VA from Ultimate Spider-Man was brought in and dubbed over all of the lines. No one, not even the original actor or some of the people who worked on the episode knew that this had been done until it aired.

And after all that, they cancelled it anyway in favour of a new show more in line with the movies.

Oh I'm going to miss Young Justice. I really hope that the creators knew or suspected that this was the last season so we get a conclusion and not a cliff hanger ending.

god dammit! they cancelled that?!?!? everything about that show i loved, especially the theme song, i loved the fact that it was more "series" based (which it wasn't even that bad really, i skipped around a few episodes just when i saw it randomly on, and i was perfectly fine)


also, RIP young justice, loved it, and i never thought of it before but loved nolan north's voice as superboy, perfect about of brashness and kindness when it was needed.

 

[The Funslinger]

I see your point and yes they had to keep getting ther arse handed to them, I see why it had to happen for the plot but I think it was done badly. Korra is ment to already be a master of 3 elements, Tensin is an airbending master and beifong is a master metalbender and likly a master earthbender. When the other characters were considered to reach master level they never lost that many fights and when they did their opponents were also master benders. The show told us that they were at the same level as the old characters but then had them fail. I could not help but think when watching the fights that Aang could have handeled it or Toph or Zuko or any of the other charcters from TLA.

I figured they weren't as good a combatants due to the times. I mean, Bending had been more ingrained into society, and people practiced it for other reasons. With the change in the world, I think people were less likely to really train at it unless they were the Avatar, and Airbender monk from Tenzin's family, or in a military. I mean, look at Pro Bending, the thing that two of the main characters mainly used their bending for. They were restricted to small, simplistic attacks, meaning they didn't really have a reason or opportunity to evolve their skills.

And I really don't get why everyone hates Korra's characterization. She was just a bit of a tomboy, and I don't see anything wrong with that. I'll admit the love triangle thing was slightly annoying, though.

I think it was because A) People wanted Aang again and B) It seems like people judge female character development harsher than they do male character development. In my experience, anyway.

The only really annoying thing about her actual character, to me, was that she could use the three elements to some degree as a toddler. Just kind of pissed on Aang's journey for the sake of a joke. But how she acted throughout the show didn't bug me at all.

Edit: Oh yes, and the characters in TLA only ever had to put up with one Chi Blocker, and she alone was a massive nuisance. So it isn't really surprising the new guys had it rough.

Amusingly enough, if that girl had not taught the Kyoshi Warriors how to do it, it's plausible it wouldn't be so bad come Legend of Korra. xD

 

[Nantucket_v1legacy]

... My young nephew took the news lighter than you and he's five.
Cartoons come and ago.

Think about the poor kids from the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon - they never even got home because it got cancelled.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Did you know that I had a show end by Executive Meddling? Funny story, around late 2011 I started work on an Animated version of "Candle Cove". I had everything together (Actors, Scripts, a guy to do the Music, I even got a song from another Musician to be the Credit song), and had the first 2 scenes completely finished. Then my Music guy told me the guy who made the original story, Kris Straub, did not like the idea of someone making a show from his work. Upon contacting him myself, he told me he didn't want me to do it. So, by Mid-2012 Candle Cove was dead. You can still see the first scene here:


It taught me a valuable lesson however; don't assume that things made on the internet are free use. Even Creepypasta's apparently aren't...

 

[PissOffRoth]

I don't really know, but I have my suspicions....

Adventure Time Season 3 onwards. I had a blast with the 1st 2 seasons, really solid entertainment. Then it just started losing it's charm..It kind of just devolved into something that I can't enjoy as my adult self.

I imagine it has more to do with losing steam but it's possible that executive meddling could have contributed.

That kind of show, being as whimsical and near-nonsensical as it is, could never last. I don't think the show changed fundamentally. As you said, it likely just lost steam. Pretty sad, considering it started out being so hilariously random and fresh.

 

[BarelyAudible]

Gentlemen, let's flip the topic on its head:

How many times have we benefited from executive meddling? We heard X would happen, but Y happened instead and we complain. But how many times did meddling turn out great?

Cartoon Network demanded a human sidekick for Transfomers Animated. We got Sari, one of the best eye-level characters with an interesting backstory to boot.

Fox and Warner Bros. would change the more violent parts of Batman, and we got more dynamic, artistic shots of whoever plummeting to their deaths.

Fox also kept Saban from killing off Rita Repulsa at the end of Power Rangers In Space, and that paid off a decade later with the Mystic Mother.

Plus, where would Scooby Doo be without meddling?


Think abou the mother of shows where the execs should have stepped in: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The rabid, devoted fans gave the producers the courage to pull off a number of "wouldn't it be cool if" moments like:

1. Airing the first season out of order.
2. Not announcing the second season and hiding it within reruns of the first.

and of course,

3. Endless Eight.

Yeah, I don't think we'd complain about executive meddling there.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Wouldn't it make for a much shorter list to list the cartoons that weren't ruined by executive meddling?

 

[afroebob]

I don't want to start an argument with this post, but I'm gonna say Alicorn Twilight. It might be too early to say for sure, but I am extremely concerned what this might do to season four.

You give them to much credit for how far they are willing to change the formula of a show whos target audience is 3-7 year old girls.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Hmmm, well I'd point out that you guys are missing an important point. A lot of the changes to these shows doubtlessly happen because YOU (adults) like the shows. It's an intentional security matter.

Originally there was a lot to be said for children's shows that could also appeal to an adult audience, Anime, especially when it picked up through the 90s got a lot of attention that way (when people pay $30 for a subtitled VHS producers take notice) and inspired the design of a lot of cartoon shows in the US. This lead to a lot of pretty popular properties being developed, and lead to a lot of money being spent as adult fans purchused stuff for their kids (uh huh).

The problem of course here is obvious, when you create situations where random adults and children mix in the same cosm it becomes pedo-bait. Something a predator can use to chat up a child and form that all-important initial connection when the parents/guardians are not around. Sometimes watching a random 40 year old discuss [insert show here] with an 8 year old can be cute, if a bit creepy, but othertimes it's hardly harmless, and people DO keep track of the techniques used by child predators.

Business started to adapt to this, official or otherwise. One thing you'll notice with video arcades at locations that still have them, especially BIG locations is that they are increasingly getting rid of video games that can be justified as appealing to a more adult audience, or having a long-time fan base. People had been trying to ban violent games for years without success, but now your seeing something similar voluntarily, generally when places that have become security conscious, or have otherwise had an "incident" in their past (molestation, or a near miss) not having those games makes it so creepy adults don't have an excuse to hang out in arcades, popping in an occasional corner, and watching the kids, looking for oppertunities.

Back when I worked casino security there was a dance over this with "decent" cross-age machines waffling back and forth based on security concerns and what was making money. It should also be noted that adults wearing mechandise or logos for populat children's television shows warrent special attention, someone to keep an eye on, especially if they gravitate towards places where kids are left unattended (which should never happen, but does anyway). There are exceptions of course, popular super heroes like Marvel and DC characters for example, but basically if you see a 40 year old due wearing a My Little Pony T-shirt trying to chat up little girls in a video arcade, that's not a good thing.

At any rate given all the back and forth about this kind of issue, I suspect the number of children's shows going "old school" and aiming for a child-only audience, removing a lot of the depth, referances, and humor that would attract adult fans is intentional. We're not talking about the kinds of trends you make laws about, but basically nobody wants to have their product lumped in on semi-official security/police watch lists or become known for being used as pedo bait.

I'm not saying this is definatly the reasons, or the only reasons, just that it's an angle you might want to think of because it's come up before when I worked security. One of those things where you know "we can't officially tell you some dude wearing a Spongebob or Invader Zim T-shirt is a creep, but in context if you see someone wearing one around the arcade, that's one of the guys you probably want to keep a paticular eye on... along with everyone else in general of course". The point basically being that anything that can be used to form a bridge to a child, get short term trust, or act as a lure can become a risk, and pedos are VERY good at it. "I'm not a stranger, we both like My Little Pony, and look I've got episodes that play right here on my kindle, let's head over into that stairwell where it's quiet and you can hear and I'll show you a couple of episodes you probably haven't seen yet..."

Funny you should say that. I was working my job, and I rang up a mother and her young kid had a CM Punk T-Shirt on and for a moment I wanted to be all "Right on kid!"

And then I thought it might make things weird so I didn't.

I really don't think businesses care about the security concerns, I think it's more of context of like Invader Zim the majority of it's audience was Adults which for a childrens network made it next to impossible to sell advertising on.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Did you know that I had a show end by Executive Meddling? Funny story, around late 2011 I started work on an Animated version of "Candle Cove". I had everything together (Actors, Scripts, a guy to do the Music, I even got a song from another Musician to be the Credit song), and had the first 2 scenes completely finished. Then my Music guy told me the guy who made the original story, Kris Straub, did not like the idea of someone making a show from his work. Upon contacting him myself, he told me he didn't want me to do it. So, by Mid-2012 Candle Cove was dead. You can still see the first scene here:


It taught me a valuable lesson however; don't assume that things made on the internet are free use. Even Creepypasta's apparently aren't...

Unless he took the time to copyright the work, you could do it, I believe

 

[Mr.Mattress]

SNIP

Unless he took the time to copyright the work, you could do it, I believe

He said in his email that he had either gotten the work copyrighted or that he was in the process of doing so. Regardless, I wouldn't want to do it if the original creator didn't want me to do it. That wouldn't be right.

 

[RaikuFA]

Since it's only cartoons, Big O.

Adult Swim shut down continued operations (and any hope of season 3) because they don't like Japanese cartoons, even though it paid off financially. If it didn't pay off financially, I'd understand. But hacking something because you don't like it? Fuck you, man.

That is sick. What kind of a prick would do such a thing?Same pricks who will listen to only what Tim and Eric want. Which is why we have crap like The Eric Andre Show, Loiter Squad and stuff like Stroker and Hoop and Lucy Daughter of the Devil get canned.

 

[FirebirdXR]

I don't really know, but I have my suspicions....

Adventure Time Season 3 onwards. I had a blast with the 1st 2 seasons, really solid entertainment. Then it just started losing it's charm..It kind of just devolved into something that I can't enjoy as my adult self.

I imagine it has more to do with losing steam but it's possible that executive meddling could have contributed.

That kind of show, being as whimsical and near-nonsensical as it is, could never last. I don't think the show changed fundamentally. As you said, it likely just lost steam. Pretty sad, considering it started out being so hilariously random and fresh.

Executive meddling?
Quite the opposite, really. The way I heard it was that it started the way it did was mostly to appeal to the executives, and they would leave any world building and character development when the show took off and continued progressively as seasons went on.

This, in turn, worked to Pen Ward's (the creator) other goal of making the show 'grow up' along with its target audience (kids, of course), as well as the protagonist Finn (who will turn 15 soon, I think), and work into making them like more deeper storylines. Quite an amusing experiment really...

Of course, the show is going in another direction because of this. Some liked it more, others not....

I will say in its defense, I liked Season 4 tons. 'Card Wars' is my favorite episode of the whole show. While the current one is a mixed bag, the most recent episode with the Flame Princess had me in a stitch (and quite a cute ep., IMO).

If you want to know that the writers still have that same spark. Then go watch Pen Ward's other show, Bravest Warriors, made by the same people. Since it's free and on Youtube.


There's also a rumor that this show's universe might be tied with Adventure Time's, but I guess we'll wait and see how that goes...

----

Also,
Anything that Nicklodeon airs for way too long that's not Avatar has been ruined and I heard some faults on Avatar's Korra can be blamed on them.

One of 'em? Making it a dozen episodes long and far too rushed with a deus ex machina ending. I hate those!

Others include cancelling; Invader Zim and El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera.

----

Disney with the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Spectacular Spider-Man, and Tron.
But the two former may be because of Marvel.

----

Any action show the CN airs; Megas XLR, Samurai Jack, Symbionic Titan, Thundercats, a lot of DC animations than I can list, and of course, anime.

 

[Cheesus Crust]

Please tell me you watched this:

I didn't need to. I was browsing through your post and a friend was looking over my shoulder and saw your post and told me everything I needed to know. I find it weirdly hilarious that they talked about AIDS.

 

[Cheesus Crust]

Wouldn't it make for a much shorter list to list the cartoons that weren't ruined by executive meddling?

Sometimes when executives meddle there's a big chance that the show is really crap. This is about those great shows that get ruined because of executives. Just wondering what else out there is great but got tossed under the bus.

 

[Cheesus Crust]

Superman is like retired or too old now and Wonder Woman never got with Bruce, which is total bull

Damn it! They were the only couple on the show I actually liked.