Since the beginning of television, it was clear that the classic Looney Tunes would be in that outlet. However, Looney Tunes have had an interesting history when it comes to television. Many cartoons were sold away, some networks had exclusive rights to the cartoons. When you've got over 1,000 Looney Tunes, you have to divide them up somehow. Today, we look at the different WB Cartoon TV packages over the years. These must be the classic cartoons only and not series such as The Looney Tunes Show, Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries, etc. This will also help solve grading the classic Looney Tunes outside of the other series as each era when they were made were totally different from each other. PLEASE NOTE that this post is CONSTANTLY being updated as well as correcting previous mistakes. We're also following the latest with the Warner Bros. Discovery merger and the launch of Me TV Toons. So without further ado, here is the history of the Looney Tunes TV packages
The very first Looney Tunes TV package was bought by Sunset Productions in 1955 since WB has no more use for the black and white cartoons. All the black and white WB Cartoons from the Looney Tunes series and some black and white Merrie Melodies were included in the syndicated package. Sunset was a subsidiary of Warner Bros made specifically for television without saying they're Warner Bros. At the same time the package was assembled, Guild bought out Sunset. In the 1960's, Seven Arts bought the cartoons and in turn, bought Jack Warner's stock in WB, merging the two together and bringing those cartoons back home to Warner Bros. The package came to an end with the popularity of color TV. In it's very last years, newer Seven Arts titles were created from these cartoons, but because of the package's near end, seeing these titles were a rarity.
The cartoons vary. The earliest of the cartoons are on here starring Bosko. The stars are the Porky Pig cartoons. Many of which directed by Bob Clampett. Not all of the cartoons are great, but the ones that are remain classics. The only downside is that WB gave strict restrictions of the use of the WB logo. Many original titles were edited out and replaced with new titles showing different Looney Tunes characters like Porky, Daffy, Buddy's Dog Bowzer (or whatever his name was), and uhh....a drunken dog from a random Merrie Melodie???? The WB Shield gag was cut in Porky in Wackyland and all references to WB was cut in You Ought to Be in Pictures. Overall though, the original negatives were untouched (unlike most cartoons sold to TV), and the earliest and some of the best of black and white had a good long 10 year + run.
Lancelot Link Secret Chimp package
Started: 1970
Ended: 1971
As part of the Saturday Morning show Lancelot Link Secret Chimp on ABC during its first year, some Warner Bros cartoons would run with the Lancelot segments. It is believed to have been cartoons from the later days of Warner Bros. Cartoons, so think Speedy and Daffy and Cool Cat. The package came to an end for multiple reasons as ABC would get The Road Runner Show among other issues.
Grade:N/A
Hardly a paper trail has been left in this package. The only proof is one or two shows leaving a credit for Chuck Jones, Bob McKimson, and Friz Freleng and copyright dates. It's easy to assume it would be like the Daffy and Speedy package, but we're not sure at this time. Because there are no prints circulating and no records out there of what aired, we can only assume and therefore, not give it a grade at this time. If you have any more info, please leave a comment below, because seriously, I really want to put this part of Looney Tunes history to bed.
TV Shows: Lancelot Link Secret Chimp
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| A custom intro on one local TV station airing "Bugs Bunny and Friends". Show Biz Bugs was one of the more popular cartoons in that package |
Bugs Bunny and Friends syndicated package
Started: 1971
Ended: late 1980's/1990
This package from WB includes 100 or so cartoons from 1948-1959 not airing on Saturday
Mornings and was a retool of the Warner Bros. 64 package. The cartoons are presented as is with theatrical titles and all, and would run daily in syndication right up until the 1980's. In many occasions, stations would mix this with the Porky Pig package and/or even the aap package (as did Warner Bros 64 package prior to this one). However, the combinations would be done by the stations and were never sold this way. Like the Porky Pig package, bumpers from the Bugs Bunny Show were also offered, though not all stations used these especially if it were shows like Ray Rayner and Bozo's Circus. One of the package's last hurrahs happened on WWOR Channel 9 where a marathon celebrating Bugs Bunny's 50th occurred. Hosted by Leonard Maltin, this combined mostly with the AAP packaged cartoons. Not too long after that, all the cartoons were shifted around for a new syndicated package in celebration of Bugs's 50th, but we'll get to that later.
Grade: A-
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One of the last times the package ran was a
special marathon hosted by Leonard Maltin for WWOR |
It does seem as though the more typical cartoons were airing in this package, and there is some truth to that. However, some of these cartoons made their way here possibly because they may have been considered "too violent" for the new rules made for Saturday Mornings. As a result, classics like Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning, and Show Biz Bugs were major staples to the package, making it a quite strong package.
TV Shows: Bozo's Circus
Many local TV stations
The Mr. Cartoon Show
Ramblin Rod
The Ray Rayner Show
The Wabbit Turns 50
Daffy and Speedy package
Started: 1972
Ended: 1983
In 1972, Warner Bros. put together a package for the 1960's cartoons made after the original studio closed. The cartoons went into syndication as The Merrie Melodies Show. This package is very limited because of this. The Road Runner cartoons were already sold to Saturday Morning years ago, so the main cartoons were the oddball Speedy and Daffy cartoons. It also included the 7arts cartoons made in the late 1960's. A handful of other cartoons made by the original studio were in this package, mostly from the 1960's, but 2 1950's cartoons made it to the list: Corn Plastered and Birds Anonymous, the latter of which had never been in any package despite it now being critically acclaimed and an Oscar winner. Like the Saturday Morning shows, new titles were created for the program. The show was available for syndication until 1978 when NBC picked it up for Saturday Mornings, renaming it The Daffy Duck Show. In 1981, the show became The Daffy Speedy Show and added The Turn Tale Wolf plus shorts made for The Daffy Duck Easter Show. Things got weirder in 1982 when CBS bought it, but was NOT in The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show. Instead, The Daffy and Speedy Show was by itself and combined with Sylvester and Tweety cartoons taken from The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour. Weirder yet, the new hour long version of The Daffy Speedy Show aired side by side with The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Hour. CBS finally decided to end the show and just combine the two packages, bringing an end to this package.
Grade: D
Yeah if you read my worst Looney Tunes ever page, you know the 1960's were a weird time for theatrical Looney Tunes. Depatie Freleng came up with the idea of Daffy and Speedy, Format Films and 7arts made it worse with cheaper animation. There's also the debate with whether or not the 7arts cartoons were any good. Cartoons with characters like Cool Cat, Merlin the Magic Mouse, and Bunny and Claude have mixed reactions (those would not be in the package any longer once NBC picked them up). Simply put, this package is the bottom of the barrel.
TV Shows: The Merrie Melodies Show
The Daffy Duck Show [NBC]
The Daffy/Speedy Show
Sylvester and Tweety package
Started: 1976
Ended: 1977 (the same cartoons moved over to the Daffy Speedy package in 1982)
In 1976, CBS decided to split off the Sylvester and Tweety cartoons airing on The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show to form a new show called Sylvester and Tweety. It only lasted one season, however. Strangely enough, The Rebel Without Claws was part of the Daffy Speedy package yet here it is on here. After one season, the cartoons moved back into The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show. Those same cartoons would leave again for one season in 1982, but as part of The Daffy Speedy Show
Grade: C
The Sylvester and Tweety cartoons are good, some even great, but they can't hold their own show by themselves. These work well as supporting characters, but not as the main attraction. This may be the reason why it lasted only one season.
TV Shows: Sylvester and Tweety
The Daffy/Speedy Show
The Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes Comedy Hour package
Started: 1985
Ended: 1986
After ABC bought the rights to Looney Tunes for Saturday Mornings, major changes came. A new show with a new name and a much different package. It was somewhat similar to previous ones for Saturday Mornings, but came with new additions yet with many omissions. It would appear that more Sylvester and Hippity Hopper were added (probably during the final years of The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show), but gone were the Tweety and Speedy Gonzalas cartoons. The package also eliminated much of the later cartoons save for what aired on TV specials. This package lasted one year.
Grade: C
While what was on there is good, it wasn't vast. No Tweety cartoons nor Speedy Gonzalas cartoons were on here. The show was cheaply assembled and lacked the excitement that The Bugs Bunny Road Runner Show had. This maybe why it only lasted one year.
TV Shows: The Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes Comedy Hour
The Bugs Bunny and Tweety package
Started: 1986
Ended: 2000
With many complaints about no Tweety, ABC decided to bring them back in a big way. Re-titled The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show, the package now focused on those two characters. Speedy Gonzalas still appears to be absent, but some cartoons made their Saturday Morning debut in their place. In 1988, This is It returned for the intro making the show look much better. By the late 80's, Warner Bros. had made new masters for the entire WB Cartoon library, so gone would be the old prints from the mid 80's and replaced with new better looking copies with all new opening titles to help celebrate Bugs Bunny's upcoming 50th birthday. The show changed again in 1992 with brand new opening titles in wake of the new era of WB Cartoons. The package had its ups and downs. At one point, mostly the Bugs Bunny and Tweety cartoons played on that show, and as cartoon swapping began, more lesser known cartoons appeared on here where Saturday Morning favorites appeared on either Merrie Melodies or Nickelodeon. Another down was the coming of programming passed by the FCC that must be Educational and Informational (E/I). The final blow came in 1996 when Disney acquired ABC and 99% of all shows were either new or repeats of Disney TV cartoons. Many millennials may recall Disney's One Saturday Morning which lasted a very long time. However, due to previous deals made, The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show still aired, but licensing agreements forced ABC to remove the Disney Logo during the show since Warner Bros. is their big competition. The constant beefing with Disney combined with Time Warner's merger with Turner would seal the package's fate and ended in 2000 to make Cartoon Network the exclusive home of Looney Tunes.
Grade: B -
On a piece of paper, the show had some of the very best cartoons ever made, but it did have its major downfalls. The focus of doing away with the best cartoons was one. The other was that new edits had to be made in order for it to run over the air to reduce the violence. While it kept the tradition alive, it became obvious that the better way to watch the Looney Tunes would be cable. Not to mention the coming of home video. The time slots for The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show also didn't help. It would often get pre-empted due to sporting events or special reports such as the OJ Simpson case and Princess Diana's funeral. To simply put, it was the last leg for Saturday Mornings.
TV Shows: The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show
Looney Tunes Nickelodeon package
Started: 1988
Ended: 1999
The rise of cable brought more popularity for a kids channel called Nickelodeon. Even though it had been around for years, popular shows like Double Dare started popping up. As such, they were able to make a cable deal with Warner Bros. for a new package of Looney Tunes. This package was basically everything else not on The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show. This included much of the 1960's cartoons, leftover material not airing in any package such as Speedy Gonzalas and The Road Runner, the redrawn colorized cartoons, and for the first time in years, black and white cartoons such as Bosko, Buddy, and other Looney Tunes cartoons not shown since the 60's. The package was a huge success, causing some major changes after a few years. First, Nick didn't want the redrawn colorzied versions to air anymore on their network (but a handful continued to anyways). Next, they helped finance for Warner Bros. to recolorize the Looney Tunes, only this time via digitally, replacing the old crappy looking redraws. Many of these new versions first debuted in 1990 with new batches in 1992 and 1995 (Nick would begin airing these new colorized versions in 1992). The success with Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon caused them to invest in their own creative driven cartoons in 1991 better known as Nicktoons. By 1992, the black and white cartoons would disappear from the package many of which would never air again on TV (although a handful of Buddy cartoons would reappear on Nickelodeon again from 1995-1997, some of the Beans the Cat cartoons appeared on TCM, some Beans and black and white Merrie Melodies from the former Sunset package would appear once more on HBO Max, one Bosko cartoon would appear on WarnerMedia Ride, and some more of these cartoons turned up again on Me-TV). The exception would be the newly colorized cartoons since they have more familiar characters. At one point because Merrie Melodies on Fox had ended, Nickelodeon's package would have the largest collection of Looney Tunes anywhere. Throughout the 90's, a swapping exchange program would happen between Nick, ABC, and Fox (later The WB). These swaps happened around 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, and 1998. The only cartoons that were standard for sure were the later era shorts from WB 7arts and Depatie Freleng (especially Merlin the Magic Mouse and Speedy and Daffy). None of the Turner cartoons after the merger ever aired on Nickelodeon. As time went on, a number of things caused its downfall. For one, more original programming was taking shape for Nickelodeon with shows such as Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Rocko's Modern Life, and eventually, Spongebob Squarepants. There was very little need for Looney Tunes anymore despite its success. Also, the merger with Time Warner and Turner happened in 1996, causing more of a push to bring all the Looney Tunes together. The package came to an end in 1999 to help make Cartoon Network the exclusive home of Looney Tunes. To date, this is the longest lasting non Nickelodeon show to air on Nickelodeon.
Grade: A+
Okay, I'm biased; this was my very first introduction to Looney Tunes. By the time I was watching it, nearly every era was represented here save for a gap between 1943 and 1948. From the colorized cartoons to the 7arts cartoons, they had nearly everything. I fondly remember Ali Baba Bunny, Porky's Poultry Plant, and the Road Runner cartoons. They aired alongside Tiny Toon Adventures reruns, so sometimes I'd confuse the two, especially Foghorn Leghorn. A perfect package with some of the best cartoons.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes on Nick at Nite
Looney Tunes on Nickelodeon
Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny and Friends package
Started: 1990
Ended: 1994
With Bugs Bunny's 50th Birthday coming, Warner Bros. wanted to bring the Looney Tunes to a new generation of kids. They commissioned a whole new show featuring some of the best of Looney Tunes, but under the Merrie Melodies name as Nickelodeon got the Looney Tunes name. 65 half hours were compiled of different cartoons, many of which taken from what was airing on ABC and Nickelodeon. The cartoons are shown as is minus the theatrical titles and logos. The first batch of computer colorized cartoons made their debut on this show. Because of this package, Warner Bros. put an end to the Bugs and Friends and Porky and Friends packages and used this as a replacement for Looney Tunes syndication. These shows aired daily in syndication. In 1992, the show moved to the FOX networks for weekday airings and some of the cartoons got shuffled around to ABC or Nickelodeon. It also came with a new intro with Bugs racing to the studio instead of clips highlighting the cartoons. The package came to an end in 1994 as Warner Bros. was getting The WB set up and took the Warner Bros. shows and cartoons with them including Pinky and the Brain and Animaniacs.
Grade: A+
With this and Nickelodeon doing their thing, it's almost as if The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show got the bottom of the barrel; that's weird because it was for years the opposite. Many great classics aired on this show including What's Opera Doc and Show Biz Bugs. I suspect that Warner Bros. wanted to get out of Saturday Mornings completely (hence a strong cartoon line up), but there may have been pre-existing contracts failing them to do so, as Looney Tunes still aired on ABC for 10 more years. The only downside is that a good chunk of Rudy Larriva Road Runner cartoons made it to the list, but overall a good chunk of classics could be seen daily. It should be noted that promotional materials used characters from a variety of cartoons together in one poster. That was not possible for them to be included here as for example Cool Cat and Buddy was on Nickelodeon (save for Cool Cat in Bugged by a Bee which did air on Merrie Melodies), and all Sniffles cartoons were still owned by Turner at that time. While the show ended in 1994,
the end credits for the first iteration of Merrie Melodies appeared for a brief time on Cartoon Network when it aired Porky Pig's Feat. This only happened a few times, however, and the credits would be edited out for more commercial time.
TV Shows: Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny and Friends
That's Warner Bros./ Bugs N Daffy package
Started: 1995
Ended: 1998
I've debated over and over if these two should be separated, but in the end I decided to combine them as new information came about in my research. With the launch of The WB, it was obvious that the popular Looney Tunes would be a part of it. New shows such as Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries were running while a new package was created replacing the Merrie Melodies one on FOX. The new package, now titled That's Warner Bros., had a slightly different offering of cartoons with some moving over to Nickelodeon or ABC. Carried over from Merrie Melodies was the Bugs racing to the studio intro. The name That's Warner Bros. was a play on words with the phrase That's All Folks, but obviously didn't roll out the tongue as well; it just sounded weird. The show lasted for one year as a result. The following year, The WB retooled it using the same exact cartoons (with the exception of one Three Bears cartoon due to possibly being too violent) to create a new show, Bugs N Daffy. This time a new intro was created with a new theme song and showcasing clips from various classics. While The WB was running Bugs N Daffy, the merger between Turner and Time Warner was going on. This brought all the pre-48 cartoons back home to Warner Bros. Even though the aap package was still running, Warner Bros. wanted to do something with the newly acquired library. As a result, some of the pre-48 cartoons were added to the mix of what was already running one year prior. Additional episodes were put together mixing the same cartoons running on The WB with new ones as well. The only other addition to the package was the unreleased cartoon, (blooper) Bunny. By 1996 and 1997, Looney Tunes were (as Lori Loud would say) LITERALLY EVERYWHERE. In movies with Space Jam and some new shorts, on ABC, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, The WB, and Nickelodeon as well as home video releases. Because of the merger, the post-48 cartoons airing on The WB was allowed to air on the Turner Networks during that time. Because of this, TBS retooled their Bugs Bunny Show as Super Looney Tunes because this became one of the largest collections of Looney Tunes cartoons in one show as was Cartoon Network's Bugs and Daffy. These cable shows also included cartoons not airing on The WB perhaps due to violence, content, or other strange reasons. Those include Rabbit Fire, Rabbit Seasoning, and You Ought to Be in Pictures. Late Night in Black and White was already airing the Harman and Ising cartoons in black and white since the early 90's, but some of the black and white cartoons from this particular package made their black and white return as a result of this new deal. With some more black and white cartoons being computer colorized in 1995, Cartoon Network would be the one to debut some of the new colorizations such as You Ought to Be in Pictures, Westward Whoa, and The Blow Out. The package came to an end in 1999 to focus more on moving Looney Tunes over to Cartoon Network. Not to mention a change with WB Kids programming to include Pokemon.
Grade: A+
A great new package airing in various shows over its few years of existence. It does has its faults. It's first show's name, That's Warner Bros., sounds weird. Just like with Merrie Melodies, they showed the cartoons as is minus the theatrical titles and logos. The cartoons on Bugs N Daffy however shortened the title cards to just one card with a brief Bugs N Daffy fanfaire, and over the air broadcasts required censorship that's never before done on any of the pre-48's, but the show had an impact allowing two sub packages, and some parts of the show itself would resurface in future packages. As it stood in 1997: If you wanted more Tweety, you watched The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show. If you wanted more Road Runner, Speedy Gonzalas, vintage Porky, Speedy and Daffy, and 7arts cartoons, you had to watch them on Nickelodeon. Finally, if you wanted classic 1940's cartoons, a lot of the top cartoons, and the biggest quantity of them all, you watched the Turner Networks or The WB. One final note, the cartoon that left the biggest impact in the package was One Froggy Evening. The frog, now named Michigan J Frog, would become the mascot of The WB for years.
TV Shows: Acme Hour
Bugs and Daffy [CN]
Bugs Bunny Bugs Bunny Rah Rah Rah
Bugs N Daffy [The WB]
Late Night in Black and White
Super Looney Tunes
That's Warner Bros
Daffy Duck package
Started: 1997
Ended: 1997
A sub package of the Bugs and Daffy package was formed for The WB called The Daffy Duck Show. A mix of pre and post 48 cartoons were shown, mostly starring Daffy Duck. Some of the pre-48 cartoons were never a part of The Bugs N Daffy Show, but were by no means exclusive thanks to Turner reruns of the pre-48 library. Very few cartoons were in this package. Despite promotional material including a trailer for the show on the Space Jam VHS (which thanks to Space Jam fans living in the 90's the trailer outlived the actual package), it tanked and came to an end one year later.
Grade: D
The cartoons are fine, but the format was kind of dumb. The show opens with Daffy saying things like "Shake your Tail Feathers" and "This Duck is in the House." It's no wonder why it failed.
TV Shows: The Daffy Duck Show
The Cat and Bunny Warneroonie Pinky Brainy Big Cartoonie Show package
Started: 1999
Ended: 2000
Weirdly enough, The WB replaced the Bugs and Daffy Show with this package whose name I wish not to type over again. This show pieced together a handful of cartoons that aired on Bugs and Daffy alongside short segments from Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Pinky
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| Karen and Kirby hosted this crammed cartoon show |
Elmyra and the Brain, and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. Perhaps it was to condense its lineup since it needed more room for the massive success of Pokemon. The show would open with a big pinball machine and tons of characters from all the Warner Bros. animated shows singing the theme song. The show would then have segments introduced by two kids, Karen and Kirby. It was very unsuccessful and ended in 2000. By that time, however, all the Looney Tunes on WB moved over to Cartoon Network.
Grade: F
There is very little record as to how much of the classic Warner Bros. Cartoons were in this package, making it unfair to review what was shown. HOW they were shown, on the other hand.......yeesh.....what in the hell were they thinking? I have heard that animation historian Jerry Beck was involved, but by how much...I don't know. Probably the voices of the characters, since Karen is voiced by Cheryl Chase (Angelica from the Rugrats). Karen and Kirby look NOTHING like the Warner Bros. characters....rather cut out characters almost like South Park, very cheaply made. I remember watching these having NO IDEA what was going on, and I know other kids waiting for Pokemon probably felt the same way. It just wasn't worth it. The future was Cartoon Network, and that's exactly what happened next.
Shows: The Cat and Bunny Warneroonie Pinky Brainy Big Cartoonie Show
Looney Tunes Cartoon Network package (ver. 1)
Started: 1999
Ended: 2004 or 05
One of the biggest collection of cartoon shorts ever to air on television happened in 1999. The cartoons on Nickelodeon moved right over to here. These, combined with the aap package that Turner already owned and the Bugs N Daffy package, made it the largest package to air. Many of these were showcased on the Mil-Looney-Um marathon when the package started. Some of the black and white cartoons would air in black and white on Late Night in Black and White. The colorized versions (and a handful of redrawn versions) and the rest of the cartoons aired on various slots wherever Looney Tunes can be aired. For a while, they aired on Bugs and Daffy. Most of the harder to find Looney Tunes however appeared on Acme Hour. Meanwhile, ABC continued to air The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show until 2000. By 2001, Cartoon Network announced it was the exclusive home of Looney Tunes. This resulted in some debuting on the biggest ever June Bugs marathon where they tried to feature every Bugs Bunny cartoon including a new Toonheads special which we'll talk about soon called the 12 Missing Hares. Also in 2001 came The Looney Tunes Show (not to confuse with the 2011 series). The intro and outro of the said show used the music to This Is It while introducing each character on a vaudeville type stage. Both it and Bugs and Daffy ranged from a half an hour to 3 full hours of non stop Looney Tunes. The Looney Tunes Show was supposed to replace the older Bugs and Daffy Show. However, Bugs and Daffy continued to air at odd times of the day until 2004. At one point during the 2 hour block in 2003, the last half hour was an episode of Duck Dodgers. Also that year, new intros and bumpers were made replacing the fancy This Is It ones. The characters were larger than life statues placed throughout the world and beyond. There also was The Chuck Jones Show airing only the Chuck Jones cartoons. The show was well received with its creative intro similar to The Looney Tunes Show. For the first few years, Cartoon Network withheld the Speedy Gonzalas cartoons due to political correctness. However, the Latin Americans protested stating that Speedy was a role model for Mexicans, so Speedy was put back on TV. During the time Cartoon Network aired Looney Tunes, an event happened on April 1, 2000, Cartoon Network spun off a new network called Boomerang airing mostly reruns of Hanna Barbera cartoons. However, a handful of Looney Tunes aired on Boomerang as part of its decades collections. So, they reconstructed versions of The Bugs Bunny Show, The Porky Pig Show, and The Road Runner Show using original intros, bumpers, and outros, but still maintaining their theatrical titles. As early as 2003, Looney Tunes began fully airing on Boomerang first with weekend marathons called Back to the Drawing Board showing early appearances and milestone moments. Then half hour blocks began with bumpers using the 1939 rendition of Merrily We Roll Along (sometimes remixed), clips from cartoons, and the famed rings using the old Boomerang B logo instead of the WB shield.
The bumpers would change again in 2004 using statues similar to Cartoon Network but were used as toys in plain backgrounds and uses the Can Can as their bumper music. These bumpers would return again when Looney Tunes returned to Boomerang in 2013 and lasted until 2015 when the network rebranded. On TV airwaves, this package was successful. However, things were slipping away behind the scenes. Time Warner just went through a major merger with AOL....a disaster causing major cuts.
AOL hardly found Looney Tunes marketable. There were successes such as theme park appearances at Six Flags and eventual DVD releases, but the Mil-Looney-um promotion failed and Looney Tunes Back in Action flopped at the box office. Also, Cartoon Network began focusing more on original shows such as Powerpuff Girls, Ed Edd N Eddy, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, and Codename Kids Next Door. Many older properties were beginning to move to Boomerang with Looney Tunes making their way there. But the final nail to the coffin for this package was a feud between Warner Bros. and Turner. Even though both are owned by the same company, they were still separate entities. This caused the Turner networks to lose control of the post-48 cartoons. Without them, Cartoon Network and Boomerang could not use the package as they could still use with Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry, thus, bringing an end to the package and a grinding halt to Looney Tunes as a franchise, Warner Bros. biggest mistake yet which the company still hasn't fully recovered from it.
Grade: A+
It was a crazy mix of old, unfamiliar, and classics seen on Saturday mornings. No need to figure out which cartoon was airing where...they were all here. There were also sub packages that grew out of this one which will be discussed soon. There were big marathons like June Bugs that aired. It wasn't every cartoon, but it was a lot. It was great while it lasted, but its exclusivity would lead to its eventual downfall. It was a great package, but perhaps it should have been offered to everyone else who wanted it. One major drawback though: some of the shorts, more specifically a handful of post-48 shorts, had new PAL time compressed masters, usually from an older master tape. This meant that the cartoons were slightly sped up with pitch changes and much foggier picture quality. Best example, Fast and Furryous sped up uses the transfer made from the Golden Jubilee collection VHS in 1985, and it looked washed out. These versions became standard copies of the cartoons for years, a handful still are released like that to this day including DVD releases (cough cough Stars of Space Jam). The good news is that by the time the package started, Warner Bros. began a new restoration process cleaning up unwanted dirt and color correction. Primitive and only in standard def at first, but was a start of what was to come in the age of DVD and Blu-ray.
TV Shows: Acme Hour
Bugs and Daffy
The Bugs Bunny Show [Boomerang reconstruction]
The Chuck Jones Show
June Bugs
Late Night in Black and White
Looney Tunes: Back to the Drawing Board
Looney Tunes on Boomerang
The Looney Tunes Show
The Porky Pig Show [Boomerang reconstruction]
The Road Runner Show [Boomerang reconstruction]
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| Porky and Gabby (1937) as shown on an episode of Toonheads, computer colorized |
Toonheads package
Started: late 1990's
Ended: mid 2000's
This side package on Cartoon Network was a well curated mix of everything from the Warner Bros. Classic Animation Collection showcasing both Looney Tunes and MGM cartoons (and a handful of Popeyes). These handpicked cartoons featured introductions and themed episodes telling you about the history surrounding each short. Very exclusive for this package were some of the wartime shorts, especially those formerly a part of the Sunset package. Also exclusive were cartoons never in any package. Lady Play Your Mandelon never appeared in any package for reasons unknown until Toonheads. A handful of Private Snafu and Mr Hook shorts aired on here as did Any Bonds Today and So Much for So Little. The rarest shorts aired on specials such as The Lost Cartoons and The Wartime Cartoons. When June Bugs happened in 2001, a special was to air during the marathon called Toonheads: The 12 Missing Hares. This would show clips of the 12 withheld Bugs Bunny cartoons such as Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt, All This and Rabbit Stew, and Bugs Bunny Nips the Nips telling the full story of Bugs Bunny with sensitivity throughout stating these were from a different time. Sadly, Cartoon Network pulled it at the last minute. Like the Cartoon Network package, it came to an end after a change in structure with Cartoon Network programming. However, Boomerang picked these up for just a little bit longer.
Grade: A+
Okay I must admit, if it weren't for this show, I wouldn't be here right now. I learned all about who guys like Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng were. Of course, other shows like Tex Avery and Bob Clampett shows helped out too, but this had the most info and the most cartoons. It wasn't perfect by all means. Some cartoons were still colorized (but Daffy's Southern Exposure was computer colorized, unlike the Cartoon Network package which still used the redrawn version), some were edited for time and content such as Fast and Furryous, and one would argue that a half and hour was too short (which is why they had hour long episodes at times), but I loved it.
A shame such a show could not come back except such a show DID come back on another network.........
TV Shows: Toonheads
The Bob Clampett package
Started: 2000
Ended: 2005
Like Toonheads, this was a well curated package showcasing the best of Warner Bros. animation director, Bob Clampett. Giving credit where credit is due (since the Blue Ribbion reissues would erase his name), the show told you about who Bob Clampett was and hand picked some shorts that he made. What was special about this package was that it was able to last just a little bit longer after the end of the Cartoon Network package, and each cartoon was uncut. The black and white cartoons were sometimes colorized, but uses the computer ones to preserve the animation. Some black and white cartoons, such as Eatin on the Cuff, were exclusive to this package (and yes, it aired in black and white). A little later, Bob Clampett's Beany and Cecil cartoons would be mixed into the package, making it a true honorary show for the man. The show aired on Cartoon Network until 2004 due to their restructuring of the channel. However, its late night correspondent, adult swim, gave it a brief comeback in 2005.
Grade: A+
Just like Toonheads, this show taught me who Bob Clampett was and the stuff he created. Never heard of Beany and Cecil until the show, and never saw a black and white Looney Tunes until the show either. And of course Bob Clampett was one of the more creative geniuses in the business moving from Looney Tunes to puppetry with Time for Beany. Interestingly enough, the show opens with the Looney Tunes characters as puppets like on Time for Beany. Also, looking back at how Clampett worked with the Looney Tunes characters, they do almost look like animated puppets, like how Porky would come out of the drum, it's almost like a little hand puppet coming out. Clampett also designed the very first Mickey Mouse Plush Doll back when he was a teenager. Such a great creative mind.
TV Shows: The Bob Clampett Show
TCM Cartoon Alley package
Started: 2004
Ended: 2009
After Cartoon Network ended their classic cartoon run (save for Tom and Jerry), Turner Classic Movies began airing a series of cartoons called Cartoon Alley. The cartoons were all Turner owned, only allowing the pre-48 cartoons for the Warner Bros. cartoons as well as some black and white classics, a couple of which haven't aired for years. The cartoons either aired on this show or put as fillers in between movies. An on camera host, Ben Mankiewicz, introduced each cartoon in classic TCM style, and like Toonheads, the cartoons were well curated. These cartoons would occasionally be on loan to Boomerang during that time, though didn't air quite as often as the Hanna Barbera shows. The show itself lasted until 2007, but the cartoons still aired on occasion until 2009. The last time the Looney Tunes aired, however, was a tribute to Chuck Jones and was able to get 3 post-48 cartoons: Duck Amuck, One Froggy Evening, and What's Opera Doc. Cartoons from the Turner library continue to air on TCM, but no Warner Bros. cartoon would air again for a while.
Grade: A-
Considering Cartoon Network saying no to old cartoons, this was something we got in desperation. The show only aired once a week and only a half an hour long, which is not enough time to look back at some of these shorts. It could also be difficult trying to find a cartoon airing at random without looking at the TCM schedule monthly. Those problems aside plus some smaller issues like using an old master for A Wild Hare, the cartoons aired uncut, a handful being very rare such as some of the wartime shorts and Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt. It's a shame Turner and Warner Bros. couldn't work out a deal for TCM, but the cartoons Turner had are still highly regarded.
TV Shows: Cartoon Alley
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| The Ghostly return of Porky Pig's Feat redrawn version on In2TV |
In2TV Package
Started: 2006
Ended: 2009
This was the first package made for streaming online. However, it was still a dinosaur, so you can't really say it was a TV package, but it was one nonetheless. This package contained a medium sized selection of cartoons, mostly character based. There was still feuding between Turner and Warner Bros., so no pre-48 color cartoons were on here. The black and white cartoons varied from black and white to colorized. Porky Pig's Feat and The Impatient Patient used their redrawn colorized prints, while Milk and Money and Shanghaied Shipmates used 16mm prints. In2TV, however, was a brainchild of AOL, which was starting to fail. The package came to an end when the split between AOL and Time Warner happened.
Grade: B-
The offerings made by In2TV were not that much, though with cable not wanting to run the cartoons and since some of these didn't make it to DVD yet, we took what we can get. However, online streaming was only exclusive to computers. No smart TV's, Roku, or HDMI setups were around then, so you couldn't watch these on a TV as easily as you would cable. It was more impossible if you were a mac user. No use of the pre-48 library was also disappointing. That said, there were some surprises including A Coy Decoy, though computer colorized, being uncut...Black Beauty and all. It's crazy to think the redrawn versions would show up again, but it would be the last time they would thankfully.
TV Shows: none
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| Speedy Ghost to Town returns once more on Kids WB on Demand |
Kids WB on Demand packageStarted: around 2008
Ended: around 2010
After the deal with In2TV ended, the cartoons shifted right over to Kids WB.com, where plans were beginning for a new on demand channel. On demand was starting to become a thing for cable companies. Recent or repeat episodes of shows airing on channels like ABC and Nickelodeon were ready (usually for no additional charge) to watch whenever one wants to. Other channels, like Kabillion, started showing up that are exclusive channels. Kids WB had a selection of titles such as The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes. The cartoons were on rotation. After so many weeks, cartoons would rotate out with different ones. This pattern continued for a while. The package, though now including the pre-48 cartoons, was slim. Most of the cartoons were more typical than classic holding off greats like What's Opera Doc and Rabbit of Seville. It almost bare resemblance to the Bugs Bunny and Friends package in the 70's and 80's. Most of the cartoons were restored from previous home video releases, but some such as Ali Baba Bunny and Hare Conditioned still used old transfers. The black and white cartoons were either in black and white if out on DVD or computer colorized if not on home video yet such as Porky's Hare Hunt. The most surprising thing on the package was the Daffy and Speedy cartoons which there were plenty of. Eventually, Kids WB on Demand came to an end, and thus the end of the package.
Grade: C -
It seemed like a good start, but then it went nowhere fast after it started. Some....interesting cartoons.....showed up on here, some that haven't been run in a while and not again since (save for Youtube compilation videos on the WB Kids Channel plus some of such content appears to show up on Me-TV). I am happy to report that Porky Pig's Feat is in black and white, no more redrawn version despite the carry overs from In2TV. Other than that, it was a small scale package compared to former ones. That said, the idea that on demand on your TV screens were a great idea, and this package pioneered for what was to come for the next decade.
TV Shows: none
Looney Tunes Cartoon Network package (ver. 2; aka Looney Toonormous package)
Started: 2009
Ended: 2010
After years of bickering, Cartoon Network was finally able to secure a deal with Warner Bros. for another go of Looney Tunes. It started with a New Years Day marathon. Bumpers were reused from when they aired on Cartoon Network in 2003 with the larger than life statues. Then, after New Years, it just disappeared. Then in November of that year, the Looney Tunes returned yet again. First with a marathon, then with an hour long block daily during the holiday season. Bumpers are voice overs of Daffy Duck, being one of the last times Joe Alaskey would ever voice this character. In 2010, another New Years Looney Toonormous marathon happened with the same format as last year's, but then after that, the package just disappeared. While not as big as the previous package Cartoon Network ran a decade ago, it focused more on classic characters and classic moments. Only a handful of rare cartoons aired here such as Little Blabbermouse and Sniffles Bells the Cat. This was the last package to have cartoons such as Fresh Hare due to political incorrectness. The black and white cartoons aired in their computer colorized form. This package appeared as quickly as it disappeared.
Grade: D-
On the one hand, great cartoon selections, even though some of the scans were decades old considering Warner Bros. new restoration program for the upcoming HD world, we were STARVING for something on television after a five year drought. The marathons were excellent and just what we needed. But here's the failure, they were brief stints and died instantly. It was suggested that another fall out between Turner and Warner Bros. happened, but the answer may not be the case. 2007-2010 was a dark age in animation. There was no interest. Toonami was dying, Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana ruled Disney's airwaves, even with Spongebob Nickelodeon was focusing on icarly, and Cartoon Network focused on live action programs like Destory Build Destroy. Let me repeat that again.....CARTOON Network was focusing on LIVE ACTION SHOWS. While the package when it aired deemed successful, Cartoon Network once again focused more on original programming both animated and for some gosh darned reason not animated. While terribly mistreated, the door opened for perhaps another chance. There were already new Looney Tunes projects in the works behind the scenes, and with shows such as Phineas and Ferb, Adventure Time, and My Little Pony, cartoons were coming back....a perfect time for Looney Tunes to truly comeback.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network
Boomerang and Cartoon Network package
Started: 2011
Finally, after years of uncertainty, Looney Tunes found a permanent home on Cartoon Network. A new package was set up with anticipation of The Looney Tunes Show. The package mostly consisted of character driven cartoons. The black and white cartoons were either in black and white or computer colorized. However, Cartoon Network had to quickly grab what they had instead of asking Warner Bros. for the new remasters. As a result, some of the cartoons, especially the pre-48's, were very old transfers. Despite these issues, the ratings did well allowing for the cartoons to air frequently. However, the majority of the pre-48 cartoons were dropped in favor of the post-48's. They were also playing it safe with their library. No Speedy Gonzalas, more constant reruns of Rudy Larriva Road Runner cartoons, and tons of Bugs, Daffy, and Tweety. In 2013, it was announced that Boomerang was allowed to run the same package to its advantage as Cartoon Network was getting interested in rerunning ONLY their original series. For example, Teen Titans Go airs daily for HOURS upon end. On the other hand, Boomerang began airing Looney Tunes (and Tom and Jerry) in the same way (hours upon hours on end). 2015 would bring the end to this package on Cartoon Network being exclusive to Boomerang only. By the end of the decade, the streaming wars were beginning thanks to Netflix and Hulu. In 2017, Boomerang launched their on demand service putting this package up on their app. This also finally allowed the restored versions to show up both online and on the air. And by 2019, the pre-48 cartoons returned to the package (though mostly for streaming until around 2023-24), some of which haven't been shown for a long time. In December 2023, a handful of shorts were added to the Boomerang line up as part of channel improvements on making it a classic cartoon channel again with some overlapping of the Max package and the Me TV package, though most of these would be some of the Larry Doyle shorts. Little Go Beep however would make its TV debut in 2023. In September 2024, Boomerang shut down their streaming service thus reducing their package and retiring the computer colorized versions of the black and white cartoons.
Grade: A-
It's nowhere near perfect, and some people still have a problem with it. There were some downturns in its history, but now that the pre-48 cartoons are back, it's a much better package. While some of the cartoons got the ax due to some problematic issues, it was best to enjoy what is on there than dwell on what isn't. A good number of Goofy Gophers and Three Bears cartoons were on here too. All of Chuck Jones's Road Runner and Pepe le Pew cartoons are on here. No Speedy was a bummer though, but everything else gives plenty to watch. Of course, Boomerang didn't authorize any new restorations, so some of the cartoons vary print to print, but it was great to see them again. As Me TV began gaining momentum with its package, Boomerang felt no choice but to run some of the streaming exclusive cartoons on the linear channel. Currently, a handful of cartoons are exclusive to Boomerang such as the CGI Road Runner cartoons, Little Go Beep, Porky's Romance, and Lumber Jack Rabbit.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network
Looney Tunes on Boomerang
Looney Tunes Cartoon Network package (ver. 3)
Started: 2017
Ended: 2017
The very last hurrah for classic Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network it seemed came and went with a blink of an eye in 2017. Even with the newly launched Boomerang app, Cartoon Network tried again airing classic Looney Tunes. The package was slimmer compared to Boomerang's small offerings containing ONLY cartoons 1954 and up. The package quickly came to an end that same year.
Grade: F
The best way to describe this package is trying to revive someone who is about to pass on using a ventilator or life support, but sadly the only quality of life is on life support. The a.a.p. package will be remembered as the longest lasting package with over 40 years airing on many stations. This one is the shortest lasting package.........one week. The reason, I assume, is that someone got a slap on the wrist as this is NOT what Cartoon Network was supposed to air which is literally just Teen Titans Go. The only positive from it were cartoons like What's Opera Doc and Show Biz Bugs on the network, but they were mixed in cartoons like Chaser on the Rocks and Just Plane Beep . They belonged to Boomerang now. Looney Tunes would continue to exist years later on Cartoon Network with repeats of Baby Looney Tunes on the new Cartoonito block and a new series for the block entitled Bugs Bunny Builders. Some airings of HBO's Looney Tunes Cartoons also appeared and a movie block would be named after Acme. There were plans for a new Tweety series, but they have fallen through the cracks due to the merger with Discovery Media.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network
HBO Max package
Started: 2020
Ended: 2022
As Warner Bros. fully merged with AT&T becoming Warnermedia, HBO Max began streaming. Looney Tunes became a big headliner for the streaming channel giving them their own section and a new series called Looney Tunes Cartoons. As such, a package of Warner Bros. cartoons was made just for them. Highlighting some of the best in animation, the package has something from nearly every era. The major drawback is that HBO Max only took HD content, making the package somewhat limited. However, tons of cartoons were already restored in HD, and some of the cartoons ended up getting new restorations such as Porky and Daffy and What's Cookin Doc. Within the first month of launch, Looney Tunes became the most popular show on HBO Max, more popular than Game of Thrones or Friends. Noticeably, the Pepe le Pew and Speedy Gonzalas cartoons were very limited; one Speedy cartoon and two Pepe cartoons. Eventually, the Speedy cartoon would go away. Making up for it, I guess, is all but one Cool Cat and all
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New titles were made for newly restored cartoons for HBO Max.
Authentic, yet unusual at the same time |
but one Merlin the Magic Mouse. Not to mention tons of Sniffles and other minor Looney Tunes characters on here. By its first year's end, there were more cartoons ready to be streamed than on Boomerang. During its time on HBO Max, Warner Bros was sold off by AT&T and would be bought by Discovery. The newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery announced in 2022 that HBO Max would merge with Discovery + thus potentially putting an end to the package. While this new streaming service is set to debut summer of 2023, starting in August of 2022, HBO Max began purging shows that Warner Bros. Discovery felt as "tax write offs".
Grade: A-
While there were tons of overlapping, nobody seems to be complaining about it. It's well organized and have some one shots and minor characters like Sniffles on here too. Eventually as more cartoons got restored it would slightly become larger than Boomerang's package. This package's downside could be it has the most Larry Doyle cartoons on it (all of them), but they're shoved way in the back. Also, some of the opening titles looked recreated authentically as if they were all going to be shown in 16:9, but thankfully not the case. Some of the title cards look fine while others look horrible. Still, every cartoon looks pristine. This issue remained consistent with the rest of the new restoration debuts on other packages. The other downside is the timing of its coming. You see, among many things surrounding the year 2020 was the fight for social justice. Around the same time HBO Max launched, a horrifying incident happened: Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin took down African American civilian George Floyd to the ground, handcuffed him, and intentionally put his knee on Floyd's neck. Despite pleas and begging from by-standards, Chauvin continued holding Floyd down on his neck for nearly 9-10 minutes killing him. With video evidence coming out immediately thanks to witnesses watching, mass Black Lives Matter protests began happening across the nation and a new social justice movement began. Being the newest investment for WarnerMedia, HBO Max had to go, for a lack of a better term, woke. Any episode containing racial jokes were gone, and certainly that meant some Looney Tunes could not pass this test for even the slightest of issues including racial, ethnic, gender, and drug and alcohol use. Even the stupidest reasons include Daffy Doodles for the phrase "Don't send me up the river, don't send me to Sing Sing", which is now considered alt right talking points for (allegedly) falsely arresting black people in New York where Sing Sing Prison is located nearby. This also applied to South Park, The Boondocks, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force retiring episodes due to this movement. Gone With the Wind and Blazing Saddles were taken down then brought back with a disclaimer through TCM. This caused a limit of what could be played on HBO Max, but there were a few times something slipped the cracks. Still, this was an amazing step in the right direction as we got to see new restorations and helped supplement along side new Looney Tunes projects such as Looney Tunes Cartoons and Space Jam a New Legacy.
TV Shows: none
WarnerMedia Ride Package
Started: 2020
Ended: 2023
One package snuck past us all after the launch of HBO Max, and that was WarnerMedia Ride. Made to distract kids and teens during long trips, this app included a handful of shows from HBO Max such as Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Cartoon Network, and adult swim. However, this was an entirely different package than HBO Max. Sure it had the same banner, but different cartoon offerings exclusive (at least streaming wise). Dumb Patrol featuring Bosko is on here as is Lady Play Your Mandolin. Deleted cartoons from HBO Max such as Hamatur Night and Mr and Mrs is the Name would end up here. This is also the streaming exclusive home of Speedy Gonzalas since Boomerang and HBO Max refuse to do so. While all are just a sample of what's on Ride, another cartoon slipped by the cracks that was supposed to be banned.......no, not the Censored 11, sorry to disappoint ya.....China Jones. This overtly racist cartoon last appeared on Nickelodeon in 1997 and was banned ever since for obvious reasons, yet somehow here it is. It's not a very good cartoon, let's just leave it at that. Not only were the cartoons available on demand, but they also had linear channels with one for animated kids programming and the classic Looney Tunes having a separate 24hr channel. The cartoons are rotated every so often with a few being linear exclusive like Milk and Money. The package came to an end in 2023
Grade: C
It was nice overall having a Looney Tunes 24hr channel which quickly mixed in with Scooby-Doo and Tom and Jerry months later, and there is a different offering of cartoons on here. However, to end anyone's excitement, there was a catch: WarnerMedia Ride only worked on iphones and ipads. In order to work, the app must be connected to a tethered connection used on AT&T plans for certain specific vehicles. In other words, this was not very accessible as other current TV and streaming packages. Such a shame as some great cartoons are on here. The other issue is that a lot is still missing in the package. This means that some of the cartoons on HBO Max believe it or not are not on here at all. That's very confusing. It could be an unfair grade however, because due to the lack of knowledge of this app, they got away with a lot more. For example, China Jones actually aired a lot one time on the linear network. Guess no one over there realized it's a banned cartoon, and since not a lot of eyeballs, not many (if any) complaints. And yes, all cartoons on here are HD restored, some making their debut on here.
TV Shows: none
Me-TV Package
Started: 2021
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Bill Leff and Toony the Tuna hosting cartoons
weekday mornings on Me-TV |
After years of television broadcasts only exclusive to Cartoon Network and Boomerang, Warner Bros. was finally able to license out to other networks (not counting streaming). Me-TV aired cartoons in the past such as Gumby and He-Man, but they finally struck gold in 2019 when they got reruns of The Flintstones. The ratings were a success, and coaxed Me to go further into the Warner Bros. cartoon library.
According to this article, this package would air daily on a show called Toon In With Me, an hour long program with a host introducing each cartoon with comedy, games, and special guests just like how local TV shows used to do from the 50's through the 80's. This show would mix with the MGM cartoons and the Popeye cartoons. One month after the article came out, Me-TV officially announced a block called Saturday Morning Cartoons. As the title suggests, the block would air on Saturday Mornings for three hours. These include Looney Tunes, Popeye, and Tom and Jerry (alongside other MGM cartoons). The block, now called Bugs Bunny and Friends, is one hour each Saturday Morning. Although the cartoons were their original theatrical versions, a big surprise came with the Bugs Bunny and Friends hour: the ORIGINAL This is It intro from The Bugs Bunny Show, giving it a true feel of Saturday Mornings. This package bore resemblance to perhaps earlier Cartoon Network packages like the one from 1999-2004. Cartoons like Shake Your Powder Puff showed up on here not shown since Nickelodeon in 1992. Then there is the return of the Daffy/Speedy shorts and, what's more, new remasters from that said era premiered on Me-TV. The show, Toon in with Me, appeared to be absent from the announcement, but the official schedule showed it airing around the same time the Saturday Morning airings start with teaser promos showing up. Soon after, however, an official announcement and promos began to show up. The show is hosted by Bill Leff as "the Cartoon Curator" and Toony the Talking Tuna (a fish puppet). The show had comedy sketches (those similar to Me's other show, Svengoulie, where all the jokes are what I call Luan Loud jokes....all corny), guests stars, and other surprises. Some other characters includes Toony's owner, Goldie Fisher, who's always on the go showing up anywhere around the world as a globetrotter, and Mr. Quizzer, a game show host out of the 70's who gives out trivial facts. Each show lasts one hour, 5 cartoons (sometimes 6), and at times based on a theme. Promotion for the package was huge with a preview show on New Years Day. On January 4th, 2021, the premiere episode of Toon in With Me debuted with a half a million views guaranteeing a winner for the network. Along the way, even MORE new restorations debuted on Me TV. This news comes as HBO and Warner Bros. was getting ready to release new full length features for both theaters and HBO Max: Space Jam a New Legacy and Tom and Jerry. The idea that Looney Tunes would be widely available again is a miracle. It was something that was thought to never happen again, but the 20 year hostage by Cartoon Network and its sister network Boomerang has finally come to an end. And with HBO's Looney Tunes Cartoons, Space Jam, Boomerang, and now Me-TV, Looney Tunes could now be LITERALLY EVERYWHERE.....AGAIN!!! But it didn't stop there; Toon in With Me began doing interviews with historians and people involved with Looney Tunes in one way or another. Then in May 2021, the package appeared on Me TV +. This time as reruns of Toon in With Me and a new block called Sunday Night Cartoons which mixed in with MGM, Depatie Freleng, and Fleischer cartoons for 3 hours straight airing more harder to find classics including the television debut of the first Merrie Melodie, Lady Play Your Mandolin (airing edited prior on Toonheads and not a complete broadcast). Halfway through its first year, Me TV had run nearly half of the cartoon library. That's more cartoons on the Golden Collection and certainly more than what's airing on Boomerang. By 2022, it is believed that the Me TV networks have aired more Warner Bros. Cartoons than Cartoon Network. While I could not verify that info to be true, I can tell you that Me TV has aired.....A LOT. Also in 2022, Toon in With Me and Sunday Night Cartoons began airing on WCIU The U locally in Chicago, bringing a total of 3 networks. By 2023, it was reveals that Bugs Bunny and Friends became the number one show on Me TV with the 25-54 year old demographic thus finding a way to get younger viewers to the channel without having to lose the classic TV theme. By the holidays that year, Saturday Morning Cartoons were beating ALL the biggest names in TV reruns in its timeslot: Seinfeld, Friends, The Office, and Law and Order. At one point probably more, Bugs Bunny and Friends would get around a half a million views. This caused Weigel Broadcasting to do something about this. In 2024, Me TV announced a spin off channel called Me TV Toons which would be a joint venture between Weigel Broadcasting and Warner Bros. Discovery. This means that the package would extend to this new channel alongside TONS of cartoon classics with plans for the Warner Bros. Cartoons including a Bugs Bunny marathon on his birthday with a new special about him. Bugs Bunny and Friends would constantly air on there and the package would be included in Cartoon All Stars and reruns of Toon In With Me (It should be noted that as a result of Cartoon All Stars and Toon In With Me reruns on Me TV Toons, Me TV + discontinued airing the package ending Sunday Night Cartoons and moving Toon in With Me reruns right over to Me TV Toons). As of 2023, exactly 800 cartoons have appeared on this package making it the largest and most comprehensive to date and yet quality equaled quantity 90% of the time, and Neil Sabin, the CEO of Weigel Broadcasting, promises that you'll ALWAYS find Bugs Bunny on Me TV Toons.
Grade: A+
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Sunday Night Cartoons would air
weekly on Me TV + before moving to Me TV
Toons and becoming Cartoon All Stars |
You know, it's funny. History has repeated itself. Turner picks up Warner Bros. Cartoons, succeeds, buys the rights, buys Hanna-Barbera, and starts an all cartoon channel. Same thing here: Weigel picks up Warner Bros. Cartoons, succeeds, joins forces with Warner Bros Discovery, and low and behold an all classic cartoon channel. The presentation of the cartoons and what is included in the package is impressive thus far. The Toon In with Me Show is interesting. As the show progressed, more historical facts would be present in each episode and Fan-tastic Fridays dedicated to cartoon fans requesting what they would want to see. Meanwhile, Bugs Bunny and Friends is honestly Me TV's very own version of The Bugs Bunny Show. Seeing the Overture was a very nice surprise. Many new restorations debuted already with cartoons not shown in a very long time. One could say that the downside is a lot of Speedy and Daffy cartoons, others would say that the title cards being recreated on some are a downside (carried over from when being restored for HBO Max), but then there are only a handful of cartoons not yet restored airing and in some cases being decades old transfers. Best example: I Taw a Putty Tat is using an old AAP print from Vid Y Oh for Kids. Those are just minor gripes though as a huge chunk of the cartoon library is very pristine and so vast. So much so that Boomerang began running ads begging you to watch them on their channel instead of Me TV's! Promos saying that "your favorite Looney Tunes characters are all right here. Every bang, zoom, and crash....all in one place." as well as adding more cartoons to their package. Aside from Me TV Toons, the success also brought about rare cartoons on Toon In with Me that
were not WB related such as Woody Woodpecker, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Hardrock Coco and Joe, and the restored Max Fleischer Color Classics. Bugs Bunny was the way to sell on old cartoons so that Me TV could air more rare stuff. Not that the WB cartoons were only treated as cash grabs; they have done an excellent job with them so far. As for Me TV Toons, Looney Tunes is dominate. 1 hr blocks and 2 hour blocks air constantly on the channel. At first they too use the Bugs Bunny Show intro, but it's only about 5-10 seconds of it. That quickly changed to a little bit more of This is It combined with clips showcasing the various Looney Tunes characters you may see during the program making it a much better intro than at launch. In between shorts sometimes would be Cartoon College which tells a little bit about some of the cartoons just like Toonheads did so many years ago. Because of Me TV Toons and how they are running the cartoons, it's essentially starting where Cartoon Network left off when they stopped running these cartoons back in 2004. The biggest mistakes that Warner Bros. made with the Looney Tunes slowly but surely were being corrected as new shows were made, anniversaries were celebrated, reruns of the golden age stuff returned, and exclusivity finally came to an end. The cartoons are treated like royalty, at long last after nearly 20 years of something here and there. As always, we will keep you updated with what's going on since we're getting them on a new channel. Stay Tuned!!!!!!!!! (NOTE: Although the website lists Sunday Night Cartoon All Stars as a separate block, it's just a 3 hour version of Cartoon All Stars using the same intro)
TV Shows: A Very Merry Bugs Bunny Christmas
A Bugs Bunny Pre Valentines Day Special
Bugs Bunny and Friends
Cartoon All Stars
Me TV's Cartoon Kick Off Show
Sunday Night Cartoons
Sventoonie
Toon In With Me
HBO Max package (ver 2)
Started: 2022
Ended: 2024
In late 2022, HBO Max (which would late be called Max) removed over half of the Looney Tunes leaving behind just pre-1950 cartoons. The license to stream post-50 shorts expired, and as part of the cost cutting measures specifically over at HBO Max, they confirmed that these shorts would not return to the service. In 2024, some of the pre-48 cartoons left in order to bring back some of the more popular post-50 shorts back thus making it a better package. The package came to an end, sort of, in 2024.
Grade: B-
When it started out, it stunk and it also brought fear of these shorts being written off under the leadership of David Zaslov. However, recent protests of the canceled Coyote vs Acme movie showed the power of Looney Tunes that a reshuffle had to be done to include more familiar titles such as One Froggy Evening. I don't expect this package to last too much longer since Max has been in trouble, but then again, so is every major streaming service.
Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network (ver. 4 aka Acme Fools Package)
Started: 2023
In March of 2023, Cartoon Network announced an April Fools Day Looney Tunes marathon. This would include The Looney Tunes Show, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and the classic Warner Bros. Cartoons. At least six hours worth of Looney content will be classic. As part of Acme Fools AND the 100th Anniversary of Warner Bros, they made brief cartoon short interstitials for online featuring Looney Tunes in crossover situations such as The Wizard of Oz. This package also appeared on Youtube during a 24/7 livestream, though very limited, a handful of cartoons that didn't air on Cartoon Network appeared here such as Carrotblanca, Chariots of Fur, Little Red Riding Rabbit, and the debut of Little Go Beep. While it seemed it was made only for April Fools Day, in September the package made a brief return as did a handful of other classic cartoons. It is likely that the package will turn up on occasion as another Acme Fools marathon is scheduled for 2024.
Grade: A
While the number of cartoons are very limited, the cartoons themselves are loaded with great stuff and a few surprises including One Froggy Evening and Meatless Flyday. It's mostly dominated by the Road Runner, but they're all the good ones by Chuck Jones making this a more than tolerable package. A nice and easy way for Looney Tunes to return to Cartoon Network. It may be suggested that Cartoon Network got this package for their 30th anniversary in October of 2022, however only Duck Amuck was run for streaming. As for the new interstitials, they're simple but entertaining. No new crazy redesigns or nothing.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes on Cartoon Network
Warner Bros. 100th package (TCM ver 2)
Started: 2023
Ended: 2023
In April of 2023, TCM did a tribute to the 100th Anniversary of Warner Bros. and for a part of that, they showed the classic cartoons. Over 50 cartoons had been selected to run in between movies and appears to be carefully selected to the theme of the block. Many cartoons made their TCM debut as they did not appear in the previous TCM package.
Grade: A
If you remember what TCM did with the Disney cartoons for their Treasures from the Disney Vault series, that's what we got here. The cartoon selection is excellent. Not as vast as Me TV's, smaller than Boomerang's, but better than Boomerang's. Nearly all of the cartoons selected are what I call the very best, and with a few exceptions, it's almost like 50 of the greatest Warner Brothers cartoons in one month. This comes at the same time Cartoon Network put the Looney Tunes back on Cartoon Network for a marathon. This would mean in the month of April, Looney Tunes would be on SIX different channels. A FIRST in a LONG LONG time.
TV shows: none
Movies! TV package
Started: 2023
Ended: around 2024
In 2023, another over the air digi-network began airing the WB cartoons. Simply titles MOVIES! they secretly and quietly added the cartoons to their roster. This may not be too secret as Weigel Broadcasting, who owns Me TV, has half ownership of this channel. Like the TCM packages, these would play on occasion in between movies. Most of the cartoons seem to be ones not shown as much as what is shown to death on Boomerang. Cartoons like Sittin on a Backyard Fence, meanwhile, made their TV return since Nickelodeon in the early 1990's alongside some new restorations. The package however was unsuccessful and ended very quickly
Grade: D
It was a good thought since seeing cartoons like The Unmentionables in between 2 60's movies felt like going to the Drive In at that time. However, that same thought might have also been its downfall acting more as filler while one goes to the bathroom or grabs something to eat. In fact, many theatrical cartoons during the days of drive ins were there to do just that with some specifically made as "Intermissions" including
this classic one with dancing hot dogs . Also, there was always a graphic underneath stating which movie was coming up next which would shrink the screen. Weigel experimented a little bit with their acquired WB Cartoon package, and while this one didn't succeed, they continued experimenting more with Catchy Comedy and Me TV Toons. All in all, not a total loss.
TV shows: none
Discovery Family package
Started: 2023
Ending: 2024
Once the merger between Discovery and Warner Bros. became complete, they inherited the TV channels Discovery owned including Discovery Family. Once called the Hub, the station due to 40% of it being owned by Hasbro was best known for airing My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. While Hasbro continues to hold their stake on the network and reruns of the successful My Little Pony continued, Warner Bros. began using their 60% of the stake by experimenting. Interestingly enough, during the days of the Hub, some Warner Bros. shows aired on that network including Batman the Animated Series and Animaniacs, but they started testing the waters in 2023 with reruns of Baby Looney Tunes and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. Hanna-Barbera's Paddington Bear and The Smurfs soon followed. They then began scheduling Baby Looney Tunes and Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries in good timeslots with the thought that maybe, just maybe, more was to come, and more did come. In December of 2023, the classic Looney Tunes began airing on this network bringing a total of networks airing Looney Tunes on a regular basis to 5. TV airings label them as Looney Tunes Merrie Melodies using both series names instead of generically calling them Looney Tunes as most airings since the 90s did. However, they ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time as behind the scenes, Warner Bros Discover and Weigel was planning Me TV Toons where the cartoons would air constantly there where as Discovery Family was trying to find their new identity, and they weren't sure if it's with Hasbro or not and whether or not it will be the next Cartoon Network and Boomerang or not. Worse yet is that the cartoons airing did not match what the rest of the channel was airing; imagine being a little girl watching My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop, and Equestria Girls only to have a monkey wrench thrown at you with very old black and white cartoons with outdated references.
Grading: B
While some of the cartoons are the typical ones, there are other one shots and different cartoons in the mix making it a decent package of cartoons. Some black and white cartoons would dominate at times, which may have been a downfall considering its demographics. Maybe not a massive package, but one that is enjoyable and full of variety to say the least. Had this package started earlier, it probably would have been a little bit more successful, but then in comes Weigel with its Looney plans of 2024 which would make the airings on Discovery Family useless.
TV Shows: Looney Tunes Merrie Melodies on Discovery Family
Catchy Comedy Package
Started: 2024
When Decades rebranded as Catchy Comedy, it showcased many sitcoms though most appeared as a Binge watching marathon on weekends known as The Catchy Binge. It featured many classic sitcoms such as Dick Van Dyke, ALF, All in the Family, and many others. Because this was a Weigel owned station, it was a matter of time that they got their hands on the Looney Tunes. After all, they did a couple of weekends with The Flintstones already. Lasting 40 hours long, the marathon would feature the best of the best cartoons making stations such as Boomerang look bad.
Grade: A+
While not as vast as Me TV's package, this is well curated. Each block contains a theme if necessary such as showbiz, fairy tales, romance, and more. Almost all of the cartoons I would have selected personally. No Black and White cartoons though, and only one or two duds. The rest are cartoons of the highest standards and what people think of when they think classic Looney Tunes. Rumor has it that the ratings for the show made the final decision to launch Me TV Toons. I personally don't buy that as there were trademark filings going public late 2023 about a potential cartoon channel. What IS true however is that the marathon was a success, and I believe Catchy Comedy will do this marathon again maybe next year.
TV Shows: The Best of the Looney Tunes on The Catchy Binge
Warner Classics/Youtube Package
Started: 2024
When YouTube started out in the mid-2000's, fan right away began uploading copies of Warner Bros. Cartoons ranging from Laserdisc to Cartoon Network recordings. Despite many of them being unavailable at the time, Warner Bros. ALWAYS copyright struck them down. Yet for years and years and years no official uploads of the cartoons were being added, though many unauthorized public domain companies made millions of hits with their own cartoon compilation. It was only natural as YouTube became more watched than Netflix (and more censored too, don't get me started) to put the cartoons on here. Finally, a channel called Warner Bros. Classics began doing such. Though each cartoon varies print to print, it finally became the official home of Looney Tunes on YouTube. Super Rabbit ended up on the ClipZone: Heroes and Villains channel and exclusive to the package is Plane Daffy. The cartoons do tend to rotate out every so often.
Grade: D
The cartoons on here appear to be all pre-48s including some black and white cartoons, but some post-48 cartoons appear as well. Unfortunately many of the cartoons used messed up audio, even the restored versions. Despite this, some interesting things happened such as A Wild Hare marathon (no, really, it's a marathon of JUST A Wild Hare).
Max Package (HBO Max Package ver. 3)
Started: 2024
With Boomerang's streaming channel coming to an end, Max added back tons of Looney Tunes for streaming. It's the same ordeal as last time; tons of Looney Tunes restored in HD (including one cartoon making it's restoration debut) spanning from 1931-1997. The Larry Doyle shorts appear to missing as do many Speedy Gonzalas and some Pepe le Pew. Otherwise, almost half of the classic Looney Tunes would appear here with the exact number being 500.
Grade: A-
Same grade and opinion as the first package, although this will be praised after two years of most of these cartoons disappearing off of Max. They do seem to be allowing some other shorts on here that weren't there last time, but there is still the bandage of 2020 causing others to not show up. That said, the cartoons are well organized, a variety of cartoons, and in pristine condition.
For more information on Looney Tunes TV history, check out pages such as
The Internet Animation Database and
Kevin McCorry's website. Four packages are currently running for either streaming and/or television: Max, Boomerang and Cartoon Network, Me TV package, and Discovery Family.
There are some head scratchers here and there, and the worst cartoon of the originals must be Bugged by a Bee due to it feeling like a parody of all 1960's cartoons and terminology; it did not age well. Above all, just....not Looney Tunes. A few more plans were made to come up with new series including adaptations of the Keystone Kops, Lil Abner, and Puff the Magic Dragon, but the company was bought again and to cut costs, shut down the studio, finally bringing an end to the Warner Bros. cartoons.
