As the title implies, Cartoon Network (CN) has long been known for its animated works from the original 1990s programming that consisted of re-runs of Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, and the Hanna-Barbera shows such as Yogi Bear, The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, and more. In the late ‘90s, CN shifted to original series with the creations of Dexter’s Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, and The Powerpuff Girls to name a few.
By the 2000s, the network began to dabble in feature-length films, some of which included live-action works based on animated series e.g. the Ben 10 movies. And in the late ‘00s, Cartoon Network started airing its first live-action programming from game shows to book adaptations. Now, after over a decade and a half of the network’s live-action programs, how many have fans completely forgotten?
10 Out of Jimmy's Head
Out of Jimmy’s Head (OOJH) was the first original live-action/animated television series on Cartoon Network and was based on the 2006 movie Re-Animated. OOJH was produced by the same studios that brought fans classic live-action hits Even Stevens and That’s So Raven and the writers behind the cartoons Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and The Life and Times of Juniper Lee.
The story follows the life of 13-year-old Jimmy Roberts who after receiving a brain transplant from a famous cartoonist is suddenly able to see and communicate with the characters created by that late cartoonist. Unfortunately, the late cartoonist’s son is after Jimmy and schemes to obtain his father’s brain and take over the world.
9 Bobb'e Says
Hosted by Bobb’e J. Thompson, the famous actor known for playing Tracy Jr. on 30 Rock and Stanley on That’s So Raven, Bobb’e Says was a live-action clip series that aired for just one season in 2009. Throughout the show, Bobb’e explored California giving advice to local residents through a pop and social commentary lens.
Bobb’e would not return to his show for a second season and instead opted to pursue movies. The show was part of Cartoon Network’s “CN Real” programming block and was the shortest live-action series along with BrainRush only airing for 6 episodes.
8 Destroy Build Destroy
Also, part of the CN Real block and airing in 2009, Destroy Build Destroy was a live-action reality series and game show where teams competed to destroy a random object and then build vehicles from that object. In the end, the winning team would destroy the losers’ creation or if there were a tie, then both teams’ creations would be destroyed.
The contestants were typically teenagers and organized by themes such as common interests and the show was known for its extremity and destruction for its use of explosives, rocket launchers, and more. Destroy Build Destroy was one of only two CN Real shows that would be renewed for successive seasons (the other was Dude, What Would Happen).
7 Dude, What Would Happen
Following Bobb’e Says in the original CN Real block, Dude, What Would Happen was hosted by three teenage boys who each episode asked themselves a simple question “dude, what would happen if…” and then proceeded to create the event. Oftentimes, the boys C.J. Manigo, Jackson Rogow (who played extras in The Lizzy McGuire Movie, Awkward, and 2 Broke Girls) and Ali Sepasyar would consult experts who they dubbed “The Lab Dudes”.
Episode topics had a wide range from remote-control sports, parties on planes, 3D experiments to monster adaptations, and extreme sports. The series had four seasons over two years before concluding in 2011.
6 Unnatural History
Another series in the original CN Real block, Unnatural History was the second scripted, live-action show on Cartoon Network following Out Of Jimmy’s Head. Unlike other shows on the network, Unnatural History consisted of hour-long episodes. The series’ protagonist was Henry Griffin who after globe-trotting with his anthropologist parents settles in Washington, D.C., and must use his worldly skills and knowledge to solve the challenges of high school.
The premise centered on the different abilities that Henry attained after having lived in various countries such as Liberia, Mexico, Japan, Brazil, and more and how he uses these to solve mysteries while adjusting to life as a regular high school student. Unnatural History was canceled after one season.
5 Goosebumps
Based on R.L. Stine's best-selling book series of the same title, Goosebumps was a horror anthology television series featuring stories in which teenagers found themselves in unusual situations that involved the supernatural or occult. While the live-action Goosebumps’ United States programming originally aired in 1995 on Fox Kids, Cartoon Network aired the series each October from 2007 to 2009.
Goosebumps episodes included haunted amusement parks, possessed Halloween characters, and similar frightening situations. The anthology series featured adaptations of 43 of the original books. In total, Stine produced 235 Goosebumps books, which leaves far more content on the table available for fans of the series in the future.
4 Tower Prep
Tower Prep centered on a school that housed people with special abilities (not completely unlike the X-Mansion) except most of the youngsters at Tower Prep had no memories of how they ended up at the school or where they even were. The protagonists spend the series trying to uncover the secrets behind Tower Prep and return to their normal lives.
The series was created by Paul Dini who was a producer and writer on several DC animated universe series such as Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series. Tower Prep would not be renewed for a second season and ended in 2010 after airing for three months.
3 Hole in the Wall
While first airing on Fox, in 2010 Cartoon Network revived Hole in the Wall, which is an adaption of a Japanese game show called Nokabe (or Brain Wall). In the series, the players/contestants attempt to fit themselves through large cutouts in a moving Styrofoam wall.
Cartoon Network retained much of Fox’s original version of the game where two teams of three people compete however CN’s version pivoted to plot families against one another. Hole in the Wall also aired special episodes with celebrity cameos featuring contestants from casts of reality series from other networks such as VH1.
2 Level Up
Level Up was adapted from the film by the same title (which served as the pilot for the series) in 2011 and aired from 2012 to 2013. Level Up was only the second CN show to be adapted from an original live-action movie (the first was Out of Jimmy’s Head).
The series focused on four high schoolers who accidentally opened a portal leading from a video game into the real world so that characters could now cross into reality distorting and destroying everyday life. As a result, the protagonists turned heroes would have to fight these extraordinary beings and send monsters back into the game.
1 Incredible Crew
Incredible Crew was a 2013 sketch comedy series. It was created and produced by Nick Cannon and much like Cannon's Wild 'N Out, episodes featured short-form skits from comedy to music to parodies.
In addition to Cannon, there was a six-person cast consisting of Brandon Soo Hoo (Supah Ninjas), Chanelle Peloso (Level Up), Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time), Shameik Moore (Joyful Noise), Shauna Case (American Horror Story) and Tristan Pasterick (I'm in the Band).
Incredible Crew ran for just one season and 13 episodes and was originally slated to be the last live-action show on Cartoon Network until the 2021 announcement of Family Mash-Up.
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