looking through a CN archives youtube channel that archives all the bumpers/ids/promos and. Man. looking through the 2024 stuff is. depressing as Shit. like i'm not saying that in a "cartoons were better when i was 12 years old" kind of way. like. this is Objectively depressing
like they literally took a gumball promo from 2013, stripped the text and the announcer from it, slapped a pastel era logo splash at the end, and used that as a "filler promo". they didn't add a new announcer, they just. aired 11 year old shit instead of making something new.
(here is the original promo, this is literally the only place i could find it because the separate upload is laggy to the point of it being unwatchable.)
and i GET why they are doing this. i get why they lobotomized cartoon network and are letting its cool stoner brother eat up its time and host its pandering CN nostalgia block (oh yeah they also nicked ACME night from CN as well!!!). today's children are either watching bluey or other cartoons on streaming services or Skibidi Hazbin Pomni Vs. Catnap FNF Rap Battle or whatever the fuck. so they are keeping CN on life support while all the Real Shit is happening from 4pm to 5am.
but i still hate to see CN becoming a shell of its former self because y'know. it's my fandom hometown!!! it was my favorite channel growing up!! my first fandom was TAWOG, and the show's impact on me cannot be understated!!! this place was so full of Life. the website had SO MUCH STUFF TO DO. games. badges. you could make an account and talk on official FORUMS. you didn't have to convince your parents to let you get instagram or twitter because you had OFFICIAL safe and moderated age-appropriate forums to go to and talk about your favorite shows!!!
but when i look at what CN is now...extremely simple branding i could recreate in illustrator in like 2 minutes, only like 3 or 4 original shows currently airing new episodes, with one of them about to end soon, and only one new original (not acquired) cartoon on the horizon...like Damn. and you go on their social media and they're literally just posting about nostalgia because they have no faith in anything that's airing now or about to come out. there used to be cool games and other stuff that kids could use to engage with their favorite shows beyond watching them. but they don't get any cool brandings. they don't get cool websites. they don't get cool games. they get lifeless streaming services and nothing else.
CN, as a TV channel today, is essentially in a vegetative state. i get that streaming is more popular these days, i get it. but man i will always be sad looking at CN these days.