Part of that is because, for the most part, broadcast television in the U.S. is no longer allowed to air commercials targeted to children.
We have enjoyed watching the Popeye and Pals on Saturday morning. Really gives the house a nostalgic flavor. The old Fleischer cartoons are so well done and funny. Also interesting to watch those in-between wartime era cartoons where Popeye moves to all white uniform and the artwork changes some, though still in B&W. We watch some of Tom and Jerry but I've seen those so many times over and I really dislike the early 60s T&J shorts. Jumped the shark in that era of cartoons.
I'd love to see them show reruns of the old Hanna Barbera show Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, but in today's PC world I doubt that will happen anytime soon.
They show repeats of old Carol Burnett episodes and believe me, nearly every episode contains some kind of offensive or objectionable trope by today's standards. I'd personally like to see The Archies, Josie and The Pussycats and Pebbles and Bam Bam make an appearance.
Here's an idea: go deeper in to the Hanna-Barbara/Warner library. Make it a Boomerang block in 2o21. Quick Draw McGraw, Atom Ant, Pixie, Dixie and Mr. Jinks. ALL OF IT. Every Hanna-Barbara, Warner or early Cartoon Network show from the 50s through the 90s. The Boomerang channel is watched by about 10 people because they only play Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry and Scooby Doo and isn't available on Comcast and many other services. A Saturday mourning Boomerang block on MeTV(Or the recently announced MeTV Plus because these are lesser known shows) would be a 10/10 addition.
Well, it’s true. Unless you find adultery and overt alcoholism to be funny in 2021. I watched when I was a kid. I still watch, but I have to admit to the cringe worthy elements that were aired.
I like Me tv s cartoon shows early. Nice old fashioned corner hosts. Great selections. Very enjoyable
I get a real buzz from seeing Wally Gator, Ruff N' Reddy, Snooper and Blabbermouse, Winsome Witch, Grape Ape... any of that stuff in any format. They seemed to have like a thousand characters... Speed-Buggy, Sqiddley Diddley, Precious Pup, Ricochet Rabbit... they need to just spin the cartoon wheel so you never know which one you're getting... Secret Squirrel, Penelope Pitstop, Yakky Doodle, Punkin' Puss and Mushmouse, The Hillbilly Bears!
I can't resist the Hercules with Newton the centaur ('that's me, that's me') and the Johnny Nash theme, or the Herculoids whenever I run across them!
Well, sort of, "technically." The series continued for several years, but under different titles and formats. The following year (1969) it was reformatted as "The Archie Comedy Hour," with all new segments featuring the Archies and Sabrina The Teenage Witch. Then they did "Archie's Funhouse," which was more music-oriented, featuring the Giant Jukebox with "Laugh-In" type blackouts between the songs. Then came "Archie's TV Funnies" with the gang running a TV station showing short cartoons with Smokey Stover, Dick Tracy and others. Then "U.S. Of Archie," a couple years before the U.S. Bicentennial with a historical theme. Reruns of all these were then syndicated together in 1976 under the package title "The Archies." Then in 1977 they did one last "new" version of the show, "The New Archie/Sabrina Hour."
Unfortunately METV has now changed Popeye and Pals to The Popeye and Pink Panther Party. Talk about two cartoons that don’t fit well together....
From my perspective, less Popeye is a good thing. I liked Popeye as a kid but it doesn't do much for me anymore. Then again, I feel somewhat the same about Pink Panther, but at least the music in those shorts still sounds great.
Popeye holds up for me. Pink Panther I just never liked. Road Runner was the same, never liked it but I kinda like it now.
I never liked Popeye when i was young, and it’s even less appealing now. MeTV seems to show a lot of the old B&W Popeyes. I only remember our local station showing the color shorts when I was growing up. I love catching Looney Tunes, but I’m particular about those. If it’s a Bugs, a Daffy, or a Sylvester/Tweety (or the occasional Roadrunner), then I’m in. If it’s Pepe or Speedy or Foghorn or an old Porky Pig, then I skip it.
