Cartoon Network: 10 Classics Fans Want To See On HBO Max

One of the most talked-about streaming services this year has been Warner Bros.’ newly released HBO Max, an advancement of their already established HBO services that were padded out with new series, classic films, plenty of DC properties, and, of course, Cartoon Network. While the installment of the beloved animation block was enough to bring in plenty of subscribers, there was understandably a lukewarm response to its lineup.

Many were quick to point out how many childhood favorites were missing from the channel in comparison to Disney+’s own lineup of cartoon classics. While it would be nice to see Cartoon Network’s entire catalogue on the service someday, there are a few that some fans want in sooner than others.

10 Ed, Edd n Eddy

Ed, Edd n Eddy is just one of those cartoons that is just hard to get out of someone’s head. The series perfectly encapsulated the kind of nostalgic, juvenile fun that comprises early summers, and its animation was both unique and a grand example of how dynamic and hilarious animation can be.

Despite having some already unique premises, the series constantly evolved over its long run and got to conclude with one of both one of the best finales and Cartoon Network films ever seen. As one of Cartoon Network’s longest running and most popular series, it’s hard to imagine that the cul-de-sac classic wasn’t a priority when curating the channel on HBO Max.

9 Johnny Bravo

Alongside Dexter’s Laboratory and The Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo was part of Cartoon Network’s original lineup and an extension of the Cartoon Cartoons block. Much like its contemporaries, Johnny Bravo has become a treasured artifact of the 90s and early 2000s, and, by extension, the 50s Greaser sensibilities that it borrows from.

Many kids who watched the pompadoured hero on the television have plenty of fond memories copying his erratic posing movies and his iconic “Hoo Ha!” It would be a massive disappointment if future generations didn’t get the opportunity to do the same.

8 Courage The Cowardly Dog

What made early Cartoon Network so memorable and fascinating was the fact that it was willing to experiment with a variety of original properties and creators. Where else and why else would a network greenlight was could only be called an animated horror series for kids? Courage the Cowardly Dog is a cartoon absolutely like no other.

It perfectly captured the sense of alienation and inferiority that small kids naturally have with the outside world and juggled that surreal terror with the heart and quaint nature of its main characters. With the series having been taken off VRV recently, it may hopefully find a new home on HBO Max.

7 Camp Lazlo

Camp Lazlo is another series recently taken off of VRV when the streaming service lost its Boomerang channel. A product of Cartoon Network’s new generation within the mid-2000s, Camp Lazlo was the quintessential, childhood experience. This series focused on the misadventures of a rough-and-tumble camp troop trying to find the fun within a rundown summer camp.

It’s titular monkey, Lazlo, was the kind of positive yet wacky character that defines the very soul of animation, and it’s his brand of heart that was unfortunately missing on a certain streaming platform’s launch.

6 Generator Rex

One of the strangest things to find missing on Cartoon Network’s lineup in HBO Max was the channel’s iconic line of action series. Every bit as important as the wacky comedies that have defined the genre, Cartoon Network has released some of the most memorable action shows since the days of He-Man and G.I. Joe. Practically carrying the streaming service’s animated action is their catalogue of superhero series and Ben 10.

If the streaming service is really looking to bring back the dynamics of animation, it should bring in more Man of Action originals, with one of the best being Generator Rex. This heavy-metal series poised its titular hero, equipped with transforming, mechanical powers, against an entire world of mutants and conspiracies.

5 Megas XLR

Unlike Generator Rex, Megas XLR was a sci-fi/mecha cartoon that never got to see the conclusion of its run. Riddled with production issues since it was originally pitched to MTV, Megas XLR had a short yet impressive time in Cartoon Network. Before many kids ever experienced what a Gundam was, they had Coop and Jamie showing them how messy, destructive, and hilarious giant robots could be.

With a revival campaign having been in the works for some time, HBO Max could at least gauge the popularity of the sci-fi adventure by bringing in the little piece of New Jersey mayhem.

4 Sym-Bionic Titan

Genndy Tartakovsky has an acclaimed career within the animation industry and is one of the most gilded names attached to Cartoon Network’s history. He famously created Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and even the new Adult Swim hit Primal. However, if there was ever a blemish on his career, it would be his unforgettable yet short-lived mecha series, Sym-Bionic Titan.

Having escaped a coup on their home world of Galaluna, a princess, soldier, and their robot must blend in with an American high school while also combatting the various alien threats that seek to destroy them. With plenty of relatable, adolescent themes to go with the action, there’s no wonder that Genndy Tartakovsky was so upset about its cancellation and why fans are so eager to see its revival.

3 Cow And Chicken

Cow and Chicken seems like the type of thing that people only assumed was a long fever dream during their childhood. With the term “wacky” doesn’t do the show justice, Cow and Chicken was the type of surreal humor that could only be done in animation.

It certainly made Cartoon Network stand out during the channel’s early run and is a fond memory to the many who found the strange and loud adventures of the eponymous characters charming. Even if this series sadly does not come to HBO Max, it will likely be found in some crevasse of the web somewhere.

2 Codename: Kids Next Door

When VRV added Boomerang to its list of channels a few years ago, one of its most watched pickings early on was Codename: Kids Next Door. The very definition of childhood itself, this action/thriller/comedy featured the clandestine operations of a secret spy agency managed by children.

In the fight against adult tyranny, these rambunctious, playground professionals would use their diverse skills and imaginative weapons to literally fight against the various problems of childhood living, including homework, bullies, ties, and vegetables. While the series does have an iconic ending, its fans were still disappointed to see that its sequel series, Galactic Kids Next Door, was never greenlit. At the very least, the original series can at least find a new home on HBO Max.

1 The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy

The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy is one of the strangest, darkest, and grossest things that Cartoon Network has ever produced, and it is an outright tragedy that the series has been unavailable on streaming services as long as it has.

This fun romp focuses on the titular, unruly children who, after a limbo game gone wrong, are now in control of the Grim Reaper and now get to set forth on a variety of hilarious and supernatural adventures. A classic in every way, this series has the type of edge, comedy, and creativity that really illustrates Cartoon Network at its best and needs to find a home somewhere if HBO Max is still twiddling their thumbs about it.