Ed, Edd, n' Eddy

[Dr. Insomniac]

[Avaitor]

Love how this has been making the rounds recently. I actually met Erin Fitzgerald a while ago, I guess she lives in Orlando and frequented a bar I went to. Very nice person!

Not much, but I did write a few words over on the other forum.

I was meaning to say something along these lines for The Powerpuff Girls' anniversary post (and maybe I can, there's always time), but I think these two shows are what officially made Cartoon Network not just THE place to watch cartoons, but a serious contender to Nickelodeon and the still-expanding Disney Channel.

Yes, Dexter's Laboratory had proven itself to be a household name by this point, the classics like Scooby-Doo and Bugs Bunny were continuing to remain popular with all ages, and Toonami (particularly the one-two punch of Sailor Moon and DBZ) deserves special mention. But to me, The Powerpuff Girls proved to be a refinement and potential peak of what the new kids at Hanna-Barbera, itself transitioning into Cartoon Network Studios, were achieving, while Ed, Edd n' Eddy was an example of what could be done by broadening the channel's influences. By the time CCF started at the end of 99, I think Nick was especially paying notice.

Danny Antonucci passed over Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo and Powerpuff Girls' classic HB-meets-UPA designs and instead mixed golden age and independent animation into a blender for a unique mix between contemporary and classic design. Bits of Squigglevision (especially early on in the show's run) done with a similar rubbery style of Fleischer's work, which itself was juxtaposed with a vintage-yet-timeless jazz score alongside modern voice acting and sound effects, and a weird yet believable balance of writing influence. At its best, Ed, Edd n' Eddy had the deranged timing of Tex Avery, Mike Judge's (particularly-pre King of the Hill) distant depravity, and Charles Schulz's knack for childlike pathos. I can see why this mix of influence turned off viewers at first, but it's arguably the most cartoony show not just on Cartoon Network's lineup, but across all of television at the time. And I think the show was all the better for it.

It's no secret that Ed, Edd n' Eddy is special, for me and as a whole. It's my subjective favorite Cartoon Network original and I have argued for it being their objective best series. There wasn't anything like it before it aired, and there hasn't really been anything close to it since. That may be for the best, as no one really seemed to get it besides Danny and crew. Look at all the gaudy, off-model merch exists for proof. But hey, as far as I'm concerned, the Eds are as funny today as they were when they started up, and watching the series all the way through recently only proves that. The series remained consistent throughout its run, constantly finding new ways to play with its world, from the earliest, almost primitive episodes to the emotional Big Picture Show.

If only I could buy the boys a round of jawbreakers. Happy anniversary!

I do think that CN felt whole when CCF started with Courage and Mike, Lu & Og completing the original Cartoon Cartoons (even if no one cares about the latter), but Eds and Powerpuff were the shows that pushed it over to the edge and made the channel a real force.