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Home , Animaniacs, Back at the Barnyard, Ben Stein, Clarissa Explains It All, Darkside (radio play), Darkwing Duck

Response to this article about the /Discovery Hub shift in power...which turned into another my long-winded, thoughtful rants: http://online.wsj.com/articles/discovery-to-take-control-of-the-hub-network- 1410979842

Well, that's...somewhat shocking. From what I can tell, the Hasbro/Discovery partnership in The Hub has been an amazing success. I watch the channel almost every day. Most of its programming is--and has been, for the past 3.5 years--excellent. From the original series (FiM, , , LPS, Dan Vs., Aquabats Super Show, Family Game Night, , , Haunting Hour), to all the other wonderful shows/ (oh my goodness!! , , Goosebumps, Laverne & Shirley, , Mork & Mindy, Step By Step, Who's the Boss, , The Facts of Life, Sister, Sister, Sabrina, Atomic Betty, etc.), to the extremely well-chosen family movies (I loved it when they aired the Homeward Bound , All Go to Heaven 2...today I saw Spaceballs...and they've just made so many other great movie picks every season.) They've been an outstanding example of listening to your viewers and giving them what they want. Even their misfires and middle-of-the-road shows are than bearable (SheZow, animated Sabrina, Teenage Fairytale Dropouts, Kid President, Parents Just Don't Understand, and such.)

If Hasbro were to grow dissatisfied with controlling six hours of its toy-based cartoons daily on Hub (which seems like a fair deal they've cut, tbh), and moved them over to or Disney...well, at least the shows would still continue on, and be a MASSIVE boon to either of those channels. I like , Foster's, , Dexter, Courage, Billy & Mandy, the PPG, Juniper Lee, Jackie Chan, etc., and everything on Boomerang--all the classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons, , Pokemon. But CN is otherwise quite underwhelming to me. And once upon a time, Disney had a wonderful TV channel airing terrific Saturday morning & afternoon toons: Rescue Rangers, Darkwing, , TaleSpin, DuckTales, Bonkers, and the like.

Actually, Hasbro's gone a lot further than any other toy company (such as or ) in producing entertainment based upon its toys. It's pretty cool that they've had this much control over a channel in the first place. Their whole "cartoon based on toy line" bag is very 80s, which is very good. I rarely think that an updated version of something is as good as the original, but in the case of MLP--and even Strawberry Shortcake, to some extent--I must say that I definitely much prefer the "revived" version. Don't even get me started on what ought have been done for Puppy in My Pocket or Polly Pocket, two of the greatest toy lines to have ever been conceived-- neither of which has a corresponding cartoon. At least, not one worth mentioning or that has anything to do with the toys. [http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/04/even-candy-land-isnt- safe-from-sexy/275283/#comment-1595850570] But OH, the potential...! *swoons* Polly & PiMPS, Lisa Frank: The TV Series...Clifford the Big & redone for older audiences, & Arthur "All Grown Up"...I swear, I need to be put in charge of EVERYTHING in this world.

I really, truly hope that the shift in control doesn't alter the channel, the in- production series, or their toys in any very noticeable or negative way; it's all great as it is. And the name--oh, why don't they keep the name?! It rocks-- short, sweet, simple, to-the-point, effective, fitting! What with bronies, parents, kids, and other adults who have good taste, I would have thought that The Hub was doing very well exactly as it is. I have to say...all of the Discovery channels have been majorly slipping. Nat Geo is now better than Discovery--though perhaps only marginally, because they're airing some reality garbage too. TLC hasn't been good since it had Trading Spaces, A Baby Story, and the preschool '' lineup. Planet used to be one of the absolute BEST channels; there was ALWAYS something good on, with that green elephant logo in the corner. The list of their fantastic programs is LOOONG. Slowly but surely, however, they've deteriorated even AP by ignoring all of those terrific shows in favor of such non-animal-related things as treehouses, wood-carving (this stuff's cool, but it belongs on Discovery or The Science Channel), Bigfoot-hunting (okay, cryptozoology has a place on AP, but a limited one), dirty jobs without animals involved, "ice lake rebels," and more freaking rednecks playing in the mud. Please, no more cameras pointed at ridiculous redneck families! are all we need!

Discovery Health & Fitness has some interesting, educational programming. I never watch OWN. Planet Green was very good--Destination America is a mixed bag. Some of the paranormal- and real estate-themed shows are nice and interesting to watch, but at times they get that totally-fake feeling that's now so pervasive in every network. Plus, the channel feels a little redundant...like, everything on it could just as well be on Discovery itself. American Heroes? Good historical documentation, but it also feels redundant. That's what the History Channel is for, and why bother having "H2?" A 24- hour network should be plenty for any given topic. Investigation Discovery is good--real-life stories of mystery, survival, and crime-solving.

I could've believed the disparity in viewership back in early 2011 when The Hub was very , but by now it's nothing short of appalling that it gets so much less viewership than and the . Nickelodeon was the best channel for kids during the 90s and partly into the 2000s, but now I think the only good things on it are Spongebob, The Fairly Oddparents, and the occasional episode. Even Jimmy Neutron, their third "last good show," seems to be barely on anymore. Thank goodness for TeenNick and , where you can sometimes see it--and the beautiful, glorious "90s Are " block every weeknight.

And Disney? Let's just say I think the only reason that and Nick are still the most-watched "kid's channels" is that they've always been known as THE kid's channels. Cartoon Network is the only other one, and even that many parents may consider a little mature for children. So every school-age child and guardian automatically flips to Nick & Disney for them. Maybe they still somehow haven't discovered The Hub, or don't receive it. ABC Family IS pretty nice, but Hallmark is loads more important; ABC Fam's just invaluable for the & marathons, really. Anyway, all you need is one GOOD kid/family channel, which is what Nick used to be. Now, The Hub has become a quality blend of an oldschool Nick & /TV Land-esque feeling, with its own unique flavor.

In the interest of thoroughness and fairness, I should absolutely mention that more minor contributions to crucial TV viewing came from Kids' WB, , Ion/, and of course ABC's One Saturday Morning (ABC being, naturally, a Disney property.) Gotta catch 'em all, yo.

At least preschool-age kids still have some good shows on Nick, Jr. and Sprout, but even Nick Jr. (temporarily known as when it became a 24- hour channel; loved that name as well) has certainly been degraded. Face, Moose A. Moose, and Zee were awesome hosts for very, very good shows...haven't seen any of them in a while now. The "Nick Mom" BS at night was heavily protested, yet continues--presumably because that kind of pointless "reality TV" garbage is so cheap to produce, that nearly every once- excellent channel is becoming overrun with it. (And the rest, almost hardly worth getting!)

When The Hub was Discovery Kids, it was okay. My favorite shows on it were The Future is Wild and Chuck & . Those are the only things I miss, but at least they were short-lived cartoons, and I'd seen every episode multiple times.

LET'S LIST ALL THE GOOD TELEVISION PROGRAMS EVER PRODUCED:

Angry Beavers CatDog Recess Doug Hey Arnold Rocko's Modern Life Aaah! Real Monsters! KaBlam! Animaniacs Tiny Toon Adventures Histeria The Wild Thornberries Pokemon Captain Planet Mighty Morphin' TMNT Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats Garfield & Friends Gumby Adventures Jem & the Holograms Looney Tunes (Sylvester/ Mysteries), All Hanna-Barbera/classic cartoons (Tom & Jerry, Pink Panther, Scooby-Doo, Josie & the Pussycats, , , Smurfs, , Flintstones, Jetsons, Casper, Hound, Auggie Doggie, , etc.) Underdog Other 80s cartoons & earlier (Smurfs, Snorks, Wacky Races, Rocky & Bullwinkle/Mr. Peabody & Sherman, etc.) Are You Afraid of the Dark? All That Kenan & Kel The Secret World of Alex Mack The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo The Adventures of & Pete The Secret Life of Alan Strange Legends of the Hidden Temple Wild & Crazy Kids Global Guts That's My Dog You Lie Like a Dog Zig & Zag: The Alpha Dog Challenge Johnny Bravo Krypto the Superdog Powerpuff Girls Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends Dexter's Laboratory Winnie the Pooh & classic Disney shorts DuckTales Chip & Dale's Rescue Rangers TaleSpin Goof Troop Bonkers Certain other cartoons (movie-based, Marsupilami, Tazmania, , etc.) Atomic Betty The Magic School Bus Muppet Show/Babies (also Looney Tunes Babies) Inspector Gadget Goosebumps The Haunting Hour The Baby-Sitters Club Tintin The Life & Times of Juniper Lee Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Spongebob Squarepants Jimmy Neutron The Fairly Oddparents Kung Fu Panda: Legends of My Gym Partner's a Monkey Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi Jem & the Holograms W.I.T.C.H. (FiM!!) Dan Vs. Aquabats Super Show All Dogs Go to Heaven AFV Wallace & Gromit, , Postman Pat, All Rankin/Bass films Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction (& Tales From the Darkside/Crypt, Twilight Zone, all good paranormal/ghost/scary shows)

Preschool....

Arthur Clifford the Big Red Dog Martha Speaks Little Bear Franklin Wow! Wow! Wubbzy Oswald Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood The Berenstain Bears (both; prefer 80s version) Gullah Island Lampchop's Play-Along Real Wheels ("There Goes a...") Allegra's Window Eureka's Castle Barney & Friends/Backyard Gang Martha Speaks The Busy World of Richard Scarry Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends Backyardigans Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat Jane & the Dragon Wonder Pets Philomena Fly (& Face, Moose A. Moose & Zee) Bananas in Pajamas Banana Splits H. R. Pufnstuf Olivia Angelina Ballerina Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman Kipper Spot Rupert Babaar Professor Iris (Iris the Happy Professor) Chicken Minute Jack's Big Music Show The Upside-Down Show Oobie Pinky Dinky Doo Gerald McBoing-Boing Gordon the Garden Gnome Yoko! Jakamoko! Toto! Harry & His Bucketful of Dinosaurs Paw Patrol Curious George Strawberry Shortcake Max & Ruby Care Bears Chuggington Jakers Pingu

Game shows....

Match Game Family Feud Dog Eat Dog IdioTest Chain Reaction Blockbusters Tattletales Dating Game Newlywed Game Win Lose or Draw Late Night Liars Supermarket Sweep Price is Right The Chase Jeopardy Wheel of Fortune Pyramid Shop Til You Drop What's My Line Wipeout/MXC/Ninja Warrior Minute to Win It Win 's Money American Bible Challenge Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Baggage 1 Vs. 100 Let's Ask America Shark Tank Catch 21

Groomer Has It It's Me or the Dog Animal Precinct Pet Star Planet's Funniest Animals Breed All About It Cats/Dogs 101 Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom The Most Extreme Jeff Corwin Steve Irwin--Crocodile Hunter, Croc Files Big Cat Diary Meerkat Manor Emergency Vets Animal Doctor Zooventure Amazing Tails Amazing Animal Videos Pet Line Pit Boss Pit Bulls & Parolees The Pet Psychic (Sonya Fitzpatrick) Sitcoms and the like...

I Love Lucy (& The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour; pretty much all Lucy comedy) The Golden Girls Larverne & Shirley The Odd Couple Happy Days The Monkees Frasier Life With Elizabeth The Addams Family I Dream of Jeannie Welcome Back Kotter Gilligan's Island ALF Brady Bunch Andy Griffith Show Who's the Boss? Mork & Mindy Beverly Hillbillies Family Affair Reba All 5 Star Treks Sex & the City Family Ties Step By Step Three's Company Bosom Buddies Mary Tyler Moore Show Show Bob Show M*A*S*H Taxi Night Court Anything But Love Love Boat Perry Mason Hogan's Heroes Sister, Sister Fresh Prince of Bel Air WKRP in Cincinnati Little House on the Prarie The Waltons Lassie Flipper Mr. Ed Rin Tin Tin Have Gun--Will Travel Candid Camera Crank Yankers Bold & Beautiful, Young & Restless, As the World Turns, Days of Our Lives (& General Hospital...all such medical shows. Grey's, House, Scrubs, Providence...) , Simpsons, (American Dad...)

Keeping Up Appearances, Eastenders, Mulberry, Are You Being Served?, The Cafe, As Time Goes By, Fawlty Towers...

PC Games: Inroads Interactive Multimedia Dogs 2.0, Digby the Dog, Thinkin' Things, How Things Work in Busytown, Mickey's Birthday Party, The Playroom, Roger Wilco #6, Disney Animated Storybooks (esp. 101 Dalmatians!), Treasure Math Storm, Math Rescue, Kid Phonics, 3D Dinosaur Adventure, & Spongebob, Barbie's Ocean Discovery & Moviemaker, Goosebumps Escape From Horrorland, that create-a-scene program from elementary school (remember adding clipart to backgrounds such as mountain scene, adding a bit of text and stringing the scenes together...similar to my Make-a-Scene book)

Board games based on stuff (most games in general are fun): Pokemon Master Trainer, AYAotD?, Beethoven's 2nd, BSC, Sweet Valley http://quittikat.livejournal.com/78021.html http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1645633/?ref_=nv_usr_prof_2

Vidja games! (Mario Kart, Yoshi, Donkey/Diddy Kong, Pokemon Colosseum, Duck Hunt, Starfox, etc.)

Repetitive list of good cartoons!: 1. Looney Tunes 2. Tom & Jerry 3. Scooby-Doo 4. Charlie Brown/Snoopy/ 5. Gumby 6. Flintstones 7. Jetsons 8. Felix the Cat 9. 10. Pink Panther, Top Cat, Yogi, 11. Wacky Races 12. Mr. Magoo 13. Josie & the Pussycats 14. All Hanna-Barbera 15. 16. Quick-Draw McGraw 17. Popeye 18. Rocky & Bullwinkle 19. Underdog 20. Dastardly & 21. 22. Smurfs/Snorks 23. New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh 24. Shining Time Station/Thomas 25. Arthur 26. Rescue Rangers 27. Garfield & Friends 28. Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats 29. Alvin & the Chipmunks 30. Captain Planet 31. DuckTales 32. TaleSpin 33. Darkwing Duck 34. Inspector Gadget 35. Animaniacs/Pinky & the Brain 36. Tiny Toon Adventures 37. Hey Arnold! 38. Rocko's Modern Life 39. Doug 40. Rugrats 41. Angry Beavers 42. Wild Thornberrys 43. Recess 44. Krypto the Superdog 45. Secret Files of the SpyDogs 46. Dexter's Laboratory 47. Johnny Bravo 48. Courage the Cowardly Dog 49. Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy 50. Jem 51. Beetlejuice 52. Spongebob 53. TMNT 54. My Little Pony 55. Care Bears 56. Schoolhouse Rock 57. Dennis the Menace 58. : TAS 59. 60. Thundercats 61. He-Man 62. She-Ra 63. Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids