ABC
Only two new series made their debuts this week, both in 2011 and both geared toward families. One featured classic animated character in a modern world — which didn’t necessarily sit well with critics — and the other was a Disney Channel sitcom. Do you remember either of these shows?
1951
- No new shows premiered this week in 1951.
1961
- No new shows premiered this week in 1961.
1971
- No new shows premiered this week in 1971.
1981
- No new shows premiered this week in 1981.
1991
- No new shows premiered this week in 1991.
2001
- No new shows premiered this week in 2001.
2011
May 3 – The Looney Tunes Show
- Voice Cast: Jeff Bergman, Bob Bergen, Fred Armisen, Kristen Wiig, Maurice LaMarche, Annie Mumolo, Jennifer Esposito
- Guest Voice Cast: June Foray, Rob Paulson, Billy West, Garry Marshall, Jim Cummings, John Kassir, John O’Hurley, Ben Falcone, Cree Summer, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rene Auberjonois, Powers Boothe, Jim Rash, Sonya Walger, Barry Corbin, Estelle Harris, Tara Strong, Kevin Michael Richardson, Mindy Sterling, John DiMaggio, Dennis Farina, Brian Regan
- Synopsis: The series revolves around roommates Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck living in a suburb of Los Angeles with ‘colorful neighbors’ and other characters.
- Network: Cartoon Network
- Broadcast History: Two seasons, 52 episodes, last broadcast on August 31, 2014
- Trivia: Each episode included a two-to-four minute Merrie Melodies cartoon, and a new series of Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote shorts. The Road Runner shorts were dropped after the first season. The show was conceived as Looney Tunes Laff Riot which would emulate the original shorts, but the project was scrapped because executives weren’t impressed and employees were being laid off, so it was retooled into an animated series that followed a more traditional sitcom blueprint. A direct-to-video spin-off, Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run, was released on August 4, 2015. The Laff Riot pilot did eventually air on September 4, 2020. Bob Bergen received an Emmy nomination in 2011 and 2013 for his voice work as Porky Pig, and Kristen Wiig was nominated in 2012 for her work as Lola Bunny. In the episode ‘Best Friends’, Daffy Duck’s birthday is mentioned to be April 17. The character was first introduced on April 17, 1937.
May 6 – A.N.T. Farm
- Cast: China Anne McClain, Sierra McCormick, Jake Short, Stefanie Scott, Aedin Mincks, Carlon Jeffery, Alexandria DeBerry
- Guest Cast: Mindy Sterling, Finesse Mitchell, Vanessa Morgan, Zendaya, Michael Carbonaro, James Hong, Shelley Long, Barry Williams, Chris Rock, Vernee Watson
- Synopsis: A.N.T. Farm revolves around Chyna Parks (China Anne McClain), an 11-year-old musical prodigy, who has just become the newest student in the Advanced Natural Talents (A.N.T.) program at Webster High School in San Francisco, California for gifted middle schoolers.
- Network: Disney Channel
- Broadcast History: Three seasons, 62 episodes, last broadcast on March 21, 2014
- Trivia: The series had a special debut on May 6, 2011, with the regular series beginning June 17. Disney Channel originally ordered 13 episodes for the first season, but after a few aired they increased the order to 26. China Anne McClain was originally cast in the failed 2009 Disney Channel pilot Jack and Janet Save the Planet. After seeing her performance, series creator Dan Signer tailor-made A.N.T. Farm for her. Every episode has the word ‘ant’ somewhere in the title.
Share this post
