Cartoon Network
Three new shows debuted this week leading up to the Christmas holiday, although two were not officially on the schedule just yet, and the third had a very short run that lasted just a month into the new year. If you’re a fan of offbeat animation or game shows, this was your week. Let’s take a look to see if you remember these shows. And be sure to visit our Shop page and check out our affiliates for your holiday shopping.
1950
- No new shows premiered this week in 1950.
1960
- No new shows premiered this week in 1960.
1970
- No new shows premiered this week in 1970.
1980
- No new shows premiered this week in 1980.
1990
- No new shows premiered this week in 1990.
2000
December 21 – The Brak Show
- Cast: Andy Merrill, C. Martin Croker, George Lowe, Marsha Crenshaw, Joanna Daniel, Carey Means
- Guest Cast: Lewis Black, CeeLo Green, ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, George Takei
- Synopsis: Originally a parody of situation comedies, which dissolved over time and became more bizarre, with episodes often featuring stereotypical sitcom tropes.
- Network: Cartoon Network / adult swim
- Broadcast History: Three seasons, 28 episodes, last broadcast on December 31, 2003.
- Trivia: A special webisode was launched on May 24, 2007 which ended the series. The show was a spin-off of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and featured characters from that show and Cartoon Planet. An early version of the pilot episode aired on Cartoon Network December 21, 2000 before the launch of adult swim. Two specials titled Brak Presents and The Brak Show Starring Brak preceded the series but had very little in common with the show. They each aired just once. The first episode aired December 21 unannounced with an episode of Sealab 2021. The show’s official launch came on September 2, 2001. After the show’s cancellation in 2003, Cartoon Network announced the show would return as an internet cartoon on the network’s website, but only a single episode was produced. The series is currently streaming on HBO Max.
December 21 – Sealab 2021
- Cast: Ellis Henican, Brett Butler, Bill Lobley, Kate Miller, Erik Estrada, Harry Goz, Adam Reed
- Guest Cast: Chris Ward, Matt Thompson, Michael Goz, Angela Elayne Gibbs, Dave Willis, Tiffany Morgan, Dana Snyder, Christopher Reid, Jeremy Schwartz, Brian Bloom, Christopher Martin, Simon Yin, C. Martin Croker, Carey Means, Andy Merrill
- Synopsis: The drama of an oft-doomed aquatic colony and its personnel, who hate each other. The show was a satirical parody of both the original Sealab 2020 series and the general conventions of the 1970s animated children’s series.
- Network: Cartoon Network / adult swim
- Broadcast History: Four seasons, 52 episodes (plus the unaired pilot), last broadcast on April 24, 2005
- Trivia: The first three episodes aired in December 2000 before the official launch of the adult swim late night block in September 2001. The show used stock footage from the original series, despite objections from several of the original show’s creators, mixed with new animation. The unaired ‘pitch pilot’ is available on the Season 1 DVD release. Very few episodes share any continuity, with the entire installation being destroyed at the end of several episodes, and crew members are killed in horrible ways only to return in the next episode. Harry Goz, the voice of Captain Hazel Murphy, died during Season 3, leading to a sharp decline in fan opinion of the show.
2010
December 20 – Million Dollar Money Drop
- Host: Kevin Pollak
- Synopsis: A team of two with an existing relationship are presented with 50 bundles of $20,000 each. In each round, the money must be distributed across a series of drops to answer a trivia question. One drop must remain clear. If the money is placed on an incorrect answer, the drop will open and the money will be taken out of the game. Play continues until a team loses all the money, or they make it to the final round where they could win the remaining cash or lose it all on the final question.
- Network: FOX
- Broadcast History: One season, 12 episodes, last broadcast on February 1, 2011
- Trivia: Based on the UK series The Million Pound Drop Live (now titled The £100K Drop), but featured an entirely different game format and set. More than 15 international versions of the show were produced. The highest amount won during the series’ run was $300,000. 12 teams left with nothing. One team lost $800,000 on a question about what product was sold in stores first: Macintosh computers, Post-It Notes or Sony Walkman. The team chose Post-It Notes, but the answer was Walkman. Viewers consulted the internet and disputed the answer, saying it was Post-It Notes. After initially getting a statement from 3M supporting the show’s answer, a second statement elaborated that Post-It Notes were in fact sold in stores before the Walkman. Host Kevin Pollak said they lost everything on the next question anyway, so it was a moot point but the couple was brought back to play again. The next team after them also disputed an answer about the most common password which they claimed had not been researched properly. They sued for $580,000. Michael Strahan’s SMAC Entertainment and Endemol Shine, which produced the show, stated in January 2019 that they are looking to revive the series in primetime, daytime or syndication.
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