Kid’s WB – A Look Back

    When it came to children-centered TV stations, or animated blocks on other stations, both the 90’s and early 2000’s offered some of the best, including Fox Kids, Nickelodeon, The Disney Afternoon, and Cartoon Network. 

Today, I wanted to take a moment and look back at my personal favorite station I loved watching the most during my youth … The Kid’s WB on the former WB station, before it became the CW. Airing from September 9, 1995 to September 16, 2006, Kid’s WB was a weekly two-hour block of mostly animated programs unique to the WB brand, but would occasionally borrow shows from other stations like Cartoon Network, as well as English dubbed Anime’s for kids. 

The big showstopper of Kid’s WB’s success was their four-hour Saturday Morning Line-Up, which for me back then was the highlight of every weekend. While I was born in the early 90’s, my real childhood began in the early 2000’s, and it was in early 2001 that Kid’s WB became the children’s programing block that I clung myself to more than any other station. It’s what always got me up early on Saturday mornings, and delivered a wide variety of memorable animated TV shows. For this post, I’ll be covering the appeal of the station itself, and quickly run-through the programs I personally grew-up with. This won’t be a proper retrospective, as there were plenty Kid’s WB shows I simply didn’t watch, as well as a number of shows from the 90’s that I missed all together. So, with all that said, let's take a look back at Kid's WB!

 

The Kids WB station, events, and it’s bumpers …

Before I talk about the programs, I wanted to Highlight that the station itself had a personality, and charm all on its own … with easily my favorite bumpers in-between programs. The Kids WB logo became a cartoon character in-of itself, frequently got into humorous mini-adventures with characters from other shows, and it gave the station a warm feel that it was one-big lived-in universe. There were also a number of audio commentators, with Jim Cummings being the big voice that I always noticed the most. Personally, even though I didn’t know the voice actor at the time, I always singled-out his distinct voice and personality as the official Kid’s WB spokesman. There were also a number of special events that took place during certain times of the year, and once again featured individual characters from different shows interacting with one-another in this shared universe. There was a holiday sock-party for Christmas … which featured an original Kids WB character called “The Holiday Sock”. 

For summer, there was a road trip special, featuring all the characters presenting their respected programs while crowded together in a single van. For Halloween, there was a monster dueling special, featuring various characters battling tournament style. The list of other examples just goes on and on, with “Zany-Insany-April”, “Mad Mad Mad Monkey Summer”, and occasionally special celebrity appearances acting as hosts … one I distinctly remember was the Harry Potter cast acting as temporary hosts for a Saturday morning line-up. Kid's WB even merged with Toonami for a couple years, as part of their Weekly afternoon block. In short, the Kid's WB station hub itself was just as delightful as its various programs, and half the time entertained me just as much as their actual shows ... speaking of which … let’s start talking about those.

Pokémon 

While many would point to “Animaniacs” as the official kick-off for Kid’s WB, it was the breakthrough English dub of the anime series “Pokémon” by 4Kids Entertainment that put Kid’s WB on the map for a generation of children, and helped dethrone Fox Kids with an animated line-up backed by Warner Brothers. 

It was absolutely through “Pokémon” that I discovered Kid’s WB in the first place, and thus, it’ll be the first animated program I highlight. This was one of those generational shows that took a decade of children by storm, and I was one of those kids caught in the craze. I truthfully can’t say I look back on this series with as much nostalgic fondness as other programs I grew up with, but I certainly remember being obsessed with it back in it’s prime. “Pokémon” had a surprisingly durable premise, with a small group of kids adventuring across a unique world, and regularly coming across various unique creatures with different forms, personalizes, and abilities. While the main characters were memorable, it was always discovering the new Pokémon in each episode that kept me engaged as a kid, and how their distinct features or powers were always lending to different situations. 

On top of that, the animation was splendid, with bright colors leaping off the screen, and a catchy as hell theme-song that got me hooked every time. I will admit that after the first two seasons, I found the show less enchanting, as the main characters never seemed to grow, and the formula got a little too repetitive for my liking. Thus, even though I still had a number of years left watching Kid’s WB programs, I gradually stopped watching “Pokémon” all together. Still, the show left its mark on my childhood, and while it may not mean as much to me as an adult, I still can’t dismiss it for what it gave me when I was a kid.        

 

Batman Beyond 

The Kid’s WB network hit it big with animated Superhero programs in the late 90’s, with programs like “Superman: The Animated Series” and “The New Batman Adventures” being some of their most successful early animated shows, and launching the shared DC animated Universe. 

While I occasionally caught glimpses of those first two, I didn’t actively watch either of them, at least not enough to count them on this post. The first of the animated DC Hero programs I regularly watched was the follow-up to “Batman: The Animated Series” titled “Batman Beyond”. This series took place in the future of Gotham city, in which an aged Bruce Wayne teaches a young teen to be the cities new Batman. While it could never match its predecessor in terms of iconic status, “Batman Beyond” was a surprisingly worthy follow-up in the Batman universe, with all the same gothic storytelling, and complex characters that the Dark Knight was praised for … just with some techno-filled styles, and action thrown into the mix. 

Despite featuring a younger hero, the show didn’t make itself more kid-friendly, and still had more of an edge then other Kids WB programs … some of it actually scared, and disturbed me as a kid. An integral part of the show was the inclusion of an elderly Bruce Wayne (still voiced by The Animated Series' Kevin Conroy), who gave our young new hero guidance while trying to move beyond what were clearly some bitter tragedies. It was also cool to see this new Batman fighting a new gallery of original villains, each with memorable features, and twisted backstories. It was smart, exciting, had a fun gallery of original villains, and even launched a spin-off series in the same universe called “The Zeta Project”. From what I remember, that too was a passable show, but I again didn’t watch it enough to count it on this list.

 

Jackie Chan Adventures 

While the station offered no shortage of Superhero’s and English dubbed Anime, “Jackie Chan Adventures” was one of the more unique, original, and highly enjoyable shows that stood out in the Kid’s WB line-up.

Martial-Art legend Jackie Chan is portrayed as an explorer, traveling around the world with his witty young niece, and cranky Uncle in search of magical items, which are usually being sought out by a colorful gallery of villains. This was one of the most consistently fun adventure shows from my generation, as it combined Kung Fu action with Indian Jones style adventures, commonly involving temples, ancient artifacts, various locations, and urban myths. The enemies in this show ranged from ninjas, to crime lords, to evil wizards, to giant monsters, and it made the show all the more exciting to watch.

I’ll admit, I never really liked any of the main characters, but just like with “Pokémon”, the heroes were just good enough, and beyond that, it was just an enjoyable formula, with a lot of imagination, and no shortage of exciting adventures. Despite going down-hill in its ladder seasons, “Jackie Chan Adventures” was never the less an iconic staple in the Kids WB line-up, and another childhood favorite.  

 

Cardcaptors 

My generation was full of English Dubbed Japanese Anime programs, with both “Dragonball Z” and “Sailor Moon” being some of the biggest. However, my personal favorite childhood Anime was a little show called “Cardcaptors”, and unlike the previously mentioned “Pokémon” ... I still retain a lot of fondness for this one into my adult years. 

The best way to describe this show is “Pokémon” meets “The Twilight Zone”, as it once again involves kids encountering various creatures … but with a heavy lean on supernatural elements. While the original Japanese-cut of the show is far superior to the Americanized version, it was still the Kid's WB presented series that I grew-up with, and the one that I have the most nostalgia for. With that said, my fondness for the series led me to watch the original Japanese-cut of the show, which in turn opened the door for me to discover my overall love for Japanese Anime. The series revolved around a normal everyday girl named Sakura, who would occasionally have to save the day from magical oddities randomly accruing in her hometown. The story and characters go deeper than that, but bottom line, this show struck a perfect balance between exciting fantasy adventure, and the simplistic life-and-times of this very lovable lead character. 

Most of the characters were all very fun to spend time with, and I love that there wasn’t even a villain ... at least until the last season. The animation in the show was beautiful, with warm colors, cinematic shots, and the overall design was just awesome. It was magical, it was exciting, it had rich atmosphere, and one of the most epic opening theme songs I've ever heard! Beyond that, it was a refreshingly relaxed show, with a lovable lead, and a well-balanced tone. It may have been in the shadow of the stations other popular English dubbed amines, but I’ll always have a special fondness for this one. If your an Anime fan, I highly recommend this one ... but be sure to watch the original Japanese-cut of the show instead.

 

X-Men Evolution 

While Kid’s WB mainly featured comic-book adaptions of DC superhero’s, there was an exception with a single Marvel-branded comic-series … and it was subsequently the launching-pad for one of my biggest fandoms. The X-Men in general are my personal favorite superhero characters of all time, and for me … watching “X-Men Evolution” is where it all started. 

Focusing more on themes of prejudice and acceptance always took the X-Men just one step beyond other superhero franchises, and this was the series that made them feel the most human. Unlike other renditions of the team, which depicted them as colorful hero’s saving the world from powerful villains, “X-Men Evolution” focused on them as common everyday people, who are just trying to fit-it, and find their place in the world. Despite some really mixed-hummer, this show made my favorite team of hero’s far more relate-able, and identifiable than any other incarnation, and honestly, it’s one of the few animated TV shows that I still enjoy re-watching as an adult. 

The spectacle was also downplayed, which I admired, as the show kept bringing me back on the merits of the characters. Then when the spectacle and earth-shattering events finally happened … it felt larger than life. It may not be as classic, or as big as the 90’s series, but “X-Men Evolution” remains my own personal genesis tub that launched the X-Men into the forefront of my all-time favorite superheroes. Also, unlike the previously mentioned “Pokémon”, or “Jackie Chan Adventures”, I was consistently on board with this series, and each season seemed to get better then the last. “X-Men Evolution” still has a secure spot as one of my favorite animated superhero programs, and it’s absolutely my favorite from the Kid’s WB line-up. 

 

Static Shock 

Now we jump back to the DC animated comic-book universe for another winning series, and one that again took me by surprise. 

While other popular names like Batman and Superman were easy targets for TV shows, Static Shock was kind of a curious choice, as he wasn’t exactly a popular character in the DC roaster. This show revolves around one Virgil Hawkins, an African-American boy, who in the aftermath of a mutagen gas explosion during a gang war, is suddenly gifted with new found electromagnetic powers. Thus, he adorns the identity of “Static”, and protects his home town from aggressive teens who were also exposed to the gas during the gang war. Subsequently, this series marked the first time an African-American superhero was the titular character of their own broadcast animation series ... but it doesn’t stop there. 

While both the animation and tone of the series was more colorful and kid-friendly then the previously mentioned “Batman Beyond”, “Static Shock” still wasn’t afraid to center episodes on complicated issues and themes, like school bullying, gun-play, neglectful parents, prejudice, gang-wars, abandonment, and it even tackled issues of homelessness. However, the show always balanced back with a rewarding sense of fun, as well as a likable lead hero, and a colorful gallery of rouges. “Static Shock” may not have re-invented the Superhero formula, but it had a unique voice, memorable lessons for kids, and enough high-voltage action to leave me satisfied. Personally, I’d rank “Static Shock” as one of the absolute best of the DC animated Universe.

 

Max Steel 

As if Kid’s WB didn’t have enough Teen-Hero shows, I can say that “Max Steel” once again had its own unique voice and presentation. Based on the Mattel action-figure of the same name, young Josh McGrath get’s himself into an accident at a chemical factory, resulting in … what else … superpowers. 

In his case, it’s enhanced senses, the ability to alter his appearance, turn invisible, and superhumanly-strong-agility. Unlike local hero Static Shock, Max Steel is recruited as a secret agent, and goes on missions to battle terrorists, including an underground organization called “DRED”. It was less comic-book formula and more James Bond flair, which helped this series stand out … although the early CGI animation really doesn’t hold-up. Actually, despite other shows like “Cubix” also appearing on the Kid’s WB, “Max Steel” was the only CGI animated program I remember regularly watching on the station. While I certainly wouldn’t call it one of the better shows I grew-up with, it still held my attention fine, and was overall … an okay show … but nothing great either.  

 

The Mummy 

Now we come to the Kid’s WB program that I have the least fondness for, yet still remember watching all the way through back when I was a kid, so I have to include it. On paper, an animated series based around the 1999 adventure picture “The Mummy” was an awesome idea, as the universe lends to a lot of interesting myths, and exciting adventure. 

The final result however was a watered-down version of “Jackie Chan Adventures”, with characters that lacked the charm of their movie counterparts, and an obvious kid-friendly esthetic that didn’t leave much of an impression. While Jim Cummings was at least a welcome presence as the titular villain, everything else about the series felt like it was on auto-piolet. It followed the basic adventure formula, but nothing too exciting or original really stood out either. I think I only watched the show because it was branded with “The Mummy”, which was one of my childhood favorite movies. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have held my interest the same way “Jackie Chan Adventures” did. Not a terrible show, but certainly underwhelming, and mostly forgettable.  

 

Ozzy & Drix 

Standing at the complete opposite of “The Mummy” was a little series called “Ozzy & Drix” … a surprisingly welcome addition to the Kid’s WB line-up, despite coming from a source material that I honestly wasn’t a huge fan of. That’s not to say the 2001 animated movie “Osmosis Jones” was awful, I just didn’t care much for it. 

Plus, its unique premise was a hundred times more durable in a TV series, as opposed to a feature film. Like it’s movie counterpart, the series is set in a stylized version of the human body, which resembles a city, where microorganisms and cells are anthropomorphic. Centered around the street-smart white blood-cell Osmosis Jones, and a stoic cold-pill named Drix, the two battle both germs and viruses inside the body of a teenage boy named Hector. The premise led to quiet an education of various threats to the human body, and back when I was a kid, this show genuinely made things easy for me to pay attention to details during health class. It was just a decent show all around, with a memorable ensemble, big-scale adventures presented on a small scale, and it made learning about the human body all the more fun and engaging.   

 

Yu-Gi-Oh! 

Segueing back into English-dubbed anime, “Yu-Gi-Oh!” was the last big Kid’s WB show that kept me invested in the station up-until 2006, in which I stopped watching cartoons all-together. 

A young group of friends are hooked on a card game that’s monster themed, and are eager to participate in tournaments to see who has the most skill. Things take many twists and turns when the lead boy named Yugi comes into contact with a magical item that holds the soul of a late Farrow from the times of ancient Egypt. Things get grim when the creatures on the cards are revealed to be the manifestations of magical monsters and sorcerers from eons past. Further secrets are revealed, enemies begin seeking their power, and its an exciting adventure after another … with many a card-games played along the way. After I lost interest in “Pokémon”, “Yu-Gi-Oh!” was a perfect follow-up.  

The characters felt more mature, the animation was darker, the monsters were cooler, the villains were threatening, and it felt like a larger story was gradually being developed amidst a simple formula. While I never really cared for the “game-play” aspect of the show, I was still engaged in the journey of the characters, and I loved exploring the different mysterious, mythologies, and legends of the shows set-universe. It also came out while I was on a high for “Harry Potter”, and “Yu-Gi-Oh!” at the time fit right into my wheel-house of magic and adventure. While it lacked the same humble touch that made the previously mentioned “Cardcaptors” so enduring, it was still a memorable program from my childhood, and it was absolutely a staple of the Kid’s WB station.         

 

The Batman 

Even when I was hooked on watching “Yu-Gi-Oh!”, I was also branching out into more mature avenues of TV entertainment, and was gradually losing interest in cartoons aimed at kids. 

However, no matter how old I get … Batman always finds a way to grab my interest. With zero ties to the previous DC animated universe, “The Batman” rebooted the famed hero, gave him a stylized new look, and was a fun series all its own. While it lacked the mature themes or dark edge of previous incarnations, I was still coasting on the hero’s all-around cool factor, winning formula, and return of his classic rouges, who all adorn crazy new designs and persona’s. The intro for the first two seasons knocked my socks off, and every once in a while came an episode that respected both the depth and legacy of the hero. While not on the same high-bar of other Batman properties, I still have some fondness reserved for this show, and even to this day, I occasionally look back on select episodes. Call it a guilty pleasure for sure, and I’m always open for new adventures with the Dark Knight.   

 

The Spectacular Spider-Man 

Just as the Kid’s WB began to wind-down, it surprised me with one last show … another comic adapted series revolving around my other favorite hero from the Marvel brand. 

Good-old Spider-Man already left an impression on my childhood thanks to the 90’s animated series on Fox Kids … but then came “The Spectacular Spider-Man” … which still stands to this day as my personal favorite media adaption the character has ever had. At the time of this shows premier, I was well into my teenage years, and had stopped watching Kid’s WB all together. However, positive word of mouth intrigued me to tune-into my old childhood station … and see what this series had to offer. In a nutshell, this is the Spider-Man series that nailed everything we love about our favorite web-swinging hero. This includes fully developed characters, a fully realized setting, deep insight on the complications of being a hero while just trying to be a dependable person, sensational action scenes, a wonderful sense of hummer, witty banter, and some of the best renditions of Spider-Man’s classic villains. 

While the show was regrettably canceled after a short-run list of 26 episodes, and the unresolved cliffhanger ending, I’d still go so far as to say that it’s Spider-Man’s greatest TV adaption … maybe even better than just about every theatrical Spider-Man movie. If you’re a Spider-Man fan at all, do yourself a favor and watch “The Spectacular Spider-Man”, as it still holds-up as a great series, one of the hero’s finest, my second favorite Kid’s WB program behind “X-Men Evolution”, and it was the perfect way to bid farewell to my childhood favorite station before it all ended.    

 

 Childhoods obviously don’t last forever, but some memories are just too precious not to share … and it’s been fun looking back at my favorite childhood station. I hope kids in the decades to come find their own viewing station to call home. If you were among my generation that grew-up with this station, I hope this post brought back some memories, and be sure to share your thoughts on the shows I didn’t cover. While Kid’s WB isn’t present the way it was back in the day, it’s still alive in other forms on the CW network and web-site. For me, it’ll always live-on in that nostalgic spot of my childhood memories.

Thanks for reading my recap of the Kid’s WB station … and let’s never forget the special joy that came with Saturday-morning.