Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #35

Originally Posted on 02/21/2003 by Jeff Harris

It's Friday, let's recap the week, shall we?

Item of the Week: The Beast Steps Down and Kent Lights Up The South!

Jamie Kellner, scourge to the Toonami fanbase and demon to all who crossed his path, will no longer be the chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting starting on Monday, March 10, 2003, ending speculation and completely shortening my countdown. Was he fired? Um, dunno. Time-Warner didn't say he was, but it was already known that he's leaving the company in the summer of 2004. Still, his sudden departure, so close to this year's initiative, was completely unexpected.

Former CNN exec Philip Kent, one of the first people to be chopped down by the Turner Coup of 2001 (and an exec credited for helping make CNN and Cartoon Network successful global brands when he was president of the international offices of Turner), will become the new Chairman and CEO of the house that Ted built. Kellner's going back to lala land to watch over his baby The WB for one last year. Oh, yeah, The WB is no longer a part of the Turner Entertainment family. Gone. Finito. Out of here. Yeah, the "partnership" between Kids' WB and CN is still in effect, but it's far from being as strong as it once was, though after seeing the new acquisitions, narrowminded folks would think otherwise.

Li'l Robots, Swordsmen, Androids, and Jedi Knights: Rumored Shows FINALLY Announced (most of 'em are true)

Cartoon Network made their annual upfront announcements yesterday morning, Not surprisingly, most of the stuff that was announced was leaked out by companies involved (shivering, with antici - - - pation). Cartoon Network announced several new programs which will air on one of their three action franchises (see, CN has three action blocks whereas some networks won't even support one [and if that seemed like a slam towards the orange ameoba network, well, it was!]), such as Kikaider, Superior Defender Gundam, Blue Gender (alright, alright, that's definitely Adult Swim bound, so stop saying I lost my marbles), Rurouni Kenshin, Teen Titans, Duck Dodgers, Low Brow, and Trigun, acquisitions of new episodes of Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball, Justice League, Transformers: Armada, Masters of the Universe, and The Big O, and new-to-Cartoon Network shows Jackie Chan Adventures and X-Men Evolution, and a whole mess of new episodes and events thoughout the network. Plus, 20 shorts will premiere starting in the fall, based on the Clone Wars of some movie franchise, Star Wars or something like that. I almost feel like goofy entertainment types gushing about who didn't get nominated for an award when I talk about which shows WEREN'T announced, including Z Gundam, One Piece, and Zone of the Enders, many shows rumored to come to the network. Year's not over yet, and more shows will be revealed between now and the end of the year.

GRW - Uncut and Commercial-Free?!?

It's the biggest event in Toonami's history since the last one. Probably the biggest event since Z-Day, which brought new episodes of Dragonball Z to Cartoon Network in 1999. Giant Robot Week is coming in three days from 4 - 5 PM EST/PST. You know the shows (Evangelion, Nadesico, Dai-Guard, Robotech, Gigantor, and the newest addition to the Cartoon Network lineup, Low Brow). What we found out this past weekend from ADV Films is that the episodes they brought to GRW will be uncut! Doubting Thomases voiced their opinions and such all over the boards saying "this will never happen, and if it does, hell will freeze yet again." I'm not saying anything, but Cartoon Network has promised that in place of commercials, there will be Gigantor and Low Brow instead. This is unprecedented and very, very risky (considering most idiotic cable operators got this strange trigger finger to air local ads), but in a way, it could be fun! (I'll keep my mouth shut until the breakdown of GRW day-by-day - JH, 07/10)

Take a strong, good whiff. The world seems alright at Cartoon Network!

Kellner's going back to running day-to-day operations at The WB. The WB will no longer be a part of the Turner family. A long-time Turner exec is in the front offices. Toonami's going to be two-hours long, and the fans aren't all that mad about it. Shows are coming to the network, making it stronger. And I'm updating more and more each day. It seems like the good old days again here at CNX, and it feels so good.

Until we are one, later.
Jeff Harris
CNX Creator/Webmaster
February 21, 2003