Gephyrophillia | Watch This Space #72

Originally Posted on 07/03/2003 by Jeff Harris

Let's see. I spent Tuesday watching ReBoot in the morning, my old Anti-Gravity Room and Deep Water Black tapes in the afternoon, and The Kids In The Hall, You Can't Do That on Television, and The Red Green Show in the evening. I also checked out CFL highlights on Sportscenter while I was eating my Pizza! Pizza! slices as well as celebrated yesterday when LA North (aka Vancouver) was given the 2010 Winter Olympiad. But I'm sure you didn't come here to read me talk about my Canada Day activities.

In September 2002, Cartoon Network and Turner Broadcasting Europe launched the first Turner network not to have an American equivalent. This network, which had action-animation and high-testosterone flicks, was called CNX, a channel for lads. It was the closest thing to a Toonami network that many on this side of the pond have dreamed of. Of course, those pesky live-action shows and shorts kind of mucked up the vision.

In September 2003, CNX will be history. Well, kind of. The live-action elements will be a thing of a past. No more kung-fu movies, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit specials, nor American crime dramas like Boomtown and The Shield will grace the screens of that channel, and the name CNX will cease to be. In its place will be all-action-animation and anime.

And its name shall be Toonami.

And it is good!

It's not so strange that the live-action aspect of CNX wasn't well-received in the UK. Afterall, those films and shows were everywhere on the channelscape prior to the creation of CNX. One would think that a network operated by Cartoon Network would try to steer clear of live-action, and by phasing over to Toonami, they're doing just that. Afterall, shifting the channel's format to all action-animation won't be so hard. Action-animation was always present on CNX, so instead of concentrating on that brand, they decided to do what they should have done in the first place: create a Toonami-branded network to air 24/7/365.

Did I mention they should have used this format instead of the hybrid format they launched the network with?

I kind of feel sorry that they have to relaunch the network. I mean, they spent all that time thinking of a format and an eyecatching brand, not to mention trying their damnedest to convince Sky, Telewest and NTL to put the network on their grids.

Then again, the Nelson Muntz in me can say only one thing:

Hah-hah!

But think about it, boys and girls. In September 2003, the world will be greeted by a real Toonami channel on the globe. No live-action filler, it's 100% Toonami, and even though it's still UK-exclusive, this is proof that one can create a Toonami-branded network. So, now, Turner Broadcasting has NO excuses.

Enjoy the American equivalent of Canada Day tomorrow, and enjoy the weekend that follows.

*end transmission*

Jeff Harris
The Bridge Creator/Webmaster
July 3, 2003