Disney Channel/Disney XD: What needs to be changed

I guess it seems to be a pretty unanimous opinion that amongst the prominent kids networks, Disney's quality has probably dropped the most. Cartoon Network had its Network Decay with CN Real and exec shuffling, Nickelodeon became more live action oriented and Sponge-promoting.

But what exactly brought them into their current position, and how can they recover? I remember that even in the 90's there was a bit of an obsession with making pop stars with the Mickey Mouse Club.

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

I wouldn't say Disney's quality has dropped per se. They've had their peak moments, but for the most part they'd always tried to play it safe with their programming, and the method of playing it safe changes depending on the era.

Of course, they DID at one point in their history air a special on the making of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, so the fact that they don't do stuff like that anymore is one mark against them for me, but not enough of one for me to cry "Ruined FOREVER!!!"

edited 12th Dec '12 12:50:29 PM by 0dd1

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To some extent I'd agree; Disney's always been somewhat of an easy target in terms of their programming, whether it be for mockery or family friendly entertainment. But in terms of television animation, their work seemed to mirror their own film reniassance; Gummi Bears, Ducktales, Rescue Rangers, Talespin, Darkwing Duck, Gargoyles. After Gargoyles, their tv animated output wasn't bad per se; Kim Possible, Recess and P+F among others were a testament to that. But they seemed to play it safe with a bunch of films as tv show scenarios.

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

I said it before, I'll say it again:

More quality cartoons need to be made (like Gravity Falls has been so far to me IMHO; as well as how Phineas And Ferb is to almost everyone around here but me) - and they need to be supervised strictly so they don't end up with disappointing or weak-ass later seasons which shows like Kick Buttowski, Jimmy Two Shoes, and Yin Yang Yo! (three examples of shows I like that everyone I'm sure hates and think I'm an idiot for) suffer from.

They need to balance themselves out most importantly. There should be no marathoning of any of their live action crap, when they've got all these decent to great cartoons they could be showing everyone, IMHO. Also - most important - don't cancel (Motorcity) or put shows on hiatus for unnecessary reason(Gravity Falls) that actually don't suck to people, only to replace them with teeny-bopper BS and bad movies no one studying how to make film needs to see, only to critique on how not to do it!

Shame - at this point, I'm just preaching to the choir now.

edited 12th Dec '12 3:01:38 PM by LostAnarchist

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So a consensus seems to have been reached. Disney isn't really bad but the Execs over at DC and XD are too afraid of failure to let the channel be really good. Sounds reasonable.

"War without fire is like sausages without mustard." - Jean Juvénal des Ursins

Two things in fact.

1) The success of Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan. Difference between them and the Mickey Mouse Club alumnis is that Disney actually profited from the success of Duff and Lohan. Duff and Lohan both eventually branched off on their own, but Disney got it into their heads that they can build an empire around their teen actors based off of the success of those two.

2) Thats So Raven. It can't be understated just how popular that show was. It was insanely popular, more popular dare I say, than alot of Disney's 90's Kid Coms. Because of the success of that show, It's A Laugh Production pretty much got commissioned to do more and more Tween Coms for Disney Channel to replicate Thats So Raven's success. They're essentially to Disney what Dan Schneider is to Nick.

Put those two concepts together and you get Miley Cyrus & Hannah Montana, and every other tween com which is really just a vehicle for their next big teen star.

edited 12th Dec '12 5:20:23 PM by Lionheart0

Were those ever actually on Disney Channel, though? I always saw them on ABC (and later on Toon Disney, but in reruns) or other channels that I can't remember.

edited 12th Dec '12 5:33:10 PM by 0dd1

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If I'm allowed to say it, pretty much this... Too bad that itself sounds like an excuse for regressive quality and decision-making (and that goes for any regime) IMHO!

edited 12th Dec '12 5:50:35 PM by LostAnarchist

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Well I just mean it in a loose sense, referring to the Disney branded tv output, mainly from Disney TV animation.

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

The simple solution is to make it like the Disney Channel used to be actually airing movies old and new, rerunnng their older shows while also airing new shows. I still don't know why they stopped doing that.

Not so many fucking commercials would be a start.

BUY A CAR FROM ME!

Burning the footage of their crappy live action "comedies" would be a good start.

"When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all" Futurama, Godfellas

They're not that bad, just nothing above average on the whole.

Dayum, Disney gettin' a bit risque, eh?

edited 12th Dec '12 8:00:00 PM by 0dd1

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You stole my joke. Well played.

I do what I can.

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Ninja'd?

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

Disney's quality has dropped?!

I think it's actually Nickelodeon that has dropped the most! At least Disney still has Phineas And Ferb, Gravity Falls, and a slew of good preschool cartoons premiering all the time. Nick has......... more Spongebob, Dreamworks series', Marvel shows, and that awful Fanboy And Chum Chum! ........... TMNT is okay I guess, but not that great. Oh... and here's a tip: greenlight shows that you know has a modest enough budget so you won't cancel them abruptly!!!!!

I remember Disney's first TV cartoons airing on the Disney Channel in the mornings.

edited 18th Dec '12 12:02:28 PM by kyun

Yeah, pretty much this. I swore off Disney TV after they messed up Gargoyles and cancelled Disney Afternoon (okay, I watched some Buzz Lightyear, but my point stands). It took This Very Wiki raving about Phineas & Ferb to make me check that out and for Disney to win me back, a win secured by Gravity Falls. Disney seems to have taken notes from Spongebob's foibles re Phineas, as the worst I would I say is the last season+ is "samey", but still watchable, and they don't rerun it into the ground. I even like at least one of the newer D-Coms - Jessie - though Dog With A Blog has no excuse, but it's still not as stupid as Fred The Series or as stupid as Marvin Marvin looks (anyone here who wants to object on the latter feel free, I'll at least stop hating it even if I don't watch).

Based off the few times I've been able to watch XD it's in okay shape if just for Tron and the Marvel Toons (okay, Ultimate Spiderman is disappointing compared to Spectacular, but it's not the abomination some paint it as). They'll also be getting Star Wars toons soon, and while I'm a casual viewer of Clone Wars I like it enough to consider that a plus.

Of course Gargoyles & Darkwing Duck revivals/reboots, plus a Scrooge Mc Duck cartoon that adapted the comics, would be awesome, but not having them isn't a dealbreaker.

Nickelodeon is in a rebuilding phase - TMNT isn't a bad start, Korra was great (and I never saw an episode of Avatar till after I watched the sequel, and there's no Hype Backlash from me), and they've cut down on Spongebob enough that I've welcomed the recent Christmas marathons (but let it be noted I didn't start watching till a few years ago and don't consider the post-movie era a complete wash). Their only real concern as far as I can see is Dreamworks launching their own network as they hinted when they jumped from Paramount to Fox and taking Penguins & Panda with them.

TL;DR Disney is okay and getting better, Nickelodeon is starting to fix their problems.

edited 18th Dec '12 11:52:40 PM by TheNthTroper

Wait, that's why they cancelled Motorcity?

edited 19th Dec '12 7:24:17 AM by blueflame724

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

I don't think he meant that that was why they canceled Motor City. I think he was simply going on a tangent in the middle of the same paragraph.

...You're talking about your own comment right?

I treat all living things equally. That is to say, I eat all living things

Huh? I thought nickelodeon stopped existed, now I notice that it somehow is still in my channel list.

Really. Let us try naming a new show Nick is airing ...? Can't think of anything. Another spongebob season, maybe?

TMNT just started this past Fall.

...aaaand TMNT and ...............

.......

...... THIS is why I hate Nick now!

"I thought nickelodeon stopped existed"

That's great grammar.

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