Blast Off! ‘Duck Dodgers’ Makes Shocking Return to TV After 20 Years!

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For two decades now, it’s been since the “Duck Dodgers” television series from Looney Tunes last aired. Fans will soon have a brief chance to rewatch it on Cartoon Network. This animated series was inspired by the 1953 short film “Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century,” featuring Daffy Duck as a space explorer, Porky Pig as his sidekick, and Marvin the Martian as their arch-nemesis. Despite airing for only two years with 39 episodes, “Duck Dodgers” gained cult status due to its memorable theme song sung by Tom Jones and arranged by the Flaming Lips, along with its sci-fi reinvention of traditional Looney Tunes characters, a Green Lantern crossover, and more.

Fans looking forward to revisiting the past and having a 2005-style party should note that Duck Dodgers, as confirmed by Toon Hive on X, will air again on Cartoon Network starting May 4, 2025, at 12:00 pm ET. However, unlike its previous run from 2003 to 2005, this will be a special, limited-time event rather than regular programming for Cartoon Network. Duck Dodgers had previously been aired on Cartoon Network until 2005 and was last seen on Boomerang in the same year.

‘Duck Dodgers’ Return Is Welcome, but Curious

It’s intriguing to see the revival of “Duck Dodgers” on Cartoon Network considering the current situation of Looney Tunes and Cartoon Network under Warner Bros. Although it’s a flagship franchise, Warner Bros.’ apparent lack of interest in Looney Tunes is evident from their sale of the Daffy Duck and Porky Pig-led feature “The Day the Earth Blew Up” to Ketchup Entertainment, as well as the live-action/animated hybrid “Coyote vs. Acme”. These contentious decisions are further compounded by reports that they plan to tear down the original Looney Tunes building on their backlot and remove most of the original content from their streaming service Max.

Since the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery in 2022, Cartoon Network has faced numerous cuts. Despite Max’s appeal due to its collection of Cartoon Network classics, many iconic series have been taken off the streaming service as it aims to serve a more mature audience and reduce children’s programming. After 26 years, the cherished Cartoon Network website was closed in August 2024. As debates about linear broadcasting and selecting appropriate series for an increasingly streaming-focused younger audience persist, Cartoon Network has been grappling with these issues over the past few years.

Duck Dodgers‘ comeback may not have been a grand spectacle, nor was it Cartoon Network’s most popular show, but it was a charming series that holds a unique affection for those who watched it. Amidst Warner Bros.’ efforts to revitalize the Looney Tunes, from the Muppet Babies-inspired Baby Looney Tunes to the misguided superhero team Loonatic Unleashed, Duck Dodgers managed to encapsulate what made these characters and cartoons timeless.

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2025-04-16 23:04