Grr, Cartoon Network....

Cartoon Network is expanding its so-called "Adult Swim." To take over what is for me the 7 to 8 pm hour. Adult Swim, for those unfamiliar, shows "adult themed" cartoons. In the earlier part of the evening, that's re-runs of King of the Hill (which can be funny, but I've seen every episode numerous times. And when you just want to laugh and relax, or when **I** just want to laugh and relax, I don't want social commentary). They also re-run the Seth MacFarland shows (Family Guy, et. al.), which I don't have much use for (The humor is super-snarky, often mean, and just....it's not relaxing in the way some cartoons are).

Later on, and on Saturday nights, they show some anime (which I guess can get quite adult indeed; I've only ever seen the all-ages stuff or the heavily edited version of Sailor Moon that one of the networks used to show). And they have some "original" programming, most of which I've never seen.

I get why they're doing this....18-34 year old men (or boy-men as the case may be) are THE MOST VALUED demographic cohort.

But still, it annoys me.

Over Christmas break, Cartoon Network did something they called "Gift Time" - they replaced the first hour of "Adult Swim" with their regular cartoons (mostly re-runs of Adventure Time or Regular Show). I liked it, because I particularly like Regular Show. And I hoped they'd keep it that way.

Nnnnnnope. And now the 7 to 8 block is going to be King of the Hill and probably Family Guy, ugh. (And doesn't TNT or someone show Family Guy reruns? I mean, when they're not showing Big Bang Theory reruns?)

I just want silly funny cartoons. Okay, sometimes Adventure Time gets a little deep (in fact, sometimes it gets too uncomfortably metaphysical for me). But I feel really disappointed about this choice.

(Also, they are now advertising some show called "Clarence" which is apparently a new show, and which promises to be as little-interest to me as Uncle Grandpa is. I really hope Clarence isn't replacing one of the shows I DO watch).

I'm especially unhappy because I liked the direction they were taking with having Steven Universe as a show - I was planning not to like it, and I admit there are some things (Steven's periodic screwupishness just being accepted, him not being pushed to be better) that annoy me a little about it. But by and large, I enjoy it. It's fantasy. It's an escape.

(What I'd like to see happen? Adult Swim get spun off into its own channel and leave Cartoon Network for the kids or kids-at-heart. Or, failing that, for my cable company to pick up Boomerang - heck, they dropped both what Current TV became and Soap Opera Network (neither of which I watched, for whatever it's worth) so I think we could stand to get a new channel)

But, crikey. Once I get my new home computer all set up, I'm definitely looking into what I can stream off of it. Especially cartoons.