The Hub series finds homes in Canada this January, Teletoon picks up the good stuff

It's good, I promise! Although Prime's lips are pretty freaky...

This January Teletoon surprises me with some interesting programming acquistions. We knew Corus and Hasbro had entered a deal for Hub programming in Canada, but come January 9, these new additions weren’t exactly things I expected to see on Teletoon, well except Generator Rex. Rex is a Cartoon Network original, and that was going no where but Teletoon. Generator Rex is also the first of the new additions to premiere on Teletoon’s Sunday Morning Action Force at 11AM:

New series Generator Rex follows the exploits of an adolescent named Rex who can grow machines out of his body. When he is recruited into a top-secret organization called Providence, Rex uses his unique powers to defeat the EVOs, an evil breed of monsters who have mutated from normal humans and animals.

Transformers Prime premieres at 12PM, and unlike the Hub broadcast, it appears the series will air the 5 part mini-series event weekly. Which should put it in a simultaneous launch week when new episodes of Prime resume on the Hub in February.

GI Joe: Renegades follows at 12:30PM, and probably won’t get cool commercials like this.

Transformers Prime breathes new life into the classic battle between Autobots and Decepticons. In an attempt to protect the earth and its people, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and the rest of the Autobots face off against Megatron and his evil Decepticons once again. Another classic 1980s series is revamped for a new generation in G.I. Joe Renegades, a new series that sees a group of young G.I.s face off against the evil Cobra Industries.

The three series join the Action Force along with new episodes of Marvel Super Hero Squad, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, and Hot Wheels Battle Force 5.

Transformers Prime marks the first occasion in the franchise’s modern history where YTV isn’t the broadcaster. YTV premiered every Transformers animated series since 1995’s Beast Wars (known as Beasties on the channel) to 2007’s Transformers Animated. Since then, the original 1984 Transformers cartoon has aired on Teletoon Retro. Previously, GI Joe series have aired on YTV, however, last year the older youth aimed GI Joe: Resolute aired on Teletoon. Like Transformers, the 1980’s incarnation of GI Joe also aired on Teletoon Retro.

Thanks to Anime-Ash for pointing this out in the forums.

Update: Thanks to Mohji for pointing this out in the comment section, but the rest of The Hub’s launch original animated programming have been given broadcasters, and a premiere set for January.

YTV plays it safe, and only picks up Pound Puppies, the Erci McCormack starred show based on the animal toyline of the same name. This show premeires in a timeslot that makes me question if it’s on the right channel. Pound Puppies premieres on YTV’s Playtime (preschool aimed) block on Tuesday, January 4 at 12PM.

Stemming from the original 1980s cartoon and toy line by Tonka, Pound Puppies follows the adventures of a group of seemingly average dogs in a city pound, who in reality are part of an underground secret society whose goal is to find loving homes for pets. Led by a wily charmer of a mutt named Lucky (Eric McCormack), the series follows this fearless group of dogs called the Pound Puppies as they outsmart their human wardens who never figure out what they’re saying. This 26-episode half-hour 2D-animated series produced by Canada’s 9 Story Entertainment and Hasbro Studios in the U.S. also features the voice of Betty White and premieres during YTV’s Playtime block on Tuesday, January 4 at 12 p.m.

"I LIKED THIS SHOW BETTER WHEN IT WAS CALLED MIRACLE KOALA"

YTV also announces a premiere date for a new animated series called Almost Naked Animals. Can you say “We’re so Nick we even want to try to make our own Nicktoons?”, I know I can. The show premieres January 8 at 9:30AM in Crunch.

This fast-paced 2D-animated comedy follows a cast of shaved, underwear-clad animals who live in a beachfront hotel called The Copabanana. Managed by a hyper, fun-loving canine called Howie and his misfit friends Octo, Bunny, Narwhal, Duck, Sloth and Piggy, the hotel is well known for offering its guests an atmosphere of mayhem, destruction and general debauchery. But it’s not always fun and games at the hotel as Howie’s over-achieving sister and manager of the competing high-end Chateau Chattoo is desperate to take over The Copabanana from her incompetent brother. Produced in Canada by 9 Story Entertainment in association with YTV, this 26-episode half-hour series stars the voice of comedian Sean Cullen and premieres during YTV’s cartoon block CRUNCH hosted by Andy on Saturday, January 8 at 9:30 a.m.

Elsewhere on YTV, they’ve rebranded the Sunday night movie block formerly known as ZAPX as Big Fun Movies, leaving Saturday the only day without the Big Fun taint.

Treehouse gets in on the action and picks up Lauren Faust’s (Foster’s Home For Imaginary People, Powerpuff Girls, etc.) and Studio B’s (Class of Titans, Being Ian, etc.) My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and Nelvana’s own original Hub series, The Adventures of Chuck the Truck.

Looks like Panty & Stocking, 100% better than Panty & Stocking.

Based on Hasbro’s iconic 1980s My Little Pony franchise, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic takes on a new look in this animated series created by Lauren Faust (The Powerpuff Girls). Set in the magical land of Equestria, a kingdom inhabited by colourful ponies, Twilight Sparkle, a studious pony with magical powers, is given the important task of making new friends. On her journey to the quaint fairytale village of Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle meets five new ponies who take her on all sorts of exciting adventures and teach her about the powerful magic of friendship. Produced by Hasbro Studios and Studio B Productions My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic premieres Monday, January 3 at 6 p.m.

Previous incarnations of My Little Pony have aired on Teletoon, and there isn’t anything truly “preschool” about the title to warrant a Treehouse broadcast, but hey, I don’t working at programming at Corus Entertainment.

Produced by Hasbro Studios in association with Nelvana Studio, The Adventures of Chuck and Friends is a fast-paced, high-energy animated series based on the original Tonka toy, Chuck the Truck. Preschoolers can follow this curious, smart and adventurous truck named Chuck, whose imagination is fuelled by every visitor that pulls into the truck stop where Chuck lives. With the help of his pals Digger, Boomer, Rowdy, Soku, Biggs and Handy, Chuck turns all of his fantasies into reality. This 26-episode half-hour animated series premieres Wednesday, January 5 at 6 p.m.

Nick Canada also picks up the underwelming Planet Sheen, and T.U.F.F. Puppy (seriously, what with all the animal shows all of a sudden?). To view their premiere dates head over to this press release of Corus’ website, where you can also see some odd movie pickups.

It does appear no one is biting on Hasbro’s Family Game Night, not surprising since YTV tried that a few years back with Game Gurus, and failed (am I the only one who hoped that would be a new video game news magazine series ala Gamerz back in the day?). I suspect RL Stine’s The Haunting Hour will eventually find its way up here.

2010

12/19

POSTED BY

jonathanprimus

CATEGORY

Oh Teletoon
TV News

Write comment