A new block of Saturday morning kids programming hits PBS, synergy rears its head on CBS and a popular movie character makes his TV debut, while another, live-action movie hero makes the transformation to animation.
All that, and the return of the X-Men and more Pokemons!
Welcome to the new fall season for kids’ television, where young people around the country know it’s a sure sign fall is here — and school is back in session.
ABC (WLS-Ch. 7)
“Disney’s One Saturday Morning” programming block, which runs from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and includes “The Weekenders” and “Recess,” gets a new member starting this Saturday: “Disney’s Teacher’s Pet.” It’s about a boy and his talking, education-craving dog Spot (voice by Nathan Lane of “The Lion King”), who dresses up as a kid and hits school.
Here comes Buzz Lightyear! The star of “Toy Story” launches his own series of adventures at 9:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 14. “Seinfeld’s” Patrick Warburton takes over from Tim Allen as Buzz, and ex-“Seinfeld” star Wayne Knight is the Evil Emperor Zurg, who Buzz battles with the help of his fellow Space Rangers.
“Disney/Pixar’s Buzz Lightyear of Star Command” also joins the “Disney’s One Too” Sunday morning block that is seen on WPWR-Ch. 50 starting Oct. 2 at 8 a.m.
(While we’re on the subject of Ch. 50, its critically acclaimed information and education kids series, “Up’N Running,” begins a fourth season with local actor Ryan Pfeiffer joining host Erica Hubbard.)
Cartoon Network
Among some of the special and ongoing programming the all-cartoon network has planned for the fall include:
“Tom & Jerry Slamfest,” 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday — a six-hour “grudge match” between the mouse and cat is featured during the six-hour marathon.
“Classic Cartoon Gags,” 3-6 p.m. Sept. 10 — Three hours of pratfalls, spit-takes and other clumsy bits are provided by both original and classic toons.
“The Intruder,” Sept. 18-22 — As part of the network’s “Toonami” 3-6 p.m. block of anime-based cartoons is a serial starring computer-generated “Toonami” host Tom combating an alien interloper about his ship Absolution. The serial features an interactive Internet component that can be reached at CartoonNetwork.com.
“The Flintstones 40th Anniversary Celebration,” 6-10 p.m. Sept. 30 — America’s favorite Stone Age family toasts 40 years with the original series pilot and features “A Man Called Flintstone” and “The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.”
“Dexter’s Laboratory,” 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 8 — Four years’ worth of adventures from Cartoon Network’s loony kid scientist will be on hand during this marathon.
“Blue Submarine No. 6,” 5 p.m. Oct. 16-19 — The network presents the American debut of the Japanese anime hit about the adventures of a crew of a state-of-the-art submarine patrolling futuristic waters infested with bizarre creatures.
“Sheep in the Big City,” 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17 — Cartoon Network’s latest animated series is about a wooly one that escapes a farm with a Top Secret Military Organization on his tail. The series promises to be heavy on sardonic, “Rocky & Bullwinkle”-level humor.
CBS (WBBM-Ch. 2)
Sept. 16 is the day that Viacom’s Nickelodeon channel airs programs on CBS’ Saturday morning schedule. The Nick Jr. weekday shows are already up and running on the cable network.
“Blue’s Clues”: Steve Burns and his computer-animated pup Blue invite kids to solve puzzles. (9 a.m. Saturdays)
“Dora the Explorer”: Nick’s newest series features the adventures of a 7-year-old Latino girl, who overcomes them with help from viewers. (9:30 a.m. Saturdays)
“Little Bear”: The young cub has enchanted experiences with his family and friends while living in a forest. (10 a.m. Saturdays)
“Little Bill”: No relation to Little Bear. Bill Cosby created this series about an inquisitive 5-year-old boy and his extended family. (10:30 a.m. Saturdays)
“Franklin”: The turtle learns lessons based on his experiences, mistakes, his parents and his world. (7 a.m. Sundays)
“Kipper”: The puppy constantly gets himself into all sorts of jams, but always learns something in the end. (7:30 a.m. Sundays)
Fox (WFLD-Ch. 32)
Fox Kids’ weekday and weekend lineup has been in place for a few weeks now. Among the highlights are the classic adventures of “The X-Men” at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and the new series “Escaflowne” at 4 p.m. Friday, which is also at 10 a.m. Saturdays. That one is the anime-based adventures of a high school girl in a mystical world.
Also new to Fridays is “Dinozaurs” (3:30 p.m.), starring a bunch of prehistoric beasts who defend Earth. The series will also air at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays.
And speaking of Saturdays, new to Fox Kids’ Saturday morning lineup are “CyberSix” (7:30 a.m.), about a female robot’s rebellion from her evil creator who fights crime while disguised as a high school teacher; and “Action Man” (8:30 a.m.), a thrill-seeker who competes in sporting events around the world — when he’s not battling evil-doers.
Fox Family Channel
Three new shows join the mix of live-action and animated series on the cable network’s channel.
“Edgemont” (11:30 a.m. Sept. 16) explores the perils of adolescence as experienced by an ensemble cast of teens.
“Real Scary Stories” (noon Oct. 21) uses a documentary filmmaking style in allowing kids from around the country to tell stories of the bizarre.
“The Zack Files” (12:30 p.m. Oct. 21) takes a page from “The X-Files” in its story of a kid who has weird stuff happening to him all the time.
NBC (WMAQ-Ch. 5)
The network, which decided years ago to forgo cartoons for teen-oriented live-action series, adds a new one, and is about to say goodbye to an old one.
The new is “Just Deal,” which premieres Sept. 23 at 10:30 a.m. It’s a dramedy about three teens from different sides of the tracks who attend high school and “just deal” with the realities of life.
The old is “Hang Time,” which is hanging up its jump shot at the end of this, its sixth season. The comedy (noon, Saturdays) about a high school basketball team whose star is a female player.
(The comedy will be shuffled around between Saturdays and Sundays for the next several weeks in favor of Olympic and other special coverage).
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon isn’t giving CBS all of its shows. It’s got three new ones it is holding onto for itself.
“Noah Knows Best” (premieres 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7) is a sitcom looking at the world of Manhattan’s Upper West Side through the eyes of a 14-year-old wiseguy.
“Pelswick” (premieres 7 p.m. Oct. 24) continues the network’s mantra of representing kids of all kinds of life. The animated series is about a 13-year-old boy who gets around by wheelchair.
Junior high school “As Told by Ginger” (premieres 7 p.m. Oct. 25) will be the focus of this cartoon, as a 12-year-old girl navigates this transitional period of a kid’s life.
PBS (WTTW-Ch. 11)
The public television network launches two new cartoons with special runs this Monday: “Caillou,” a live-action/animated series about a 4-year-old kid and his family, and “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” with John Ritter supplying the voice of the lovable pooch with his head in the clouds. “Caillou” throws out four episodes beginning at 6 a.m. (it’s normally on weekdays at 8:30 a.m.), followed by four episodes of “Clifford,” whose regular time is 7 a.m. weekdays.
Starting Sept. 30, the network will enter Saturday mornings kids show territory for the first time with “PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch,” six shows based on popular children’s books. The lineup –one following the other from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. — will be:
“Corduroy” is a city-dweller who loves to explore his diverse world.
“Elliot Moose” is an optimist who helps preschoolers with life skills.
“Timothy Goes to School” is the learning adventures of a bashful 5-year-old raccoon.
“Seven Little Monsters,” a family of kids over 10-feet tall.
“George Shrinks” is at the other end of the spectrum — he’s 3 inches tall.
“Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse” shares a friendship with a 9-year-old boy.
Kids’ WB (WCIU-Ch. 26)
The big news at Kids’ WB! is international action film star Jackie Chan stepping into the world of kids show with “Jackie Chan Adventures.” (10 a.m. Sept. 10) Appearing in live-action bits and in animation, Chan plays an archeologist who also works for a covert government agency.
Other new shows include “Static Shock” (11:30 a.m. Sept. 24), the first African-American teen superhero, based on the Milestone/DC comic book, and at least 100 new Pokemon characters infest “The Johto Journeys.” (11 a.m. Oct. 15)
Coming later in the fall are a new incarnation of the X-Men that looks at the days when the mutant superhero team were just learning how to use their powers, and “The Zeta Project,” about a renegade robot and his 15-year-old running buddy.
Kids’ WB! is launching “Fraturday,” a new run of cartoons starting at 5:30 a.m. Sept. 18 (so named because across the country it’s on Fridays; here it will be on Mondays). Along with such standards as “Batman Beyond,” it will include “Pokemon: The Johto Journeys” starting at 7:30 a.m. Oct. 23, and new musical animated series “Generation O!” which already has been previewed, at 8 a.m.
