Adult Swim’s Cartoon Network Classics Block Is a Ratings Hit

Adult Swim’s new Checkered Past block has been a major ratings hit ever since it started airing classic Cartoon Network series on TV again after so many years! Adult Swim kicked off a special new TV block earlier this Spring as part of a new expansion of the network with Cartoon Network’s programming overall. This started with Adult Swim expanding for an additional hour, then led to the surprise announcement that there would be an additional expansion of two more hours where Adult Swim would be airing classic Cartoon Network animated series that haven’t fully been on TV since the 2000s. 

This nostalgia fueled block is known as “Checkered Past,” and a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery revealed that it’s been a huge hit with its intended audience in the ratings as it “delivered a 102 percent ratings increase among Adults 25-54” and also noted a comparison of the following with a “106 percent ratings increase among Adults 18-49 over the prior six weeks of Cartoon Network programming.” So it seems like adding these Cartoon Network favorites has been the right move so far. 

Adult Swim: What Is Checkered Past? 

Checkered Past is a new block that airs from 5PM to 7PM with Adult Swim that features Cartoon Network classic shows such as Dexter’s Laboratory, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Ed, Edd, n’ Eddy. The programming per day changes depending on what kind of programming Adult Swim has planned (some days are used for marathons of certain shows, for example), and it seems like fans have been flocking to this special afternoon block as a way to get primed for the rest of Adult Swim’s programming throughout the evening. 

Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Discovery Kids, said the following for the Checkered Past nostalgia block during its initial announcement, “Animation can both speak to multiple age groups in the moment, and also find new audiences across decades…The early Cartoon Network originals—like Dexter’s Laboratory or Courage the Cowardly Dog are examples of shows that do both.”

Have you been watching the Checkered Past block on Adult Swim? What has been your favorite show to see come back? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!