Cartoon Network ended an absolute banger of an animated series 23 years ago this week, and unfortunately for old fans and new, it’s very hard to seek out and watch its classic episodes because it’s been taken off of streaming. Cartoon Network was really at its peak in the late 1990s heading into the 2000s as the studio behind it was experimenting with all sorts of notable creators and shows. Fans of that time got to see a lot of unique voices make it into various projects as a result, and that spirit of experimentation continued in the decades to come.
Videos by ComicBook.com
This major era of Cartoon Network not only saw the debut of some major animated classics held in high regard by fans today, and also meant that some of these shows had to end eventually too. Such was the case for Courage the Cowardly Dog, which ended on Cartoon Network 23 years ago on November 22, 2002. This was ten days and three years after the series first premiered, and unfortunately it’s no longer available to stream with any service as it has been one of the shows Warner Bros had stripped from HBO Max along with its other classic shows.
What Is Courage the Cowardly Dog?
Originally created by John R. Dilworth, Courage the Cowardly Dog introduced fans to the titular dog living together with his two owners, Muriel and Eustance, on a farm in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. Courage spent each episode coming across otherworldly horrors beyond his imagination, and would need to somehow keep his owners safe while they had no idea what was actually happening. It ranged from evil monsters, space aliens, mutants, fungi, and much more as each episode pit Courage against something wild that he needed creative ways to defeat or resolve.
The series ran for 52 episodes in total across four seasons, and that is a very notable run for any animated series. While Courage the Cowardly Dog was the kind of series that could technically go on forever, it seemed like a great time to send it into the sunset. The final episode in particular not only brings an emotional resolution to some of the series’ biggest questions like where Courage actually came from, but also to Courage’s journey itself. He was a dog that would do wild things for those he loved, but had no confidence in himself.
“Courage the Cowardly Dog” was a play on the fact that Courage would bravely face all of these evils that came to his home, but was still very frightened by everything that happened. He needed to keep an eye out for things that were clear and present dangers, but often had trouble communicating with his owners to truly cement the threat. It made each episode all the more compelling as fans watched him contort himself to try and defeat the monster of the week, or find new solutions that no one might expect like befriending the new threat or digging into their past instead.
What Happened to Courage the Cowardly Dog?
Courage the Cowardly Dog has been a marquee animated series for Cartoon Network. Because while Warner Bros. eventually did remove it from HBO Max together with the other classics on the platform, it was the final of these classic era shows to remain on the platform. It’s been an anchor for the nostalgic experimentation of the early 2020s with Warner Bros. as it was also the first show that headlined the now cancelled Checkered Past nostalgia programming block with Adult Swim too. It’s clear there’s a love for the series.
But even with that said, it’s pretty hard to actually watch Courage the Cowardly Dog these days. After it was removed from HBO Max, the animated series was no longer available to watch with any streaming platforms. While some of the other Cartoon Network classics have moved onto other potential platforms, it’s not been the same cause for this. The franchise did briefly return as part of an official crossover with Scooby-Doo, Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog, back in 2021, and it’s currently available in stores and digital.
You can purchase episodes of Courage the Cowardly Dog through platforms like Apple, but it’s not as readily available as a gem of a show like this deserves. The animated series is a certified classic with Cartoon Network for a reason, and had a very distinct voice compared to all of the other hits at the time. It’s why fans still love it to this day, and why there’s a bit of Courage in everyone’s hearts even 23 years after it ended its original run. There’s nothing else like it.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image courtesy of Paramount+
