MeTV debuting a Saturday Morning Cartoons block in 2021

[TMC]

7-10am, early 2021. Part will the block will be a new nostalgic-themed show, the rest will feature Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies, Popeye and Tom & Jerry.

The classic TV Diginet MeTV Network is introducing a new original morning show Toon In With Me. The weekday one-hour hosted series will feature original comedy sketches, special guests, interviews, games and more, produced to lead into many of the greatest classic cartoon shorts ever made. Also announced is the launch of Saturday Morning Cartoons, a three-hour cartoon block of animated favorites.

Designed to appeal to viewers of all ages, Toon In With Me is scheduled to debut on MeTV in January 2021 with the show host and character cast performing in segments produced around timeless and beloved cartoons, starring Warner Bros. superstars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety, Road Runner and the many other fan favorites from the Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes shorts.

In addition, the theatrical cartoon library of MGM shorts that includes Tom & Jerry, Droopy Dog and the Tex Avery catalog will be part of the show. Also included are the original Popeye cartoons from Max Fleischer. In all, the library includes more than 1,000 cartoons that will be seen on MeTV.

“Toon In With Me will evoke the hosted children’s shows of decades past, blending nostalgia, fun, charm, comedy and cartoons, reimagined with new, original, live-action characters,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting. “It all adds up to a new program for viewers of all ages, ready to share the fun and positive energy together weekday mornings.”

Chicago-born actor, writer, comic and personality Bill Leff has been named the host of Toon In With Me. Leff is a pop-culture and classic TV fanatic who studied improvisation at Chicago’s Second City Theater, performed stand-up comedy nationwide in clubs and on national TV, hosted several successful radio shows, appeared in films including Major League and Major League 2 and has interviewed some of the biggest names in Hollywood film and television.

Also joining the Toon In With Me cast are performers Kevin Fleming and Leila Gorstein. Fleming is a writer, actor and improviser whose comedy writing credits include the Warner Bros. Animation series The New Looney Tunes airing on Boomerang. Other animated writing credits include The Tom & Jerry Show, Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, LEGO City Adventures and Woody Woodpecker.

Gorstein is an actor, writer and comedian who has performed as part of The Second City Touring Company. She recently co-wrote and starred in the romantic parody film Love Dump and has hosted the streaming game show Role Models.

MeTV also announced the weekend debut of Saturday Morning Cartoons, a three-hour “all cartoons, all the time” block reminiscent of the Saturday morning broadcasts of the past. Each hour will present a collection of cartoons featuring Popeye and Friends, Tom & Jerry, Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. Saturday Morning Cartoons is also scheduled to debut in early 2021.

https://tvnewscheck.com/article/2547...-show-in-2021/

[jimpickens]

Sounds great to me.

[king of comedy]

Ditto

[MrCleveland]

This is awesome...I grew-up on LT/MM.

I hope MeTV acquires rights to H-B shows next.

[Mario500]

"Saturday Morning Cartoons are coming to MeTV this January!" (an article)

[merlinjones]

I do hope that Me-TV uses a fully restored version of the original 1960s The Bugs Bunny Show (This is It) opening. That theme is beloved by all boomers and x-ers.

[jimpickens]

And I hope they show them uncut and show the ones you don't see on Boomerang.

[Charley Knox]

https://www.metv.com/schedule/2021-01-02
Jan 1st
9:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
WHAT'S OPERA DOC (1957), SCREWY TRUANT, ONE FROGGY EVENING (1955), NORTHWEST HOUNDED POLICE, CUSTOMERS WANTED, DUCK AMUCK (1953)

Jan 2nd
7:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
RABBIT SEASONING (1952), BAD LUCK BLACKIE, DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH C (1953), DAREDEVIL DROOPY, CAT CONCERTO, WHAT'S UP, DOC?

[Sal]

Originally Posted by Charley Knox

https://www.metv.com/schedule/2021-01-02
Jan 1st
9:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
WHAT'S OPERA DOC (1957), SCREWY TRUANT, ONE FROGGY EVENING (1955), NORTHWEST HOUNDED POLICE, CUSTOMERS WANTED, DUCK AMUCK (1953)

Jan 2nd
7:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
RABBIT SEASONING (1952), BAD LUCK BLACKIE, DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH C (1953), DAREDEVIL DROOPY, CAT CONCERTO, WHAT'S UP, DOC?

From that same page, also on Saturday January 2nd


7:00am
Popeye and Pals
LUMBERJACK AND JILL, POPEYE THE SAILOR, THE PANELESS WINDOW WASHER, BETTY IN BLUNDERLAND, GOONLAND, THE FISTIC MYSTIC
"Betty Boop travels to Wonderland."

8:00am
The Tom and Jerry Show
FILET-MEOW, ONE DROOPY KNIGHT, BODYGUARD, LITTLE BUCK CHEESER, UNWELCOME GUEST, DOWN AND OUTING

9:00am
Bugs Bunny and Friends
HAIR-RAISING HARE, TWO SCENT'S WORTH (1955), BIRDS ANONYMOUS (1957), PORKY PIG'S FEAT (1943), BEEP, BEEP (1952), BUGS BUNNY RIDES AGAIN

[Charley Knox]

First episode of Toon In With Me Jan 4th.
7:00am Remind Me
Toon In With Me
BEANSTALK BUNNY (1955), LITTLE RURAL RIDING HOOD, VIM, VIGOR AND VITALIKY, AH SWEET MOUSE-STORY OF LIFE, WALKY TALKY HAWKY

[Charley Knox]

Appears a few Betty Book cartoons will be part of The Popeye and Friends block. Wondering if the Betty cartoons will only be what's available in the public domain?

[LaBestia]

This sounds like an awesome way for METV to begin 2021 with. Because with the new Saturday Morning Cartoons block it sounds like it will bring METV wonderful ratings and a fresh audience. I wonder now that they are showing the Looney Tunes cartoons METV will also add reruns of The Bugs Bunny And Tweety Show that aired on ABC Saturday Mornings during the 80's as well?
Bestie

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Charley Knox

https://www.metv.com/schedule/2021-01-02
Jan 1st
9:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
WHAT'S OPERA DOC (1957), SCREWY TRUANT, ONE FROGGY EVENING (1955), NORTHWEST HOUNDED POLICE, CUSTOMERS WANTED, DUCK AMUCK (1953)

Jan 2nd
7:00pm
MeTV’s Cartoon Kick Off Show
RABBIT SEASONING (1952), BAD LUCK BLACKIE, DUCK DODGERS IN THE 24 1/2TH C (1953), DAREDEVIL DROOPY, CAT CONCERTO, WHAT'S UP, DOC?

For those who don't know, there are some truly classic Warner toons among these.

What's Opera Doc is the epitome of Chuck Jones cartoons--Jones at his most brilliant. Setting Bugs and Elmer in an opera, it even has a song (Return My Love) written by Michael Maltese (a Warner cartoon writer).

One Froggy Evening--quoting from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies book:
"One of the most celebrated films in animation history, and justly a [nother Chuck Jones] masterpiece of concept, timing, and nuance.") For some reason Cartoon Network bypassed this one.

Duck Amuck - more Chuck Jones brilliance--setting Bugs up as Daffy's animator. (A later toon did the reverse).

Rabbit Seasoning - the second of the famous (again, Jones) rabbit season, duck season trilogy (Rabbit Fire and and Duck! Rabbit! Duck! being the other two).

Duck Dodgers... - another famous early 50s entry from you-know-who, setting up Daffy and Porky as space travelers. And an early appearance for Marvin the Martian.

[Charley Knox]

Definitely some of the best of the best stuff in there.

[merlinjones]

I truly thank those at Me-TV and WB who helped bring back these great classic cartoons. It was such a treat to have a belly laugh again on Saturday morning! Nothing seemed right all these years without cartoons on broadcast TV. Looking forward to more.

Also happy to see the 60s Bugs Bunny show "This is It'' opening -- I've read that the original elements were compromised in the recutting of subsequent versions, but it seems a better restoration could be made from a combination of existing color negative and black & white prints (recuts shown on the DVD Looney Tunes Golden Collection sets) - with some computer magic and maybe a little $ help from Me we can see a restoration of these titles? Wishful thinking for the New Year anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWSS1udxST4

Also it would be cool to see the 60s Tom & Jerry CBS titles restored too (there were several variants - the orchestral instrumental theme is awesome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmWiflT0pvc

On the subject of Tom & Jerry -- given the first Saturday hour only included latter day T&J cartoons (2 Dietch and 1 Jones) rather than the any of the earlier HB classics, I do hope they aren't trying to avoid shorts with "Mammy Two Shoes."

Including Betty Boop cartoons with Popeye was a treat, please add Fleischer's Superman too if possible.

Again - thanks to all involved! : )