WI: No 2007 Boston Bomb scare?

[NothingNow]

So, In a short rundown, as most of you know, in 2007 the stoned idiots at Williams Street (a Studio in Atlanta producing material for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim Block) have the Aquateen Hunger Force movie coming out, and come up with a stupid plan to advertise it. "Let's put PCB/LED signs allover major cities," They said, "surely only good could come of this!" And they did it, and the devices looked like bombs and people freaked, and It hurt Cartoon Network, and Turner Networks Horribly. The Folks at Williams Street dodged any blame, and in the aftermath, Turner forced the 13 year head of Cartoon Network, Jim Samples (one of the people who ran the network from pretty much the beginning and made it what it was at the time.)
Also, a Wiki link

So, what happens if it doesn't happen, if there is no ad campaign? Bear in mind this created Cartoon Network's Lost years, as Stuart Snyder took over, and didn't know how to do anything well, killing Toonami on 2008/9/20 in the process.

Also, Scenario Two: It happens like OTL, but Turner all but torches Williams Street, and fires everyone in there, remotely related to the decision, completely dismantling the block, and replacing the staff with some of Sample's people. Maybe the Adult Swim block gets Shitcanned in it's entirely, and the Toonami is brought back to late night?

 

[Clorox23]

Well, I can't offer much (because I need to do some research to give a deep analysis into this), but I have two ideas concerning a No-Bomb Scare Cartoon Network (aka Scenario One):

A) Because the Lost Years were prevented (which I guess is a fancy way of saying Cartoon Network went down Poo Poo Avenue), "CN Real" was never made.

and

B) I'm willing to wager that because this "ad campaign" was enacted in OTL, more attention was drawn towards "Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters", as a weird fascination to learn if the film was worth creating a bomb scare. Heck, the film itself saw somewhat good success, being rated 6.8 on iMDB and earning $5 million (with a budget of $750,000).

However, take that away, and you would (methaphorically) take away a good ammount of the attention towards it. Therefore, the film would make less, be rated lower, and there's also the possibility that it'd just BOMB altogether. So, bottom line, the film (the spark to the powder keg, if you will) would be worse off.

 

[NothingNow]

However, take that away, and you would (methaphorically) take away a good ammount of the attention towards it. Therefore, the film would make less, be rated lower, and there's also the possibility that it'd just BOMB altogether. So, bottom line, the film (the spark to the powder keg, if you will) would be worse off.

Which is good, because, frankly, it was a piece of shit.

 

[Clorox23]

Bumpity bump.

 

[Zacoftheaxes]

Saving Toonami would have a big effect on the internet. A ton of online anime streaming sites are popular because there is no anime block on any mainstream channel (besides Adult Swim on the weekends, which is too late for me and fairly lack luster.) It also (to some degree), ending up leading some anime fans to 4chan, as it is frequently referenced on anime boards and boards of other eastern interests. It also allowed people to pick and choose their anime. Ecchi, Hentai, etc would probably not be as popular if people stuck to watching anime on tv.

On channel effects, some of the better (and hipster-ish) shows of now: Adventure Time, The Regular Show, and MAD, what becomes of them?

 

[NothingNow]

Saving Toonami would have a big effect on the internet. A ton of online anime streaming sites are popular because there is no anime block on any mainstream channel (besides Adult Swim on the weekends, which is too late for me and fairly lack luster.) It also (to some degree), ending up leading some anime fans to 4chan, as it is frequently referenced on anime boards and boards of other eastern interests. It also allowed people to pick and choose their anime. Ecchi, Hentai, etc would probably not be as popular if people stuck to watching anime on tv.

Definitely, although I doubt it would affect the popularity of more risque things that much. In fact, it'd definitely lead to a wider popularity of the medium in general.

On channel effects, some of the better (and hipster-ish) shows of now: Adventure Time, The Regular Show, and MAD, what becomes of them?

Given the timing, they might not be butterflied away, depending on the Show, Adventure Time, for instance probably wouldn't be, given how much the pilot was shopped arround. I can't say about anything else.

 

[Clorox23]

I have some more ideas for Scenario 1:

A) Destroy Build Destroy and Dude, What Would Happen? wouldn't have been made. I know that I already mentioned that CN Real wouldn't have happened, but I'm using this as sort of a jumping off point (AKA: elaborate more). Destroy Build Destroy in OTL has been recently renewed for a fourth season, despite lowering ratings. I have a hunch that this is a connection to a sad fact: Dude, What Would Happen? has been a ratings success for Cartoon Network.

THAT is the main reason why there are still live action shows on Cartoon Network, including a new one coming soon called Level Up. Even though CN REal was a BOMB in OTL, there are signs that the higher ups are trying to do this AGAIN. Therefore, take away CN Real, and you take away THAT.

B) As for the newer shows like Adventure Time, Regular Show, Ben 10: Alien Force, and so on... well, concidering that they were being planned DESPITE the bomb scare, it's likely that they'd still exist.

C) On the subject of cartoons, shows like My Gym Partner's a Monkey and Squirrel Boy and others that got cancelled some time after the bomb scare would either remain the same (be cancelled the same time as in OTL) OR last a bit longer (I know Squirrel Boy would've).

D) As for Toonami (a popular topic in this discussion, I'm picking up on), I'm pretty sure that it would still be up since Snyder didn't help screw it up. By January 31th, 2007, the plan was already in motion to rebrand it into it's least popular form with uncanny valley TOM 4, not to mention the whole cutting it down to two-hour thing.

Now, with the change in management thanks to the bomb scare, I'm going to assume that this was still going to be planned out. But, minus the bomb scare, I'm not sure what would happen to these plans. Sure, chances are that Stuart Snyder helped foward these plans and Jim Samples would've probabily vetoed them, but you can't say for certain that this was in the hands of the head of Cartoon Network (maybe the higher ups at Turner?).

------

However, once you apply this to Scenario 2, a bigger problem arises: the subject of the missing weekend slot.

Since this is too long, I'll cliffnote this: The fans of Adult Swim would be PISSED that the block was canned, and it would be a hassle trying to get Toonami to fill that spot, will the fanboys trying in various ways to get Adult Swim back.

------

This is really becoming interesting. However, part of me wishes this was a TL instead of a WI.

 

[Hadley]

If Adult Swim was canned, i can see either comedy central or Spike tv trying to get the rights to the more popular shows (though the ones based off HB characters would be out of the question of course) like venture bros, metalocalypse, and boondocks. As for CN, they may replace Adult Swim with a slighter edgier version of toonami, maybe calling it "Japan after dark", and airing shows like ranma 1/2, excel saga, tokko, panty and stocking, black lagoon, and stuff like that. Heck, i can even see them trying to get elfen lied (obviously airing it after midnight of course).

 

[Noravea]

I think Cartoon Network may keep Family Guy and American Dad though, those got a lot of viewers from teenagers (Since it is on at 10 and 11 for an hour each).