By Amanda
Cartoon Network announced Monday that they are bringing back sugar and spice mixed with a healthy dose of Chemical X and feminism. The Powerpuff Girls is returning to television in 2016. At the 2014 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, the network made the announcement that they are revamping the show, but have not indicated whether or not original creator Craig McCracken will be involved or not.
The original show ran from 1998 to 2005 with 78 episodes, a movie, and three of the cutest crime fighters around. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup might be dressed in soft color palettes and dresses, but they often turned gender stereotypes on their heads. In the first season alone, the girls faced crushes, bullying, and jail time. My personal favorite is the episode “Bubblevicious” in which Bubbles tries to prove she’s hardcore after being constantly dismissed as nothing but a baby. Looking back, the episode feels oddly reminiscent of the rage I’ve felt every time someone has dismissed me as “cute” for being 5’3”. Plus, even if there was one Powerpuff Girl you felt most aligned to your personality, there were still aspects of each character you could appreciate.
Cartoon Network’s run of animated shows that still charm adults (especially Adventure Time) makes us hope that a revamped Powerpuff Girls will have the same tone. Shows like Dexter’s Lab, Johnny Bravo, and many others had crossover appeal for people of all ages. Pixar and Dreamworks also make use of this strategy to sell movies to the young adults who grew up on these networks, and it works. Of course we prefer shows and movies that incorporate everyone rather than industries that are exclusive to certain audiences—yes, Ubisoft, we’re looking at you.
A year and a half is a long time to wait for some of our favorite superheroes, but we will definitely be watching when it returns.
The original show ran from 1998 to 2005 with 78 episodes, a movie, and three of the cutest crime fighters around. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup might be dressed in soft color palettes and dresses, but they often turned gender stereotypes on their heads. In the first season alone, the girls faced crushes, bullying, and jail time. My personal favorite is the episode “Bubblevicious” in which Bubbles tries to prove she’s hardcore after being constantly dismissed as nothing but a baby. Looking back, the episode feels oddly reminiscent of the rage I’ve felt every time someone has dismissed me as “cute” for being 5’3”. Plus, even if there was one Powerpuff Girl you felt most aligned to your personality, there were still aspects of each character you could appreciate.
Cartoon Network’s run of animated shows that still charm adults (especially Adventure Time) makes us hope that a revamped Powerpuff Girls will have the same tone. Shows like Dexter’s Lab, Johnny Bravo, and many others had crossover appeal for people of all ages. Pixar and Dreamworks also make use of this strategy to sell movies to the young adults who grew up on these networks, and it works. Of course we prefer shows and movies that incorporate everyone rather than industries that are exclusive to certain audiences—yes, Ubisoft, we’re looking at you.
A year and a half is a long time to wait for some of our favorite superheroes, but we will definitely be watching when it returns.