The What a Cartoon Show 3-Disc Box Set DVD

The What A Cartoon Show is the mid-1990s Cartoon Network and CBS animated showcase that served as the development pipeline for the network's original animation slate during its identity-building era, with each episode pairing brief original cartoon shorts that pitched new characters and premises directly to the audience. The show ran across multiple seasons starting in 1995, with a 48-episode collection capturing a substantial chunk of the broadcast catalog. The format gave creators a platform to develop new properties, with successful pitches often spinning off into their own full series.

What makes the series distinct is its function as the network's flagship development pipeline. The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, and Courage the Cowardly Dog all originated as What A Cartoon Show shorts before becoming full Cartoon Network series. The format gave the network a structured way to test new ideas with audiences before committing to series production, with each successful short building a body of evidence for the network to greenlight a full show.

For its era, the show represents Cartoon Network at the foundation of its creator-driven animation identity. The series ran across multiple seasons before its eventual transformation into the network's full original-series lineup. The 48-episode catalog covers a deep cut of the show's broadcast catalog, with shorts that ranged from genuine future hits to one-off experiments that never went past the pilot stage.

The most rewarding entries are the future-classic launchers. "The Powerpuff Girls" launches the eventual flagship franchise. "Dexter's Laboratory" introduces another major Cartoon Network property. "Johnny Bravo" launches the muscle-bound character. "Cow and Chicken" handles the eventual full-series pair. "Courage the Cowardly Dog" introduces another network classic. "Mina and the Count" launches a recurring property. "Sledgehammer O'Possum" handles a violent-comedy entry. "Larry and Steve" runs an early Seth MacFarlane-adjacent entry. "Pizza Boy" delivers a delivery-comedy plot. "Tales of Worm Paranoia" closes the selection. All 48 episodes across 3 DVDs collect a deep cut of the run, every Cartoon Network development pitch, every future-classic launch, in one box.