90s Kids Rejoice: All 53 Episodes of a Fox Kids Classic Return to Streaming
Streaming has kicked open the vault, turning hard-to-find classics and cult gems into one-click discoveries. For longtime fans and first-timers alike, beloved favorites and the shows and films you missed are finally within easy reach.
Streaming is great for one thing in particular: digging up the cartoons you thought were lost to foggy Saturday mornings and putting them right in front of you. Case in point: a late '90s kid classic is about to pop back up, and it is gloriously free.
The New Woody Woodpecker Show lands on Tubi
All 53 episodes of The New Woody Woodpecker Show hit Tubi on June 1. Yes, all of it, and yes, free. The series first aired May 8, 1999 and wrapped July 27, 2002 as part of Fox's Fox Kids block, serving as a modern refresh of the 1970s Woody Woodpecker Show. If you grew up on this, you remember the vibe: it was made for kids but tossed in enough winks and edge to keep adults watching too.
How the show worked
Episodes were split into two shorts. One followed Woody getting into trouble with familiar faces like Winnie Woodpecker and the twins Knothead & Splinter. The other shifted to Antarctica for Chilly Willy, the mute penguin whose entire life is basically a battle for snacks and warmth. Simple on paper, consistently chaotic in practice.
The tone: late '90s mischief, updated for everyone
This revival leaned into what made those old theatrical cartoons fun, then gave it a late '90s polish. It was a little sharper, a little rowdier, and not afraid to be cheeky. Kids got the slapstick, adults got the attitude, and both groups left happy.
Stacked voice cast (yes, that Mark Hamill)
The series brought in some heavy hitters behind the mic. Billy West (you know him from Ren & Stimpy and Futurama) voiced Woody. Mark Hamill showed up as the ever-scheming Buzz Buzzard. And E.G. Daily — the voice of Buttercup on The Powerpuff Girls and Tommy Pickles on Rugrats — gave Knothead his punchy personality. For a weekend cartoon, that is a serious roster.
- Where to watch: Tubi
- When: June 1
- How much: Free
- What you get: All 53 episodes
- Originally aired: May 8, 1999 to July 27, 2002 on Fox Kids
- Format: Two-segment episodes — one with Woody, one with Chilly Willy
- Supporting players: Winnie Woodpecker; Knothead & Splinter
- Voices: Billy West (Woody), Mark Hamill (Buzz Buzzard), E.G. Daily (Knothead)
It did not run forever back in the day, but its return to streaming is exactly why these platforms are useful: older fans get to time-travel, and a new generation gets to meet a very loud bird and a very hungry penguin. Fire it up June 1 and let the cackle do the rest.