A Decade Later, Cartoon Network’s Most Controversial Reboot Still Sparks Debate
Cartoon Network built an animation empire with hits like Dexter’s Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and Ed Edd n Eddy—but its record isn’t spotless. One tumultuous decade churned out a string of misfires that left fans and critics cold.
If you grew up on Cartoon Network, you know the highs were very high: Dexter's Laboratory, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed, Edd n Eddy… absolute pillars. But ten years ago, CN dusted off one of its biggest brands for a modern revival that, to put it gently, did not land. The Powerpuff Girls (2016) arrived with plenty of buzz and left with plenty of side-eye. A decade later, it is still one of the network's most debated do-overs.
Quick rewind
The original Powerpuff Girls was a monster hit for Cartoon Network: six seasons, 78 episodes, and a legit cultural footprint. The reboot premiered on April 4, 2016, and despite a rocky reception, it actually lasted three seasons and nearly 120 episodes. Impressive run on paper, even if a lot of fans would prefer to pretend it never happened. The brand is still a big deal for Warner Bros., but that 2016 era is not exactly a cherished chapter.
So… why did the 2016 reboot rub people the wrong way?
- It chased the meme-of-the-week. Jokes leaned hard into internet culture and current events, which dated the show fast and pulled focus from the superhero storytelling that hooked people in the first place.
- The vibe aged up, the girls did not. The world around Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup felt older and more teen-coded, even though the characters still looked like little kids. That mismatch made the tone feel off.
- The humor just did not hit like the original. Fans compared it directly to the '98 run and found the new gags thinner and noisier.
- The moment everyone remembers for the wrong reason: a twerking gag that left a lot of viewers staring at the screen like… why?
What the creator thinks
Craig McCracken, who created the original series, did not work on the 2016 version. In 2023, he summed up the problem as a shift in what the show thought it was:
"We were first and foremost making a superhero show, but they happened to be kids who then happened to be little girls. What they were doing was making a show about little girls who had superpowers. Because the focus changed, the tone changed."
He has also explained that the trio works because they are carefully balanced parts of one whole: Blossom as the mind, Buttercup as the muscle, Bubbles as the spirit. They bounce off each other like one fused lead character; if you break that balance, the show tilts.
Where the Powerpuffs are now
After that three-season run, there have been no new animated installments with Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. The franchise is not gone, though. The library circled back onto screens via Tubi, which picked up a batch of Cartoon Network animated originals for free streaming.
Outside animation, the brand also made headlines thanks to The CW's attempted live-action take. That project stalled out after a notorious pilot and leak- fueled backlash over story choices. Nothing new has materialized from that lane since.
Bottom line: a decade on from the reboot, The Powerpuff Girls is still a core Warner Bros. property, but the 2016 version mostly lives as a cautionary tale about changing the focus without changing the foundation.