The Time Boomerang Almost Went Preschool

 It is no secret that Boomerang is a channel that's had an identity crisis or two. It's been a hub for classic animation, a dumping ground for Cartoon Network shows, and a run-of-the-mill kids network. On some days, it's all three of those! But in the 2000s, it almost became something else. Today, I'm talking about the time Boomerang nearly went preschool.

The year is 2005. Boomerang had been around for five years, and even then, the channel felt like it was on autopilot. Meanwhile, Cartoon Network was embarking on new territory: programming for pre-schoolers. Nickelodeon had Nick Jr., Disney had Playhouse Disney, so Cartoon Network had to have "Tickle U." If you don't remember Tickle U, that's because it came and went in less than six months. Its first broadcast was in August 2005, and its final was in January 2006. The lesson CN learned from this experiment? According to CN Studios producer Brian Miller, "counterprogramming works!"

But what if this block had found success? According to this Toonzone post from 2004 (itself based on a Wall Street Journal piece), Boomerang would have been turned into a channel for pre-schoolers. Quite a switch-up from Popeye and Flintstones, but I do think it's worth pointing out that Boomerang was aimed at younger children from the start. Check out this news story announcing the channel if you don't believe me. Since those older cartoons were becoming more accessible thanks to DVD, I'm assuming the top brass thought this would be a great way to rejuvenate the channel for that younger audience.

And the reactions from the site's readers? Here's a taste.

In the end, Boomerang did not become a station devoted to Peppa Pig, but funny enough, that fate would indeed come to pass for many of its international incarnations. As of 2025, nine of those channels have been transformed into "Cartoonito" channels, the name coming from CN's second and more recent expansion into pre-school content. Will this happen to the American Boomerang? I don't think so, but then again, I never thought Warner Brothers would can finished Batman and Looney Tunes movies. Only time will tell. So the next time you're upset that Boomerang is airing newer cartoons instead of the classics, simply remember that it could always be worse!