Cartoon Network Series Given Lifelines as HBO Max Slashes Content

Some days it feels as though no animated series is safe on HBO Max. Most recently, Townsville’s finest, The Powerpuff Girls, had their series removed from the Warner Bros streaming service, leaving many to wonder if any Cartoon Network series would remain on the platform. Luckily, some of the cable network’s biggest series have been given a recent lifeline as many of their licenses have been extended past their previous expiration dates. If you’re looking to see whether your favorite animated series made the cut, read on to see if today is your lucky day.

Unfortunately, Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup weren’t the only animated figures of Cartoon Network fame to lose their spot on HBO MAX this month. Earlier in May, the likes of The Flintstones, The Smurfs, Be Cool Scooby-Doo!, Scooby-Doo And Guess Who?, and Tom And Jerry were all stricken from the platform. A new report regarding license extensions has been revealed that confirms the likes of Samurai Jack, Adult Swim’s Home Movies, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Robot Chicken will all, seemingly, remain on the service past their initial expiration dates. Unfortunately, the extensions aren’t equal across the board as some series have been given longer lifelines than others when it comes to the

[RELATED: HBO Max Removes One of Cartoon Network’s Biggest Shows]

Cartoon Network’s Lifelines Explained

To start, Home Movies and Robot Chicken received the longest extensions, with both the Adult Swim series originally set to lose their licenses this month. Both adult-centric series have been extended to May 2026, leaving fans plenty of time to either revisit or watch the cult classic series for the first time. Unfortunately, in the case of Samurai Jack and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, both animated series were given far less time before their licenses fade into the night. The stories of Jack, Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad have been given a month-long reprieve as their licenses will now expire in June rather than May. While not confirmed to be leaving MAX, there might be a faster timeline for potential expulsion so if you want to revisit these series, now is as good a time as any.

Even if MAX does lose many of these shows eventually, it doesn’t mean that they’re sure to be gone forever from the digital landscape. In the past, many Warner Bros animated series have made the jump from their premiere platform to streaming services such as Netflix, Tubi, Hulu, and more. While nothing has been set in stone, there is always a call for amazing animated content so some of the WB’s finest might return in unexpected places in the future.

The License Expiration List

While some of Cartoon Network’s animated series have been given new life on MAX, many were stricken in conjunction with their license expiration dates. You can check out the series that were, and perhaps still are, on the chopping block below.

• The Sylvester & Tweety Mysteries – April 1
• Baby Looney Tunes – June 1
• New Looney Tunes – June 1
• Tom And Jerry Tales – April 1
• Tom And Jerry – May 1
• The Tom And Jerry Show – July 1
• Jonny Quest – April 1
• The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries – April 1
• A Pup Named Scooby Doo – April 1
• Yogi Bear – May 1
• The Flintstones – May 1
• The Jetsons – May 1
• The Smurfs – May 1
• Scooby-Doo And Scrappy-Doo – May 1
• Be Cool, Scooby Doo – May 1
• Scooby-Doo And Guess Who – May 1
• The New Scooby-Doo Movies – June 1
• Scooby-Doo, Mystery Incorporated – June 1
• What’s New Scooby-Doo – August 1
• Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! – September 1
• The Scooby-Doo Show – September 1
• Apple & Onion – February 11
• The Powerpuff Girls – May 27
• Courage The Cowardly Dog – August 1
• Adventure Time – October 1
• Squidbillies – January 11
• Robot Chicken – May 10
• Home Movies – May 27
• Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Seasons 1-11) – May 27
• Samurai Jack – May 27
• Harvey Birdman – August 31
• Moral Orel – August 31
• Black Dynamite – August 31
• Sealab 2021 – September 1
• The Brak Show – September 1
• Superjail – September 1

Want to see what Cartoon Network series are safe in the ever-changing world of streaming? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest on the world of animation and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.

Via Animation on MAX