16 Years Ago, a Fan-Favorite Cartoon Network Classic Ended (And Its Prequel Never Happened)
Cartoon Network has been bringing back some of its biggest characters in recent years, and the cable channel has been all the better for it. Specifically, series such as Regular Show: The Lost Tapes, Adventure Time: Side Quests, and The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball are tearing it up on the streaming charts. Unfortunately, while several animated characters have made comebacks in recent memory, there are some who remain in a state of limbo. Such is the case with a feline culinary artist who first appeared on Cartoon Network sixteen years ago, with a prequel series pitched but never brought to fruition.
On August 7th, 2010, the world had to say goodbye to Chowder, the animated series that presented a colorful world in which its titular character tried to become the greatest chef. While Chowder would typically forego his lessons to focus on chowing down on copious amounts of food, the series exceled in both comedy and creating unbelievable dishes that could never exist in our world. While the finale did imagine an adult Chowder settling down with long-time supporting character Panini, this would be the final time we witnessed the purple cat with a series to call his own. Surprisingly enough, Cartoon Network turned down a pitch from series creator C.H. Greenblatt to bring back Chowder in a much younger form.
The Chowder Who Never Was
Earlier this year, Greenblatt revealed that he had pitched Cartoon Network on the idea of a prequel series titled Chowder: First Course. While the series never made it to the screen, it would have brought back a younger iteration of the titular character. The proposed animated show would have featured Chowder, Panini, and Gorgonzola all attempting to learn the culinary arts, though the roles of the many other characters that made up the animated series remains a mystery.
Last year, we here at ComicBook.com actually had the chance to talk with Chowder creator C.H. Greenblatt about potentially bringing back the series. During our discussion, Greenblatt mused over how the purple feline would return, ““I think if I did, it would have to be a version that evolved it or tweaked it just a little bit so it wasn’t just more of the same thing because with the kids having grown up, the voices are different. So it’d have to kind of be, like, not necessarily a reboot, but some twist on it that, to me, justifies it existing as a new version. I like him as a kid. I think there’s a certain innocence to that, and I think there’s something fun about that idea of learning about the world. And he’s very innocent. He’s very open. I feel like I’d still like them as kids.”
