27 Years Ago, MTV’s Fan-Favorite, Cult Animated Classic Debuted

Platforms like Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, and Netflix might be the premier spots to check out animation these days, but they weren’t the only kids on the block when it came to producing animated offerings in the past. For some time, Music Television had its fair share of animated series that populated its schedule. Before the days of Ridiculousness filling MTV’s platform, the cable network produced animated favorites such as Beavis and Butthead, The Maxx, Aeon Flux, and more. Nearly thirty years ago, MTV produced a series that wasn’t just a slice-of-life comedy, but it also tied into a Cartoon Network classic.

On August 3rd, 1999, MTV unveiled Downtown, a more mundane animated series that followed young “twenty-somethings” as they attempted to find their way in New York City. With 13 episodes, the series was unfortunately canceled after its first season, having introduced characters including Alex, Chaka, Jen, Serena, and more. Unfortunately, for those wanting to revisit the series, it isn’t currently available on any streaming service, even on Paramount+, despite the fact that it was on Music Television.

No specific reason was ever given as to why it’s so hard to stream Downtown; the vast array of music choices used for the show’s soundtrack might be the culprit as to why it has no streaming service to call home. While Downtown might have gotten lost in the shuffle, it was recognized by the Emmy Awards in the year 2000, nominated for Outstanding Animated Program. Ironically enough, several characters from the MTV series would return on Cartoon Network years later.

The Surprise Cartoon Network Crossovers

For those who might not know, Downtown was created by animator Christian Prynoski, who would depart the MTV animated series following its cancellation for greener pastures. Specifically, Prynoski directed and storyboarded several episodes of Cartoon Network’s Megas XLR, allowing him to slip in several easter eggs from the canceled Music Television series. Throughout the cult-classic, the mech-fueled animated comedy saw characters like Alex, Wedge, Goat, and Serena make appearances. While it was never confirmed that these two animated favorites took place in the same universe, it proved that the animator still had a soft spot for Alex and company’s world.

While heavy hitters like Beavis and Butt-Head and Daria might outshine Downtown as MTV animated offerings, there are countless series that have been lost to the seas of time. Specifically, shows like Undergrads, 3-South, Friday: The Animated Series, The Adventures of Chico and Guapo, and Where My Dogs At. While many MTV series have been brought back from the grave with recent revival series, such as Clone High, the likes of Downtown and earlier Music Television animated originals might never make a return. Twenty-seven years later, Downtown is a series that is worth revisiting as a window to the late 1990s if nothing else.