Adult Swim Classics Returning to TV for 25th Anniversary Lineup
Adult Swim is readying for a major 25th anniversary celebration, and it turns out some of its classic lineup is returning to TV for a special broadcast to commemorate the milestone. Adult Swim has essentially become its own brand after all these years as while it was initially broken off as a second phase of Cartoon Network for adult audiences, it’s now become a much bigger deal with fans after all this time. In many ways it was eclipsed Cartoon Network in the modern era, and an icon in its own right.
It all began with a special line up of admittedly wild shows on September 2, 2001, and 25 years later Adult Swim is going back to that original line up for a special broadcast. As spotted by @CNSchedules on X, Adult Swim will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a broadcast line up that’s going to look much like the block did when it first began all those years ago with shows like Home Movies, The Brak Show and more airing for the first time in a while.
Adult Swim to Air Special 25th Anniversary Lineup
Adult Swim’s broadcast line up for September 2, 2026 according to reports breaks down as such:
- 10:00PM – Home Movies
- 10:30PM – The Brak Show
- 11:00PM – Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law
- 11:15PM – Sealab 2021
- 11:30PM – Space Ghost Coast to Coast
- 12:00AM – Robot Chicken Adult Swim 25th Anniversary Special
This is nearly the exact same line up that kicked off Adult Swim’s time on Cartoon Network 25 years ago other than the fact that Cowboy Bebop is missing in action here. Instead fans will see it all capped off with a re-airing of the upcoming Robot Chicken 25th anniversary special that reunites many of these Adult Swim characters in a fun new way. But even with that change this is still a pretty cool move for Adult Swim overall as it goes back into the vault for the celebration.
Home Movies, The Brak Show and more in particular haven’t been airing as regular parts of the block for quite some time. It’s even more the case for classics like Sealab 2021 that were such a big part of the original lineup for Adult Swim, but have since been mostly retired in favor of newer original hits. But the charm of these shows, and often low rent in the process, are what helped make Adult Swim the cool place and brand it has become for adult animation overall.
What’s Next for Adult Swim’s 25th Anniversary?
Also coming as part of the 25th anniversary celebration for Adult Swim overall, Robot Chicken is also coming back with a new special highlighting many of the block’s favorite characters after all these years. Robot Chicken Adult Swim Special will be making its debut on Sunday, August 30th, and then will be made available for streaming with HBO Max the next day. Bringing back classic show icons for a fun new adventure, this special teases appearance from both animated and live-action favorites.
This is all part of the wider celebration for Cartoon Network’s own 35th anniversary too. Because while Adult Swim has been such a big part of Cartoon Network, it wouldn’t be anything without its home base during the daytime. We’re going to see all sorts of big events in the coming year for both Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, so it’s time to tune in and check it all out.
HT – @CNSchedules on X
