Channel: The Hub

[AdventChild]

Well, a new channel has recently been made and aired called The Hub, a channel that had replaced Discovery Kids and a result when Discovery and Hasbro has a baby. It shows edutainment/toddler shows during the day, and some cartoons and TV sitcoms like Happy days for the whole family. Sounds like Nick except without the teen sitcom shtick, a bit better than Nick yet still weak in the quality department.The only good things I kinda like is that they're showing Batman Beyond, MIB, GI Joe and Transformers, but the rest sounds pretty, well, meh to me and it seems like an obvious total Hasbro cash cow. I mean they have a game show called Family Game Night based on Hasbro game board properties and an actual show called Clue again based on the game with the same name as well.

Your thoughts?

Edited October 11, 2010 by AdventChild

[voice]

Sounds like Nick except without the teen sitcom shtick, but not better.

The lack of teen sitcom shtick automatically makes the channel x10 better than Nick. Maybe 10 years ago the sans shtick not making it better would have been true, but I've seen adverts for their current sitcoms and I weep for the future.

[Noir]

Wow, so they've gone from thirty minute commercials to a 24/7 commercial channel.

Impressive, Hasbro.

[Kevin]

I actually like some of the shows that are currently on Hub. The addition of Fraggle Rock makes me a happy panda after not seeing it in so long, and Family Game Nights looks like a fun show. Transformers: Prime looks interesting as well.

All in all, it's a decent channel so far, and one that I'm keeping an eye on since there wasn't much on Discovery Kids that caught my interest to be honest.

[Tiller]

Fraggle Rock is all that needs to be said.

Also, it's basically Hasbro having full control over how their brand is represented. Which is a good thing for fans. They currently have a decent lineup for kids to boot.

They also have Transformers G1 (which is kinda ass by todays standards but hey is dat sum nostalgia?) possibly Beast Wars, and whatever other shows they've had a hand in. Transformers Prime is the one to look out for though.

Obviously Optimus Prime hasn't taken any faces yet. But we could finally have a Decent CGI transformers after 10 years.

[The Pentagon Soundsystem]

Does anyone know if the Hub's coming to the UK?

[Kevin]

Does anyone know if the Hub's coming to the UK?

If you have Discovery Kids over there, it's possible. It may be separate from the one over here though.

[CtW]

I've found more to watch than I expected on The Hub. They air Men in Black The Series and Batman Beyond which were a couple of my favorite cartoons when I was younger, and the Deltora Quest anime has nostalgia factor going for it since I loved those books when I was a kid. Not to mention classic Transformers and GI Joe? That earns any channel points in my book. I'm really surprised that they air the '60s Batman series though, that seems totally out of left field compared to the demographic the network seems to be aiming at.

On a related note, I never realized how cheap MIB The Series's animation was when I was a kid...

[Doctor Sοnic]

I'd heard about the Hub a few months ago. I just found out it started airing on my birthday!

Though its early days at the moment it sounds like it may well turn out to be a good channel.

Does anyone know if the Hub's coming to the UK?

If you have Discovery Kids over there, it's possible. It may be separate from the one over here though.

We don't have Discovery Kids over here. Apparently we used to have it a few years back though, but how well it compared with the US version I don't know. Its possible we may get a version of it, and it would certainly be good if we did as we need another good childrens channel at the moment.

[SHAX Hedgefox]

God, I wish Hasbro had this in Australia. I'd kill to see MIB the series and G.I Joe again!

Still, there's always the chance KidsCo, Cartoon Network or Toasted TV will get that Transformers PRIME show.

[KittyNakajima]

I'm not trying to rip on the channel (okay, who am I kidding, y'all know it's coming ), but the fact that you need to have a digital cable and/or satellite package that includes this channel is not helping. Not including packages for premium channels like HBO, Showtime, or Cinemax, those are generally pretty pricey to begin with. And not that the parents are specifically getting cable for their kids to watch that, but I just find the fact that you can only get that channel like that both genius and frightening at the same time.

While you might be paying so you could have those 900+ channels/exclusive sports or movie package ,you're essentially also paying for your kids to be exposed to the same type of thirty minute toy commercials (masked as edutainment) that you grew up with as a kid. On a 24/7 cable station saturated with properties from one such company. Nice.

Also, Hasbro makes Zhu Zhu/Kung Zhu pets, right? I would not be surprised if they end up with a thirty minute commercial for that too, especially after seeing how every friggin' component is sold separately apart from the stupid hamsters/gerbils/whatever they are.

[Sonaos]

I never liked Discovery Kids channel. I was glad to see that channel get booted. It had absolutely NOTHING I would be interested in watching. Not even to admire the animation. Yech.

As for the Hub, I actually love it. But mostly for Batman Beyond, Men In Black, and a few other shows. I'm especially estatic over the 1960s Batman. I remember watching that as a kid.

While I'm probably not going to watch things like My Little Pony(*shudder*), I may watch some of their upcoming shows such as G.I. Joe Cobra Incorperated(or whatever it's called) and that Transformers special. I'm just a sucker for animation.

And as much as I hated Discovery Kids, I'm sort of glad they kept some of the shows on this channel, for the sake of those who liked them.

Overall, I like it.

Also, Hasbro makes Zhu Zhu/Kung Zhu pets, right? I would not be surprised if they end up with a thirty minute commercial for that too, especially after seeing how every friggin' component is sold separately apart from the stupid hamsters/gerbils/whatever they are.

If that happens... okay, I can't type up a more appropriate response than http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o19CaOSuD8.

Edited November 23, 2010 by Sonaos

[\gunther]

This is automatically my favorite channel right now for airing 1960's Batman and Transformers. Sweet, sweet camp.

[Tiller]

Ok I just read the synopsis of Transformer's Prime's first 2 episodes. Shit is dark man. It's like they took Beast Wars, removed the humor, and increased the Dinobot moments. The first episode does not eff around. At all. The second brings ties in the series with the War for Cybertron Exodus adaption. Then gets even more gruesome.

Non specific spoilers:

There is death, reanimation, and then a good butchering (literally, like chop chop) of a main character. Ouch.

The Synopsis can be read here: Warning, I recommend not to read them. They're quite shocking and the impact would be better if you watched the show's premier.

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/summary-of-transformers-prime-episode-1-darkness-rising-part-1/20245/

http://www.seibertron.com/transformers/news/summary-of-transformers-prime-episode-2-darkness-rising-part-2/20254/

[AdventChild]

While I'm probably not going to watch things like My Little Pony(*shudder*)

As strange as this may sound and I'm probably going to be the only saying this, but I happen to like the new MLP. This coming from a 20 YEAR OLD MALE who haven't even seen the other MLP shows. Also, it isn't all that girly or girl oriented as you may think, and really reaching a broader and general audience. Yes, they are many female chars, but the jokes do kinda work and the writing is pretty decent. Though part of the title Friendship is Magic is pretty corny. It's like calling Sonic Heroes, Sonic: Teamwork is Superpower Herp Derp! Still it isn't that bad of a show surprisingly.

[KittyNakajima]

As strange as this may sound and I'm probably going to be the only saying this, but I happen to like the new MLP. This coming from a 20 YEAR OLD MALE who haven't even seen the other MLP shows. Also, it isn't all that girly or girl oriented as you may think, and really reaching a broader and general audience. Yes, they are many female chars, but the jokes do kinda work and the writing is pretty decent. Though part of the title Friendship is Magic is pretty corny. It's like calling Sonic Heroes, Sonic: Teamwork is Superpower Herp Derp! Still it isn't that bad of a show surprisingly.

I think that's because this new show was developed by Craig McCracken (did I spell it right?), who did Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and worked on some Gennedy Tarakosvsky projects like Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Laboratory.

I was looking it up the other day since I watched the original My Little Pony shows when I was younger, and I'm totally loving the designs. They even have at least two of the original ponies that I recognize - like Apple Jack. I also love the fact that the designs for these made them more of individuals than in the original series, where I just remember calling them the ponies by class (pegasus, sea, unicorn, regular, flutter, etc.) and the humans that tagged along.

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

I think that's because this new show was developed by Craig McCracken (did I spell it right?), who did Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, and worked on some Gennedy Tarakosvsky projects like Powerpuff Girls and Dexter's Laboratory.

Actually, it was developed by Lauren Faust, Craig McCracken's wife who also worked on some of Craig's projects. Edited November 24, 2010 by chaoscontrol14

[\gunther]

Saw the first two episodes of Prime. First impression: Okay, I think it has some potential. Seems like they're gonna be whoring out this Arcee more than Bumblebee like I expected, which I have no complaints with.

The Japanese girl kinda annoyed me, though.

Edited November 27, 2010 by Gunthidoodles

[Aquaslash]

Prime is fixin to be the "SatAM" of TF fiction. Was really surprised to see that one character offed s fast, but I think it's to develop Arcee, since she seems to be the main character.

On a random note, the one kid has a hot mom.

[\gunther]

I can't see

Cliff staying dead for that long, honestly. Kinda surprised that his death was "bloody", though.

Oh, and that Raf kid totally looks like a younger, more anime-esque Carl Fredricksen, btw.

Edited November 28, 2010 by Gunthidoodles

[Tiller]

BEST. ARCEE. EVAR.

Well, I can safely say that this is already up there with the likes of Animated and Beast Wars. I can't point out too much that doesn't come across as nitpicking. I already was loving the designs of everyone, but damn. I expected more Bumblebee, and what I got was pretty much everyone else. I like how the drones put up a fight more so than being mostly punching bags.

It took balls for Cliff to go so fast, and that's what I hope to see in the series. A shocker start, but lets see if they can keep it up.

[azoo]

The HUB has the 1966 Batman show.

That's enough of an approval from me.