Seems a lot of action animated shows from the 2000s never lasted more than three seasons

[Cicada 5]

When I look back at the action animated shows of the 2000, it's surprising to me how many of them never went past three seasons.

American Dragon (2 seasons)

Danny Phantom (3 seasons)

The Life and Times of Juniper Lee (3 seasons)

Atomic Betty (3 seasons)

Loonatics Unleashed (2 seasons)

Dragon Booster (3 seasons)

Storm Hawks (2 seasons)

ATOM: Alpha Teens On Machines (2 seasons)

WITCH (2 seasons)

Huntik: Secrets & Seekers (2 seasons)

Di-Gata Defenders (2 seasons)

Was the well just running dry for action cartoons even back then?

 

[Chimpzy]

The only name I recognize out of that line-up is Danny Phantom. That may or may not have something to do with it.

 

[Satinavian]

WITCH was pretty good for its time.

 

[Meximagician]

I guess we could add Megas XLR (2 seasons) to the pile...

As I recall, What a Cartoon! and later Cartoon Cartoons were a big push by Cartoon Network to get more experimental, creator-driven titles onto the channel. Cartoon Cartoons ended around 2003, but there were cash cow staples that came out of those experiments (like Dexter's Lab, The Powerpuff Girls, and Ed, Edd n Eddy). I imagine other networks saw that success and tried to emulate it, resulting in a bunch of interesting-if-short-lived shows from around the same time.

 

[LegoDnD]

The only name I recognize out of that line-up is Danny Phantom. That may or may not have something to do with it.

I'm almost giddy that somebody might discover Loonatics Unleashed for the first time. Not a fan, it's just one of those "why the hell would you make this" kind of failed ideas. I think the series ended with Bugs being told that he'll need to learn all the ins-and-outs of his new sword, which can divide its blade into branches.

 

[Chimpzy]

I'm almost giddy that somebody might discover Loonatics Unleashed for the first time. Not a fan, it's just one of those "why the hell would you make this" kind of failed ideas. I think the series ended with Bugs being told that he'll need to learn all the ins-and-outs of his new sword, which can divide its blade into branches.

No thanks, I think I'll pass. Seeing the character designs made me remember an old Newgrounds flash cartoon tho (and get what it was supposed to parody)

 

[Cicada 5]

I didn't hate Loonatics Unleashed. It's not the best Looney Tunes show but it's far from the worst.

 

[FakeSympathy]

Well fuck, that list was a nostalgia trip and a half. Thanks for that!

Static Shock managed to last 4 seasons, probably helped by the fact that it was part of DCAU. JL and JLU had total of 5 seasons (2 from JL and 3 from JLU) and
The Batman lasted 5 seasons. Writings aside, I can't help but to feel they lasted so long because they were superhero genre.

Xiaolin Showdown technically ended in season 3, but had the pseudo-sequel Xiaolin Chronicles which lasted 1 season

Ben 10 also had 4 seasons, followed by many sequel series that stretched into mid 2010s (does 2016 reboot count?)

TMNT 2001 had five seasons, plus one from Fast Forward then final season from Back to the Sewer.

The only other shows that seem to last very long were the Japanese anime series by 4kids, where almost all of these series went longer than three seasons. Yugioh, Yugioh GX, Sonic X, etc

 

[Bedinsis]

I watched Kim Possible back in the day, which I think fit into the list. I believe it is standard for animated TV shows to only last 2-3 seasons unless they are a tremendous success; the fourth Kim Possible season only came to be because of a contract in Germany if I don't misremember.

 

[BrawlMan]

When I look back at the action animated shows of the 2000, it's surprising to me how many of them never went past three seasons.

American Dragon (2 seasons)

Danny Phantom (3 seasons)

The Life and Times of Juniper Lee (3 seasons)

Atomic Betty (3 seasons)

Loonatics Unleashed (2 seasons)

Dragon Booster (3 seasons)

Storm Hawks (2 seasons)

ATOM: Alpha Teens On Machines (2 seasons)

WITCH (2 seasons)

Huntik: Secrets & Seekers (2 seasons)

Di-Gata Defenders (2 seasons)

Was the well just running dry for action cartoons even back then?

You forgot about ATLA (3 Seasons). Though at least that show ended on its own terms, despite some plot lines being rushed or forgotten.

Danny Phantom's third season was not good, but sorta liked the ending. Too bad Sam Mason is a shitty love interest. The only other shows on your Iist I watched were Juniper Lee (the voice of Kari from Digimon plays the title character), Atomic Betty, and Storm Hawks. The rest I only saw a few clips or not at all.

TMNT 2001 had five seasons, plus one from Fast Forward then final season from Back to the Sewer.

I skip FF and Back to the Sewers on repeat and go straight to the actual real Season 5. Then Turtles Forever.

I watched Kim Possible back in the day, which I think fit into the list. I believe it is standard for animated TV shows to only last 2-3 seasons unless they are a tremendous success; the fourth Kim Possible season only came to be because of a contract in Germany if I don't misremember.

The fourth season had the perfect ending for the series. I am glad it lasted as long as it did.

Static Shock managed to last 4 seasons, probably helped by the fact that it was part of DCAU.

Another superhero show with a great run overall.

Ben 10 also had 4 seasons, followed by many sequel series that stretched into mid 2010s (does 2016 reboot count?)

Yes, the reboot counts. Funny enough, it just ended last year.

Samurai Jack had 4 seasons before being cancelled, and then brought back a decade later to finish it.

Jackie Chan Adventures had 5 seasons and I don't regret keeping up with the series.

 

[Cicada 5]

Well fuck, that list was a nostalgia trip and a half. Thanks for that!

Static Shock managed to last 4 seasons, probably helped by the fact that it was part of DCAU.

From what I heard, it would have lasted longer if the toy line had taken off. Its ratings apparently rivaled that of Pokémon.

 

[BrawlMan]

From what I heard, it would have lasted longer if the toy line had taken off. Its ratings apparently rivaled that of Pokémon.

That's what I hated about a lot of these networks back in the 2000s. Cartoon Network seem to get this the worst by the late 2000s and early 2010s. They expected every cartoon action show to have a toy line, and if it didn't sell well, they would 🪓 the show early. When Hasbro (an actual toy and board games company) has a better idea and better respect for their animated shows, you know you have issues.

 

[Piscian]

I literally don't recognize a single one of those shows, but then I remembered I was 18 in America at the time which means I was working an 80 hour week to pay rent. I don't think I watched a single cartoon between 1999-2012

 

[FakeSympathy]

I didn't hate Loonatics Unleashed. It's not the best Looney Tunes show but it's far from the worst.

I remember watching the cool season 1 intro, and season 1 being good in general

Then I remember watching season 2

And just like the intro, I remember season 2 being a bit on the sillier side

 

[Hawki]

I remember watching the cool season 1 intro, and season 1 being good in general

Then I remember watching season 2

And just like the intro, I remember season 2 being a bit on the sillier side

I'm left to wonder who the bigger loonatics are - the toons, or the people who decided to make them dark and gritty. 0_0

 

[Cicada 5]

I'm left to wonder who the bigger loonatics are - the toons, or the people who decided to make them dark and gritty. 0_0

They weren't dark and gritty. At least not in the final product.

 

[BrawlMan]

They weren't dark and gritty. At least not in the final product.

I could never get into Loonatics. Something about the art style didn't work for me, but I already knew the show had fans.

 

[Dreiko]

Not even the boondocks got more than 4 seasons and it's one of the best things ever to come out in that era so this doesn't surprise me. I think they try to get a very specific age range with them and they are made to be grown out of instead of being something like a naruto or one piece where you can be in your 30s and still keep on watching so once the kids who were in the right age range grow out of these shows they just have no audience left and the new batch of young kids have other shows they're watching so they're left kinda pointless and get canceled.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

I remember watching the cool season 1 intro, and season 1 being good in general

The season 1 intro is awesome. And man, what a nostalgia blast seeing it again. I think I remember liking the show when I was younger.

I watched Kim Possible back in the day, which I think fit into the list. I believe it is standard for animated TV shows to only last 2-3 seasons unless they are a tremendous success; the fourth Kim Possible season only came to be because of a contract in Germany if I don't misremember.

The 4th season felt so tacked on cause of it... Still decent, but, the show clearly had its run, only to be like "oh, nope, we're not done yet." Though, at least they made the rest good despite the show technically ending already.

When I look back at the action animated shows of the 2000, it's surprising to me how many of them never went past three seasons.
Atomic Betty (3 seasons)
Loonatics Unleashed (2 seasons)

What I find more surprising for me is that the only 2 I watched out of the list you posted were the ones I left in the quote above. I think some of it is cause I either didn't have Cartoon Network on the channel list when I was a kid, or I just didn't watch it. I seem to remember gravitating towards Teletoon and Family Channel more than YTV and Cartoon Network.
However, I do remember Courage the Cowardly Dog and Megas XLR, and both of those were fantastic, the latter especially. Megas still sticks with me today, and it may have been what spawned my love of mecha.
I also remember catching a couple episodes of Storm Hawks at my neighbour's place. Didn't think much of it back then, but looking at it now... Can I say how much I dig the aesthetic? It looks great. Maybe less the character animations, but I am super into the ship and world design.

Come to think of it, while this thread exists... Anyone remember Chaotic or Spider Riders?

 

[BrawlMan]

The 4th season felt so tacked on cause of it... Still decent, but, the show clearly had its run, only to be like "oh, nope, we're not done yet." Though, at least they made the rest good despite the show technically ending already.

While somewhat noticable, the writers did a good job. More than I can say for some other animated shows from the 2000s.

However, I do remember Courage the Cowardly Dog and Megas XLR, and both of those were fantastic, the latter especially. Megas still sticks with me today, and it may have been what spawned my love of mecha.

Along with Samurai Jack, those are best 2000s shows CN has ever had.

Come to think of it, while this thread exists... Anyone remember Chaotic or Spider Riders?

Chaotic I remember for being too generic for me. Plus, I already had Yu-Gi-Oh and Duel Masters. I know Chaotic had its own line of card games that last a little while, but I highly doubt you're going to find any players. Spiders Riders I watched and tried to keep up, but had a been there and done that feel for me (Digimon and Medabots). In America, the airing of the show was cut short, but Canada got the full airing of the show. The fact that American networks kept shifting time slots and putting SR into dead slots did not help. I did find a place to watch the series online for free, but dropped off due to boredom.