First and last animated shows to switch to widescreen?

[Flabby Patty]

Inspired by the two cel animation threads, I decided to create this one as it would also be relevant.

In the world of animated television, the switches to widescreen in the late 2000s-mid 2010s have been to what digital ink transitions were in the late 1990s-mid 2000s. Therefore, I'm here to discuss everything related to this. So, what shows do you know switched to widescreen first? Which have most recently switched? Sound off below.

Note: Sorry for this "artificial" thread, but whatever. :P

 

[toasterstrutel]

Duck tales or Ren and Stimpy.

 

[imrustyokay]

There's a lot of low budget TV stations that still use full screen.

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Spongebob didn't switch until 2012 with Extreme Spots, although we still had SDTV eight season holdovers that were produced before Extreme Spots like Chum Fricassee, Good Krabby Name, Move It or Lose It, and Hello Bikini Bottom.

Duck tales or Ren and Stimpy.

Those shows were on in the mid-90s, HDTV didn't exist until 1998.

 

[Supmandude]

The original Teen Titans was produced in widescreen, as well as the other DC shows of that time. Not sure if they foresaw widescreen TVs that early or if they just did that to make them look cinematic. I think that the new episodes of those shows premiered in widescreen, but the reruns were in fullscreen usually.

The first show that I noticed was produced in widescreen was Chowder, but Cartoon Network rarely aired them that way back then.

 

[Flabby Patty]

The original Teen Titans was produced in widescreen, as well as the other DC shows of that time. Not sure if they foresaw widescreen TVs that early or if they just did that to make them look cinematic. I think that the new episodes of those shows premiered in widescreen, but the reruns were in fullscreen usually.

The first show that I noticed was produced in widescreen was Chowder, but Cartoon Network rarely aired them that way back then.

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is also an example of a show that was fully produced in widescreen, but always aired in fullscreen. I believe it was because of Nickelodeon's standards for most of the time. I think that Wubb Idol (and possibly Wubbzy's Big Movie on Starz) might have been exceptions. The Fairly OddParents!, which is made by the same company, was more influenced by Nick to be in fullscreen. Adventure Time, also by Frederator, is of course on CN (which took advantage of widescreen programming earlier) and was produced later on. Other than that, I'm not sure why they produced it in widescreen (IDT/Starz?), but good for them.

Animated show examples of widescreen switches:

• SpongeBob SquarePants - tested in 2009, switched in 2012
• The Fairly OddParents! - tested in 2009, switched in 2013
• The Simpsons - switched in early 2009
• Family Guy - switched in fall 2010
• American Dad - switched in early 2010
• King of the Hill - switched in early 2009

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is also an example of a show that was fully produced in widescreen, but always aired in fullscreen. I believe it was because of Nickelodeon's standards for most of the time. I think that Wubb Idol (and possibly Wubbzy's Big Movie on Starz) might have been exceptions. The Fairly OddParents!, which is made by the same company, was more influenced by Nick to be in fullscreen. Adventure Time, also by Frederator, is of course on CN (which took advantage of widescreen programming earlier) and was produced later on. Other than that, I'm not sure why they produced it in widescreen (IDT/Starz?), but good for them.

Animated show examples of widescreen switches:

• SpongeBob SquarePants - tested in 2009, switched in 2012
• The Fairly OddParents! - tested in 2009, switched in 2013
• The Simpsons - switched in early 2009
• Family Guy - switched in fall 2010
• American Dad - switched in early 2010
• King of the Hill - switched in early 2009

Why did a lot of shows switch to HD in 2009?

 

[Supmandude]

Also, have you guys noticed that even though SpongeBob Season 9 is in widescreen, there's very rarely vital information on the sides? I kept noticing that when I watched Lost in Bikini Bottom, they weren't taking advantage of the whole frame. I think it's for certain countries where 4:3 TVs are still the standard or something.

 

[patfan200]

Well, when Looney Tunes shorts are aired on Cartoon Network nowadays, they get remastered in HD

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

Well, when Looney Tunes shorts are aired on Cartoon Network nowadays, they get remastered in HD

I don't think so those short are all 60 years old

 

[BeanoSponge]

I don't think so those short are all 60 years old

Anything can be remastered and not all of them are 60 years old.

 

[hfjs]

Why did a lot of shows switch to HD in 2009?

That's when it really started to kick off, I suppose

 

[PhilipB]

It annoyed me when I found out that a LOT of cartoons and shows made by Nick and Disney were in widescreen, as widescreen has been standard over here for SD TV, not just HD, since 1998. However, they were shown in full screen over here, leading me to think they were only 4:3 SD when they could have easily broadcast them in 16:9 SD.

These days Nick and Disney have HD channels and have thankfully moved their SD channels to 16:9, but why on earth it took them so long to do when most TV channels went widescreen years previously, I will never know.

 

[MeterMarker]

Also, have you guys noticed that even though SpongeBob Season 9 is in widescreen, there's very rarely vital information on the sides? I kept noticing that when I watched Lost in Bikini Bottom, they weren't taking advantage of the whole frame. I think it's for certain countries where 4:3 TVs are still the standard or something.

I remember seeing Eek an Urchin being accidentally aired in 4:3 (not letterboxed, but cropped) once sometime in 2017
Edit: Oops, accidentally necroed

 

[Original Raw and Uncut]

I remember seeing Eek an Urchin being accidentally aired in 4:3 (not pillarboxed, but cropped) once sometime in 2017
Edit: Oops, accidentally necroed

That also happened when Gary's New Toy originally aired. Probably a conversion issue since it was paired up with a season 8 episode when it originally aired, and they left the 4:3 feed on by mistake.

 

[CarlosTankEngineBoi]

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is also an example of a show that was fully produced in widescreen, but always aired in fullscreen. I believe it was because of Nickelodeon's standards for most of the time. I think that Wubb Idol (and possibly Wubbzy's Big Movie on Starz) might have been exceptions. The Fairly OddParents!, which is made by the same company, was more influenced by Nick to be in fullscreen. Adventure Time, also by Frederator, is of course on CN (which took advantage of widescreen programming earlier) and was produced later on. Other than that, I'm not sure why they produced it in widescreen (IDT/Starz?), but good for them.

Animated show examples of widescreen switches:

• SpongeBob SquarePants - tested in 2009, switched in 2012
• The Fairly OddParents! - tested in 2009, switched in 2013
• The Simpsons - switched in early 2009
• Family Guy - switched in fall 2010
• American Dad - switched in early 2010
• King of the Hill - switched in early 2009

Actually, Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Season 1 was first produced in 4:3, but Season 2 got produced in 16:9, and at the time, Season 1 got remastered to 16:9

 

[CarlosTankEngineBoi]

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! is also an example of a show that was fully produced in widescreen, but always aired in fullscreen. I believe it was because of Nickelodeon's standards for most of the time. I think that Wubb Idol (and possibly Wubbzy's Big Movie on Starz) might have been exceptions. The Fairly OddParents!, which is made by the same company, was more influenced by Nick to be in fullscreen. Adventure Time, also by Frederator, is of course on CN (which took advantage of widescreen programming earlier) and was produced later on. Other than that, I'm not sure why they produced it in widescreen (IDT/Starz?), but good for them.

Animated show examples of widescreen switches:

• SpongeBob SquarePants - tested in 2009, switched in 2012
• The Fairly OddParents! - tested in 2009, switched in 2013
• The Simpsons - switched in early 2009
• Family Guy - switched in fall 2010
• American Dad - switched in early 2010
• King of the Hill - switched in early 2009

Wubb Idol was no exception either. It also aired in fullscreen

 

[CarlosTankEngineBoi]

Why did a lot of shows switch to HD in 2009?

SpongeBob did, but only for Truth of Square. After that episode, it went back to 4:3, until the end of Season 8

 

[CarlosTankEngineBoi]

Anything can be remastered and not all of them are 60 years old.

Even Seasons 2-8 of SpongeBob