Two of Cartoon Network’s most beloved (and occasionally nightmare-inducing) animated series have officially vanished from HBO Max. As of July 31,Courage the Cowardly DogandWhat’s New, Scooby-Doo?have been pulled from the streamer after their most recent licensing agreements expired — and in a move that will haunt fans worse thanFreaky Fred’s grin, they’re not being renewed. The move marks another pivot in Warner Bros. Discovery’s content strategy, as the company again shifts away from kids’ programming on the platform and reaffirms its focus on adult and family titles. Sources confirm that with “HBO” now once again part of the streamer’s branding, children’s shows are being deprioritized when their licenses come up for renewal.
Courage the Cowardly Dog, which ran from 1999 to 2002, was never exactly light Saturday morning fare. Created byJohn R. Dilworth, the show delivered surreal, horror-infused tales centered on adeeply anxious pink dog named Courage(voiced byMarty Grabstein) and his elderly owners, Muriel (voiced by the lateThea White) and Eustace (voiced byLionel WilsonandArthur Anderson). Each episode pushed the boundaries of what constituted children’s TV, with grotesque villains,bleak moral lessons, and more than a few trauma-inducing moments.
What Made Courage and Scooby-Doo So Beloved?
Despite (or because of) its offbeat style,Couragehas remained a cult favorite for over two decades. Whether it was the banshee wail of the “Return the Slab” ghost or the eerie stillness ofThe Mask, the show carved out a unique niche as animated horror for kids brave enough to watch it alone in the dark.
What’s New, Scooby-Doo?,on the other hand, was a more traditional update of the classic mystery-solving formula. Airing from 2002 to 2006, the show brought the original gang into the 21st century with cell phones, computers, and pop-punk theme songs. It was sleeker, snappier, and still packed with ghouls (who were, of course, always just some guy in a mask). For Gen Z, thisScoobyseries was the definitive one, balancing classic hijinks with a modern twist.
