Sometimes as a parent, you wake up and receive immediate confirmation that you’re raising your children right.
Such was the case recently when I crawled out of bed, still in a morning haze, and discovered that my 8-year-old son was already awake and lounging on the couch as he enjoyed classic cartoons during his summer vacation.
“I love this channel, Dad,” he mumbled in the groggy tone of a boy still half-asleep.
He was watching “Bugs Bunny and Friends.” A few hours later, he watched “The Tom and Jerry Show.” And a few hours after that, “The Flintstones.” (To his frustration, I made sure he played outside and read books in between shows.)
Thanks to a new television channel, you no longer need a VCR or DVD player to easily watch cartoons of yesteryear.
The new channel, MeTV Toons, launched in June and features more than 60 different classic animated series each week, including the aforementioned ones but also other popular titles such as “The Jetsons,” “Popeye and Pals,” “The Smurfs,” “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle & Friends” and “The Woody Woodpecker Show.” It even includes under-the-radar forgotten series: “Speed Racer,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Mr. T” and “Jonny Quest,” for example. (Hanna-Barbera’s “The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible” airs Sunday mornings.)
It’s a great fit for children of the 60s, 70s and 80s but also for parents who long for cartoons with simpler storylines, less noise and fewer cultural agendas. (In addition, the hand-drawn animation is charmingly nostalgic.)
‘Destination for everyone’
The new channel is a spinoff of MeTV, a network that airs classic live-action shows such as “The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
Neal Sabin, vice-chairman of parent company Weigel Broadcasting Co., said MeTV Toons worked with Warner Bros. Discovery and others to launch the channel. He labeled it a “destination for everyone to discover or rediscover the sheer joy of watching cartoons on TV.”
Visit MeTVToons.com to find stations near you. My family watched it on a streaming service, Frndly TV.
Here are four other solid options for families this month:
The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries (Great American Pure Flix) — The Hallmark rival and faith-centric streaming service Great American Pure Flix launches its first original mystery series July 25. The story features Candace Cameron Bure as Ainsley McGregor, an ex-criminologist who returns to her hometown in Texas and has to put her crime-solving skills to work.
Cabrini (Home Video) — An Italian woman moves to the United States and dedicates her life to helping the poor. This Angel Studios film tells the true story of Francesca Cabrini, a nun who overcomes racism and sexism to help establish schools, orphanages and hospitals around the world. It is inspiring for Catholics and Protestants alike. It’s likely best for tweens and teens. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some violence, language and smoking.
Paw Patrol: The Movie (Netflix) — A young pup named Skye teams up with her “Paw Patrol” friends to stop the evil villain Victoria Vance and ex-Mayor Humdinger from destroying the city. It’s a sequel to the 2021 movie and features the Paw Patrol team gaining superpowers. It’s a sweet film filled with friendship, kindness and teamwork. Rated PG for mild action/peril.
The William Carey Story (Redeem TV) — The British missionary and Bible translator perseveres in his work despite major opposition. It’s the latest episode in the excellent Torchlighters series, which celebrates heroes from Christian history in an educational, entertaining way. “The William Carey Story” was released on Redeem TV’s ADC section.
