22 Years Ago, Cartoon Network’s Best Cult Series Ended, And It Took Over a Decade to Get More

Cartoon Network is one of the icons of animation, having raised generations of kids on classic shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Adventure Time, Regular Show, Steven Universe, and more. Programs like these have been highly influential in the field of animation, introducing new ideas and creatives who have gone on to make some of the best and most innovative animated shows and movies. But, while there may be tons of Cartoon Network shows that are more popular, it is hard to argue that this 2001 series isn’t the best show that the network ever produced.

In the early days of Cartoon Network, Genndy Tartakovsky is one of the creatives who defined the channel due to him creating 1996’s Dexter’s Laboratory. This show went on to be one of the most popular animated series of the ’90s, but once it was over, Tartakovsky decided that he wanted to stretch what was possible for animated TV shows with the release of his next project, Samurai Jack.

Samurai Jack Originally Ended 22 Years Ago, Today

Samurai Jack was a hit for Cartoon Network, with it being one of the most critically acclaimed shows the company ever produced. The show won multiple Emmys, Annie Awards, and more, and it was a consistent hit with audiences throughout its run. The show proved that mature animated storytelling was possible on Cartoon Network, with it appealing to children and adults, using very little dialogue, and containing some of the most gorgeous visuals that the channel has ever seen.

However, Samurai Jack‘s life was cut short due to transitions at Cartoon Network. Tartakovsky and the team weren’t sure whether the series was going to get renewed for a fifth season, so they decided to end things on their own terms. However, instead of rushing Jack’s final battle with Aku, Tartakovsky decided to leave the show open-ended. Thus, the original series finale, “Jack and the Baby,” is like any other episode, giving no hints as to whether Jack will ever make it back to the past. Talks of a movie and other ways to conclude Samurai Jack occurred, but for years to come, this episode was the conclusion of Cartoon Network’s action masterpiece.

However, 13 years later, Samurai Jack finally returned. A fifth and final series began on March 11, 2017, with Tartakovsky and many members of the original team coming back to wrap up the show. Now airing on Adult Swim, Samurai Jack season 5 was allowed to age up with its now-older audience, with it featuring more violence and even more mature storytelling. Across this 10-episode season, Jack encounters many of his friends and foes from throughout the original series, and the new finale “CI” finally shows the proper end of Jack’s story.

Samurai Jack season 5 is just as good as the rest of the series, with it bringing back the gorgeous animation, thrilling action, and stylized storytelling of the original four seasons. Despite the show’s run taking 16 years, Samurai Jack is perfect, with it maintaining an incredibly high bar across every episode. Fans of the show are incredibly lucky that Tartakovsky was given the opportunity to wrap up Jack’s story, and Samurai Jack has gone down in the history books as one of the greatest Cartoon Network shows of all time.

Samurai Jack Still Lives On In The DNA Of Genndy Tartakovsky’s Later Cartoon Network Shows

Samurai Jack may be over, but fans of the series can still find the elements that made them love the show in some of Tartakovsky’s other series. As Samurai Jack was coming to an end, Cartoon Network’s Star Wars: Clone Wars was beginning. It brings back the sci-fi worldbuilding and intense action of Samurai Jack, and while it isn’t as well-known as the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, it is easily one of the best things that Star Wars has ever done.

The influence of Samurai Jack is especially present in Tartakovsky’s 2019 series Primal, which tells the story of a caveman and a dinosaur who attempt to survive the prehistoric world together. Primal is an Adult Swim series, and like Samurai Jack season 5, it is violent, mature, and more aimed at adults. However, it also shares its predecessor’s gorgeous animation and incredible action, meaning that Samurai Jack fans should definitely check it out. Three seasons have been released, and with Tartakovsky hoping to continue Primal, now is the perfect time to jump into the series.