With over 200 episodes, Teen Titans Go! is one of the most popular and well known shows on Cartoon Network right now. The series is a hit with young audiences and has proven to be a huge success. It’s been on the air for Nearly five years now, which for a children’s television show, is pretty good. The new take on the original Teen Titans series sees the cast in a more comedic and laid back setting, favoring shenanigans and slapstick comedy over the original’s storyline driven episodic formula and consistent character development. While it’s popular with the kids, Go! isn’t exactly ever fans cup of tea.
Many fans of the original series absolutely loathe it. Heck, do a quick search online and you’ll see countless examples of this. So it raises the question; “is Go! a bad show?” No, it’s not a bad children’s show by any standards – and if you were just looking at it through that lens, then you’d have to say that it was one of the better kids shows out there today. But as a continuation to the massively popular Teen Titans, Go! falls short for many.
We’re going to take a look at 25 things you didn’t know about this disastrous Teen Titans reboot.
25 It was Almost Brought Back Right
Titans fans’ displeasure with GO!’s style and tone isn’t exactly a secret and it’s something that’s been made painfully obvious on several occasions. The original series gained a huge following, and its fans weren’t all that quick to let go of it, even as they got older. Many have lamented on the show’s wasted potential and because of it, the fan base is pretty divided. But things almost turned out completely different.
Warner Bros. initially wanted to bring back the original series.
While the desire to bring the Titans back was pretty high, the problem for Warner and DC was how to do it. At the time of GO’s conception, Warner and DC had noticed that action based shows – like the original – weren’t doing all that well with younger audiences. So eventually, the idea to make the show more comedic and kid friendly was what pushed the project through.
24 Double Dipping
It’s funny to think that the first episode in this series was built around one big reference to one of the voice actors’ other roles. Tara Strong, the voice of Raven as well as several other characters is one of the most popular voice actors out there. So it’s only natural that she’d have other things going on aside from the show. One other character that she voices is Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony. This was parodied in the first episode with Raven trying to watch a spoof of the show called Pretty Pretty Pegasus. Greg Cipes’ (BeastBoy’s voice actor) role as Michelangelo in Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was also referenced in the show. For all the issues, it's cool to know such big names are behind the project.
23 Big Premier
Though it might not seem like it given all the hate the show receives, the premier of GO! did pretty well for cartoon network. The aforementioned pilot episode kicked things off in high gear and would set up most fans’ expectations for the show – which as we know, weren’t all positive.
The show was number one in its timeslot and was a hit with audiences under 15.
It completely obliterated its competition in terms of ratings and the debut episode, to this day still has some of the highest viewing numbers the show has ever experienced. Though there have since been episodes that have topped its original viewing numbers, the premier was a big part of why the show is still kicking.
22 Too Many Robins
There are many references, call-backs and Easter eggs (more on those later) found throughout the show. Part of the freedom that comes with making this iteration of the show more comical, with a lighter tone is the ability to poke fun at anything in the DCU. GO! does this regularly, and this has even become the basis for a handful of plotlines. One episode united some of the most memorable iterations of Robin. The episode, called “The Best Robin”, sees Robin call in another team of crime fighters dubbed Team Robin. The group consists of Tim Drake, Carrie Kelly, and Silver Age Robin. The characters – as of this point – have all been one-off’s and don’t look like they’ll be used again.
21 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Aside from the voice cast and a handful of other things, most of GO! is pretty much different from the original and it shows most of the time. Comparing the two is like comparing night and day, and usually starts a debate in the process. Most of those involved are new as well. However, at the very beginning of each episode, you might hear some familiar voices singing.
The new theme might sound like a whole new song, but it’s actually a remix of the original Teen Titans theme.
Puffy AmiYumi, the Japanese duo who wrote and performed the original theme song weren’t asked back to write a new theme. Rather, the original theme was remixed by Mix Master Mike – and has a noticeably more pop/electro vibe to it.
20 Easter Eggs Everywhere
So, as previously mentioned, the show isn’t shy to throw Easter eggs in everywhere it can. In fact, you can find a ton in just about every episode of the series. Even the most attentive fan might have a hard time finding them all on the first try, and it takes a little bit of sleuthing to find some – while others are pretty much in your face. There are a bunch; from Lil’ Alfred’s Toy Cave, to Starfire’s Batman and Bane plushies. There’s also a plethora of references in the Batcave, like Mr. Freeze’s head, Scarface, Hush’s bandages – and perhaps the darkest of them all, the remains of Jason Todd and the crowbar that did him in.
19 New Art, New Problems?
One of the biggest changes with the new show has been its art style. Though the general tone of the show and the content itself is very different when compared to the original, it’s the new art style that really sets it all up and drives home the lighthearted nature of GO!. The art is all done under the direction of Dan Hipp, the show’s art director. Hipp’s, bubbly, gentle and often whacky art style is unmistakable and plays a huge part in the laidback atmosphere of the show. Art has been something older fans have complained about as well, but Hipp’s art really helps separate it from the original series. It's important to remember, these characters have been around a long time and deserve to be reinvented every once and awhile.
18 Embrace The Weird
While the original series had its share of wacky moments, GO! is often downright insane. The show relies heavily on surreal humor and tons of physical comedy to get its laughs. It often goes above any beyond to make nearly every sequence as over the top as it can possibly be. Which makes sense given that the target audience here is kids. But the show has gotten progressively weirder since it started. So weird in fact, that even Producer Michael Jelenic finds it to be a tad strange.
Jelenic never envisioned the show would get as weird as it is now, but has just rolled with it as the episodes have gone by.
It’s a pretty huge shift from the original series, but then again that’s pretty much the whole point of the show. Though it might not please everybody, the new style has definitely hit home with plenty of fans.
17 Always On Time
Some older fans might have problems with certain aspects of the show that have caused it to derive greatly from the original. Two of the biggest complaints are regarding the art style and humour. But from a production standpoint, these have been nothing but helpful when putting the show together. The change in art style, as well as the shorter episodes has allowed for a much more productive release schedule for the show. There hasn’t ever been a delayed episode in any season, and the show continues to pump out episodes punctually. However, it does still take a considerable amount of time to finish one episode, with nine months being the average. Still, it’s a pretty impressive feat.
16 It’s Dangerous To Go Alone
We’ve talked about references made throughout the show quite a bit on this list, and we’re not done! Not even close. While we’ve previously discussed Easter eggs, this next entry contains some pretty blatant references. Plainly titled “Video Game References” this episode of GO! puts the Titans in various video game worlds.
There are a number of call-backs to classic, retro games made throughout the episode.
Starfire goes into a game heavily resembling the Legend of Zelda, while Raven is put into a parody of the Pac-Man franchise. Beastboy is dropped into a game that resembles Frogger and tries – and fails – to cross the road several times as a frog until he finally takes a shot at it as a chicken. Robin is dropped into a Mario Bros. parody while Cyborg’s game parody is a rather obscure nod to 1983’s Spy Hunter.
15 Silver Screen Shenanigans
While most kids’ shows can only hope for a decent chunk of episodes, GO! is going strong with triple digit numbers, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon. The show is obviously a big hit with fans, and while it’s doing well on television screens, it seems as though the people at DC were confident enough to have the series make the leap to cinema. Unlike the original series’ direct to TV film, Trouble in Tokyo, Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is going straight to theaters. The film hasn’t gotten all that much coverage, but will be coming out later this summer, with a pretty impressive cast of guest voice actors. While the show tries not to have a plot, the movie will follow the Titans as they search for a director to spearhead their big screen debut.
14 Toys, Toys, Toys
While we don’t want to open old wounds, we’re going to have to once again talk about the old series and how it was almost – if only momentarily – brought back in its original style. As we previously mentioned, Warner Bros. and DC wanted to bring back the Titans in some capacity, but didn’t know how. This was because, another DC show, Young Justice wasn’t performing as they’d hoped it would.
Young Justice’s inability to sell toys actually helped push for a more kid-friendly Teen Titans series.
As the original series sold tons of toys and gave the studios no problems when it came to moving merchandise, the idea was to bring the Titans back once again. However, with Young Justice just not doing it for younger audiences, Go! was aimed towards a younger consumer base in the hopes of replicating the original’s toy selling success.
13 Crossover Crazy
Aside from Easter Eggs, the series is really fond of crossover episodes. There have been a bunch of crossovers since the show premiered, and given the popularity and success of these, you can probably expect more in the future. As long as they can find crossover partners, they’ll likely do it. There have been some notable crossover partners over the years, ranging from the Powerpuff Girls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and DC comrades Young Justice. The episodes were mostly well received, and turned out to be pretty popular among fans. The most notable crossover of late was a two-part Scooby-Doo crossover special that saw the Titans and Mystery Inc. team up.
12 Mutiny In The Voice Actor’s Booth
The fan outrage over Go! has been pretty apparent since the show first premiered several years back. Fans of the original series just aren’t all that satisfied with the foolish, slapstick approach the show has taken to its comedy and content and it’s not all that surprising given that the target audience is children (much younger than the average Teen Titans fan).
While the original fans might not be happy, the voice actors are thrilled with the change.
Khary Peyton, the voice of Cyborg, has stated on several occasions how happy he is with the new direction the series took and how great it is for the cast to portray superheroes in a less serious light. The one bump in the road came when Scott Menville, the voice of Robin, had reservations about the current iteration of the character saying things and acting in a way he felt weren’t true to the original. Though he warmed up to the idea quickly.
11 New Teen Titans
We’ve talked a little bit about how Go! got started, and while the origins of the show aren’t all that extraordinary, there is a pretty interesting history to be found there if you dig around a little. We’ve already covered a good chunk of the show's origins so we’ll skip over what we’ve already discussed. There was actually a series of shorts called New Teen Titans, which aired on Cartoon Network’s DC Nation block. The series was much more light-hearted than the original and featured similar art style to Go!. The series aired a total of 17 shorts over the course of a year. So the next time you see an episode of Go! and you’re looking for something to take your frustrations on, look no further than this.
10 Snowed In
We all tend to binge watch during bad weather. The winter seasons are particularly attractive to binge-watchers who’d much rather catch up on their favorite shows rather than have to go outside and deal with the elements. While this is often a choice people make, there are some exceptions that actually force people inside.
A massive blizzard made the show one of the highest watched on-demand programs in the country.
The blizzard hit the United States east coast in 2016, forcing millions indoors. And it seems that a lot of families got together with their kids and took in some light entertainment. Nearly 1.3 million Comcast users turned on their TV’s and made Teen Titans Go! one of the most viewed programs in that time frame.
9 Guest Of Honor
Aside from Easter eggs, references and crossovers, the show is also pretty fond of guest stars. As is the case with a lot of kids’ shows, celebrity guests are welcome when it comes to entertaining and capturing the attention of their fans. As of this writing, there have been some pretty interesting guest stars on the show. NBA star LeBron James made an appearance due to his kids being such big fans of the show. Comedian Weird Al Yankovic guest starred as well and actually left Kahry Payton so starstruck that he pushed for extra time in the booth with him. This is something that’s going to be continuing with the film this summer, as confirmed guest stars range from musicians Lil Yachty and Halsey to actor Nicholas Cage as Superman.
8 Salty Codgers
You wouldn’t expect a show like this to stir up any controversy (aside from the well-documented fan made controversy surrounding its very existence of course) but here we are. Although, this is one of those cases where things simply fell through tragically with little to do about any of it. Though it’s probably just another episode to many North American fans, “Salty Codgers” is probably seen in a whole different light in France.
The Episode aired at the same time of the tragic Paris attacks, and dealt with the loss of life as one of its main themes.
It goes without saying that these two things didn’t quite go well together, especially in the aftermath of the event. Cartoon Network yanked the episode and has since replaced it with others during reruns.
7 What You See Is What You Get
As we’ve said before, one of the main gripes fans have with Go! is the huge shift in tone when compared to the original. Though it did have its fair share of comedic and sometimes whacky moments of reprise, the original series was much more serious and handled its characters and stories differently as a result. So seeing such over the top comedy and such basic plotlines in Go! has really disappointed a majority of older fans. But that’s not going to change anything it seems, as producer Aaron Horvath has said that the show will never take on a more serious tone throughout the rest of its run. And why would it? It's a show designed for kids, so a more serious ton doesn't make sense.
6 And The Award Goes To…
You wouldn’t think it with all the fan backlash, but the series has gotten some pretty high praise from certain critics, and has even been nominated for awards. Though it might not win out in the realm of public opinion that often the show has been recognized by certain organizations for its popularity and longevity. It was nominated twice by the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards for favorite cartoon. It also won several awards at the 2014 BTVA Awards, including best vocal ensemble and best female vocal performance for Tara Strong’s work. It might not seem like much compared to all the hate the show gets, but it’s a step in the right direction.