Scrapped CN City Bumpers

During the early 2000s, Cartoon Network aired a rather innovative set of bumpers that took place in an urban area known as “CN City”. These shorts featured a mix of 2D animation and live action environments where characters from various Cartoon Network shows would interact with each other. These bumpers were generally seen as intriguing, comedic, and an overall treat—but some of them may not be all that they’re cracked up to be.
Obscure rumors of unused bumper scripts have occasionally been brought up in long-forgotten cartoon discussion sites. While nobody can confirm if these were officially meant to be bumpers, five of these concepts are often prevalent when it comes to spreading speculation.
= Bumper #1: Superhero Shenanigans =
This bumper features various interconnected shots of superhero characters doing what they do best: fighting crime. Unexpectedly, the PPG and the Teen Titans find themselves against their opposite rivals, with both of them caught off guard by their different tactics and mannerisms. While they both succeed in beating their respective foes, they end up destroying both of their current locations in the process, causing the townsfolk to jeer them despite having been saved from peril. The two teams later walk into each other, appearing surprised but ultimately relieved.
“What a mix-up, huh?” Blossom asks upon seeing Robin’s battle damage. The other nods in assurance.
= Bumper #2: Girl’s Night Out =
Velma, Daphne, and Frankie decide to have a night of fun in the city by going to a party. They initially have a good time, but things take a turn when Frankie has juice poured on her shirt by a featureless background character. Her mood immediately sours as she tells the other to buzz off, even as Velma and Daphne try to calm her down. The bumper suddenly cuts to grainy footage of a disheveled Frankie being hauled into a police car as the other two look on, distraught.
= Bumper #3: Ami’s In Peril! =
The bumper opens with Ami and Yumi from their titular show hosting a concert on the rooftop of an apartment building. Various other cartoon characters are in attendance, cheering the two musicians on. Suddenly, Ami trips on a loudspeaker’s cable and falls dangerously close to the edge of the roof. Yumi attempts to help Ami recover but notices the unexpectedly judgmental eyes of the audience looking down on her. She nevertheless grabs Ami’s hand in order to safely pull her up, but this ends up causing the crowd to jeer and beg for the two to continue performing. This distracts Yumi into lashing out at the audience over their impatience, causing her to release Ami’s grip as she falls 50 feet below. While we don’t see what becomes of her, Yumi’s horrified reaction tells us everything we need to know.
= Bumper #4: City After Dark =
We see CN City shrouded in darkness. Courage is also introduced in this segment, wandering aimlessly across the city streets. “Muriel? Eustace?” he asks, only for his cries to fall on deaf ears. Just as he’s about to take a break from walking, signs from various parts of the city begin to light up at unexpected intervals. This only makes him flat-out panic as he begins to run away from whatever seems to suddenly illuminate. But despite his efforts to get away, he only seems to end up in the path the signs direct him to go. He eventually stops to catch his breath in a dead end, panting heavily as one last sign lights up behind him:
NO EXIT.
Courage whimpers at the sight, noticing the sign beginning to shift and warp until it becomes a mess of disorienting colors and shapes. The shifting blob of light slowly approaches the mutt, eventually taking on the appearance of a distorted face. Then, with one last yelp—Courage is gone, with the sign abomination returning to its original form as if nothing happened.
= Bumper #5: Moving Out =
This final bumper features a seemingly original character unassociated with other CN shows: a brown-haired adolescent with Y2K-esque fashion. Nicknamed “Sally” by fans, the bumper opens with this new character packing her belongings as she mutters about her horrible luck for somehow ending up in such a lousy town. When she leaves the city, many CN characters stop whatever they’re doing just to stare at her. Sally ignores the staring as best as she can, even running over whoever attempts to stop her from leaving. She eventually reaches the city outskirts, but is briefly confused when the area outside the city appears completely flat and featureless. Her driving only ends when she bumps into a massive wall of TV distortion. This completely baffles her, distracting her from the characters continuing to approach—but just as she’s about to realize what it could all mean, the entire bumper dissolves into a mess of static.
Category:Urban Legend
Category:Cartoon Network
Category:Animation
Category:TV
Category:Shortpasta