Max Cancels Multiple Popular Shows Off Platform

As the calendar turned over to October, many Max users noticed that a large collection of Cartoon Network shows had suddenly vanished from the streaming app without notice.

Some of the shows that turned into ghosts include Ben 10, Chowder, Regular Show, Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, The Powerpuff Girls (2016), and We Bare Bears.

While just about all of the streaming apps give users a heads-up in advance of shows or films that are to be removed, Max users have been left scratching their heads since there appears to have been no prior warning to the most recent programming shake-up.

To signal the drastic change to its Cartoon Network programming, Max also completely scrubbed any reference to the animated shows from its Kids & Family hub on the app.

Before the October change, artwork on the hub featured Bugs Bunny front and center, with Gumball and Steven Universe on each of his sides. As of October 1, Bugs Bunny has now been joined by animated icon Fred Flinstone and an adorable Care Bear.

The removal of the beloved Cartoon Network shows on Max is even more perplexing considering that each one of the snuffed out shows are still available to stream on Hulu, a company that is not a part of the Warner Bros. Discovery family.

It is still unclear why Max dropped the seven animated shows from its catalog without notice. While neither company has yet to officially announce an updated programming deal, Hulu originally purchased exclusive rights to stream Cartoon Network shows back in 2015 while Cartoon Network was still owned by Turner Broadcasting.

The recent and abrupt removal of the Cartoon Network shows from Max continues a string of questionable moves that Warner Bros. Discovery has made in the past few months.

In the beginning of August, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that it would be shutting down the popular streaming service Boomerang on September 30.

Boomerang was first launched as a stand-alone programming block on Cartoon Network in 1992 until becoming its own cable channel in 2000, before eventually transitioning to an on-demand streaming service in 2017.

Additionally, Warner Bros. Discovery opted to shut down the official Cartoon Network website in August. The website was home to a large assortment of free episodes for users to stream both current and past series.

Many of the series available to stream on the Cartoon Network website were shows that had since become unavailable on Max.