10 Times Kids Shows Were Struck By Tragedy
The Tohoku Earthquake Canceled a Major Pokémon Arc
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“Pokémon the Series: Black and White” (2010-11) When a real life disaster strikes, even animated representations of a similar event can lead to uncomfortable comparisons. Early episodes of this Pokémon season had set up a confrontation between Team Rocket and Team Plasma over a material called Meteonite. This ferocious battle was supposed to happen in a special two-part episode that would have seen destruction brought to Castelia City… but it was never aired. Why not? Because of the disastrous Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. At the time, networks considered the upcoming episodes insensitive and skipped over them, and the story arc was never returned to. Eventually the conflict as a whole was altered and retconned, leading to a permanent question on how such a battle would have played out.
A New Voice for Caillou
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“Caillou” (1997-2010) The voice actors we hear as beloved childhood characters often become intertwined with our memories of the show. However, sometimes tragedy strikes and forces a change. After season one of Caillou, Jaclyn Linetsky took over as the voice of the iconic character for the next two seasons. Tragically, Linetsky was involved in a fatal car accident in 2003 at just 17 years old. By this time, Jaclyn’s voice of the character had become a staple of the show, so it was important to find a replacement that could bring the same charm to the character. Annie Bovaird ended up stepping into the role, putting her own verve into the talent that Jaclyn had previously brought to the show. Annie remained in the role until the end of the series.
Mel Blanc's Car Accident Almost Ended Bugs Bunny
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Looney Tunes Mel Blanc was legendary for voicing some of the most famous cartoon characters in history including Bugs Bunny, Barney Rubble, and Mr. Spacely and many, many, MANY more. Without his brilliant voice work a huge swath of characters likely would never have existed,or even been remotely as captivating. Byt that nearly came to pass when a horrific car accident put the actor in a coma in 1961. After weeks of unresponsiveness, his doctor brilliantly tried a different method to elicit a response from Blanc, asking him how Bugs Bunny was feeling, instead of Mel. And emerging from the coma at last, Blanc responded, “Eh…just fine, Doc. How are you?” Turns out the beloved character didn’t want Mel Blanc to go anywhere, either.
John Ritter's Death Transformed “Clifford the Big Red Dog”
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“Clifford the Big Red Dog” (2000-03) John Ritter was a deeply respected actor and castmate for decades in Hollywood. And throughout the entire run of the original “Clifford the Big Red Dog” animated series, Ritter provided the voice of the titular oversized pooch. However, in late 2003 he experienced heart complications while on the set of another show, and tragically died later that day. A spinoff series, “Clifford’s Puppy Days” began around the same time, leading many to believe that the star’s death had caused the change of series rather than continuing on with the original. However, reportedly the finale movie and spinoff had already been planned and created and this was not necessarily the case. Regardless, John Ritter’s impact on Clifford, and the impact of his passing, cannot be overstated, as his voice had become synonymous with the character for years.
Dedication to Anton Yelchin
“Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” (2016-18) Recasting an actor is never easy, especially when the individual in question is considered by many as the perfect fit for the role. This was the case for Anton Yelchin, a young actor who became famous in the reboot of “Star Trek” as Lieutenant Chekov. He also lent his voice and presence to the main character of “Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia” for its first two seasons, and part of the third, before his life was horribly cut short by a freak accident. The makers of the show showed their support for the talented actor’s memory, dedicating the entire series to him upon its conclusion in 2018. Not only that, but the final episode drew to a conclusion with a reused monologue from his character, allowing him to close out the show he had so enriched.
