'Total Drama Island' Revival Finally Shows Up For Summer On Cartoon Network
'Total Drama Island' Revival Finally Shows Up For Summer On Cartoon Network
I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be a legal watcher!
It’s been a long three years to finally get back to camp. Over the weekend, promos began airing on Cartoon Network revealing that the first revival season of Total Drama Island will finally premiere on the channel on Saturday, June 1 at 9 AM Eastern, with next day streaming on Max, just in time for summer. And it’s about time.
The season takes place fifteen years after the events of the first season, apparently 12 after the last, and features new contestants competing on a new island modeled after Camp Wawanakwa, located somewhere in Ontario, as the original island had sank onscreen during the original series. It’s a two-week Survivor-like competition. At the end of the season, one contestant will win $1,000,000 Canadian. The original five season run was a huge hit when brought on to Cartoon Network, and together with Johnny Test and several other imports, formed a Canadian invasion for the network as it seemed their focus was moving away from their own in-house cartoons. Even so, it’s still loved by many and resisted any possible perception of being the prime example of the network’s decay long enough in its five-season run (and The Ridonculous Race) to stand alongside the likes of Adventure Time and Regular Show.
Apparently, these promos began running just before the actors’ NDAs would lift Sunday, according to story editor, executive producer, and voice of host Chris McLean, Terry McGurrin. For whatever reason, Christian Potenza was recast, so the role, in 6teen terms, went from Jude to Jonesy. The recasting of Chef from Cle Bennett to Sonic Prime’s Deven Mack carries over from Total DramaRama, a “babyfication” spinoff where the character ran a daycare attended by toddler versions of popular Total Drama contestants (and Jude) which ran from 2018 to 2023. It should also probably be noted that the back 13 of this 26 episode season are a complete roster rematch, so while there are two competitions in a single season like the original series had All-Stars and Pahkitew Island, it’s all the same crew. Their names are Caleb, Axel, Nichelle, Lauren, Damien, Mary Kate, Rajesh, Wayne, Ripper, Zee, Chase, Emma, Julia, Millie, Bowie, and Priya.
But what was with the sense of elation and relief? Back in February 2021, WarnerMedia unveiled an entire slate of kids and family programming for Cartoon Network and what was then-HBO Max, and the “two-season” revival of Total Drama that returned to the Island name was among them. This included the Ben 10 reboot-ending specials, the fourth seasons of Infinity Train and Craig of the Creek, the third season of Victor and Valentino, season 2 of Gremlins, which implied Secrets of the Mogwai was an interchangeable subtitle, and Jade Armor, which has since been made available on YouTube. The Amazing World of Gumball: The Movie was announced here, as was Gross Girls, Teen Titans Go! The Night Begins to Shine, a live action series called Family Mash-Up that obviously never made it, and a Tweety Bird-starring live action/animated hybrid. Who knows how many of them died even before the Discovery regime got there.
So it has taken over three years to finally make it to the United States legally. And this is a network that hadn’t premiered any new series in its own hours since We Baby Bears on New Year’s Day 2022 until Tiny Toons Looniversity in September 2023, losing shows to Discovery’s corporate shenanigans and the moves of Unicorn: Warriors Eternal and My Adventures with Superman to Adult Swim. At least The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe and season 2 of Looniversity followed before this. But this Canadian-American-British co-production premiered in Italy on K2 in April 2023, hit Canada in October, ran part 1 through December and part 2 in March and April of this year. Leaks were abound, there are already episode reaction videos on YouTube! There were no rumblings before this so it came as a welcome surprise that it’s finally coming. According to McGurrin “These ratings will likely be the difference between a renewal or not.” but there’s been some healthy skepticism thrown due to the circumstances. Watch the full minute spot below.
Sources: Warner Bros. Discovery, Terry McGurrin