Photo: Paulinxx
This week I have made several trips down the memory lane! Today, I made a trip to HBO Max; guess what I found? Waynehead! Yes, Waynehead full episodes are available on HBO Max, among other classic Warner Bros shows of the '90s.
People have been asking on Reddit and Quora whether Waynehead made it to HBO max. You have a chance to fill your nostalgia cups with these classic shows of the mid-to-late 90s.
Waynehead series is yet another creation of Damon Wayans that was popularized as a Saturday morning cartoon show back in the '90s.
What's your take on the Waynehead TV series?
It was among my favorites, not necessarily the best, but it was fun to watch. Anyone else who remembers this excellent opening tune on Saturday mornings.
Waynehead cartoon series had some 50-50 reviews from teens back in the '90s. Not everyone considered it exciting. It was met with a mixture of awe and resentment. Many kids back in the ‘90s thought it was dull with mild humor. All the same, I loved the simplicity and creativity of the show.
When you come from a background of Animaniacs, Tom and Jerry, Johnny Bravo, and other electrifying high-octane cartoons, Waynhead may seem flat to you. I guess this is why Waynhead only aired for one year showing 13 episodes.
Background of the Waynehead Cartoon Series
It is basically about Damo’s personal experience growing up in an urban city. Waynhead Cartoon aired on the Kids' WB block around 1996 – 1997.
It came in the early years of Kids WB. Waynehead had some reruns on Cartoon Network in the late '90s through to the early 2000s. Waynehead TV series ran for 13 episodes. The story was about the life of a young boy named Damey Wayne, who came from a poor background in New York City Borough of Manhattan.
When Kids WB first stared, they relied a lot on shows bought from other established networks like Fox Kids franchise like Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures, Batman animated series, etc. At this time, WB Kids was trying to find its niche, trying to find a show that will cash in on its success and to establish Kids WB as a pioneering network.
It wasn't until 1999, when they brought over Pokémon, that WB Kids started to become the number one programming block on the broadcast network.
Kids WB was at the time an alternative to Fox Kids since both those blocks aired on weekdays and weekends. Unfortunately, they both went down. When I was growing up, I didn't catch up with WB kids until the time when Pokémon came out, that is when I started watching.
It is one of those obscure cartoons whereby you had to work so hard to get the episodes when it was initially launched.
The entire Wayans family contributed to the making of this cartoon series; for example, Shawn Wayans, who voiced Toof, Marlon Wayans, who voiced Blue, and Kim Wayans. This was interesting. The siblings were pretty tight with each other, a personality that was also depicted in the show.
Waynehead had a simple, and straightforward storyline of innocence, challenges, troubles, and obstacles that you meet while growing up. It had some notable episodes like the Waynhead "Brothers and Bros" where Damey gets out of the house to run with his friends; in this episode, he discovers the difference between friends and family members that he affiliates with.
Waynhead Cartoon Storyline
Waynehead revolves around the personal experiences of a ten-year-old boy named Damey Wayne, who grows up in a poor urban area of lower Manhattan, New York. The show was inspired by the creator's personal experiences when growing up.
Damey was born with a club foot and has been well used to show how life is like for those who grow up in the lower-class neighborhood. He also delves into the challenges that come along when growing in such an environment. The show also tries to light the hard times people with disabilities face, especially when they are from low-income earning homes.
The show was written by Grant Moran, Diane Dixon, Kevin Hopps, David Wyatt, and Janice Wells.
Reception of the show
The 90s kids remember how the show enlightened their Saturday mornings. This was a memorable show that the creator had taken his time to come up with. Despite all the show's successes in its initial episodes, it was canceled after airing for only one season of 13 episodes.
The reason why Waynhead Cartoon series was canceled was its poor ratings. The series did not attract good numbers as the producer had anticipated. Its speculated that this was because Damon Wayans was currently appearing on two programs on the Network rival-Fox. His reason was that the show was not that not black enough or funny enough.
Wayhead received a viewership that led to its cancellation. It was hard to get hold of the Waynhead’s episodes, but currently some have been uploaded on YouTube. HBO Max also has full episodes of Waynehead Cartoon series.
Waynehead characters
Below are some notable characters of the Waynhead Cartoon Series:
1. Damey Wayne was the lead character of the show and the unofficial leader of the crew
Photo: BHM DevianArt
2. Mo'Money- was Damey's best friend.
3. Toof- Damey's and Mo Money's friend who likes candy and rapping.
Photo: Next-episode
4. Roz –she is the only female of the group and Damey's crush.
5. Tripod-Damey's three-legged dog
6. Kevin and Shavonne –Damey's older brother and younger sister, respectively.
7. Mr. and Mrs. Walker –parents to Damey, Shavonne, and Kevin.
The select show of our times
Waynehead was outstanding and had some episodes full of humor on how Damey dealt with the bullies together with his friends. Here are some of the most remarkable facts about the show that made me watch it repeatedly.
Firstly, Damon Wayans has used celebrity toons to come up with a fantastic story. He brings out the humor in the show, making it memorable. At some point, he did have a metal leg brace due to a club foot.
Waynehead Theme Song
https://youtu.be/j0wkHixS6iA
There is something about the theme songs of many '90s show that I don't understand. They were easy to remember, and you could keep humming the in your head hours after watching the show. Waynehead theme song was one of them.
Waynehead theme song was a constant reminder that it is Saturday morning. A day for being a couch potato for my siblings and binging on classic cartoons. We could wake up early just to catch up with an episode of the Waynehead show.
The subverted Rhyme –Damey and Toof occasionally had the rhyme subverted is the third thing that made the show likable to the 90s kids.
The song went something like this;
The show is not black enough
Damon Wayans could not believe Warner Bros was pulling on the show for reasons not clear to him. Wayans claimed that he was told that the show was not black enough or funny enough.
He wondered what they wanted and even questioned what they wanted, or was it something in Ebonics.
The Boondocks, PJs, and Black Dynamite were some of the black animated shows that we're doing well. At some point, Wayans thought that the allegations from Warner Bros were true.
The show went on to be canceled with only one season for us to enjoy.
The comeback of the Waynehead
The show did not attain the projected numbers by the producer, and as a result, it was canceled in 1997. People's love towards the show saw it come back on TV despite its low ratings and its swift cancellation by its original network. Cartoon Network was the new home and aired until the late 2000s.
Comic books and many articles have also been written on the show. The Waynehead proves to be the most loved show of the 90s.
Final Word
It is hard to judge how Waynehead performed. Because it just ran for a couple of months with a handful of episodes and disappeared. It is hard to give a detailed review of the show.
By the 2000s, they stopped showing reruns of this cartoon. The Waynhead Cartoon show cast also has not talked much about the show. It may not be those kinds of shows with a big nostalgia pang, but all the same, it was a great show to watch back then.
The Waynehead Cartoon series might not have been a groundbreaking show that could stand the taste of time. But for a cartoon that only lasted for 13 episodes, it was pretty decent.
Let me know what you think about the show, comment hereunder.
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