When is ABC Family Gonna Change Its Name To The Tim Burton Channel?

[Old Guy]

Last weekend they were airing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice. In that order. And today I notice that they're airing Edward Scissorhands again. In addition to a "Batman Triple Feature" that includes Batman, Batman Returns, and Batman Forever. It starts at 4pm.

So, what's with all the Tim Burton lately? Something Halloween related? So, in Christmas are they gonna air Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns again?

And to ask the controversial question, why isn't Cartoon Network doing this? Most of these are Warner Bros movies. While none of them are Disney flicks. And the one that is, Nightmare Before Christmas, isn't being aired.

[Jeff Harris]

Originally Posted by Old Guy

So, what's with all the Tim Burton lately? Something Halloween related?

Pretty much. Tim Burton has that gothic, almost morbid sense of humor, not to mention dark and somewhat family-friendly. They're showing those films because they have exclusive basic cable rights to those films you mentioned.

Plus, yeah, the whole Halloween season.

Also, to be fair, Batman Forever isn't Tim Burton's film. That's a Schumacher-guided flick largely remembered for a pretty decent Bruce Wayne played by Val Kilmer and Jim Carrey playing The Riddler.

So, in Christmas are they gonna air Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns again?

Wouldn't surprise me. They're both Christmas-oriented films. But they'll likely be sidelined for The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins again.

And to ask the controversial question, why isn't Cartoon Network doing this? Most of these are Warner Bros movies. While none of them are Disney flicks. And the one that is, Nightmare Before Christmas, isn't being aired.

Cartoon Network isn't doing this because ABC Family has the basic cable broadcast rights for a certain time frame. That's also why half the Rankin-Bass Christmas specials that air on the network, which are owned by Warner Bros, are also exclusive to ABC Family.

And yeah. The Nightmare Before Christmas isn't on basic cable because, I believe, Starz has cable rights to the film. I could be wrong on that.

[The Penguin]

As Jeff alluded to, these movies are part of ABC Family's "13 Nights of Halloween." Much of Burton's work obviously fits. I suspect these movies will air much less frequently after today.

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harris

Also, to be fair, Batman Forever isn't Tim Burton's film.

But he's a producer on it. So, that's enough of an excuse for them to air it.

Wouldn't surprise me. They're both Christmas-oriented films.

Which makes it even weirder to air on Halloween. Plus, what does Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have to do with Halloween? The candy aspect of it. It's amusing to see ABC Family look for any excuse to air the movies. lol.

The Nightmare Before Christmas isn't on basic cable because, I believe, Starz has cable rights to the film. I could be wrong on that.

Disney Channel has aired the movie as recent as...last year, I think.

Originally Posted by The Penguin

As Jeff alluded to, these movies are part of ABC Family's "13 Nights of Halloween." Much of Burton's work obviously fits. I suspect these movies will air much less frequently after today.

Except the Batman movies. They don't need a holiday excuse to air them.

[Antiyonder]

Originally Posted by Old Guy

Last weekend they were airing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice. In that order. And today I notice that they're airing Edward Scissorhands again. In addition to a "Batman Triple Feature" that includes Batman, Batman Returns, and Batman Forever. It starts at 4pm.

Which is funny, because I brought the CatCF DVD over to my stepmom so we could watch it, only to find it on the schedule.

Originally Posted by Old Guy

Which makes it even weirder to air on Halloween. Plus, what does Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have to do with Halloween? The candy aspect of it. It's amusing to see ABC Family look for any excuse to air the movies. lol.

Candy is a big motivator for trick or treaters. Besides, one of Wonka's flashbacks has him trick or treating.

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by Antiyonder

one of Wonka's flashbacks has him trick or treating.

There's also a Halloween scene in Batman Forever. So, I see what ABC Family is doing.

[Sketch]

Well they regularly play Ninja Turtles movies as part of their Halloween programing so it doesn't always have to do with Halloween but plenty of the movies they air around this time do have some sort of relation to Halloween.

[Old Guy]

ABC Family is slowly turning into FX. First they get TMNT, then The Mask and now Batman. What's next? Superman? I can't wait till they start airing random superhero marathons.

[ABrown]

They're claiming to be airing the first three Tim Burton Batman movies as part of their "13 Days Of Halloween." I absolutely loved the first two Tim Burton Batman movies, and I'm always glad when they still get aired on television. Though, I'm not exactly sure what Batman has to do with Halloween exactly. I would've thought that ON Halloween they would've gone with something else, maybe like Beetlejuice.

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by ABrown

I'm not exactly sure what Batman has to do with Halloween exactly. I would've thought that ON Halloween they would've gone with something else, maybe like Beetlejuice.

Agreed. Instead they aired Beetlejuice last weekend. Oh, and going back to Cartoon Network and their mismanagement, Beetlejuice is something they could have aired. And not JUST the movie but the cartoon series as well. Their parent company, Warner Bros, owns both. It's true what Jeff Harris says. The companies in this corporation don't look out for one another.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Originally Posted by Old Guy

ABC Family is slowly turning into FX. First they get TMNT, then The Mask and now Batman. What's next? Superman? I can't wait till they start airing random superhero marathons.

They aired Superman: The Movie a few years back, soo....



Personally, this is ABC Family's shtick. The Halloween and Christmas marathons are staples, as much so as the airings of A Christmas Story and The Wizard of Oz. All I can ever remember ABC Family being good for is reruns of old sit-coms and films, and that's not a bad thing. We need rerun channels, or else...well, we'd never see old favorites or the stuff we've missed in the past!

[TMC1982]

Originally Posted by Jacob T. Paschal

They aired Superman: The Movie a few years back, soo....



Personally, this is ABC Family's shtick. The Halloween and Christmas marathons are staples, as much so as the airings of A Christmas Story and The Wizard of Oz. All I can ever remember ABC Family being good for is reruns of old sit-coms and films, and that's not a bad thing. We need rerun channels, or else...well, we'd never see old favorites or the stuff we've missed in the past!

Batman Returns is technically, a Christmas film as opposed to a Halloween film. Plus, it isn't exactly "family friendly" in the first place (therefore, has no business being on ABC Family if you ask me).

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by TMC1982

it isn't exactly "family friendly"

ABC Family hasn't been family friendly for a while. Have you seen some of their shows? It's like watching Teen Nick.

[NewcomerDC]

Originally Posted by Old Guy

ABC Family hasn't been family friendly for a while. Have you seen some of their shows? It's like watching Teen Nick.

I stopped watching once all of the action animated series disappeared. There's really nothing left for ABC Family to care about besides few of the movies.

[Light Lucario]

Originally Posted by TMC1982

Batman Returns is technically, a Christmas film as opposed to a Halloween film. Plus, it isn't exactly "family friendly" in the first place (therefore, has no business being on ABC Family if you ask me).

The first Batman movie isn't really family friendly either, but this wasn't the first time ABC Family has played the movie. Plus, like Old Guy said, ABC Family hasn't been family friendly for a long time. Most of their original shows have a lot of drama and situations that aren't aimed at family.

Originally Posted by NewcomerDC

I stopped watching once all of the action animated series disappeared. There's really nothing left for ABC Family to care about besides few of the movies.

That's how I feel about the channel too. Other than some of the movies, I don't watch ABC Family until they start airing Halloween and Christmas specials and movies.

[Tapout]

Originally Posted by Light Lucario

Most of their original shows have a lot of drama and situations that aren't aimed at family.

But, its "a new kind of family!"

[Mikintosh]

ABC Family's contractually required to keep the word "Family" in the name of the network; they were going to change it to "XYZ" years ago but they were stopped when they noticed the fine print in the contract.

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by Light Lucario

The first Batman movie isn't really family friendly either

I don't know what rating Batman Returns got since I was out of the house by the time it aired, but they gave Batman a TV-14. So, they were quite aware that it wasn't family friendly.

[TMC1982]

Originally Posted by Old Guy

ABC Family hasn't been family friendly for a while. Have you seen some of their shows? It's like watching Teen Nick.

Yes, I am aware that some of their shows (namely Greek and The Secret Life...) isn't exactly family friendly in the traditional sense. It's most ironic considering that Disney (the godfathers of "family friendly" entertainment) owns the channel.

[Old Guy]

Originally Posted by TMC1982

It's most ironic considering that Disney (the godfathers of "family friendly" entertainment) owns the channel.

They also own ABC, Touchstone, and Miramax. So, Disney, the corporation, isn't and hasn't been family-friendly for a while. The only family-friendly things are the ones that have the name Disney on it.