Secret Saturdays, or "wait, this is on cartoon network?"

Yeah, so cartoon network has a new hour long show, The Secret Saturdays, about a family of scientists discovering and occasionally fighting, magical or odd monsters. Some of which make good pets for the boy, apparently.

To explain my bemusement that this is on cartoon network, you have to know how families are usually portrayed in modern American cartoons. Lame parents, dumb kids. However, this change to more positive families makes sense, if you look at what kids want. Kids want to spend time with mom and dad. Heck, some kids would be happy just to have a mom and dad. So the cartoon gives them a fantasy of a kid who has parents who are not losers, first of all.

Add this on to a adventurous story glittering with cool monsters, magical artifacts, power gloves, and armed mercenaries seems to be a good idea. But why this sudden change of heart? Well, ratings, and the popularity of silly show like UFO Hunters explain the action and critters, but not the characters. However, if you look at Blue Beetle, you also see a kid with decent parents and action packed adventure. Hopefully this is more that just coincidence, and cartoon and comic makers are realizing that decent parents exist.