CBS Eye Animation Productions
CBS Eye Animation Productions is the animation production division of CBS Studios, a unit of Paramount Global, established in late 2018 to create original animated series for the streaming service then known as CBS All Access and now Paramount+.[1] The studio specializes in television animation, often collaborating with external partners like Titmouse, Inc., and has become notably associated with the Star Trek franchise through its production of the comedic series Star Trek: Lower Decks, which follows junior officers aboard a support starship, and the younger-audience targeted Star Trek: Prodigy.[2][3] These projects highlight the division's focus on expanding established intellectual properties into animated formats, contributing to the franchise's diversification across demographics.[4] In addition to Star Trek titles, CBS Eye Animation Productions has developed other series such as the animated adaptation of the video game Among Us, executive produced by Owen Dennis, underscoring its role in adapting popular media into animation.[5] The studio's employees unionized in 2022 with The Animation Guild, reflecting standard industry labor practices in animation production.
Overview
Founding and Corporate Affiliation
CBS Eye Animation Productions was founded on October 25, 2018, as the dedicated animation production arm of CBS Television Studios, coinciding with the announcement of its first project, the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks, ordered for CBS All Access.[6][7] The division was established to develop and produce original animated content tailored for CBS's streaming and broadcast platforms, filling a gap in the company's in-house animation capabilities previously reliant on external studios.[1] As a wholly owned subsidiary of CBS Studios—itself a division of the CBS Entertainment Group under Paramount Global—CBS Eye Animation Productions operates from headquarters in Los Angeles, California, integrating into the broader Paramount ecosystem following the 2019 merger of CBS Corporation and Viacom.[8] This affiliation provides access to Paramount's extensive intellectual properties, particularly in franchises like Star Trek, while maintaining focus on television animation rather than feature films.[9] The studio does not maintain a distinct on-screen logo, instead leveraging the parent CBS branding for productions.[10]Historical Development
Inception and Early Mandate (2018)
CBS Television Studios announced the creation of CBS Eye Animation Productions on October 25, 2018, establishing it as a dedicated animation division to develop original animated series for the streaming service CBS All Access.[7][6] The launch aligned with CBS's strategic push into premium streaming content amid the growing demand for animated programming in the television landscape.[11] The division's inaugural project, Star Trek: Lower Decks, received a straight-to-series order for two 10-episode seasons on the same date, marking CBS All Access's first fully animated original series.[7] Created by Mike McMahan, known for his work on Rick and Morty, the series focuses on the lower-ranking officers aboard a Starfleet starship, expanding the Star Trek franchise into comedic, adult-oriented animation.[6] Production involved partnerships with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, underscoring the studio's intent to leverage established IP for streaming exclusivity.[7] CBS Eye Animation Productions' early mandate emphasized in-house development of high-quality, narrative-driven animation tailored to CBS All Access's subscriber base, differentiating it from live-action efforts by focusing on scalable, cost-effective formats amid the animation boom in streaming.[11] No additional projects were greenlit in 2018, positioning Star Trek: Lower Decks as the foundational effort to build the division's pipeline.[7]Acquisition and Integration of Predecessors
CBS acquired the Terrytoons animation studio in 1955 from founder Paul Terry, marking its entry into in-house animated production. Terrytoons, established in 1929, had produced over 1,000 theatrical shorts, including popular characters like Mighty Mouse (originally Super Mouse) and Heckle and Jeckle, primarily distributed by Educational Pictures and later 20th Century Fox. Under CBS ownership, the studio transitioned to television-oriented content, launching Mighty Mouse Playhouse in 1955 as a syndicated package of repackaged shorts that aired on CBS affiliates, achieving significant viewership and establishing CBS's early footprint in animated programming.[12][13] Terrytoons continued limited production of new TV cartoons into the 1960s, including segments for CBS shows like The Popeye Club, but ceased active operations by 1968 amid declining theatrical animation viability. The studio's physical facilities in New Rochelle, New York, were sold, and its library—comprising approximately 1,200 shorts—was retained by CBS for syndication. In 1971, following FCC regulations requiring separation of broadcast and syndication interests, CBS transferred Terrytoons library rights to its newly formed Viacom subsidiary, which handled domestic syndication and international sales. This divestiture preserved CBS's indirect control over the assets while complying with antitrust rules.[12][13] The 2019 merger of CBS Corporation and Viacom reunited the Terrytoons library under ViacomCBS (renamed Paramount Global in 2022), effectively reintegrating predecessor animation intellectual property into a unified corporate structure. However, CBS Eye Animation Productions, launched in October 2018 as a dedicated TV animation division of CBS Television Studios, did not involve direct acquisition of active predecessor entities or facilities; instead, it inherited access to this historical catalog for potential revival or licensing while focusing on original developments like Star Trek: Lower Decks. The merger facilitated broader resource sharing, including Viacom's distribution networks, but CBS Eye maintained operational independence for scripted animation targeted at CBS All Access (now Paramount+) and other platforms, without evidence of absorbing personnel or pipelines from legacy operations.[6][14]Expansion Amid Streaming Shifts (2019–Present)
In the wake of the December 4, 2019, merger between CBS Corporation and Viacom to form ViacomCBS (renamed Paramount Global in 2022), CBS Eye Animation Productions adapted to the consolidated entity's emphasis on streaming originals, aligning its output with the expansion of CBS All Access into Paramount+ on March 4, 2021. This period saw the division prioritize animated content for direct-to-consumer platforms amid industry-wide shifts toward subscription video-on-demand services, including increased competition from Disney+ and Netflix.[3] The studio's inaugural major project, Star Trek: Lower Decks, debuted on CBS All Access on August 6, 2020, as a comedic adult-oriented series set in the Star Trek universe, produced in collaboration with Titmouse, Inc., Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment.[3] [2] It completed five seasons by October 2024, with the final season emphasizing crossover elements with live-action Star Trek properties like Strange New Worlds.[15] Concurrently, Tooning Out The News, a weekly animated satire of current events hosted by Jordan Klepper, launched on CBS All Access in April 2020, extending the division's scope into topical commentary.[16] Further diversification occurred with Star Trek: Prodigy, a family-friendly animated entry co-produced with Nickelodeon Animation Studio, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment, which premiered exclusively on Paramount+ on October 28, 2021.[17] Aimed at introducing younger viewers to Star Trek lore through young protagonists captaining a stolen starship, the series garnered a second season order and released additional episodes in 2024 following a licensing stint on Netflix.[18] This output reflected the studio's strategic pivot to franchise extensions suited for streaming's serialized format and global reach. By 2024, CBS Eye Animation Productions broadened beyond sci-fi with the adult animated revival Everybody Still Hates Chris, a continuation of Chris Rock's semi-autobiographical sitcom, produced for Comedy Central and debuting on September 25, 2024.[19] Featuring voice work by Rock and original cast members like Tichina Arnold and Terry Crews, the series underscored the division's capacity for multi-genre projects amid Paramount Global's content pipeline for both streaming and linear networks. Ongoing developments include an untitled animated adaptation of the video game Among Us, announced for potential Paramount+ distribution, highlighting adaptation of gaming IP in response to streaming audience trends.Production Portfolio
Animated Television Series
CBS Eye Animation Productions specializes in animated series for streaming services, with a focus on science fiction franchises and adult-oriented comedies. The division's inaugural project, Star Trek: Lower Decks, premiered on August 6, 2020, on CBS All Access (later rebranded Paramount+), featuring a comedic take on the Star Trek universe centered on the understaffed USS Cerritos starship in the 24th century.[20] Created by Mike McMahan and produced in association with Secret Hideout, the series ran for five seasons until its conclusion in 2024, emphasizing bureaucratic and lower-decks perspectives absent in prior Trek entries.[5] Subsequent efforts expanded the Star Trek lineup with Star Trek: Prodigy, a co-production with Nickelodeon Animation Studio that debuted on October 28, 2021, on Paramount+. Aimed at younger audiences, it follows a group of lawless alien teenagers who commandeer a Starfleet vessel and learn Federation values under holographic guidance from Captain Kathryn Janeway.[21] The series, which incorporates 20 episodes across two seasons, was briefly removed from Paramount+ in June 2023 amid corporate cost-cutting but later licensed to Netflix for international distribution starting in 2024.[5] The studio also produced The Harper House, an adult animated sitcom that aired from September 16, 2021, to December 30, 2021, on Paramount Network, depicting a dysfunctional family's relocation to a rural estate. Created by Jeff Siergey and produced with support from Sony Pictures Television, it comprised one 10-episode season before cancellation due to low viewership.[21] In development as of 2023, the studio is adapting the video game Among Us into an animated series, emphasizing the game's social deduction mechanics in a crew-based narrative, though no premiere date has been set.[5] Additionally, Star Trek: Scouts, a preschool-targeted series featuring young characters solving problems with Starfleet-inspired ingenuity, is slated for release in 2025 on Paramount+.[21] These projects reflect the division's strategy of leveraging established IPs for targeted demographics while exploring original formats.Animated Television Specials
Reindeer in Here is the only animated television special produced by CBS Eye Animation Productions to date. This one-hour CGI-animated holiday program, based on Adam Reed's 2017 children's book and plush toy set of the same name, follows a young reindeer named Slydale who enters the Reindeer Games despite lacking antlers, emphasizing themes of self-acceptance and perseverance.[22][23] The special premiered on CBS on November 29, 2022, immediately following the network's annual broadcast of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and was made available on Paramount+.[24][23] Directed by Lino DiSalvo, known for his work as head of animation on Disney's Frozen, the project was executive produced by Reed, with production handled by CBS Eye Animation Productions in collaboration with CBS Studios.[25][22] Voice cast includes Gabriel Bateman as Slydale, Candace Cameron Bure as main narrator Aspen, and additional performers such as Edi Patterson, Brian Baumgartner, and Jimmy O. Yang.[26] The special received an encore airing on CBS on December 16, 2022.[27]Legacy Productions from Predecessors
Terrytoons, the principal animation predecessor integrated into CBS's portfolio, was acquired by CBS in 1955 from founder Paul Terry for approximately $5 million, marking the network's entry into owning a major cartoon library comprising over 1,000 shorts produced since 1929.[28][29] Under CBS ownership, the studio continued limited production until its closure in the late 1960s, after which CBS repackaged the content for television syndication, pioneering the shift of theatrical cartoons to broadcast formats.[30] This library forms the core legacy asset for subsequent CBS animation efforts, including distribution rights retained by CBS Studios and availability on platforms like Paramount+.[31] Key legacy productions from Terrytoons emphasize character-driven theatrical shorts, with Mighty Mouse—originally introduced as Super Mouse in 1942—emerging as the studio's flagship superhero parody, appearing in around 80 cartoons featuring battles against villains like the Cat-Woman and mechanical threats.[32] The magpie duo Heckle and Jeckle, debuting in 1946, starred in over 100 irreverent comedies highlighting their shape-shifting antics and rivalry, often directed by Mannie Davis.[33] Other enduring series include the folksy Farmer Al Falfa, a recurring rural protagonist from the studio's early sound era, and the anthropomorphic Terry Bears, who headlined family-oriented tales in the 1950s.[29] Television-oriented legacy works expanded under CBS, such as Deputy Dawg (1959–1963), a 104-episode package of Southern-fried adventures featuring a bumbling sheriff possum and his animal deputies, produced specifically for syndication.[34] CBS further capitalized on the archive through hosted blocks like Mighty Mouse Playhouse (1955–1967), which aired repackaged shorts and introduced live-action wrappers to engage young audiences, generating revenue from Saturday morning slots and merchandise.[35] These productions, characterized by economical limited animation and rapid output, influenced cost-conscious TV animation models but drew criticism for inconsistent quality post-acquisition, as CBS prioritized syndication over innovation.[36] The retained rights to characters like Dinky Duck, Gandy Goose, and Clint Clobber underscore Terrytoons' foundational role in CBS's animation heritage, though modern revivals remain limited.[33]| Character/Series | Debut Year | Notable Episodes/Shorts | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Mouse | 1942 | The Champion of Freedom (1947); 80+ shorts | Theatrical shorts |
| Heckle and Jeckle | 1946 | The Talking Magpies (1946); 100+ shorts | Theatrical shorts |
| Deputy Dawg | 1959 | Deputy Dawg and the Kangaroo (1960); 104 episodes | TV syndication package |
| Farmer Al Falfa | 1930s | Farmer Al Falfa's Movie (1937) | Theatrical shorts |