Unnatural History is a television series produced by Warner Horizon Television for Cartoon Network and YTV. The series is the second scripted, live-action show on Cartoon Network after the failure of Out of Jimmy's Head. The series consisted of thirteen hour-long episodes and premiered on Sunday, June 13, 2010. On July 13, the series was rescheduled to Tuesday nights. It is only the second Cartoon Network show outside of Adult Swim and Toonami to have the U.S. rating of "TV-PG-V", and a parental-guidance warning after every commercial break and at the beginning of the show (the first being Star Wars: The Clone Wars); its rating in Canada for most episodes is "G", or else "PG". On November 19, 2010, Cartoon Network cancelled the series after one season.

Premise

This series is centered on Henry Griffin, a teenager with exceptional skills acquired through years of globe-trotting with his anthropologist parents. But Henry faces his biggest challenge of all when he moves back to America to begin junior year at Smithson High School in Washington D.C., a place stranger than any he's ever lived before. Together with his cousin Jasper and Jasper's friend Maggie, he uses the skills he learned around the globe to solve the postmodern mysteries of high school.

Cast and characters

Main characters

Recurring characters

Episodes

Reception

Critical reception

Unnatural History received mixed to positive reviews from critics, with Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter praising it as "an appealing mix between The Hardy Boys and Indiana Jones with National Treasure thrown in for good measure". Los Angeles Times writer Robert Lloyd found the show fun and lively, composed of "familiar, mashed-together" action-adventure themes. Variety reviewer Brian Lowry was more critical, calling it "unexciting" and lacking "the requisite thrills a young audience weaned on big-budget movies is apt to demand."

Viewer reception

According to the Nielsen ratings, the premiere episode was watched by 1.39 million viewers, though the pilot episode did not place in the Top 25 cable programs for the week of June 7–13, 2010. Of that audience, the pilot episode earned 334,000 viewers among boys aged 6–11 earning a 2.7 in that demographic, with Cartoon Network claiming gains among kids 2-11, kids 9-14, and other kids demographics compared to the same time period the previous year.

Cancellation and intended second season plans

On November 19, 2010, it was announced that Cartoon Network would not renew the series for a second season. On December 29, 2010, creator Mike Werb revealed that he intended to have the show picked up by another network, but a deal could not be secured. Werb also revealed his plans if the show had been renewed for a second season: "SEASON 2 THOUGHTS for those interested: I had planned a 2-part opener with extreme adventures involving Genghis Khan’s tomb, a Mongolian death worm, Henry’s disappearance in a sand storm, the rescue of a newborn camel as well as Henry’s parents and uncle Bryan. The rest of season 2 (upon the leads return to DC) would have covered subjects ranging from the kids finding the 18½ minute gap of the Nixon/Watergate tapes, Hemingway's lost novel, vampire finches (they really exist), a Stradivarius violin, a Native American mystery, DB Cooper, the underground railroad, etc. etc etc — plus a deepening of the triangular relationship between Henry, Maggie and Jasper, the return of Jasper’s mother from France — among other familial and emotional issues set against historical and scientific adventures. Anyway, for the handful reading this — wishing you all a happy, healthy 2011."