Courage the Cowardly Dog is an American comedy horror animated television series created by John R. Dilworth for Cartoon Network. Its central plot revolves around a somewhat anthropomorphic pink/purple dog named Courage who lives with his owners, Muriel and Eustace Bagge, an elderly, married farming couple in the “Middle of Nowhere”. Courage and his owners are frequently thrown into bizarre misadventures, often involving the paranormal/supernatural and various villains. The show is known for its surreal, often disquieting humor and bizarre plot twists. The series combines elements of comedy horror, science fantasy, and drama.

The program originated from a short on Cartoon Network’s animation showcase series created by Hanna-Barbera president Fred Seibert, “What a Cartoon!” titled “The Chicken from Outer Space”. The segment was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996, and Cartoon Network commissioned a series based on the short. The series, which premiered on November 12, 1999, ran for four seasons, ending on November 22, 2002 with a total of 52 episodes produced. The series was the sixth and final series to be spun off from World Premiere Toons, and it was the eighth series to fall under the Cartoon Cartoons label.