Throughout the history of TV, much of the public has been fortunate enough to indulge in some incredible animated series (including Saturday morning fare we don’t even talk about anymore). Many might primarily cater to kids, but a lot of them also appeal to those who are a bit older. Despite the abundance of quality programming, not many of them are truly perfect. That’s right, even the greatest toons have their flaws. With that in mind, we’re going to discuss some of the best classic children’s cartoons and list the best and worst things about them. So let’s not waste any more time and jump right into this.
The Flintstones (1960-1966)
Best Thing: The Mix Of The Prehistoric Setting And Modern Sensibilities - While set in the Stone Age, The Flintstones flawlessly makes the time period feel tangible and relatable, which is a reason why it’s one of the greatest animated TV shows of all time.
Worst Thing: Overuse Of "Rock" Puns - The rock jokes (commonly employed via names, items, etc.) on the show are definitely cheeky to a point but, in some ways, they get a little played out.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1960-1970)
Best Thing: Mystery Inc.’s Chemistry - There are plenty of reasons why Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! is beloved and launched a massive media franchise. But what truly makes the classic toon endearing is the interplay between the likable meddling kids and their talking dog.
Worst Thing: Lack Of True Scares - Yes, the show is mostly meant to be a comedy, but a few true jump scares (fit for younger viewers) would be great.
Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998)
Best Thing: Classic, Yet Modern, Storytelling Sensibilities - This superhero show manages to capture the classic comic-booky sensibilities of Spidey stories but seamlessly combines that with contemporary serialized (‘90s-era) storytelling.
Worst Thing: Peter Parker Couldn’t Throw A Direct Punch At A Living Foe - Peter Parker can kick and punch unfeeling beings and entities all day on Spider-Man: The Animated Series, but flesh and blood beings are typically just hit with web shooters and other projectiles.
Ed, Edd N' Eddy (1999-2009)
Best Thing: The Eds’ Creative Schemes - The titular trio on the Cartoon Network classic are mischief makers but also craft a creek cruise, an elaborate miniature golf course, a roller coaster, a corporate office (with a working elevator) and more enterprises.
Worst Thing: Squiggly-Line Animation Style - As fun as this coming-of-age comedy is, the line-heavy animation can be rough on the eyes at times, especially when it comes to earlier episodes.
Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996)
Best Thing: Intense Battles - Dragon Ball Z contains some of the best hand-to-hand fights ever animated like Gohan and Cell’s skirmish and, of course, Goku and Frieza’s brawl.
Worst Thing: Too Many Filler Episodes - As exciting as the anime is, there are plenty of installments with no major narrative developments, only characters charging up their power levels.
The New Batman Adventures (1997-1999)
Best Thing: “Mad Love” Episode - The New Batman Adventures – one of the Dark Knight’s shorter-lived shows – succeeds in flawlessly adapting Bruce Timm and Paul Dini’s origin story for Harley Quinn.
Worst Thing: The Joker’s DCAU Redesign - Many of the updated character designs are great, but Joker’s beady-eyed look is definitely a head-scratcher.
Doug (1991-1999)
Best Thing: Doug’s Relatable Situations - The predicaments that the eponymous character finds himself in greatly represent the highs and lows of adolescence.
Worst Thing: Doug’s Overwhelming Anxiety - As easy as it is to identify with Doug, his worrisome nature sometimes becomes a little unbearable – even by preteen standards.
The Jetsons (1962-1987)
Best Thing: Great Early Version Of Retro-Futurism - Just as The Flintstones paints a portrait of the past, The Jetsons shows off an over-the-top but oddly tangible picture of progress, which has shaped our views of the distinct view of the distant future.
Worst Thing: Laugh Track - When it comes to multi-camera sitcoms, laugh tracks can be quite invaluable but, on an animated show like this one, it just feels unnecessary.
Dexter’s Laboratory (1996-2003)
Best Thing: Dexter’s Various Inventions - Dexter isn’t called a boy genius for nothing, as viewers see him create a dream machine, a giant robot for combat, a reverse belt, and much more.
Worst Thing: Dee Dee’s Characterization - The annoying (and sometimes dimwitted) sister archetype is one we know well but, at times, Dexter’s Laboratory’s use of it stunts Dee Dee’s growth as a character.
Tiny Toon Adventures (1990-1992)
Best Thing: Interactions Between The New And OG Characters - Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, Hampton J. Pig, and co. are fun on their own, but it’s really sweet seeing them mix it up with Bugs, Daffy, Porky, Sylvester, and other Looney Tunes veterans.
Worst Thing: Montana Max - It’s obvious that Montana Max is meant to be a counterpart for Yosemite Sam but, unlike Sam, Montana comes off as more of a pure nuisance than a funny foil.
Aladdin (1994-1995)
Best Thing: Worldbuilding - Aladdin does a great job of adding new characters (heroes and villains), locations, and lore to the fictional world established in one of the best Disney Renaissance movies.
Worst Thing: Recycled Animation Sequences - I understand that a number of animated shows in the ‘80s and ‘90s were on tight budgets, but some of the reused scenes from other entities here look cheap.
Hey Arnold! (1996-2004)
Best Thing: Ensemble-Centric Storytelling - Arnold may headline this sweet series, but the writers share the love by crafting stories around Helga, Gerald, Harold, and other supporting players that provide character development.
Worst Thing: Actor Recastings For Arnold - Each of the three actors (five if you include the pilot and Jungle Movie) who plays Arnold brings their own unique style but, when rewatching the show, the vocal shifts are a bit jarring.
Gargoyles (1994-1997)
Best Thing: Character development - The amount of character growth present throughout Gargoyles is staggering, from the evolution of the main heroes to that of antagonist David Xanatos.
Worst Thing: The third season - Season 3 is very lackluster compared to its predecessors and is disappointing – even if every episode aside from the premiere isn’t considered canon by producer Greg Weisman.
Looney Tunes (1920s-1960s)
Best Thing: Bugs Bunny’s Various Shorts - You’d be hard-pressed to find a Bugs Bunny short that isn’t entertaining on some level, and the classic toon is perfectly voiced by Mel Blanc.
Worst Thing: The “Censored Eleven” - This now-banned set of cartoons sadly depicts racist stereotypes and unfortunately serves as a stain on the history of this illustrious franchise.
Beast Wars: Transformers (1996-1999)
Best Thing: Animal-Themed Transformers concepts - I mean, if you’re a kid and lover of this franchise, how can you not dig the notion of Transformers like Optimus Primal, Cheetor, and Airazor? (2023’s Rise of the Beasts introduced them on the big screen, much to Beast Wars fans’ intrigue.)
Worst Thing: The CGI - Computer-animated TV shows were a novelty in the ‘90s, and Beast Wars exemplifies how the tech still needed time to develop for a weekly series.
Animaniacs (1993-1998)
Best Thing: Sharp, Meta, and Pop-Culture-Infused Writing - Animaniacs had few equals during its run and, even now, its wit and satirical view of popular culture (including the educational songs) are still top-tier.
Worst Thing: The Mindy And Buttons Segments - The various segments on the show are legendary, but the portions featuring the curious Mindy and her long-suffering dog, Buttons, feel particularly thin and repetitive.
Johnny Bravo (1997-2004)
Best Thing: Adult humor - Thanks to (then-rising) writer Seth MacFarlane and others, Johnny Bravo includes a level of comedy that satiates the young but also widely caters to older viewers in the best way.
Worst Thing: Animation Style For Seasons 2 and 3 - The show’s look in these two seasons marks an attempt to jazz up the designs from Season 1 but doesn’t quite land. That’s likely why Season 4 transitions back to more familiar looks for the characters and world.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)
Best Thing: Camaraderie Amongst The Turtles - So much about TMNT works and makes it one of the Saturday morning cartoons that holds up, but the reason many fans arguably keep coming back is because they love the bond between the four reptilian brothers.
Worst Thing: The Interpretation Of Baxter Stockman - The original Mirage Comics establish Dr. Baxter Stockman as a darker and relatively maniacal figure, so it’s disappointing that the ‘80s show makes him into something of a joke.
The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991)
Best Thing: Terrifying Monsters Added To The Canon - Gozer and Vigo the Carpathian are solid threats in the films, but they don’t hold a candle to the likes of The Bogeyman, Samhain and The Dark Rider of The Real Ghostbusters.
Worst Thing: Q5 Consulting Firm’s Impact On Season 3 Onwards - ABC enlisted the services of Q5 Corp to make the show (which we don’t talk about much now) more accessible and, in the process, it became duller and sillier.
Kim Possible (2002-2007)
Best Thing: Balance Between Comedy And Adventure - Kim Possible succeeds at offering thrills and laughs, and neither one of them ever drowns out the other in a given episode.
Worst Thing: Ron Stoppable’s Qualifications As A Crimefighter - Ron is an important and beloved part of the impactful Disney Channel show, but his lack of skills in the field begs an explanation as to why he was approved for his crime-fighting gig in the first place.
Garfield And Friends (1988-1994)
Best Thing: Characterization Of Garfield - There have been many adaptations of Garfield, but few are as perfect as the lazy, snarky, and constantly hungry iteration we see on this show.
Worst Thing: Binky The Clown: While Binky the Clown is meant to be obnoxious, his overly aggressive attitude can make him incredibly annoying.
Rocko’s Modern Life (1993-1996)
Best Thing: Clever And Mature Humor - Those who’ve seen Rocko’s Modern Life, one of the best ‘90s Nick shows, know it’s filled with great adult-level humor that’s riotous (and sometimes raunchy).
Worst Thing: Heffer Wolffe’s Freeloading - In his defense, Heffer is one of the more likable mooches, but his over-indulgent demeanor is a constant burden on Rocko whether the steer is aware of it or not.
Recess (1997-2001)
Best Thing: The Heart – Disney’s Recess wears its heart on its sleeve, and that’s especially necessary when you have episodes like “The Great Can Drive” and “Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave.”
Worst Thing: Randall J. Weems - You’ll never find a bigger snitch on a cartoon than Randall, whose weasley tendency for tattling on others undermines the efforts of T.J. Detweiler and co. on various occasions.
Jonny Quest (1964-1965)
Best Thing: Encapsulates The Adventurous Spirit Of The ‘60s - Hanna-Barbera’s Jonny Quest takes all of the best parts of the greatest action fare of the ‘60s to make a great Saturday morning cartoon.
Worst Thing: Characterization Of Hadji Singh - As lovable as Hadji is, the franchise’s inaugural series doesn’t flesh him out enough, making Quest’s adopted brother feel like a cliché.
Courage The Cowardly Dog (1999-2002)
Best Thing: Scary Stories - The writers of Courage the Cowardly Dog deserve a lot of credit for giving kids true chills and not pulling punches in the process. (I still think about needing to return the slab.)
Worst Thing: Elements That Were Too Surreal - Abstract art is definitely appreciated, but it can sometimes be confusing, especially if you're one of the show's younger viewers.
SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron (1993-1995)
Best Thing: A Fresh Concept - The idea of two former military men (or “katz”) suiting up as vigilantes and using technology to defend their home may not sound too unorthodox, but it’s truly novel.
Worst Thing: The Two Leads Could Be More Developed - Razor and T-Bone are fun characters but, at times, it feels like their characterizations could be more nuanced in some respects.
The Magic School Bus (1994-1997)
Best Thing: Learning Is Fun - Only a great show could make learning science fun, and Ms. Frizzle’s journeys into space, the human body, and the Mesozoic Era are as insightful as they are enjoyable.
Worst Thing: Kids Were Always In Mortal Danger - The only downside to all of the aforementioned adventures is that Frizzle’s young class is constantly in serious danger.
Rugrats (1991-2004)
Best Thing: Narrative Structures That Appeal To Different Generations - Rugrats is one of the quintessential daydreaming shows, and the writers employ movie genres, childhood tropes, and more to portray the babies’ adventures.
Worst Thing: Inattentive Parents - Most probably know this by now but the babies’ parents are incredibly irresponsible when watching them and should be grateful the kids usually return to them unscathed by the end of each episode.
Popeye The Sailor (1933-1942)
Best Thing: Popeye Gains Strength From Spinach - It’s very on the nose, but few moments in TV are as satisfying as when the sailor opens up a can of spinach, bulks up, and takes down Bluto.
Worst Thing: Olive Oyl’s Lack Of Agency - There are damsels in distress, and then there’s Olive Oyl, who’s just as totally helpless as she is sweet.
The Powerpuff Girls (1998-2005)
Best Thing: Great Rogues’ Gallery - The Powerpuff Girls have one of the best and most diverse rosters of villains ever created, from Mojo Jojo and Princess Morbucks to Sedusa and the Gang Green Gang.
Worst Thing: Binary Personality Traits For The Girls - Yes, the girls are all great and worthy of being loved, but each rarely portrays more than their respective “leader,” “sweetheart” and “hothead” molds.
Arthur (1996-2022)
Best Thing: Power Of Community - One of the key strengths of PBS Kids’ Arthur is that it emphasizes the importance of being a good neighbor, and just about everyone in Elwood City shows traces of that quality at times.
Worst Thing: Underutilized Characters - With such a massive ensemble, some characters – like Jenna Morgan or Sue Ellen – don’t get enough time in the sun.
The Yogi Bear Show (1961-1962)
Best Thing: Voice acting – Hanna-Barbera was well known for having quality voice-acting, but the work that Daws Butler (Yogi), and Don Messick (Boo-Boo) do on The Yogi Bear Show is still top-notch.
Worst Thing: Stealing Food - This is very obvious and key to the lead characters, but I mean, they used to steal tasty vittles from people’s picnic baskets!
To be clear, the classic children’s cartoons we’ve discussed are all definitely worth checking out. You should just be aware that each of them has their own share of strengths and weaknesses.
