These Iconic Cartoons Are An Instant Classic That Deserve To Be Watched
There have been plenty of fantastic animated TV shows. Throughout history, some people believed that cartoons are for children, but they're wrong. There are so many shows that provide frequent themes that older demographics can enjoy.
From classic animated series with talking animals and a family living in the stone-age, to the modern day shows that revolve around yellow people and some made up town in Colorado, there's really something for everyone. Both classic and current animated series made this list as the best cartoons to ever appear on the small screen.
The Jetsons
The Jetsons live in a comical version of the future. With elaborate robotic contraptions, aliens, and holograms, the show ran for three seasons in the early sixties.
The show would debut as the first program broadcast in color on ABC-TV. Maybe one day we'll actually get our robot maids.
Rugrats
A show about a group of toddlers became a popular children's series in the nineties. It usually involved the group going through common life experiences that became their own adventure.
Adults in the show are almost always unaware of what the children are doing in each episode.
The Flinstones
The popularity of The Flinstones relied heavily on its juxtaposition of modern everyday issues while being set in the Stone Age.
The cartoon would become the most financially successful network animated franchise for three decades until The Simpsons took over. A series with short films that centered around a rivalry between its two little characters are just around the corner.
Scooby-Doo
This Saturday-morning cartoon series featured Fred, Daphene, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo.
The group solved mysteries involving supernatural creatures through a series of antics and mishaps. Following the show's success, Warner Bros. released two real-life theatrical films.
The Magic School Bus
The series that was based on the book of the same name received critical acclaim. The show provided celebrity talent and combined entertainment with an educational series.
With four seasons under its belt, a revival series titled The Magic School Bus Rides Again was released on Netflix on September 2017.
Tom & Jerry
The series of short films centered around a rivalry between its two little characters. In its original run, William Hanna and Jason Barbera produced 114 Tom and Jerry shorts for MGM from 1940 to 1958.
During that time, the pair won seven Academy Awards for Animated Short Film, tying for first with Disney's Silly Symphonies. One of the longest-running sitcoms is still on the way. They haven't skipped a beat since December 17, 1989.
Animaniacs
The show first aired on Fox Kids before it was picked up by the WB. Animaniacs was considered one of the cartoons that came during the animation renaissance of the early nineties.
While the show had no set format, the majority of episodes were composed of three short-mini episodes, each starring a different set of characters.
The Bugs Bunny & Tweety Show
The anthology series featured Bugs Bunny and many loveable characters from Looney Tunes. The show originally debuted as a primetime half-hour program on ABC before it got extended to an hour-long program.
Once the show was moved to Saturday mornings, it remained in one format or another for nearly four decades.
The Simpsons
The world was introduced to Matt Groening's family of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie on December 17, 1989. The creator, along with the cast, haven't looked back.
Since its debut, over 600 episodes have been broadcast. It's now the longest-running American sitcom along with the longest animated program too. Coming up, the Nickelodeon series that revolved around a football-shaped headed kid and his friends.
Woody Woodpecker
Despite the show being on for only a season, the Walter Lantz animation of an anthropomorphic woodpecker came during the Golden age of American animation.
Though not the first of the loveable characters that became popular at the time, Woody is one of the most indicative of all.
Pink Panther
The show focused on inept French police detective Jacques Clouseau. Elements and characters inspired the show and films were adapted into other media, including comic books.
The name derives from the first film of the name of the eponymous pink diamond.
Hey Arnold!
The show centered around Arnold, a football-head shaped kid who lives with his grandparents.
Episodes tackled his experiences by navigating big city life with the problems he and his friends encounter. A feature film, Hey Arnold!: The Movie was based on the series. Since its debut in 1999, this media franchise generated $13 billion in merchandising revenue thanks some yellow sponge.
Johnny Bravo
Johnny was a muscular and boorish man who tries to get a woman to date him. He's usually unsuccessful thanks to the bizarre situations he finds himself in.
Throughout the show's run, it was the center of controversy for its adult humor, pop culture references, and sly jokes that aren't meant for kids.
South Park
Trey Parker and Matt Stone created this show about four boys and their bizarre adventures.
Much like The Simpsons, South Park focused on its profanity, dark humor and poor celebrity impersonations. In 2013, TV Guide ranked the show as the 10th greatest cartoon of all-time.
SpongeBob SquarePants
A yellow sponge and his friends are the focal points of sea creatures living in Bikini Bottom.
The popularity of the series made it one of the highest rated series to air on Nickelodeon. As of late 2017, the media franchise generated $13 billion in merchandising revenue. One of the newest and most popular cartoons is still on the way. It's practically a parody of Back to the Future.
Pokémon
Pokémon continues to be a crazy sensation thanks to its show and trading cards. With movies, games and so much more under their belt, it's no surprise why people love it.
The Japanese anime series is especially popular on the international market. The series eventually became a spin-off, consisting of the Pokémon Chronicles.
Family Guy
Seth MacFarlane's masterpiece exhibits humor in the form of metafictional cutaway gags that often reference American culture.
MacFarlane pitched a seven-minute pilot to Fox in 1998, and the show was given the green light. Shortly after being canceled in 2002, it was renewed in 2004.
Rick & Morty
The misadventures of mad scientist Rick Sanchez and his grandson Morty Smith became a cult sensation.
The show's colorful and whacky script is a parody of the film Back to the Future. With three seasons under its belt, it was picked up for additional seventy episodes.
Dragonball Z
The sequel to the Dragon Ball anime premiered in 1986 with the finale airing in 1996. The show followed Goku, who defended the Earth against villains ranging from androids to creatures.
Due to the success of anime in the United States, the manga chapters comprising its story were given to Viz Media under Dragon Ball Z.
Inspector Gadget
Inspector Gadget chronicled the adventures of a clumsy, dim-witted detective. His nemesis, Dr. Claw, was the leader of an evil organization known as M.A.D.
The show would eventually become an action-comedy film which starred Matthew Broderick as Inspector Gadget.
