The 1990s saw the rise of Nickelodeon and with it, the rise of some really strange, really awesome cartoons. And that was just one channel. MTV were trying out their Liquid Television programming while Cartoon Network laid the foundation for what would later become Adult Swim. Meanwhile, network television was trying some impressive stuff out as well. It wasn't the 1980s golden age of kids cartoons, but it was certainly a time of high innovation and fun. With the return of 90s staple Beavis and Butthead, here are our picks for 1990s cartoons we want back on television.
11
X-Men
There have been many X-Men cartoons, but this was the first and arguably the best. It not only took on the same social issues brought up in the comics but also highlighted one of the best, most iconic eras of X-Men history. When kids from the 1990s picture Storm, Cyclops, Rogue or Wolverine, this is what they look like (well, maybe they think of Hugh Jackman now when it comes to Wolverine).
It'd be great to get this one back, if only to remind us why on earth we ever liked Gambit so much in the first place. It'd be okay if they forgot to include Jubilee, though.
10
Doug
You either loved Doug or at least had a best friend who loved it. Don't lie.
Excluding a two year break from 1994 to 1996, the show was on the air producing new episodes throughout the entire decade, making it a core component of 1990s nostalgia DNA.
It was more cute than cool, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a good show. We'd love to see a return, especially if it were about Doug Funnie and Skeeter as adults.
9
Rocko's Modern Life
Rocko's Modern Life was a cartoon filled with typically wacky characters while also wielding sharp elements of social satire in its humor. It wasn't South Park or anything, but kids who watched it during its initial 1993 to 1996 run got a little more than they bargained for.
These days, the cartoon landscape is full of shows that do it better, but few of them can call themselves a kid's show the way Rocko's Modern Life was. And since many kids from the 1990s now have children of their own, bringing this one back seems like a no-brainer.
Batman: The Animated Series
Credit: Warner Home Video
8
Batman: The Animated Series
This is it. According to most people out there who care to weigh such things, Batman: The Animated Series is still the greatest non-comic version of Batman you can find. There have been other Batman cartoons and movies since, but none of them have captured the character's essence and influenced future interpretations quite as much as this landmark 1990s cartoon.
Pretty much everyone involved is still doing Batman work, so there's really no reason not to get this ball rolling again. The show's initial three year run just wasn't long enough for us, and we demand more.
7
Gargoyles
Gargoyles was never a giant hit, but it hung in there for three years from 1994 to 1997. Those who watched the show tended to love it for its darker themes and complicated story arcs. Plus, gargoyles are just cool.
Now would be a good time for kids from the 90s to revisit the series and find what many of them missed the first time. And of course, today's crop of kids might enjoy it as well. Really, no time is a bad time when it comes to TV shows about gargoyles.
Ren & Stimpy
6
Ren & Stimpy
It was not safe to eat food and watch Ren & Stimpy at the same time. That's how awesome a cartoon it was.
Especially in the early years of its five-year run, there was nothing on television that could approach the abrasive weirdness of a Ren & Stimpy episode. Sadly, it later lost its steam and went the way of the dodo. But its all-out wackiness and unpleasant visual aesthetic influenced many shows, particularly Spongebob Squarepants, which sometimes lifts from Ren & Stimpy directly.
They actually did try to bring this back in 2003, but it didn't do well. Still, we'd love to see this one get another shot sometime soon.
5
Space Ghost Coast to Coast
Having run from 1994 to 2004, Space Ghost Coast to Coast is both a 1990s show and a millennial show. But for kids in the 1990s, it was truly one of a kind, while its run in the 2000s was spent surrounded by the many similar shows it inspired.
Essentially, Space Ghost Coast to Coast was the first Adult Swim cartoon, and those lucky enough to catch it in the 1990s were awed by its shorter, anything-can-happen format. The comedy found in its interview segments, however, is timeless and any chance to get more of that would be welcome.
4
Darkwing Duck
There were many Disney cartoons airing in the 1990s that live on in our hearts. You could watch Duck Tales, TaleSpin or Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, but the very best was Darkwing Duck, which ran 91 episodes from 1991 to 1992.
This highly inventive cartoon, heavily inspired by both Batman and The Shadow, was filled with great villains and fight scenes that put most kid's cartoons at the time to shame. It'd be great to have it back on television again, if only to see the amazing GizmoDuck one more time.
3
Daria
They brought Beavis and Butthead back. Why not bring back their misanthropic intelligent pal, Daria, along for the ride?
Honestly, the overlap of Beavis and Butthead fans who also watched Daria probably wasn't all that big. But that's partly the point. Daria was for those youngsters too intelligent for fart jokes and too sensitive for frog baseball. What cartoons do kids like that have now? Without Daria, the only characters hot librarian girls have to look up to are Lisa Simpson and Meg from The Family Guy. That is simply unacceptable.
2
Animaniacs
This slot could just as easily have gone to Tiny Toons, but we're giving it to Animaniacs, simply because it went on to give us Pinky and The Brain, so it's kind of a two-for-one.
Like Tiny Toons, Animaniacs was wild, funny and fun. It managed to reinvent old animation tropes while still feeling fresh and new. But the best thing about Animaniacs was its variety-show format, which ensured that an episode never got dull because something different was always around the corner. This allowed the creators to try out new characters and ideas and helped keep the main characters from getting boring. Those who were there to enjoy it as it aired were lucky indeed.
1
Tales From the Cryptkeeper
Kids lack horror in their cartoons these days. What they need is a little Tales From the Cryptkeeper action. Its HBO parent show is long dead, but that doesn't matter. Everyone has room in their hearts for the Crypt Keeper.
This show was never that popular, but it still ran for four years, first on ABC then later on CBS where it was called New Tales From the Cryptkeeper. Each episode was a different horror story for kids to enjoy over their Saturday morning cereal. It's a solid cartoon format that we'd love to have back on television. Without it, today's children lack the proper primer to later help them get into horror films. Won't someone please think of the children!?
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