Best 90s Cartoons (Parent Approved)

I'm like 2/2 with animated movies this year and it got me thinking about the heyday for watching animated content on TV.  I really felt like the 90s were the best for TV.  As much as I'm sure 80s babies think that was the best time for cartoons

... and people before that just had to watch whatever was on.  Well Let me start with the (for the most part) parent approved Cartoons from the 90s to see if they really were the lick!

TV Show:
Bobby's World (1990)

What I Liked:
I loved that you got to see Howie Mandel during interstitials while watching this show.  Any insight to the people behind the voices on screen was always fun for me.  My mom loved Bobby's mom's Fargo-esque way with words so this mostly consisted of a lot of mother and son bonding.

How It Holds Up:
I can't imagine I'd get much out of rewatching this.  However, it may give me some ways to bring up fond memories with my mom, so it can't be all that bad!

TV Show:
Rugrats (1990)

What I Liked:
I don't even know if there was a hook to this show.  It was just a given that everyone in my school was watching this show when it was in its prime.  Sure we'll always love the movie's soundtrack, but this show was just a staple in the life of everyone I knew at the time.

How It Holds Up:
Everytime I read the theory about how everything is in Angelica's head, it almost makes me want to re-watch this show to see if that theory makes any sense.  However, much like everyone who is trying to binge on Fuller House right now is finding out.  Somethings were just good for that time in your life, and there's no need to look back or try to recreate that magic.

TV Show:
Talespin (1990)

What I Liked:
Honestly all it took was the sight of Kit Cloudkicker out the back of Baloo's plane to get me on board with this show.  Sure trying to match up all the characters with their Jungle Book counterparts was fun, but this was the Kit and Baloo show all day for me and boy was I invested.  Plus the intro still goes hard!

How It Holds Up:
I listen to the theme song and watch the opening credits at least once a month.

TV Show:
Tiny Toon Adventures (1990)

What I Liked:
This show had spin off potential for days.  Elmyra by the amazing Cree Summer being my mother's favourite character.  I always dug Babs as voiced by the power house that is Tress MacNeille!  Much like The Simpsons before it, I was introduced to famous texts by way of a fun cartoon so it was easier for me to digest, and made me look smart when they came up in school or general conversation.

How It Holds Up:
I don't get why people seem to hate on this show retroactively.   If you're a Looney Toons fan, this seems like a reasonable way to spend your time.  Plus Babs and Buster had such great chemistry some how.  It just can't be as bad as I read about.

TV Show:
Darkwing Duck (1991)

What I Liked:
For someone who could not stand Duck Tales as much as I couldn't stand Duck Tales, it's crazy how crazy I was for this show.  Even though I didn't get it at first, the Batman references are clearly what kept me glued to the screen when this show was on.  I loved everything about the mythos.  The gun, the different ways he liked to introduce himself when he appeared from a puff of smoke, and the villains were amazing!  I especially loved when Negaduck would round up the bad guys.

How It Holds Up:
Yeah, if I had my way I'd watch this every day again while eating pudding snacks and not stressing about bills, employment, and the fact that pudding is probably slowly killing me along with everything else in the world that tastes great.

TV Show:
ProStars (1991)

What I Liked:
Are you kidding me?  What's not to like... other than the theme song which I didn't even like at the time.  It's Bo, MJ, and Wayne working together to fight crime!  I love team ups.  I don't care what anyone says about me.  Seeing a bunch of people I liked individually, come together for any reason is always exciting to me.  This time they came together for something I didn't even know was an option!  THEY DON'T MAKE 'EM LIKE THEY USED TO!

How It Holds Up:
I can't go back to this show. When I first saw it, it didn't even occur to me that it wasn't the actual athletes providing their voices.  I don't even want to check LDF Podcast's sponsor to see who did the voices. 

TV Show:
Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

What I Liked:
As much as I want to deny it.  This show informed basically everything I know about Batman and every emotion I feel about Batman.  I'm pretty sure everyone thinks in the voice of Kevin Conroy when they think of Batman.  I know everyone thinks in the voice of Mark Hamill when they think of the Joker.  Harley Quinn, the namesake of Kevin Smith's daughter and the crown jewel of the upcoming Suicide Squad was created for this show.  The only reason Mr. Freeze is a selling point for Gotham today is because of this show.  I love 2/3rds of Nolan's Batman.  Michael Keaton was my first Batman (all respect due to Adam West), but this show is something I could live with basically every day of my life.

How It Holds Up:
As an adult I put more work into acquiring all the DVDs of not only this show but the Justice League show this incarnation of Batman was on than I have done for most things in life.  Yes this show holds up.

TV Show:
Goof Troop (1992)

What I Liked:
Once again the inclusion of a character like Max really sold this show for me.  I was willing to let the likes of Kit Cloudkicker and Max (seriously his last name is Goof?) Goof dictate what was cool to me.  On a side note that no one should dwell on, does anyone remember that episode where Max's cousin came to town and made him look cool by pretending to be into him?  She was cool right?

How It Holds Up:
This falls very neatly into the Rugrats box.  I'm not ashamed that I enjoyed this as a kid, but I recognize that I enjoyed this because I was a kid.

TV Show:
X-Men (1992)

What I Liked:
Basically the amazing theme song and the team up factor were the selling points.  Who wasn't on this show?  Which show didn't this one crossover with?

How It Holds Up:
I want to set some time aside to rewatch this.  It can only be more rewarding now that I'm an adult and wont' be put off by how serious everything seemed when I watched as a kid.  Plus I'll catch way more Easter eggs and mutant cameos.

TV Show:
Animaniacs (1993)

What I Liked:
The admittedly better sibling of Tiny Toons.  Anmaniacs gave us even more characters to love while still keeping the main three as characters you were always glad to see.

How It Holds Up:
The adult jokes are always fun to come across while rewatching this show now.  But nothing beats the classic humor of a Chicken-boo or Pinky & the Brain!

TV Show:
Biker Mice from Mars (1993)

What I Liked:
In a world where I chose the Turtles over the Ghostbusters, you better believe I'm going to watch a show about talking mice who fight crime!  As a kid I knew that Steve from 90210 was the voice of Vinnie, but I must say It's news to me that the same guy who played Michael Jordon on ProStars was also the voice of Modo.

How It Holds Up:
Considering I couldn't be bothered to check out the show when it came back in 2006.  It's safe to say I enjoyed it as a kid but definitely grew out of it.  I loved the action figures though!

TV Show:
Mighty Max (1993)

What I Liked:
I don't remember.  I just remember I really did like this

How It Holds Up:
Honestly rewatching this intro really makes me question why it didn't bother me that Mighty Max had like a chicken??? telling him what to do.  As much as I legitimately liked this show, I can't believe I didn't remember the commercial jingle wasn't the theme song.

TV Show:
Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)

What I Liked:
Steve Urkel as the voice of my favourite video game character at the time.  SIGN ME UP!  Also, for more fun try and track down the Where's Waldo type activity books for sonic.  THEY WERE AMAZING!

How It Holds Up:
Back to remembering the right theme song!  I honestly bet I would like this show if I rewatched it.  I'm like Charles Hamilton if he was reasonable, with my Sonic Fandom.

TV Show:
Aladdin (1994)

What I Liked:
The show my mom took issue with even though I never stopped watching.  Aladdin is like a top 3 Disney movie.  If you don't believe me, read this scientific report on it!  I dare say the show kept the momentum going even with Dan Castellaneta filling in on Genie duties which seems like a bummer till you realize... who doesn't like Homer?

How It Holds Up:
It's just got to hold up right?

TV Show:
Gargoyles (1994)

What I Liked:
First of all, kudos on the black lead.  Second, kudos on the revolving door of Star Trek: TNG voice acting.  Commander Riker and Deanna Troi holding it down!  Again, if you tell me, look at these otherwise non-human things act human and fight crime, I'm going to pay attention.  And boy did I get more than I bargained for with this show... in a great way!

How It Holds Up:
Much like X-Men, rewatching this can only enhance my appreciation for this show.

TV Show:
Reboot (1994)

What I Liked:
There was a point in the first season where I thought, "This is the pinnacle of TV!" Which is to say we went from black and white tv to colour, to Computer Animated!  I honestly didn't see how things could get better.  Also this show was such a cool idea with amazing characters (until they brought Bob back with a new voice which made me stop watching).  didn't you feel bad playing comptuer games knowing what you were putting Dot and Enzo through?  Just me?  nevermind then...

How It Holds Up:
Horrible animation aside, I loved everything to do with this show.  Especially when Enzo and AndrAIa grew up!  I'd watch the original run again for sure.  But the bob return is a definite cut off point for me.

TV Show:
Spider-Man (1994)

What I Liked:
Second only to Batman in my mind for delivering on the fun of the character while taking the subject matter seriously.  Plus the cameos were banging, bruh!

How It Holds Up:
I spent the last month of my graduating year of university watching this show front to back and yes, it holds up!

TV Show:
Beasties (1996)

What I Liked:
My boy Aubrey knows what I mean when I say that YTV would air this show as Beasties in the 6ix!  Now I'm not like Joel with my Transformers appreciation, but I dug this show.  I was locked in every time it was on.  I think I'd even watch the same episode again on Fox when it was Beast Wars!  Not sure what that makes me in the real Transformers fans club, but I am what I am.

How it Holds Up:
I bet the animation would really stop me from fully enjoying this.  Funnily enough the 80s animation from the movie seems more modern.

TV Show:
Stickin' Around (1996)

What I Liked:
Another Canadian classic!  Or at least Nadia kept the show relevant at family gatherings.  I only really liked the loud mouth "Holy Mackerel" kid, Dill, but I can't front and say I didn't enjoy this show while it was on.

How it Holds Up:
I would never watch past the theme song.  I would however be interested in a Dill compilation.

TV Show:
Donkey Kong Country (1997)

What I Liked:
There was a brief period in my life where I was obsessed with all things Donkey Kong.  Including this show that was even cringe worthy for me after a couple of episodes.  But that Banana Slamma catch phrase was pretty cool for a minute.

How it Holds Up:
No chance.  I can't even watch this theme song without feeling embarrassed.  I'm sorry if that offends anyone who worked on this show.  My lasting memory of this show is this weird song about golden bananas.  This isn't a fan edit... this really happened in the show.

-YG