Cartoon Networkis one of the most well-known and praised television networks. As the name implies, it has specialized in creating a wide array ofanimated shows, which remain beloved even decades after their release due to high-quality writing, inventive animation styles, and iconic characters. Among its most beloved cartoons includeThe Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo,Adventure Time,andThe Amazing World of Gumball.
With so many amazing shows, it’s natural that many programs get buried beneathCartoon Network’s juggernaut series. While these forgotten gems aren’t going to change the world, they’re still quite entertaining and creative. With today’s modern animation landscape, it might be good to go back and check out the shows of yesteryear for inspiration, or at least a window into a different time.
10’Mike, Lu & Og' (1999-2001)
Created by Charles Swenson, Mikhail Shindel, and Mikhail Aldashin
Mike Mazinsky (Nika Futterman) is a young girl from Manhattan who participates in her school’s foreign exchange student program. She is sent to a tropical island in the Pacific Ocean, and though delighted to indulge in the island’s beauty, she can’t help but long for some of the comforts of home. Fortunately, she befriends the Albonquetine siblings, self-proclaimed princess Lu (Nancy Cartwright), and child genius Og (Dee Bradley Baker), who help teach Mike about their culture while being eager to learn about hers.
Compared to theother early Cartoon Cartoons,Mike, Lu & Ogcan feel a bit tame and average, especially since it came out betweenEd, Edd n EddyandCourage the Cowardly Dog. That’s not to say it’s bad though: the show has a nice message about cultural exchange, and the characters play well off one another. And hey, sometimes it’s nice to have a show that takes things slowly rather than trying to keep kids' attention with off-the-wall shenanigans.
Mike, Lu & Og
Mike, Lu & Ogis not currently available for streaming in the US.
9’Sheep in the Big City' (2000-2002)
Created by Mo Willems
Sheep (Kevin Seal) once lived on a farm until he was selected by General Specific (Kevin Seal) of the Secret Military Organization to power their Sheep-Powered Ray Gun. He managed to run away from the military and arrived at the big city, where he drifts between odd jobs such as telemarketing and helping insomniacs fall to sleep. When he’s not avoiding the military or his old farmer’s attempts to recapture him, Sheep tries to win the heart of a poodle named Swanky (Stephanie D’Abruzzo).
One of the last of the original Cartoon Cartoons,Sheep in the Big Citydistinguished itself thanks to its minimalist art style and unique humor. Most of the jokes came from cutaway gags and wordplay, such as the soldiers who work under General Specific having names like “Major Knowitall,” and “Private Thought.” Sometimes though, the show’s surrealism got a bit too big for its own well-being, which led to audiences at the time feeling lost and confused more often than not.
Sheep in the Big City
Sheep in the Big Cityis not currently available to stream in the US.
Created by Dave Wasson
Set in the year 100, 000, 000, it’s discovered that time is “like a rope,” and that the past can be unravelled, thus leading to anachronistic moments that threaten the future. To ensure the space-time continuum maintains itself, the Time Squad is tasked with travelling back in time and dealing with these anomalies as they form. Unfortunately, the team, consisting of orphaned history buff Otto Osworth (Pamela Adlon), prissy robot Larry 3000 (Mark Hamill), and shoot-first-think-never officer Buck Tuddrussel (Rob Paulsen), aren’t what you would call trained professionals.
Larry and Buck in particular have a hilarious dichotomy.
Time Squadis a major show in Cartoon Network’s history; it was the first one to be fully animated in-house after thedissolution of Hanna-Barbera. On release, its premise was compared toPeabody’s Improbable HistoryfromRocky and Bullwinkle, but it manages to carve its own identity thanks to the dynamic between the characters. Larry and Buck in particular have a hilarious dichotomy, made even funnier thanks to Hamill and Paulsen’s phenomenal talents.
7’The Life and Times of Juniper Lee' (2005-2007)
Created by Judd Winick
Juniper Kim Lee (Lara Jill Miller) was originally your average teenage girl just trying to get by in Orchid Bay City. However, her life changed when she was made the next Te Xuan Ze, tasked with protecting both humanity and a hidden world of magic that most humans cannot perceive. Thoough her new position grants her some magical powers, she still needs help from her grandmother and predecessor, Jasmine, (Amy Hill), younger brother Ray Ray (Kath Soucie), and an enchanted talking dog, Monroe (Carlos Alazraqui).
The Life and Times of Juniper Leecame out during an era ofnumerous magical guardian shows, such asAmerican Dragon: Jake Longfrom Disney orJackie Chan Adventuresfrom the Kids WB. It carved out a unique identity by focusing on a mix of inventive monsters, fun action sequences, and comedic scenarios, especially whenever Juniper tries to juggle her school life and duties as the Te Xuan Ze. It also touched on a few aspects of Chinese culture through Juniper’s heritage and its worldbuilding.
The Life and Times of Juniper Lee
WATCH ON PRIME
6’The Secret Saturdays' (2008-2010)
Created by Jay Stephens
Zak Saturday (Sam Lerner), is the son of cryptozoologists Doc (Phil Morris) and Drew (Nicole Sullivan) Saturday, who work for an organization bent on protecting humanity from scientific discoveries it’s not yet ready for. Among the cryptids they protect are the gorilla cat named Fiskerton (Diedrich Bader), a genetically enhanced Komodo Dragon called Komodo (Fred Tatasciore), and a living Ornithocherius named Zon (Fred Tatasciore). As the family travels the world, they are hounded by their rival, V. V. Argost (Corey Burton), who is trying to locate an all-powerful being called Kur.
The Secret Saturdaysis a love letter to sci-fi action adventure serials likeJonny Questbut focuses on character interaction and story advancement alongside the action. Though the show was packed to the brim with interesting locations, unique monsters, and fun science-fiction tropes, it couldn’t compete against Cartoon Network’s other action shows, such asBen 10,and got swept away as the network went through a transitional period. Still, the Saturdays have made cameos in other shows, and had a crossover episode withBen 10: Omniverse.
The Secret Saturdays
5’I Am Weasel' (1997-2000)
Created by David Feiss
Cow and Chickenwas one of the first of Cartoon Network’s original cartoons, and among the last to be animated by Hanna-Barbera before it was transformed into a new studio. It was inspired by Nickelodeon’sThe Ren & Stimpy Showand contained another show calledI Am Weasel, which followed the adventures of the heroic and much loved I. M. Weasel (Michael Dorn), and his best friend, I. R. Baboon (CharlieAdler), who often tries to win people’s love. Later, the villain ofCow and Chicken, known as the Red Guy (Charlie Adler), joins the show and becomes a foil to the duo.
While not quite as funny as its parent show,I Am Weaselstill contained a lot of off-the-wall humor that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable to show kids at the time.
While not quite as funny as its parent show,I Am Weaselstill contained a lot of off-the-wall humor that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable to show kids at the time. Weasle himself was a pretty fun character, and Dorn’s naturally deep voice helped to sell him as a heroic and kind individual. Speaking of voices, Adler’s dual roles as Baboon and the Red Guy showcasehis versatility as a voice actorwith how polar opposite they are in tone and personality.
4’Megas XLR' (2004-2005)
Created by George Krstic and Jody Schaeffer
In the year 3037, the Earth is being defeated in a war with the squid-like Glorft, so humanity comes up with a desperate plan to send a stolen robot called the Megas back in time to help humanity win a crucial battle. Unfortunately, the plan is interrupted, and the robot is instead sent back to the 1930s, and in 2004, a slacker named Coop (David DeLuise) fixes it, unaware of its origins. He’s clued into the situation when Megas' intended pilot, Kiva (Wendee Lee), and the Glorft come back in time to claim it, but thanks to his modifications, only Coop can control the robot.
Megas XLRis a show that’s out here trying to have a good time, and in that mission, it more than succeeds. Its over-the-top storyline and hilarious characters are perfect for orchestrating battles that are love letters for mech animes and all sorts of hilarious jokes. The most recurring of these jokes were numerous billboard gags and the destruction of anything related to the show’s MTV stand-in.
3’Camp Lazlo' (2005-2008)
Created by Joe Murray, Mark O’Hare, and Lynne Naylor
In a world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals, Lazlo (Carlos Alazraqui), is an optimistic spider monkey ready to go to summer camp with his friends, the timid Indian elephant Raj (Jeff Bennett) and a quiet rhinoceros, Clam (Carlos Alazraqui). The three go to the poorly organized Camp Kidney, run by the egotistical moose, Scoutmaster Lumpas (Tom Kenny), and Slinkman (Tom Kenny), his neurotic banana slug assistant. Their daily misadventures involve participating in camp activities, exploring local myths, and having a friendly rivalry with the all-girl camp, Acorn Flats.
Camp Lazlowas created byJoe Murray, who created Nickelodeon’sRocko’s Modern Life,and his unique brand of slice-of-life humor is kept between both shows. A lot of its charm comes from how likable the characters are: everyone fits into a simple archetype, but thanks to the talented voice actors and the size of the cast, their interactions result in many great jokes and funny situations. The art style is also a lot of fun, from the backgrounds that look straight out of a camp flier to fun details like Lazlo’s mouth being shaped like a banana.
Camp Lazlo: Shorts
WATCH ON APPLE TV+
2’The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack' (2008-2010)
Created by Thurop Van Orman
The city of Stormalong Harbor is full of many strange and colorful characters. Among them is Flapjack (Thurop Van Orman), a young boy raised by a whale named Bubbie (Roz Ryan) who dreams of becoming a sailor and adventurer. He gets his chance when Bubbie rescues a washed-up pirate named Captain K’nuckles (Brian Doyle-Murray), who delights Flapjack with mystical tales of the fabled Candied Island.
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjacksadly came out on the verge of Cartoon Network’s dark era, and didn’t get a lot of attention on release. Fortunately, its surreal humor, unique worldbuilding, and lovable characters mean that it has aged remarkably well. The show also had a major impact on thelandscape of 2010s cartoons, as numerous people who worked on it would create their own shows, such asAdventure Time,Regular Show, andOver the Garden Wall.
The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack
1’Sym-Bionic Titan' (2010-2011)
Created by Bryan Andrews, Paul Rudish, and Genndy Tartakovsky
When their world falls to an evil warlord, Princess Ilana (Tara Strong), warrior Lance (Kevin Thoms), and the robot Octus (Brian Posehn), flee to Earth and adopt the identity of human teenagers. As they try to adjust to their new lives, they are pursued by their enemies. Fortunately, in times of peril, the three can merge into a being called the Sym-Bionic Titan strong enough to face most threats, though the people of Earth don’t know what to make of this mysterious new guardian.
Sym-Bionic Titanended prematurelydue to poor toy sales but remains one of the most creative shows to come from the mind ofGenndy Tartakovsky, known for classics likeDexter’s LaboratoryandSamurai Jack. This is thanks to its focus on strong inter-character relationships, continuous storytelling, and inventive action sequences. The character of Octus is probably the strongest: not only does he go through the standard arc of a robot trying to understand human emotions, but he gets into a relationship with a popular girl named Kimberly (Kari Wahlgren) and helps fuel her own character growth.
Sym-Bionic Titan
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