Cartoon series are collections of episodes released regularly over an extended period, usually on television but sometimes direct-to-video as well.
Wcofun for children often contain adult themes; Pixar has taught its audiences about depression while Steven Universe normalizes gender and sexuality issues.
1. “Phineas and Ferb”
Phineas and Ferb is one of Disney TV’s most successful animated shows for kids and tweens, winning five Emmy Awards and inspiring two television movies.
It follows two resourceful stepbrothers who devise creative plans to fight boredom during their summer vacation. Perry the platypus may appear like any typical house pet but in reality serves as suave secret agent Agent P in combatting Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz, while Candace attempts to catch them in the act but fails.
Phineas and Ferb’s creators decided to make the pets platypuses because they felt that dogs and cats were overused as characters in cartoons. Episodes often begin with Phineas or Ferb stating “Hey Perry!,” before seeing the pet enter some sort of chute or doorway leading into an underground office.
2. “Rocko’s Modern Life”
Rocko the Wallaby, his cranky neighboring and neurotic turtle are back! Nickelodeon has announced they are ordering a revival of Rocko’s Modern Life which first premiered on television back in the ’90s.
Rocko’s Modern Life stood in stark contrast to Ren and Stimpy Show for its adult humor, from risque gags and eyeball-exploding jokes to its sophisticated satire that was quite sophisticated for a cartoon at that time.
Rocko’s Modern Life had so much bite, it helped usher in a new generation of animated shows. Covering topics ranging from spiritual realities of capitalism to criticizing corporate greed, this show was ahead of its time while remaining entertainingly watchable.
3. “South Park”
South Park may be offensive and shocking at times, but its creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, can also be counted on to create some of the most original and clever political, pop culture, and current event satire on TV.
Stone and Parker made short animated films at University of Colorado using paper cut animation, serving as prototypes for South Park style and tone, which caught the attention of Fox broadcasting company executives. Together with Brian Graden from Fox broadcasting company they developed their first episode for airing in 1997.
This animated adult series follows four fourth grade boys from South Park, Colorado as they navigate life in their tiny hometown with everything from genetically engineered towels and crab people to man/bear/pig hybrids and TV execs thrown their way.
4. “The Simpsons”
When it comes to influential cartoon series of all time, The Simpsons likely tops most people’s lists. This iconic show featuring Homer, moralistic mother Marge, troublemaking son Bart and smart daughter Lisa showed that cartoons didn’t need to be just for kids; instead they could cover serious subjects such as religion and nuclear energy while keeping audiences interested and entertained.
The Simpsons revolutionized adult-oriented animation as we know it today; other shows such as South Park and Family Guy would subsequently follow suit in its wake. One could argue that The Simpsons is responsible for shaping adult-targeted animation to where it stands today.
5. “The Flintstones”
“The Flintstones” made animation history when it introduced cartoon families into modern living and dinosaurs coexisting with humans to children’s lives for the first time on primetime TV, becoming one of Hanna-Barbera’s first animated series to do so and impacting many subsequent projects of Hanna-Barbera.
The show featured Fred and Wilma Flintstone, an impatient quarry worker and his wife who enjoy spending their money. Also introduced were Barney Rubble’s hilarious antics as well as his saucy wife Betty; Barney Rubble had an equally comedic wife named Betty whom the viewers would come to know through Betty Rubble being Barney’s best friend; also included were Baby Pebbles as well as Dino, their pet dinosaur!
The Flintstones was initially created as a modern Stone Age sitcom, with a short demonstration film made to sell it to networks and advertisers. June Foray was hired as voice actor but suddenly dropped before production started without warning or explanation – leaving her bitter towards Hanna-Barbera for years afterward.