Summary
Saturday morning cartoonswere a big deal during the ’80s and some TV shows were universally loved by children of the decade. The excitement and demand forSaturday morning cartoons have dwindledover the years, butyoung audiences during the ’80s were overwhelmed with choices for their weekend entertainment. From crime-fighting animals to sentient robotic beings, there was an endless amount of fun during this time. Though not every show was a crowd-pleaser, there were a few animated series that stuck with general audiences.
Much of this came as a result of the “toy commercial” genre on TV in which popular toys at the time were made into animated series to promote action figures. While parents weren’t entirely pleased with this concept, kids were thrilled to own figures of their favorite cartoon characters. Soon enough,the toy line and its accompanying animated show transformed into massive franchises, many of which are still active and enjoyed by young audiences today. The popularity of these franchises has been supported by children in the following decades, but began with kids from the ’80s welcoming the initial cartoon series into their lives.
10 Best Saturday Morning Cartoons From The 1990s, Ranked
For many children, Saturday mornings in the 1990s were dedicated to cartoons. Fun, drama, and nostalgia: these 10 cartoons were the best of the era.
10Inspector Gadget (1983-1985)
A clueless detective prevents evil.
An entertainingly ruthless villain and a clumsy detective make for a memorable Saturday morning cartoon.Inspector Gadgetaired in 1983 and in many of the episodes during its two seasons, audiences joined in on the fun adventures in whichthe titular human cyborg barely made his way out of sticky situations. As a cyborg, Gadget’s body is made up of various gadgets that prove to be extremely useful when up against the antagonist, Dr. Claw.
Due to Gadget’s tendency to get tangled up in dangerous situations, his niece and the family dog, Penny and Brain, secretly carry out many of his investigations. It’s a unique aspect of the animated series that allows audiences to be in on the operation sinceDr. Claw and Gadget himself are oblivious to Penny and Brain’s involvement.Inspector Gadgetwas beloved by many, so much so that live-action sequel films were released by Disney in the ’90s and early 2000s.
9Dungeons & Dragons (1983-1985)
The game inspired the series' adventures.
Based on the tabletop role-playing game released almost a decade earlier,Dungeons & Dragonstakes its main characters through fantastical adventures.The series centers around a group of friends who enter the world of Dungeons & Dragonsafter riding an amusement park roller coaster.Dungeons & Dragonscontinued as the friends tried to find a way back home, with the help of the Dungeon Master, which resulted in some unfavorable suggested violence.
There have been a few on-screen adaptations of the game in more recent decades, but the 80s cartoon remains one of the best.
Dungeons & Dragonshad more action and violence for a children’s Saturday morning cartoon than parents would have preferred. Still, this heightened sense of danger was appreciated by audiences asthe trendy game was brought to life with engaging characters and storylines. There have been a few on-screen adaptations of the game in more recent decades, but the 80s cartoon remains one of the best.
Thundercats
TheThunderCatsfranchise started with an animated series in 1985 andeventually expanded to video games, merchandise, and comic books.ThunderCatsfollows humanoid catlike aliens that are made to leave their home planet of Thundera and land on Third Earth, where they meet their enemies, the Mutants of Plun-Darr. Though two additionalThunderCatsTV showswere released years later, neither held up as well as the original cartoon.
ThunderCats has a strong legacy and a special place in the audience’s heart becausethe sharp writing of the series yielded fan-favorite characterssuch as Snarf, Panthro, and the ThunderCats' leader, Lion-O. The memorable feline group is equipped with special abilities that come in handy in battles against the main antagonist, Mumm-Ra. The ThunderCats' confrontations with their nemesis prompted peak action sequences and showcased the characters at their best, provingThunderCatsto be one of the best-animated series of the decade.
He-Man and the Masters of the Universemade a mark in pop culture and spawned various spin-off TV shows, video games, and films.He-Man and the Masters of the Universeis an action series that follows Prince Adam on planet Eternia, who lives a double life and turns into the titular hero to prevent Skeletor from ruling the universe.He-Man and the Masters of the Universeis based on Mattel’s toy lineand though children didn’t mind seeing their favorite action figures on TV screens, parents felt differently.
Many parents felt thatHe-Man and the Masters of the Universewas just an elaborate commercial for the toy line. As a result, the cartoon ended each episode with lessons for audiences to take away from the episode. Theactions of He-Man that led to these lessons made the character an iconic hero figureand secured a place for his name alongside well-known comic book superheroes.
Following the film from a few years prior,The Real Ghostbusterscontinues the adventures of the famous paranormal investigators. The animated series didn’t include the voices of the original actors, but the fresh talent allowed for a welcomed seven seasons in which audiences' love for the team grew. Just like the original film,The Real Ghostbusterschronicles the day-to-day chase of spirits and ghosts around the world. Behind the scenes,The Real Ghostbusterswent through tonal changes and character redesigns to meet the demands of ABC.
The love for Ghostbusters has lasted for decades and doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon as more Ghostbusters TV series are in the works
Around season 4,The Real Ghostbustershad a more kid-friendly tone to it and was much more lighthearted than previous seasons.Despite these changes,The Real Ghostbustersis a strong entry in the Saturday Morning lineup, and a few years after its series finale, another animated TV show entered the franchise,Extreme Ghostbusters. The love forGhostbustershas lasted for decades and doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon as moreGhostbustersTV series are in the works.
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5The Transformers (1984-1987)
Robotic rivalries take place on Earth.
Just as Mattel had done withMasters of the Universe,Hasbro’sTransformerstoy line was put onto the screen for kids of the ’80s to enjoy.The Transformersfollows two groups of characters that have become widely well-known within pop culture: the Autobots and the Decepticons. These two groups represent the heroes and villains, respectively, and their conflict inThe Transformerstakes place on Earth.
Two years after the series' successful debut,The Transformers: The Moviewas released, and it took place after the events of season 2. Helped by the fact that audiences could own figures of their favorite Transformers,the series quickly grew into a franchise that’s ongoing to this dayand is enjoyed by a wider age range. As the first installment of the franchise,The Transformersisn’t perfect, but it did establish a group of cherished onscreen characters that would grow to have a lot of heart within their robotic frame.
4The Smurfs (1981-1989)
Blue, human-like creatures live among mushrooms.
Originally a Belgian comic series, the popularity ofThe Smurfsgrew exponentially with the TV show in the early ’80s. Since then, the blue species have become well-known figures for their distinct characteristics and fitting names, such as Brainy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, and the group’s leader, Papa Smurf.Many find the characters lovable and charming because of their small, cartoonish designand their unique language where the word “smurf” is inserted at random.
The Smurfshad a live-action adaptation in 2011.
Contrasting the peaceful, woodsy setting of Smurf village where the characters reside, danger lurks in every episode asthe Smurfs fight off their archenemy, Gargamel.The Smurfs' adventures lasted for nine seasons, but the characters have continued to appear on screens in film and TV. Though the Smurfs have been seen in a blend of live-action and computer animation in recent years, images of the cartoon version from the ’80s linger in the audience’s minds.
Like other action cartoons based on toys,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfaced a few criticisms for being too violent or too much of a commercial for a kid’s show. However, this didn’t matter to the series' target audience.Kids of the decade happily tuned in as the turtles fought against several villainsin New York City. While the turtles did have a few main antagonists they were up against, the villains inTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesoften rotated and gave room for fresh storylines.
The series' strong writing was elevated by the voice acting done for Leo, Donnie, Ralph, and Mikey. BeforeTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the characters were only in comics, sothe cartoon provided entertaining personalities that would stick with the characters as the franchise evolved. Mixing the best elements of other ’80s cartoons,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' expanded franchiseand merchandiseallowed the four turtles to become household namesoutside their inspired famous painters.
2Jem (1985-1988)
A rock star aims to keep her double life a secret.
Decked out in colors and fashion trends synonymous with the decade,Jemis the quintessence of the ’80s.Jemfollows the life of its protagonist, Jerrica Benton, whose similarities to a superhero resonate with young audiences. Jerrica lives a double life as Jem, the lead singer of the band Jem and The Holograms, and as seen in countless superhero content,Jerrica tries her best to keep the two identities separate and protected.
Jemalso had a live-action adaptation in 2015:
Jerrica works to ensure her company and band can succeed without others getting in the way, whether it’s rival bands or greedy business owners who want to stop her. In addition to the big hair and extravagant outfits worn by characters inJem, the series' music plays a large part in the show’s success and distinctiveness.Jemis bold and features memorable songs performed by musical acts within the series, whichwere edited to resemble popular music videos of the time as seen on MTV.
1DuckTales (1987-1990)
The mishaps and adventures of a duck family.
Before there wasChip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, there had to beDuckTales, as the latter has been widely recognized as paving the path for popular animated TV shows by Disney.DuckTalesfollows the amusing adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his three grandnephews, Huey, Dewey, and Louie. Together,the ducks gather treasure for Scrooge or fight those who try to come after it.DuckTaleshas a fairly simple premise, but the care behind the series’ writing and characters is apparent.
It’s likely not something young audiences paid attention to at the time, but it’s something that’s highly appreciated when looking back as an adult. The characters inDuckTalesare easily recognizable thanks to the original series and reboots that followed more recently. Of course, as many beloved animated series do,DuckTalesalso has an unforgettable theme song, penned by Mark Mueller, that’s delightfully been stuck in audience’s heads since the ’80s.
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While DuckTales has maintained popularity with reboots and spin-off series, it would’ve never happened without the comic foundation it’s built on.
