Animated TV shows have long since been a fan favorite for both adults and children. Some of the long-standing animated TV shows such as South Park and Sponge Bob Square Pants have been around since the 90s, while others aired for a few seasons in the 90s. Many of the best animated series came from networks like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network.
Shows like Courage the Cowardly Dog and Rocko’s Modern Life were very popular for being weird, which meant the writers had creative freedom to make the imaginary seem real. A few of the 90s animated shows have resurfaced over the years thanks to the reboot trend. As a 90s kid, trying to limit the best-animated shows of the 90s is tough, but here’s a short version of some of the best, ranked.
10 Johnny Bravo
Johnny Bravo was a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that found its way onto Cartoon Network after the studio was shut down. It ran from 1997 to 2004 and followed a "dumb" blonde egomaniac who loves women and is basically obsessed with himself. The episodes centered around Johnny trying to impress a woman, which almost always ends up getting him in trouble. Though the show's theme of womanizing would most likely not survive today's culture, fans of the show can't help but remember the ridiculous character.
9 Rocko’s Modern Life
Rocko's Modern Life ran from 1993 to 1996 and aired on Nickelodeon. The Australian wallaby, Rocko, moved to America and was put into a completely different environment. With his friends Heffer and Filbert, he tries to survive this modern life. His annoying neighbor, Ed Bighead, does not help to make his new life any easier. In 2019, Netflix produced a short 45-min reboot called Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, which took Rocko and his friends from the 20th to the 21st Century.
8 Animaniacs
From 1993 to 1998, the wacky and adventurous Animaniacs was one of the funniest cartoons. The Warner Brothers characters were given their own show as they tried to navigate modern life. The cartoon was a blend of wit, slapstick, and pop culture. The show followed three siblings who create havoc and mayhem in the lives of everyone they meet. Hulu rebooted the show in 2020 with most of the main characters still attached.
7 Doug
Doug ran on Nickelodeon from 1991 to 1994 and followed Doug, a young boy who writes about his life in his journal. His show covered topics such as making friends, falling in love, and how to survive school life. In 1996, Disney's Doug or Brand Spanking New! Doug aired following a middle-school-aged Doug. A movie in 1999 was also released in theaters. Many fans of the original show were not as impressed with Disney's version of the beloved cartoon. After the first movie flopped in theaters, Disney did not pursue any additional routes for Doug.
6 The Powerpuff Girls
As one of the first mostly female-lead cartoons, The Powerpuff Girls was ahead of its time. The 1998 show aired late in the 90s and ran for almost ten years. Cartoon Network aired the show, which followed the super-powered little girls. The original show went on to win two Emmys for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation in 2000 and 2005. 2002 gave the girls a feature-length film and in 2016, the show was rebooted with a new cast. A live-action show on The CW has been rumored to bring these girls back to life once again.
5 Recess
From 1997 to 2001, the Disney show Recess gave kids another reason to look forward to recess breaks in school. During recess, a group of friends would meet and have adventures. Each episode revolved around a new relatable problem the group had to overcome, whether that was from the school spy, the snobs, or kindergartners, there was nothing the group couldn't solve together. Though the show did not air for long, it did spawn multiple films and gave fans memorable characters who are still referenced today.
4 Rugrats
As arguably the most successful series on this list, Rugrats followed four babies and a mean cousin as they try to understand the world they live in. Airing from 1991 to 2006, the long-standing Nickelodeon cartoon is still a household name. With countless movies, spinoffs, and cross-overs, the Rugrats babies will forever be a fan favorite for those who grew up in the 90s. With six Emmy nominations, it is certainly the most decorated 90s cartoon on this list.
3 Dexter’s Laboratory
As perhaps one of the most relatable shows, at least for siblings, Cartoon Network's hit show, Dexter's Laboratory, followed a boy genius scientist and his annoying sister. Dexter and Dee Dee were always bickering and getting in each other's way. Dexter's arch-nemesis Mamdark certainly wasn't making Dexter's life any easier. Neither were his crazy parents, who somehow never knew their son had his own laboratory in his room. If you haven't heard of this show, then you may have heard the famous quote, "Dee Dee, get out of my laboratory," which Dexter had to yell at least once per episode. With four Emmy nominations, this show can now be streamed on HBO Max.
2 Courage the Cowardly Dog
Often known as one of the weirder or scarier cartoons was Cartoon Network's Courage the Cowardly Dog, which ran from 1999 to 2002. Courage, the dog, lived on a farm with Eustace and Muriel. Weird things would happen on the farm where Courage would have to save Muriel despite being scared himself. The offbeat series gave us robot chickens from Mars, ghosts, and paranormal creatures.
1 Hey Arnold!
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Hey Arnold! ran from 1996 to 2004 and was housed on Nickelodeon. The fourth-grade, football-shape-headed boy named Arnold served as the main character in a show that followed a motley assortment of friends and neighbors. Arnold lived in a boarding house with his grandparents and had some interesting friends who helped make his life adventurous. The bully, Helga, secretly loved Arnold and would show her love by tormenting him to no avail. Two movies were created from the show's success, but fans of the show would certainly love to see a reboot.