You know how there are just those friendships on television that you watch, and you sit there like, “Dang, I need to have friends like that!” Here are some of the best that I’m sure you’ve loved time and again.

Troy And Abed (Community)

When I was thinking of names for this list, Troy and Abed were the first two that came to mind. When it comes to the Community cast, the chemistry among them is utterly perfect; however, the best is undoubtedly Donald Glover and Danny Pudi as Troy and Abed, respectively. I could think of no better friendship duo than these two and their weirdness – I even have a mug of them saying, “Troy and Abed in the mooorning!”

Steve And Dustin (Stranger Things)

While they are indeed the among the friendships with the most significant age gaps on this list, I can’t leave out Steve and Dustin. I feel like we were all introduced to what these two could be in Season 2 when Steve started to enter his whole “mom” era (as the memes online would say) with the kids. But throughout the four seasons, we’ve seen their friendship grow in specific ways that make it a million times better. I love this duo so much.

Chandler And Joey (Friends)

Yes, really, the entire Friends cast is something I genuinely love, but speaking specifically, Joey and Chandler are the epitome of “best friends forever.” These two have been through it all, and I swear, the episode where Chandler moves out is one that always hits me hard in the feels. They are goofy in every way.

Eleven And Max (Stranger Things)

When we watched Eleven and Max together on Stranger Things in Season 3, something was healed in our souls. There’s just something so sweet about watching two teenagers go out and live their lives and become close friends without any boys to bother them. I love these two so much.

Ekko And Powder (Arcane)

While Arcane is one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, it wouldn’t be on that list without its impressive character connections, and one of those is Ekko and Powder. That’s right, not Jinx, of course, but Powder before she went through all the trauma – and especially in that different reality in Season 2. These two had a special connection unlike any other, and my only wish was that we got more.

Cristina And Meredith (Grey’s Anatomy)

Duh. I think when anyone thinks of TV best friends, they think of Cristina and Meredith from Grey’s Anatomy. These two stuck together through thick and thin and went through some of the most dramatic instances that characters in a medical TV show could experience. You can’t get better than them.

Jackie And Donna (That ‘70s Show)

I love these two because the best thing about Jackie and Donna is that they weren’t friends at first. They did not like each other. But throughout the show, they ended up getting really close. And really, I think that’s an excellent way for a friendship to start in a show – where they see the worst versions of each other but choose to become friends anyway when they realize how much they have in common.

Ted And Coach Beard (Ted Lasso)

The Ted Lasso cast has plenty of great friendships, but one that I have to give special praise to is the one between Ted and Beard. At first, it feels like they wouldn’t get along because Beard is just so…weird in so many ways. But they vibe on a different level, and it’s a friendship that truly stands the test of time.

Jack And Liz (30 Rock)

The 30 Rock cast is so talented, but the main friendship that I’m sure we all love is Liz and Jack. Why? Because these two are brutally honest with each other. They always show up for each other in times of need, and they’re not afraid to tell each other how it is. That’s a true friend.

Jess And Cece (New Girl)

God, the list of times that these two have gone through ridiculous drama because of the boys that Jess lives with is endless. But you want to know the best part? Jess and Cece were always there for each other. Whether it was Cece dealing with Schmidt, Jess with Nick, or whatever other crazy shenanigans they went through, it was always these two.

Veronica And Fiona (Shameless)

I will literally always love Veronica and Fiona. The entire Shameless cast essentially defined my college years, as I loved the show. But these two? They were great friends. Fiona was hyped about V just as much as Veronica was about her. They were not afraid to get dirty in order to protect one another. I love ‘em.

Leslie And Ron (Parks And Recreation)

The best thing about Leslie and Ron in the Parks and Recreation cast is that they are always there for each other. Often, with many of these office shows, friendships can turn romantic in the blink of an eye, but they were always just hilarious together in so many ways. I can’t help but love them.

Bellamy And Clarke (The 100)

While a part of me will never forgive this CW show for not putting these two together because the chemistry was amazing, there’s a lot to love about Bellamy and Clarke from The 100. They went through some of the worst things together, but no matter what, they always stood by each other and let them live their lives, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with their choices. It’s perfect.

Sam And Dean (Supernatural)

Is it cheating because they’re brothers? I don’t know. To me, I think Sam and Dean’s friendship is one of the highlights of the Supernatural cast. It wouldn’t be a great show if it weren’t for Sam’s quips, Dean’s sarcastic comments, or how they work so incredibly well together. I mean, it had fifteen seasons. Of course, their friendship was amazing.

Jake And Finn (Adventure Time)

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Jake and Finn have a friendship that’s special in so many ways. They are friends forever, and you can’t take that from me.

Aang And Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

When it comes to rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, one friendship I particularly love is that of Aang and Sokka. You’d think it'd be because they are always there for each other. Sokka will support Aang no matter what, and Aang will protect his friends as if they were his family. But the real reason is that they are just idiots together – and I mean that in the best way possible. They come up with the silliest plans. And it’s something that makes me laugh every time.

Will And Carlton (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

While they were cousins, they did not have to be friends. However, watching the evolution of Will and Carlton’s friendship throughout The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is something that I will always love. A begrudging respect began to form, and by the end, the two of them had become truly close friends, having been through a lot together.

Lily And Robin (How I Met Your Mother)

I think a reason why a lot of people like Lily and Robin from How I Met Your Mother is that, in reality, they feel like a lot of real-life friendships – especially with me. Whether it’s cracking jokes, drinking wine, or needing someone to rant to, these two were each other’s person, and that’s something we can always be grateful for.

Ted And Rebecca (Ted Lasso)

Were Ted and Rebecca close from the start? Not at all. But I love it when the grumpy x sunshine dynamic finally comes around, and these two are the epitome of that, where even Rebecca starts to see how great Ted is. By the end of the series, she was crying as she watched him leave to return to America. Now that’s a friendship.

Jimmy And Gaby (Shrinking)

The Shrinking cast has some memorable friendships, but I have to point out Jimmy and Gaby. Sure, they did have their moments of possibly having a fling, but in reality, these two are just funny together. They have some hysterical moments that make me snicker. And it’s something I rewatch when I need a laugh.

Rachel, Phoebe And Monica (Friends)

I couldn’t just pick a duo for these three because, in reality, they’re all great friends. I feel like each of them has stuck their neck out for the other on any occasion because they care so deeply. There’s something so special about having three friends who would do anything for the other, and these three take the cake.

Jimmy And Paul (Shrinking)

Does Paul continuously say they aren’t friends? Of course. Does that stop Jimmy? Nope! Watching these two interact is the highlight of my week whenever new Shrinking episodes come around, and I would fully watch an entire series dedicated to just them, with Paul turning grumpy as Jimmy’s pestering continues.

Grace And Will (Will And Grace)

Of course, I had to put these two on this list. The titular characters of Will & Grace are so iconic that they came back around in a revival back in 2017. Their friendship is hysterical, and they are always there for each other, no matter what.

SpongeBob And Patrick (SpongeBob SquarePants)

SpongeBob and Patrick are the epitome of how two characters can be as dumb as rocks, but they vibe so well. I love ‘em to death, no matter how stupid these two are together and the trouble they get into. Some of the best SpongeBob memes revolve around their friendship.

Scott And Stiles (Teen Wolf)

As someone who lived during the Teen Wolf era, Scott and Stiles were EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. I looked on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr (that’s right, you remember her), and I couldn't escape their friendship – or the people shipping them.

Turk And J.D. (Scrubs)

If the term ‘bromance’ had a picture in the dictionary, it would be Turk and J.D.. They were hilarious in every way and perfectly captured what it was like to be just two guys who vibed well and absolutely loved each other. They are what made Scrubs so good.

Charles And Jake (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There are plenty of friendships I could point to in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, but one that always stands out to me is Charles and Jake. I really don’t think they were the brightest bulbs when they were together, but somehow, they always managed to get the job done hilariously.

John And Sherlock (Sherlock)

Because, of course, I have to put these two together. Did Sherlock drive John out of his mind? Of course, he did. But Sherlock would also do anything to protect John and his family, and we see that even if Sherlock himself was practically unable to show emotions. That’s the kind of true friendship we all need.

Steve And Robin (Stranger Things)

Yes, because we love Steve and Robin. The hilarious part about these two is that everyone thought Robin and Steve were going to become the next big romantic thing when Season 3 came around. Still, nope, it turns out Robin was actually a lesbian, and these two ended up becoming besties – and are always there for each other.

Lorelai And Rory (Gilmore Girls)

Okay, so while they are mother and daughter, I’m pretty sure we can all collectively agree that Lorelai and Rory are best friends as well. That’s kind of the whole premise of the show. Mothers and daughters would dream of the close relationship that these two had.

Eddie And Dustin (Stranger Things)

Eddie was a true all-star of Stranger Things Season 4, but one of the biggest reasons for that is because of his friendship with Dustin. Eddie got to him on a personal level (one different from Steve's), and that friendship will always be remembered.

Toph And Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Toph and Katara have a powerful friendship. Not only do they bring out the best in each other with their powers, but they constantly challenge each other, especially in the beginning when they don’t get along. But it would be a friendship that would last a lifetime.

Ugh, now I feel like I have to rewatch all of these shows to see these guys again. I think it’s time for a marathon.

Animated and cartoon titles used to often be classic Disney and Saturday morning staples, or raunchy adult counterpoints. Though there was some common ground, it was sparse (and dependent on a kid’s guardian’s perspective--this list included). Today, a lot has changed–the once semi-no man’s land has ballooned to offer plenty of palatable watches for all ages. Below you’ll find cartoon pioneers, today's hits, and some stellar hidden gems outside of typical Disney titles, because that could be a whole separate list! Without further ado, let's get surfing through some great picks.

Peanuts

Charlie Brown and co. are another one of those enduring and endearing cartoons that continue to win generations' hearts. While most of us only consider watching any Peanuts fodder during the holidays, there’s plenty more to choose from, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. And let’s face it, we’re all holding on hope that one day Charlie won’t be tricked by Lucy.

Batman: The Animated Series

Plenty of classic comic book characters could’ve filled out this list with some ease, but Batman naturally won top spot to rep the DC list. The 1992 series was a true highlight for Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, even though it only ran for four seasons. And though there were plenty of BAM!’s and POW!’s to go around, minimal footage of foes being hurt was shown.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Like DC, Marvel’s top comic goes to Spider-Man. And though there are endless iterations, the 2018 film following Miles Morales’ experience getting bitten is an exciting refresh. Regardless of whether you’re a newcomer or a vet of the Peter Parker world, it’s nice to see a new angle on him.

Scooby-Doo

Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Fred and Daphne, aka “Mystery Incorporated,” have been a sustaining staple since their 1969 introduction. The gang has a huge, comedic, family-friendly franchise that spans multiple shows and movies, and continues to win audiences time and again through their humorously balanced sleuthing skills. Those meddling kids and their dog nailed simple storylines with smart but accessible jokes.

Tom And Jerry

As more or less the OG ‘cat and mouse’ duo, Tom and Jerry are Hollywood royalty. With roots tracing back to the 1940s, their frenemy relationship entertained countless kids, who then, in turn, shared it with theirs. Whether it’s a nostalgia watch or some regular weekday fodder, these two still make the cut.

The Smurfs

Another great vintage cartoon, which has been introduced through a series of blockbuster franchises, is The Smurfs. The comic turned show turned movie is a nostalgia fun fun-filled ride that continues to appeal to old and new fans alike. Although I’m sure, for some stans, Rihanna’s first new song in quite some time being included in the Smurf’s new trailer doesn’t hurt things.

Robin Hood

From a historical standpoint, Robin Hood may be the oldest and, without a doubt, the most recognizable name on the list. With roots tracing back to the 1300s, the Prince of Thieves continues to be a world everyone can enjoy, especially the animated Disney version.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Brothers Mario and Luigi have long been a staple for generations of gamers. Sweetly animated and endlessly fun, they’ve gone on to create quite a world beyond saving Princess Peach from Bowser. This 2023 blockbuster pays homage to the sibling plumbers’ legacy.

Shrek

Boy, does this ogre have layers. When Shrek arrived on the scene in 2001, it was bursting at the seams with bathroom humor created a lot of discourse. Behind it though, was a compelling reimagine of classic fairy tale tropes that left many wanting more. Even though he’s rough around the edges to some onscreen and off, his character arc is genuine and magnetic. Those makings cemented the fictional world and the big green guy himself to sustain in pop culture.

SpongeBob SquarePants

From the jump, everyone’s favorite animated sea sponge has been ready to win the hearts of his audience, both young and old. And to his luck, many continue to adore him and his silly, silly friends of Bikini Bottom long after we grew out of kids' TV. A prime example of how SpongeBob influences a much wider audience is that Nosferatu’s director, Robert Eggers, cited the Nickelodeon icon's influence for the 2024 remake.

The Yogi Bear Show

Like the other vintage pulls on the list, Yogi Bear has lived on and been introduced to new generations of viewers over the decades. The picnic basket-loving bear and his pal Boo-Boo’s antics are simple and routine, yet they continue to steal the hearts of their viewers.

Arthur

As one of the best animated shows ever, Arthur, his family and pals showcased a lot of social, emotional and mental topics in inclusive ways. PBS paired that with realistic familial and friend relationship dynamics (D.W. fan here), which galvanized Marc Brown’s fictional aardvark in an honest way for the masses.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Since its premiere, the Nickelodeon series Avatar: The Last Airbender has been a fan favorite. Many regard this as one of the ultimate cartoons, noting that it again has a perfect blend of adventure, humor and heart. It’s not your typical easy animated series, but prepare for a great ride.

Bluey

Disney really hit it out of the park with their blue dog show (no offense to Blue of Blue’s Clues). While clearly marketed, made and designed for kiddos, the themes and honest reflections of familial relationships hook plenty of those who have aged out of tuning into the Mouse Ears channel.

Power Puff Girls

I don’t think you can get much better with sugar, spice and everything nice when it comes to a stellar kids’ cartoon. The lab-created superhero sisters of Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles were a thrill from their unmistakable theme song to defeating Mojo Jojo (or any other foe) before the credits rolled. I’m not the only one who believes it’s a show from the ‘00s that still holds up watching as an adult.

How to Train Your Dragon

As one of DreamWorks' best animated movies, How to Train Your Dragon really hits all the right notes of adventure, humor and heart, perfect for a universal audience. Hiccup and his sweet but brave dragon, Toothless, continue to draw crowds 15 years later. And the live-action remake, coming out later this month, is expected to do the same.

The Lego Movie

This kid's favorite toy-turned-movie is the perfect homage to illuminating all there is to create with the plastic blocks. Pair that with some comedy giants a la Will Ferrell, and you’ve got a blockbuster anyone from age 5 to 95 can enjoy.

Ponyo (many other Studio Ghibli films)

Hayo Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli offer a whole collection of exhilarating animated movies, though not all may be suitable for everyone. Ponyo, though, is essentially a Ghibli counterpoint to The Little Mermaid (although it’s not a musical). Although Ponyo, the magical fish girl, doesn’t have sea-faring friends who accompany her after she comes ashore.

Recess

For some, Recess was a paramount Saturday Morning classic during the late 90s-00s. As the title implies, the show centered around every elementary school-aged kid’s favorite part of the day and the goings-on during that quick 20-minute block. T.J. and his friends are funny yet kind, making it a perfect watch for anyone with a nostalgic bone that needs to be itched or can directly identify with the gang.

Wallace & Gromit franchise

The British claymation duo is another visual world that has found its place in pop culture. Now, with seven titles to their name, the dog and owner pairing continue to find new ground (their 7th was made in partnership with Netflix). While the duo seems straightforward, there’s plenty to take away from each installment.

Phineas And Ferb

Another Disney Channel hit for the masses is Phineas and Ferb. It’s aimed roughly at an age group who’ve graduated from Bluey-esque television but still need pretty straightforward content. What makes the jump into watchable territory for all the silly stepbrothers is the smart writing and goofy jokes, and possibly having a platypus as a family pet.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Fantastic Mr. Fox, the movie, based on the short children's book and directed by Wes Anderson, is just as magical as the Roald Dahl classic. The retelling has a perfect kid-friendly stop animation aesthetic blended with an A-list cast including George Clooney and Meryl Streep.

The Little Prince

Another excellent book adapted into a movie (a couple of times over). This French classic has been collecting fans of all ages since 1943 worldwide, and the 2015 flick continues to carry on that torch. The simple and sweet story reminds us all that it’s the connections we make that matter most while exploring fantastical worlds.

Over The Garden Wall

As one of the great under-the-radar animated shows out there, 2014’s Over the Garden Wall has earned quite a fan base. Brothers Wirt and Greg accidentally find themselves in a captivating, somewhat spooky, and at times adventurous world after jumping over a mysterious wall. From start to end, it’s a simple but compelling tale of the bros finding their way home.

The Hobbit

While the Lord of the Rings trilogy may be the most well-known J.R.R. Tolkien movies based on modern literature, it’s not the only one. For the purposes of this list, we’ll stick to the subject at hand and highlight the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit. While it does depict some violence via battles, it’s a classic gem that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Gravity Falls

Gravity Falls came to Disney long after many of us had moved on, but it hasn’t stopped its popularity among adult audiences. The Pines twins visit their uncle in the Pacific Northwest for the summer, only to unlock a longstanding mystery. It’s a perfect blend of silly-sweet kid humor braided with PG Twin Peaks vibes (be warned, for some kids, there is one dark moment on the Mouse Ears show near the end). You may come for the mystery but you’ll stay for Mabel, Dipper, Grunkle Stan and Soos.

Adventure Time

What starts as a candy-colored quest quickly unfolds into an emotional, often existential journey. With layered characters, sharp humor, and simple but profound themes, it’s a show that’ll appeal to all. There’s something in the Land of Ooo that'll speak to any viewer, exactly why Adventure Time endures.

Klaus

We all knew at least one Christmas movie had to make the list, for good measure. Compared to some of the classics, Klaus could’ve easily gotten lost in the shuffle for many. The Netflix original is a story following a down-on-his-luck postman who befriended a toymaker and set up a deal to help one another.

The Secret Of The Kells

The Secret of Kells is a visual and emotional Irish treasure, first premiering in 2009. Its stunningly hand-drawn animation, paired perfectly with mythic storytelling, holds kid and adult viewers equally. Cellach and Brendan’s story is filled with creativity, fear, and hope as aggressive Vikings near and a revered illuminator comes to town.

Wolfwalkers

Like The Secret of the Kells, Wolfwalkers is another animated Irish folk-like tale that comes to life. While there are a bit of dark tones throughout the film, including hunting wolves, the fairy-tale-like story that follows Robyn as she meets Mebh is true magic.

The Iron Giant

Don’t be fooled by the animation style or color palette for young ones, The Iron Giant is an epic adventure for all to enjoy. The cast is stacked (Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Christopher McDonald, Harry Connick Jr) and the gentle sincerity of the giant will have you head over heels. Just be warned, it is a tear-jerker!

The Secret of NIMH

Another vintage gem presented as a children's story with a more complex storyline. The Brisby family experiences some strife as conflict arises in the surrounding area, and they must seek help from an unlikely friend. Admittedly, I haven’t watched this, but it’s now on my list!

Sitcoms are meant to bring joy into the homes of those who watch them. However, not every episode manages to please every viewer and, in some instances, might stir up enough outrage to get banned. Such a fate actually befell some of the following episodes from the best sitcoms of all time which caused controversy.

"The Puppy Episode" - Ellen

At the same time Ellen Degeneres came out of the closet in real life, so did her sitcom alter ego – the first lead character on a TV series to do so – in "The Puppy Episode." While the two-part Season 4 episode of Ellen proved to be an Emmy-winning success and a big ratings win, many affiliates of ABC refused to air the episode and several sponsors chose not to advertise during its broadcast

"Edith's 50 Birthday" - All In The Family

In a two-part episode from the eighth season of All in the Family called "Edith's 50th Birthday," Jean Stapleton's character is nearly assaulted by a stranger posing as a detective whom she manages to escape but not without traumatizing circumstances. While remembered as one of the most powerful dramatic moments in a sitcom, seeing a character like Edith involved in such a harrowing situation was overwhelmingly "heartbreaking" for some to watch.

"Partial Terms Of Endearment" - Family Guy

Originally intended to be the Season 8 finale for Family Guy, "Partial Terms Of Endearment" sees Lois (Alex Borstein) agree to carry a child for a couple but, when they suddenly die in an accident, she considers having an abortion. The episode's satirical approach to a hotly debated serious topic led it to be banned from airing on American television but has been made available in the United States on DVD.

"Running Zack" - Saved By The Bell

Zack Morris is known today as one of the most ill-behaved sitcom kids for many reasons but one time Saved by the Bell tried to pain him in an admirable light has since backfired heavily. Star Mark-Paul Gosselaar later voiced regret over this Saved by the Bell episode in which his character discovers he has Native American ancestry and actually dons a headdress for a class presentation.

"You Say Potatoe, I Say Potato" - Murphy Brown

In the Season 4 finale of Murphy Brown, Candace Bergen's title character chooses to raise her new baby on her own – a decision that was criticized by then-Vice President Dan Quayle. The following season's premiere was written in response to this and even directly acknowledged the vice president's comments.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" - Roseanne

Roseanne was a revolutionary moment in sitcom history as a TV show featuring blue-collar characters but it also pushed boundaries in many other ways, such as an episode when Roseanne Barr's title character kisses a woman in a lesbian Barr. The comedian had to fight ABC on their hesitation to air the episode fearing there it would spark a backlash from religious conservatives and they turned out to be right.

"The Bicycle Man" - Diff'rent Strokes

In a famous "very special episode" of Diff'rent Strokes, Arnold (Gary Coleman) and his friend, Dudley (Shavar Ross) discover that a bicycle shop owner named Mr. Horton (Gordon Jump) is the kind of grown-up parents would not want their children to be alone with. While acclaimed for its bold depiction of the dangers of inappropriate attention from adults directed at minors, it was criticized for not downplaying its humor as much as it could have.

"Episode #1.1" - Soap

Right out of the gate, the revolutionary daytime drama spoof Soap garnered intense backlash by a wide margin for its approach to topics that were still very sensitive in the late 1970s. Billy Crystal's character, Jodie Dallas, was criticized both by anti-gay groups as well as the gay community, which felt that the otherwise groundbreaking characters portrayed their culture in a stereotypical and mocking fashion.

"Maude's Dilemma" - Maude

In the premiere season of Maude, the also beloved spin-off from All in the Family aired a two-part episode in which Bea Arthur's title character becomes pregnant and decides that, at her age, she would rather not have the baby. "Maude's Dilemma" was the first episode of a television show to acknowledge the abortion debate, which led to CBS receiving thousands of letters in protest.

"The Puerto Rican Day" - Seinfeld

The penultimate episode of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David's mega-hit comedy is not considered one of the best episodes of Seinfeld for the same reasons it was taken out of circulation for years. "The Puerto Rican Day" – in which the gang gets stuck in traffic due to the eponymous parade – was viewed as culturally insensitive, particularly for one scene when Kramer accidentally lights a Puerto Rican flag on fire and tries to stomp it out, but has since been made available in syndication and on streaming.

"Lucy Is Enceinte" - I Love Lucy

In the 1950s, saying the word "pregnant" was not permitted on television, which is why you never actually hear Lucy (Lucille Ball) say the word in her many attempts to tell Ricky (Desi Arnaz) her big news in this classic I Love Lucy episode. Despite its clever censorship, "Lucy is Enceinte" almost did not air due to advertisers' reluctance because the mere topic of making Lucy pregnant would mean acknowledging that she and Ricky had been intimate.

"The Speech" - The IT Crowd

In the third season of the hilarious British sitcom, The IT Crowd, Matt Berry's Douglas Reynholm discovers his girlfriend, April, is a transwoman (as demonstrated in a tasteless montage of her performing traditionally masculine tasks), which leads to a violent end to their relationship. Considered abhorrent upon broadcast, the U.K.'s Channel 4 decided to pull the episode from its streaming service in 2020, prompting creator Graham Lineman to cut ties with the network.

"The One With The Lesbian Wedding" - Friends

The first TV series to depict the marriage between two women was Friends in Season 2's "The One with the Lesbian Wedding." However, many NBC network affiliates, including in Texas, refused to air the episode in which Ross' ex-wife, Carol (Jane Sibbett), and her girlfriend, Susan (Jessica Hecht), tie the knot.

"Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" - Community

For years, the Season 2 Community episode, "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons" was not available to stream, due to a moment when Ken Jeong's Chang dons what appears to be blackface to cosplay as a "dark elf." However, Community cast member Yvette Nicole Brown, when speaking to Gizmodo, defended the episode, especially since her character, Shirley Bennett, calls out Chang's insensitive act.

"Stark Raving Dad" - The Simpsons

Michael Jackson makes an uncredited appearance in an episode of The Simpsons as the voice of an institutionalized man who believes he is the "Thriller" singer. In 2019, following the release of the documentary, Leaving Neverland, the episode was pulled from circulation and has since been made unavailable to stream.

"Eric's Buddy" - That 70s Show

Joseph Gordon-Levitt guest starred on That '70s Show as Buddy, whom Eric (Topher Grace) discovers is interested in more than lab partners when he plants a kiss on him. The otherwise refreshingly open-minded episode has been criticized for reducing the openly gay character to not much more than a punchline and a means for Eric to reinforce his identity as a straight man.

"200" - South Park

South Park is known for its many boundary-pushing moments, which creator Matt Stone and Trey Parker decided to pay tribute to in the animated series' two-part 200th episode. Unsurprisingly, the episode would face heavy backlash and, since its initial broadcast, has been censored for its depiction of Muslim faith.

"Koi Pond" - The Office

One example of an ill-fated prank from The Office that some fans have probably never seen comes from the since-removed cold open for an episode called "Koi Pond." In it, Michael (Steve Carell) stages a suicide for Dunder-Miffling's Halloween haunted house attraction, traumatizing the young trick-or-treaters and angering viewers for its insensitive approach to the subject.

"Comedians" - Beavis And Butt-Head

When Beavis and Butt-Head pursue stand-up comedy careers and fail, they retaliate by setting fire to the club where they performed and happily giggle as it burns to the ground. In 1993, a The New York Times report claimed that five-year-old Austin Messner watched the episode and accidentally killed his sister by setting his own home on fire, prompting MTV to pull it from rotation. However, in 2008, the 20-year-old Messner revealed (via PopCulture) that he never watched Beavis and Butt-Head because his addict mother could not afford cable.

"I'll See You In Court" - Married... With Children

While Married... with Children never had the squeakiest reputation, Fox refused to air an episode in which Al (Ed O'Neill) and Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal) discover their night at a motel was recorded and file a lawsuit. While initially deemed in poor taste, an edited version of the episode finally made it to air on FX years later.

"Live Show" - 30 Rock

Both times 30 Rock put on a live episode, the shows were met with backlash for the use of Blackface. For instance, the East Coast broadcast of Season 5's "Live Show" would be pulled from syndication for a scene in which guest star Jon Hamm's character shows off his hand transplant from a Black donor.

"Prom-ises, Prom-ises" - Boy Meets World

Some episodes of the beloved TGIF comedy Boy Meets World were removed from Disney Channel's rotation of reruns, including Season 5's "Prom-ises, Prom-ises." The plot sees teen lovers Cory (Ben Savage) and Topanga (Danielle Fishel) considering the decision to consummate their relationship on prom night, only to discover his parents are having their own fun in a nearby hotel room.

"The Hunger Strike" - The Boondocks

It took 12 years for "The Hunger Strike," an episode of The Boondocks that was originally called "BET Sucks" and set to air on Adult Swim in 2008, to finally be shown on American television. The actual reason for the banning has not been confirmed but reports claim that BET threatened litigation, due to its overtly scathing spoofing of the cable network's programming.

"Mid-Life Crustacean" - SpongeBob Squarepants

Even a Nicktoon as beloved as SpongeBob Squarepants has a couple of episodes that modern audiences will never see on Nickelodeon or with a Paramount+ subscription and, in retrospect, it is surprising that one of them ever made it to air. Season 3's "Mid-Life Crustacean" involves a scene when Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), in a bid to reclaim his youth, joins SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) to raid a woman's undergarment drawer, only to discover too late that they have broken into his mother's house.

"Boston" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force

In 2007, battery-powered LED placards designed to resemble Aqua Teen Hunger Force characters called The Mooninites were placed around Boston as a marketing strategy for the adult animated movie, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, but were mistaken for explosive devices. The original show's writers decided to create an episode based on the incident, in which Frylock (Carey Means), Master Shake (Dana Snyder), and Meatwad (Dave Wilis) are mistaken for explosives in Boston. The episode would become the first in the series to get banned but was later leaked online in 2015.

"Something's Up There" - Back To You

The short-lived Fox sitcom Back to You – starring Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton as bickering news anchors – has been largely forgotten since it ended in 2008. However, one episode was deemed controversial upon airing for the following line said to a Polish character when trying to convince them to go bowling: "Come on, it's in your blood, like Kielbasa and collaborating with the Nazis."

"Leap Frogs" - Rocko's Modern Life

Not only was Rocko's Modern Life one of the weirdest Nicktoons ever but it was especially one of the lewdest. Nickelodeon let plenty of mature humor slide but did ban an episode in which Mrs. Bighead tries to seduce the titular wallaby.

"Elephant Issues" - Tiny Toon Adventures

The Steven Spielberg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures served as a new era for the Looney Tunes legacy but did make a few dark turns during its run. For instance, one banned episode, which was meant to serve as a PSA of sorts, saw Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig getting intoxicated and suffering a car accident

"Dentist" - Adventure Time

The plot of the Adventure Time Season 6 episode, "Dentist," – in which Finn (Jeremy Shada) receives oral treatment from a colony of ants – offers nothing controversial in concept. However, it caused a bit of an internet uproar when a character named Lt. Gamergate (which is the name of a type of ant) was interpreted as a reference to the recently developing "GamerGate" movement.

30. "Fat Like Me" - Daria

Spun-off from Beavis and Butt-Head, Daria followed the misadventures of the cynical, monotone titular teen (voiced by Tracy Grandstaff). One episode of the animated never aired in reruns on the Nickelodeon subsidiary Teen Nick (formerly known as The N) because of the way it depicts obesity's connection to high school social status.

"Terms Of Endearment" - Drawn Together

Drawn Together is a mockumentary-style animated Comedy Central series following a group of cartoon characters living together. One episode was met with controversy for its satirical portrayal of the horse riding accident that paralyzed Superman actor Christopher Reeve, who passed away shortly before the series premiered.

"Man's Best Friend" - Ren & Stimpy

One of the most unhinged episodes of Ren & Stimpy was banned on Nickelodeon for a violent scene in which Ren beats up a character with an oar, as well as the depiction of dog treats that, for some reason, look like cigars and feces. The episode was later broadcast on MTV, which is certainly a more appropriate home for its subject matter.

While he is best known as the maestro of some of the funniest musical parodies of all time, there are also many great "Weird Al" Yankovic appearances in movies and TV shows that any fan of the artist should know about. In fact, a great deal of them happen to be in animated features and series. Take a look back on some of the many notable times "Weird Al" lent his voice to a fun cartoon role.

American Dad (2005-Present)

While "Weird Al" never actually appears in a role on American Dad, he does perform a song written exclusively for a Season 15 episode of co-creator Seth McFarlane's political comedy. When Stan (McFarlane) and a rabbit costume-clad Roger (also McFarlane) plan to sabotage a farm, they come up with an idea for a parody of the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" called "Rabbitage." While the artist himself formally rejects the request for the song, they discover he wrote and recorded it himself anyway.

Bojack Horseman (2014-2020)

One of the most famous examples of "Weird Al" voicing an original animated character is Captain Peanutbutter, the brother of Paul F. Thompkins’ Mr. Peanutbutter, on one of the all-time best-animated TV shows, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman. He was asked to play the recurring character by executive producer and series regular Aaron Paul who had previously portrayed the musician in a fake trailer for his biopic that would later be made into his "real" biopic.

Johnny Bravo (1997-2004)

"Weird Al's" appearance on Cartoon Network's Johnny Bravo was not at all what you would expect, but that is essentially what makes it so perfect. He teams up with none other than comedy legend Don Knotts and a superhero named Blue Falcon to host a Queer Eye-esque TV show called Cartoon Makeover, and their latest client is the titular, bumbling "mimbo" (voiced by Jeff Bennett).

Scooby-Doo And Guess Who? (2019-2021)

Mystery Inc. has crossed paths with multiple celebrities on Scooby-Doo & Guess Who?, including "Weird Al." In the 2019 episode, "Attack of the Weird Al-osaurus," he meets Scooby and the gang when they come to investigate rumors that a dinosaur is terrorizing his camp for teaching children the accordion.

Milo Murphy's Law (2016-2019)

One of "Weird Al's" most underrated animated characters is not a cameo or guest appearance, nor even a recurring stint, but a starring role as the lead in a series. For 40 episodes, Yankovic voiced the clumsy titular teen of the Disney XD original series, Milo Murphy's Law, from Phineas and Ferb creators Jeff "Swampy" Marsh and Dan Povenmire.

Teen Titans GO! (2013-Present)

Yankovic would go wildly against type to play one of the most notorious villains in DC Comics history, Darkseid, for four episodes of Teen Titans Go! In one of those episodes, Cyborg (Phil LaMarr) actually points out how the tyrannical New God sounds strangely like the musical comedian and even sets off an epic standoff when he quips that Darkseid could not be as evil as someone who makes "songwriters look like fools."

Robot Chicken (2001-2022)

"Weird Al" has shown up on Adult Swim's Emmy-winning stop-motion satire, Robot Chicken, a few different times. One sketch actually served as the official music video from his 2006 song, "Weasel Stomping Day," and a later appearance saw him take the place of the Doof Warrior in a send-up of the 2015 action movie favorite, Mad Max: Fury Road.

Voltron: Legendary Defender (2016-2018)

"Weird Al" is part of the Voltron universe, having lent his voice to Netflix and DreamWorks' reboot, Voltron: Legendary Defender. In a Season 2 episode called, "The Depths," he voices an alien named Blumfump, who hides his face behind a jellyfish he wears as a mask and enlists the help of Lance (Jeremy Shada) to stop a brainwashing plot on his planet.

Adventure Time (2010-2018)

Pendleton Ward enlisted the vocal talents of "Weird Al" for three episodes of his hit fantasy series, Adventure Time, as Banana Man. The mechanically handy recurring character gets his name for his resemblance to the yellow fruit.

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

"Weird Al" has actually played a few interesting animated villains, such as on Disney XD's cult favorite supernatural adventure comedy, Gravity Falls, from creator Alex Hirsch. He voices Probabilitor the Annoying, who is a powerful wizard, but with a crushing weakness of "prime statistical anomalies over 37 but not exceeding 51."

The Simpsons (1989-Present)

One of the few celebrity guests to voice themselves on The Simpsons more than once is “Weird Al” Yankovic — the first being a Season 14 episode in which Marge has Al craft a parody of John Mellencamp’s “Jack & Diane” called “Homer & Marge” to see their marriage. In Season 19, he parodied a song by Homer’s band, Sandgasm (already a parody of Nirvana), and later performed the series' theme song on the accordion for a Season 34 opening couch gag.

Batman Vs. Robin (2015)

The main conflict of Batman vs. Robin is between Bruce Wayne (Jason O'Mara) and his son, Damian (Stuart Allen), but one of the first, most exciting, and also unsettling sequences in the 2015 DC animated film sees the duo facing off against The Dollmaker. "Weird Al" dons an eerie and unrecognizable voice to portray the villain, who turns kidnapped children into his own army of rabid mutants wearing porcelain faces like masks, just as he does.

Sabrina: The Animated Series (1999-2000)

"Weird Al" would appear in three episodes of Sabrina: The Animated Series, which saw the famous teenage witch from the Archie Comics return to cartoon form. The artist's first appearance saw him perform a song called "Electric Shaver."

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023)

"Weird Al" briefly lends his voice alongside the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World cast to star in Netflix's anime-style adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. The majority of the fifth episode, "Lights. Camera. Sparks?!" is framed as a documentary about the making of a failed movie based on Scott's life and the opening narration is provided by Al.

The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy (2003-2007)

The Grim Adventures Of Billy & Mandy poked fun at Hogwarts' Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter movies by introducing the character, Squidhat. In three episodes, "Weird Al" voices the pink squid who works at Toadblatt's Summer School of Sorcery assigning students to different houses, but also moonlights as a musician. 

Lilo & Stitch: The Series (2003-2006)

In one episode of the series spun-off from the hit Disney animated movie, Lilo & Stitch, Lilo (Daveigh Chase), Stitch (Chris Sanders), and others go to the Elizabethan Fair, where one of Stitch's cousins, Tank, happens to be. Throughout the day, a minstrel (voiced by "Weird Al") randomly appears to narrate what takes place in a song, much to the characters' chagrin.

Eek! The Cat (1992-1997)

The Season 5 episode of Eek! The Cat called “The FugEektive” boasts two major cameos, one being America’s Most Wanted host John Walsh, who partners with the titular feline (Bill Kopp) for a crime-chasing program. The second major cameo is “Weird Al,” who appears on John and Eek!’s show with a tip to help their search for Sharky the Shark Dog.

Star Vs. The Forces Of Evil (2012-2019)

“Weird Al” is the type of person who can make any situation more fun with his presence alone, which is why casting him as the opposite in an episode of Star vs. the Forces of Evil was a stroke of genius. His character, Preston Change-O, is a seemingly average magician who is revealed to have the ability to, literally, suck the fun out of the room, which is the only way he can create any joy for himself.

Transformers: Earthspark (2022-Present) 

"Weird Al" is also a part of the Transformers franchise, having lent his voice to Nickelodeon's animated series, Transformers: Earthspark. He plays Cosmos — an Autobot who disguises himself as a carnival ride inspired by great sci-fi movies called Cosmic Thunder and can also make himself into a real flying saucer.

Batman: The Brave And The Bold (2008-2011)

"Weird Al" crossed paths with both Batman and Scooby-Doo in the same episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, in which Mystery Inc. shows up at his concert, which is soon hijacked by The Joker and The Penguin. He also lends his voice to another segment from Season 2's "Bat-Mite Presents: Batman's Strangest Cases!" as jewelry show organizer Mr. Star.

Firebuds (2022-Present) 

Firebuds is a preschool-level Disney Channel series that combines the heroism of Paw Patrol with the fantasy elements of Cars, following the adventures of children who team up with sentient rescue vehicles. "Weird Al" guest stars as a minivan named Latch, who gets a much-needed boost in confidence from a sing-along session with a musician named Laura (voiced by Lisa Loeb).

Little Big Awesome (2016-2018)

"Weird Al" provides both his voice and his face to the role of Mr. Sun in six episodes of Amazon Prime's children's program, Little Big Awesome. His first appearance as the personification of the center of the Solar System sees him performing a duet with fellow singer-songwriter Aimee Mann as The Moon.

The 7D (2014-2016)

Disney Channel's The 7D is a reimagining of Snow White's Seven Dwarves as the protectors of the land called Jollywood. In an episode called "Shapeshifter," "Weird Al" guest stars as the dastardly villain of the same name.

Wander Over Yonder (2013-2016)

One of "Weird Al's" most bizarre roles (which is really saying something) is Dr. Screwball Jones, whom he voices in two episodes of Disney's Wander Over Yonder. The sentient banana with clownish rainbow hair has the same goal as the titular hero, Wander, to spread joy, but has more maniacal and borderline villainous ways of doing it.

Uncle Grandpa (2010-2017)

No one is better suited to play a polka-playing robot than "Weird Al," just as he does in a Season 2 episode of Cartoon Network's Uncle Grandpa called "Pal.0." However, before the RV's titular computer system busts out the accordion and grows a wavy hairdo, it goes rogue and tries to make the gang "normal."

Wallykazam! (2014-2017)

Nickelodeon’s Wallykazam! follows the adventures of a troll named Wally (Thomas Langston) and his pet dragon, Norville (Dan Bittner), who discover the biggest treat in the world while trick-or-treating in an episode called “Mustache Day.” However, in order to get it, they must complete three challenges invented by their neighbor, Wizard Jeff, voiced by “Weird Al,” who also sings a song about underpants in the episode.

We Bare Bears (2014-2019)

One of "Weird Al's" most despicable villain roles comes from Cartoon Network's We Bare Bears, in which he voices Lewis, who runs a Milk Bottle Knockdown game at a carnival which the bears volunteer to be prizes for. However, when they learn that the game is rigged, meaning no customers will be able to win and adopt them, Grizzly (Eric Edelstein) tries to win their freedom.

Close Enough (2020-2022)

In "Weird Al's" cameo on the Max original animated series, Close Enough, he reveals the secret behind his creative process. It involves sharpening a narwhal tusk, which he then uses to puncture his left foot and use the blood to summon a demon song god named Nishquantazi.

The Brak Show (2000-2007)

On Adult Swim's The Brak Show, in which the eponymous Space Ghost villain becomes the star of his own family sitcom, Brak's father (John Lowe) and Thundercleese (Carey Means) become swallowed by a giant worm. There, they meet Petroleum Joe ("Weird Al"), who is a lonely, perverted six-foot-tall monster supposedly made of oil.

Back At The Barnyard (2007-2011)

In one episode of Nickelodeon's series spin-off from Barnyard, Back at the Barnyard, the farm animals plan a heist. Their target turns out to be "Weird Al," who catches them in the act and attacks them with his gold records.

Mad (2012-2022)

"Weird Al" appears in the 100th episode of Cartoon Network's Mad — an animated adaptation of the classic comedy magazine — as Superman. He specifically voices Henry Cavill's version of the legendary DC Comics character in a spoof of 2013's Man of Steel.

Where's Waldo (2019-2021)

Twice "Weird Al" appears on Peacock's animated series adaptation of the Where's Waldo? books as Wizard Artbeard. The character lives up to his name by bearing a long set of whiskers that look as if it has been dipped in every corner of an artist's palette.

We have learned from some of the best fantasy movies and TV shows, many of the best sci-fi movies and TV shows, and most of the best horror movies and TV shows that we should beware of the things that go bump in the night. However, we have also seen quite a few exceptions to that rule, including in some of the funniest creature features of all time. So, for the time being, let’s forget about all the scary movie monsters that gave you nightmares and remember the aliens, ghosts, and other kinds of odd creatures who proved to be the kind of friends you could only dream of.

E.T. (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial)

Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial — the story of a young boy (played by Henry Thomas) who befriends a lost, lonely “spaceman” — changed everything we thought we knew about alien invasion movies. In fact, some claim that the lighthearted take on the subject — the highest-grossing movie of 1982, and ever at the time — is what turned off audiences from seeing John Carpenter’s The Thing, which is most definitely not about a friendly creature.

Gizmo (Gremlins)

In 1984’s Gremlins, the one member of a rare species known as the Mogwai who, thankfully, does not transform into a green, grim troublemaker is Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mandel). In fact, in 1990’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch, he finds the courage to help defend his human friends against them.

ALF (ALF)

The title character of the hit sitcom ALF (shorthand for “alien life form”) was not exactly a saint, with his sarcastic attitude and insatiable appetite for cats. However, out of all the extra-terrestrials to come out of the ‘80s, he is one of the few who would create the least problems in your house.

Casper (Casper)

Everything you need to know about Casper is in the Harvey Comics’ character’s classic theme song, which describes him as a friendly ghost. He is one of the few earthbound spirits you probably would not mind being haunted by, especially when compared to his three wicked uncles.

Bub (Day Of The Dead)

Zombie movies never gave audiences an undead character to root for before they met the unusually intelligent and surprisingly compassionate “Bub,” played by Sherman Howard in George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead. In fact, you could call the endearing reanimated corpse the real hero of this ’80s movie for the way he avenges the senseless murder of his handler and assists the compound’s remaining survivors.

Melvin Junko (The Toxic Avenger)

In Troma's cult-favorite 1984 superhero movie, The Toxic Avenger, Melvin Junko (Mark Torgl) used to be a 98-lb. gym custodian, until he fell into a vat of toxic waste. The accident transformed him into "a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength" (then played by Mitch Cohen) who uses his powers to protect the city of Tromaville.

The Amphibian Man (The Shape Of Water)

One of Doug Jones’ most acclaimed Guillermo del Toro movie roles is a bizarre, aquatic being known as the Amphibian Man, who longs for friendship but finds something deeper with the also non-speaking Elisa (Sally Hawkins). The characters’ interspecies romance in the beautiful Best Picture Oscar winner, 2017’s The Shape of Water, serves as an uplifting and thought-provoking metaphor for universal acceptance.

Ewoks (Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi)

While there are more than enough creatures from the Star Wars franchise we would rather avoid, there are also plenty who walk on the light side of the Force. Among the most endearing — not to mention cuddliest — are the Ewoks, who tend to get a bad rap among some fans, but that does not change the fact that they played a pivotal role in the Empire’s defeat at the end of Return of the Jedi.

Marceline (Adventure Time)

A nocturnal bloodsucker who truly deserves to be called “friendly” is rare, but one essential example of the like is Marceline from Adventure Time. Voiced by Olivia Olson, the Land of Ooo’s centuries-old “Vampire Queen” actually starts off as an enemy to Finn (Jeremy Shada) and Jake (John DiMaggio) when she throws them out of their own home but becomes one of the duo’s most trusted allies.

Toothless (How To Train Your Dragon)

DreamWorks Animation’s 2012 hit How to Train Your Dragon is set in a time when humans and dragons are natural enemies. However, that dynamic is changed forever when aspiring hunter Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) finds an injured dragon that he comes accept as a friend and gives the name “Toothless.”

Stitch (Lilo & Stitch)

In Disney’s animated 2002 favorite, Lilo & Stitch, we meet Experiment-626 (voiced by director Chris Sanders), a small, blue extra-terrestrial who was designed by Dr. Jumba Jookiba (David Ogden Stiers) to be an unstoppable seed of destruction. Yet, his personality would take a full 180 when he landed on Earth — specifically in Hawaii — and met a girl named Lilo (Daveigh Chase), who adopted him into her “ohana” and named him Stitch.

Billy Butcherson (Hocus Pocus)

In 1993’s Hocus Pocus, Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler) revives Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones) in hopes he will be a minion to her and her sisters, Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker). Unfortunately for her, the reanimated corpse’s hatred toward the witchy trio led him to help the group of kids trying to destroy them.

Dobby (The Harry Potter Movies)

In the Harry Potter books and the films they inspired, Dobby (voiced by Toby Jones) is a house elf who is indentured to a group of Dark Wizards who treat him terribly. However, he defies his masters’ orders to, instead, be of service to the Boy Who Lived (played by Daniel Radcliffe).

R (Warm Bodies)

By fusing Shakespearean themes of forbidden romance with a reinvention of lore pioneered by George A. Romero, author Isaac Morton crafted an intriguing romantic-zombie-comedy in Warm Bodies. In the film adaptation, Nicholas Hoult plays a walking corpse called “R,” who is discovered to have some humanity left in him when he becomes the potential suitor and protector of a young woman named Julie (Teresa Palmer).

Falkor (The NeverEnding Story)

There is a pretty balanced amount of good and evil creatures in the 1984 adaptation of Michael Ende’s The NeverEnding Story, with the most iconic of the former, arguably, being Falkor. Voiced by Alan Oppenheimer, the last of the luck dragons provides Atreyu (Noah Hathaway) and Bastian (Barret Oliver) with the wisdom, optimism, and transportation they need to complete their quests. 

Genie (Aladdin)

Most stories about wish-granting creatures go by the "Be careful what you wish for" mantra and portray them as selfish tricksters, but that is not the case for Genie from Aladdin. Robin Williams' iconic role from Disney's 1992 animated classic treats his master (voiced by Scott Weinger) as a true friend, making him one of the best sidekicks in pop culture history.

Totoro (My Neighbor Totoro)

One of the most iconic Studio Ghibli movies is My Neighbor Totoro, which could have won the best-animated feature Oscar had it existed in 1988. It tells the story of two siblings who cross paths with the unique titular creature (whose name translates from Japanese to “troll”), who takes them on wondrous adventures. 

Groot (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Any Guardians of the Galaxy fan will tell you that the heart and soul of James Gunn’s cosmic MCU trilogy is Groot. Voiced by Vin Diesel, the living humanoid tree — who can be a relentless fighter under the right circumstances — taught us that the only thing you need to say to show your appreciation for your loved ones is, “I am Groot.”

Harold (Under Wraps)

In fantasy lore, Egyptian mummies are depicted as vengeful beings who, upon reanimation, take out their rage on anybody who awakens them from their slumber. However, “Harold” — played by Bill Fagerbakke in the 1997 Disney Channel Original Movie, Under Wraps — must have had a really pleasant slumber because he gets along great with the preteens who wake him up and later try to help return him to his sarcophagus.

Willie (V)

Obviously, Robert Englund's most iconic role is A Nightmare on Elm Street's homicidal dreamweaver, Freddy Krueger, but another corner of his fanbase knows him as a much gentler character. In fact, in the V franchise, Willie is noted for helping the human race defend itself against his own lizard-like extraterrestrial race.

The Smurfs (The Smurfs)

Original based on a Belgian comic book before launching their own TV series and movie franchise, the Smurfs are a peaceful group of little blue creatures who inhabit a woodland colony of mushroom-shaped houses. However, they are not without their enemies, especially Gargamel, who switches back and forth between wanting to destroy them, eat them, or even turn them into gold.

Monster (A Monster Calls)

One of the best monster movies of its time is not about a creature who means to destroy, but one who offers effective emotional support. Based on the novel by Patrick Ness, director J.A. Bayona’s A Monster Calls stars Liam Neeson as the voice of an unnamed ancient tree monster (voiced by Liam Neeson) who meets a 12-year-old Conor (Lewis MacDougall) just when he needs a friend the most.

Sabrina Spellman (Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina)

In both fiction and reality alike, witchcraft is widely frowned upon, unless it is practiced by Sabrina Spellman, who originated from the Archie comics. Arguably the most recognizable onscreen depiction of the young magic wielder is portrayed by Melissa Joan Hart in Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but we felt like highlighting Kiernan Shipka’s iteration from Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina because the enemies she faces are much less friendly.

Paul (Paul)

Director Greg Mottola’s 2011 sci-fi comedy, Paul, posits the idea that almost all pop culture involving extra-terrestrials from the past several decades was inspired by one actual extra-terrestrial. Said extra-terrestrial is the title character (voiced by Seth Rogen), who bumps into two British sci-fi nerds (played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who also co-wrote the film) who help him avoid detection from Area 51.

Tommy Dawkins (Big Wolf On Campus)

High schooler Tommy Dawkins (Brandon Quinn) had the perfect life, but everything changed in the first episode of Big Wolf on Campus when he was bit by a werewolf. Now a werewolf himself, he uses his abilities to protect his hometown from things that are even stranger supernatural phenomena in the hilarious, underrated Canadian series.

Allen Strange (The Journey Of Allen Strange)

One of Nickelodeon’s most criminally underrated, much-forgotten TV shows is The Journey of Allen Strange — essentially a teen-dramedy reimagining of E.T. that aired from 1997 to 2000. It starred Arjay Smith in the title role of a lost alien who takes human form and struggles to fit in with help from his friends Robbie (Erin J. Dean) and Josh Stevenson (Shane Sweet) while trying to figure out a way back to his planet.

Goliath (Gargoyles)

One of the best-animated TV shows of the ‘90s was Gargoyles, in which the eponymous gothic creatures reside in Manhattan, where they pledge to protect its human inhabitants from evil. The leader of these nightly defenders is Goliath (voiced by Keith David), who even finds love with his clan’s only human member, Det. Elisa Maza (Salli Richardson Whitfield).

The Monsters Of Midian (Nightbreed)

Not all of the bizarre creatures in Clive Barker’s mind are ruthless sadomasochistic demons (in reference to the Cenobites). The writer and filmmaker’s 1990 cult favorite, Nightbreed — based on his 1988 novella Cabal — follows a group of peaceful mutants forced to hide from society in a village beneath a cemetery known as Midian.

CJ7 (CJ7)

The 2008 Chinese sci-fi family comedy CJ7 stars co-writer and director Stephen Chow as a financially struggling single father who gives his son a “toy” he finds at a junkyard that turns out to be an adorable little alien visitor. The eponymous creature later became the star of its own animated series and spawned an animated sequel, CJ7: Super Q Team, which sees him join forces with other cute otherwordly creatures to fight evil.

Maurice (Little Monsters)

If there was ever a reason a child did not fear the idea of a monster living under their bed, it might be because they wanted to meet Maurice — Howie Mandel’s role from the cult favorite 1989 fantasy-comedy, Little Monsters. He becomes friends with 11-year-old Brian (Fred Savage), whom he introduces to the bizarre realm hidden underneath every bed in the world and helps protect against the more troublesome members of his kind.

Crusoe (The Water Horse: Legend Of The Deep)

The 2007 adaptation of Dick King-Smith’s novel, The Water Horse, offers some imaginative explanations for the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster. It is a genderless creature that a boy named Angus MacMorrow (Alex Etel) discovers on the shore of the famous Scottish lake and names Crusoe, after adventure hero Robinson Crusoe.

Billy (Martin Mystery)

On Martin Mystery — an animated series inspired by an Italian comic book — one of the titular supernatural investigators’ most trusted allies is a plucky, pint-sized little green man named Billy (voiced by Sam Vincent). However, in the series' second season, it is discovered that he was once a much larger, vicious warrior until he changed his ways before arriving on Earth during the famous Roswell incident of 1947.

As these creatures from pop culture have shown us, not everything that goes bump in the night is worth bumping back at.

Everybody loves a good dog movie — not just because most humans cannot seem to get enough of the animal they call “man’s best friend,” but because many of them depict the canine in a heroic light. We picked out a hefty selection of some of our favorite examples of lovable movie and TV dogs whom we can thank for treating us to a happy ending to cheer for. That being said, we also cannot promise that the dog does not die in all of these films and series, but we can assure you that, through their vigilant acts, they did not pass on in vain.

Buddy Leads Josh's Basketball Team To Victory (Air Bud)

Perhaps the Citizen Kane of animal sports movies is Disney's Air Bud, which starred real-life canine celebrity Air Buddy in the title role. After the Golden Retriever is befriended by a boy named Josh (Kevin Zegers), he discovers that he has an astonishing talent for playing basketball and becomes the star player of Josh's team.

Pongo And Perdita Save All Of Cruella's Kidnapped Puppies (One Hundred Dalmatians And One Dalmatians)

While we have a soft spot for the 1996 live-action remake, especially for Glenn Close’s performance as Cruella de Vil, we felt Disney’s original 1961 animated adaptation of Dodie Smith’s book was more deserving of a mention as it is largely told from the perspective of Pongo, Perdita, and their puppies. In addition to rescuing their own children from the cruel fashionista's clutches, the canine couple prevent a whopping 101 Dalmatians (hence the title) from being made into a spotted fur coat.

Benji Rescues Paul And Cindy (Benji)

One of the most famous fictional dogs in history is Benji — the star of many adventures, the first of which was released in 1974. In the Oscar-nominated film, the titular stray (played then by a mixed breed named Higgins) is accepted into the family of two children after saving them from a kidnapping.

Every Time Scooby-Doo Helps Mystery Inc. Crack The Case (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?)

Whenever the villain of the week is unmasked, they always say that they would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for “those meddling kids,” in reference to Fred, Daphne, Shaggy, and Velma. However, the titular Great Dane from the original classic cartoon, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, plays a pivotal role in Mystery Inc. and the amount of times his loyalty, occasional bouts of courage, and astonishing ability to speak helped solve the case should not go unnoticed, especially by the criminal caught in the end.

Sparky Saves Beethoven (Beethoven)

The eponymous St. Bernard from the Beethoven franchise is an undeniable canine hero, but the one who really saves the day at the end of the 1992 first installment is his buddy, Sparky. The Jack Russell Terrier prevents evil veterinarian Herman Varnick (Dean Jones) from shooting Beethoven by biting him in the crotch. 

Jock And Trusty Rescue Tramp From The Dogcatcher (Lady And The Tramp)

After he is wrongfully accused of attacking Jim Dear and Darling's baby, Tramp (Larry Roberts) is taken away by a local dogcatcher. However, when neighboring Scottish Terrier Jock (Bill Thompson) and elderly bloodhound Trusty (Bill Baucom) overhear evidence of his innocence, they track him down and derail the dogcatcher's carriage, which unfortunately causes Trusty to become injured in the commotion.

Copper Prevents Amos From Shooting Tod (The Fox And The Hound)

Disney's animated adaptation of Daniel P. Mannix's book, The Fox and the Hound, tells the story of two animals whose friendship is torn apart by the realization that they are meant to be natural enemies. However, their mutual affection remains strong enough in their adulthood that the hound, Copper (Mickey Rooney), protects his fox friend, Tod (Kurt Russell), from his owner — a hunter named Amos (Jack Albertson).

Toto Alerts The Others To Help Rescue Dorothy (The Wizard Of Oz)

In the 1937 family movie classic, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s (Judy Garland) chances of getting back home to Kansas are threatened by the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) when her flying monkeys bring her and Toto to the castle. Luckily, the Cairn Terrier manages to escape and finds the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Tin Man (Jack Haley), and Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), whom he leads back to the castle to save Dorothy.

Bolt Draws The Firefighters' Attention (Bolt)

In Disney's 2008 animated movie, Bolt, John Travolta voices the title role of a White Swiss Shepherd who believes he is the hero he plays on TV, only to discover he only possesses average abilities when he becomes lost in New York. However, he does end up becoming a real hero when his barks alert nearby firefighters to where he and his owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus), are trapped in a burning building.

Every Time Underdog Saves Polly (Underdog)

There are many great superhero pets we could have mentioned here — such as Batman’s Ace — but we thought we would go with the underdog canine vigilante, who is aptly called Underdog. The Lois Lane to the super-powered Beagle’s Superman was Sweet Polly Purebred, whom he sprung into action to save in nearly every episode of his 1960s-era animated series.

Lou Defeats Mr. Tinkles (Cats & Dogs)

Domesticated house pets got their own spy movie spoof with 2001’s Cats & Dogs, which depicts canines and felines’ natural rivalry as a more complex, high-stakes situation. The one who thwarts Mr. Tinkles’ (voiced by Sean Hayes) plan to make all humans allergic to dogs, and saves his own family in the process, is rookie agent Lou (voiced by Tobey Maguire) — a Beagle who decides that he is better off being a regular dog.

Charlie Gives His Life For Anne-Marie (All Dogs Go To Heaven)

In Don Bluth's 1989 classic, All Dogs Go to Heaven, conniving German Shepherd Charlie (Burt Reynolds) escapes the afterlife with the intent of avenging his murder, but ends up befriending an orphan named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi). He loses his life again attempting to save the little girl from a fire, which grants him a place in Heaven again and allows him time to temporarily visit his human friend in spirit.

A Mortally Wounded Hooch Saves Turner From Hyde (Turner & Hooch)

In the 1989 buddy cop comedy, Turner & Hooch, the eponymous Dogue de Bordeaux is shot trying to protect Det. Scott Turner (Tom Hanks). Luckily, Hooch still has the will to get up and bite the crooked Chief Hyde (Craig T. Nelson), distracting him for enough time to let Turner take him out.

Gromit Saves Wallace From Were-Rabbit Hunters (Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit)

What makes Gromit one of the greatest pop culture sidekicks in history is his intelligence and unbridled loyalty toward his friend, Wallace (originally voiced by Peter Sallis). This is most evident in the duo’s 2005 feature-length adventure, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, in which the Beagle discovers Wallace is the titular half-human, half-bunny creature and must protect him from people intent on getting rid of him.

Otis Helps Milo To Safety (The Adventures Of Milo And Otis)

The entire story of The Adventures of Milo and Otis (originally released in Japan as A Kitten's Story) is one big, dangerous collision course for a cat named Milo. Luckily, the orange tabby cat's new buddy, a stray pug named Otis, chases after him, helping him out of his jam by the end.

Reggie And His Friends Bring Doug To Justice (Strays)

The year 2023 brought us an adult take on the talking dog movie called Strays, in which a naive Border Terrier named Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) realizes that he was intentionally abandoned by his abusive owner, Doug (Will Forte), and sets out to get even with him. With the help from his new furry friends — Bug (Jamie Foxx), Maggie (Isla Fisher), and Hunter (Randall Park) — Reggie exacts his revenge by biting off… well, let’s just call it Doug’s “favorite thing.”

Scraps Saves The Mayflower (Airplane II: The Sequel)

In the 1982 follow-up to the classic parody movie, Airplane! — aptly titled Airplane II: The Sequel — a malfunctioning AI sending the Mayflower to the Sun instead of the Moon is not the only issue the commercial space shuttle is facing as someone also brought aboard a time bomb they bought from the duty-free shop. An attempt to get bring the device, stashed in a briefcase, to a safe place ends with the briefcase hurtling in the hair, but a passenger dog named Scraps catches it in his mouth before it can hit the ground.

Max Stops Tyler From Killing Justin (Max)

The title character of Max is a military-trained Malinois (played by a show dog named Carlos) who is haunted by the death of his handler, Kyle (Robbie Amell) and is taken in by the family of the fallen Marine. He forms a close bond with Kyle’s younger brother, Justin (Josh Wiggins), and risks his life to save the teen and his father (Thomas Haden Church) from Kyle’s friend Tyler (Luke Kleintank), who turns out to have ties to an illegal weapons trade.

Old Yeller Saves Katie And Lisbeth From A Wolf (Old Yeller)

In Disney’s 1957 adaptation of Fred Gipson’s novel, Old Yeller, the titular Black Mouth Cur (played by Spike) performs many heroic acts that earn him a place among the Coates. His final deed was protecting Katie (Dorothy McGuire) and Lisbeth (Beverly Washburn) by fighting off a wolf, which is ultimately shot by Travis (Tommy Kirk), but not soon enough to prevent it from biting Old Yeller, who sadly contracts rabies as a result.

Dan And Ann Save Grandpa And Billy (Where The Red Fern Grows)

Two of the most loyal and protective dogs in the history of fiction come from Wilson Rawls' 1961 novel, Where the Red Fern Grows, which was first adapted for film in 1974. Billy's two raccoon-hunting dogs, Dan and Ann, end up rescuing the boy's injured grandpa and, later, Dan sacrifices his life to prevent a mountain lion from attacking Billy, which later costs Ann her will to live.

Baxter Tells The Mama Bear To Leave Ron And Veronica Alone (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy)

One of the funniest examples of a dog who is smarter than his owner is Baxter from 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, who not only speaks Spanish but can apparently speak bear, too. That is how he convinces a mother grizzly to step away from Ron (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) when they become trapped in the bear habitat at the zoo.

Jake's Many Adventures With Finn (Adventure Time)

On one of the all-time best animated TV shows, Adventure Time, the sole remaining human in the Land of Ooo, Finn (voiced by Jeremy Shada), could have never completed his many quests to protect the mystical, post-apocalyptic world without his buddy, Jake (voiced by John DiMaggio). In addition to his various magical abilities, the talking dog of unspecified breed saves the day again and again just by being a supportive friend.

The Wolf-Dog Rescues Gabriel (Where The North Begins)

One of the most famous canine actors in Hollywood history is Rin-Tin-Tin and one of his most famous roles was known as The Wolf-Dog from Where the North Begins. Initially raised by wolves as a puppy, the German Shepherd is later adopted by a fur trapper named Gabriel (Walter McGrail) after saving him from a certain death. 

Togo Helps Deliver The Life-Saving Serum (Togo)

The 2019 Disney+ original movie Togo is inspired by the true story of musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe) and his titular sled dog, who was considered too small and weak when he was born, only to become the leader of his pack. In 1925, Seppala and the 12-year-old Siberian husky embark on a 600-mile trek through a harsh arctic storm to deliver a cure for a deadly epidemic, only to see an Alaskan husky named Balto receive the credit.

Chance, Shadow, And Sassy Save Themselves (Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey)

Who says that an animal has to save someone else to be considered the hero of their story? In Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey — Disney’s 1993 adaptation of Sheila Burnford’s novel — American Bulldog Chance (voiced by Michael J. Fox) and elderly Golden Retriever Shadow (Don Ameche), along with their feline friend, Sassy (Sally Field), manage to find their way back to their family after days lost in the wilderness.

The Many Adventures Of Boomer (Here's Boomer)

In the early 1980s, a series called Here's Boomer aired for two seasons, during which a stray mixed breed (played by Johnny the Dog) traveled the country, often running into people who needed assistance. For 20 episodes, he helped the likes of a family whose camping trip was interrupted by a bear attack, a visually impaired man wanting to be a cyclist, cops looking to crack a big case, and more.

Delgado Saves Chloe From El Diablo (Beverly Hills Chihuahua)

Drew Barrymore’s Chloe may be the titular breed of Disney’s 2008 comedy, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but she would have never survived her dangerous journey through Mexico City without the help of Delgado (voiced by Andy Garcia). The street-smart German Shepherd is even responsible for helping her escape the clutches of an evil Doberman named El Diablo (Edward James Olmos).

The Sled Dogs Safely Pull Ted And Jack From The Edge Of A Cliff (Snow Dogs)

In 2002’s Snow Dogs, Miami dentist Ted Brooks (Cuba Gooding Jr.) must put his newly found mushing skills to the test to bring his biological father, Jack (James Coburn), to the finish line of a major Alaskan sled race during a bad storm. Their sled nearly falls off a cliff on the way back, but their seven Siberian Huskies and Border Collie, Nana, pull them to safety.

Rowf And Snitter Rescue Abused Lab Animals (The Plague Dogs)

Based on Richard Adams’ novel, the 1982 animated adventure drama, The Plague Dogs, follows a Labrador-mix named Rowf (Christopher Benjamin) and a smooth fox terrier named Snitter (John Hurt), who are hunted under suspicion that they may carry a deadly disease. As it turns out, the commotion they caused around town resulted in the shutdown of the local lab from where they escaped, which, inadvertently, saved the other animals kept there from experiencing any further cruel treatment.

Bingo Rescues Chuckie And Safely Disposes A Bomb (Bingo)

The was a dog movie in 1991 and Bingo was its name-o. It follows a Border Collie who gives up his unsatisfactory life as a circus performer to search for a boy he once befriended named Chuckie (Robert J. Steinmiller Jr.), who later gets kidnapped for ransom. Bingo manages to help Chuckie get out of the burning building where he was being held by activating a fire alarm that alerts the fire department and, later, carries a bomb that was also in the building to an area where it does not harm anyone upon detonation. 

Reno Rescues Wilder From Neo-Nazis (Top Dog)

In response to a trend of action movies partnering cops with canines, 1995 saw the release of Top Dog, starring Chuck Norris as Lt. Jake Wilder, who is initially reluctant to work with a Briard named Reno after his previous owner dies. However, the dog turns out to be a wonderful partner, freeing Wilder from captivity by Neo-Nazis by biting through his bindings and joining in the fight to take down their who operation.

Browning Solves His Own Murder (Oh Heavenly Dog)

We admit that 1980's Oh Heavenly Dog might be a bit of a stretch because the heroic canine in question is actually a reincarnated human, namely Chevy Chase as a private investigator named Browning. He is assigned to return to Earth and solve his own murder, with the catch that he is given the body of a mixed breed who is billed as Benji, but is actually played by Benjean, the daughter of original Benji actor, Higgins.

You may have noticed that we did not mention Lassie in any of these examples, but that is because including her would have been too on-the-snout, as far as we are concerned. After all, when was that Rough Collie not saving somebody at some point?

Animation is one of the earlier moving art forms, and has provided countless artists the means to bring their stories to life, be it through the black-and-white hues of Bosco the Talk-Ink Kid or the multicolored bliss of Fantasia. Toons can be as simple as the Oscar-winning “The Dot and the Line” from legends Chuck Jones and Maurice Noble, or they can be as endlessly complex as Wallace and Gromit’s stop-motion universe. Television has provided audiences with 80 years of memorable projects –- including some forgotten Saturday morning gems — with new shows debuting at a rapid pace, and we’re here to celebrate the very best animated series of all time.

From classic characters like Mickey Mouse and Fred Flintstone to modern favorites like Monkey D. Luffy and the Belcher family, CinemaBlend’s staff is saluting them all. So join us in paying tribute to the funniest, coolest, smartest, and most moving animated series that have graced our TV screens over the decades.

75. The Jetsons

Despite being the first show ABC ever broadcast in color, The Jetsons was canceled after a single season and only 24 total episodes. It just couldn’t find the right audience, at least until the reruns started airing on Saturday mornings and an entire generation of kids fell in love with the futuristic setting and zany plotlines. George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, Astro and Rosey eventually became so popular in syndication that more than 20 years after its cancellation, a further fifty-one episodes were produced, as well as a movie. It’s an unconventional success story but perhaps one fitting for a show filled with futuristic tech that hilariously never works as intended.

74. Aqua Teen Hunger Force

When Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block premiered in September 2001, Aqua Teen Hunger Force was one of its surreal cornerstones, and it’s pretty much stayed that way ever since. The long-running series follows three anthropomorphic fast food items – Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad – who get into all kinds of trouble with their neighbor(s), locals, and interdimensional beings. ATHF helped usher in a new era for adult animation at the turn of the century, and it's remained just as hilarious and timeless during that historic run. But for as wild and nonsensical as it gets, there’s a certain charm that makes it not just one of the funniest shows on Adult Swim, but in all of TV animation.

73. Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends

Though not lauded quite as high as animation giants such as Walt Disney or Hanna-Barbera, Jay Ward delivered many of the medium’s most lasting creations, with The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle at the center of his zany, intelligent, and meta-before-meta-was-cool storytelling skills. The titular moose and squirrel’s serialized rivalry with the devious Boris and Natasha can never be forgotten, while the history-adoring side characters Sherman and his pup Mr. Peabody became a pop culture magnet unto themselves over the years. Now if only we could get a Fractured Fairy Tales spinoff for the 21st century…

72. What If...?

Upon its launch, part of the reason why a Disney+ subscription was so appealing involved the streaming service's new content directly connected to major IPs like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while we’ve been treated to a number of live-action shows, the studio also took a major risk with the multiversal animated series What If…? The comic book anthology series offers alternate realities to the MCU characters and events we know and love, and shows how the entire franchise could be radically altered if just one character's arc differed. Additionally, the voice cast of What…If? features many Marvel favorites reprising their roles to tell these ambitious stories that could never be produced in live-action.

71. The Proud Family

The Proud Family was all about Penny Proud and her wild, yet relatable, journey through high school. While the premise was simple, this show’s fabulous crew of characters is what made it iconic, and its depiction of the day-to-day lives of an African American family is what made it groundbreaking. From our lead Penny to her father Oscar, her besties Dijonay, Zoey, LaCienega and Sticky Webb — and of course Sugar Mama — this family is the best, and we’ll adore them forever.

70. Beavis and Butt-Head

Besides The Simpsons, arguably no animated series from the 1990s sparked a bigger array of multi-generational reactions around the country than Beavis and Butthead. As soon as it premiered on MTV in March 1993, Mike Judge’s groundbreaking, edgy, and unsavory cartoon became a national sensation while following two objectively moronic teenagers barely navigating school, life, nachos, and a carousel of music video commentary. Video games, movies, tons of merchandising (both official and bootleg) flooded the market in the years that followed, and there's a reason revivals keep happening: it's a great show, dammit. Mm-heh-heh.

69. Schoolhouse Rock!

Schoolhouse Rock! is an animated gem that has been passed down from generation to generation for all the right reasons. Originally debuting on TV back in 1973, the show's approach to combining educational programming with toon-filled songs cemented it as a true classic with more lasting value than most. From grammar-focused tunes like “Conjunction Junction" to the iconic intro-to-governmental-processes track “I’m Just a Bill” to even its Preamble song, Schoolhouse Rock! has had a lasting cultural impact, influencing many other shows, and even inspiring some spoofs along the way to its permanent place within pop culture.

68. Static Shock

The DC Animated Universe got a true shock to its system when Denys Cowan's Static Shock zapped onto TV screens in the early 2000s as a Saturday morning offering on Kids’ WB. Viewers were treated to some truly exciting, funny and heartfelt episodes that tracked the heroic exploits of teenager Virgil Hawkins in Dakota City. Thanks to late series creator Dwayne McDuffie and his talented team, Static Shock remains a dynamic piece of comic book fun, serving up some serious action mixed in with thoughtful social commentary on occasion. In short, this is a super-powered gem that’s rightfully still revered to this day.

67. Dexter's Laboratory

What child hasn't wished they had a secret location in their house that provided the means to do the most fantastic things their heart desires? Dexter’s Laboratory helped many youngins live vicariously through its titular brainiac, and the general hilarity of his meddling sister Dee Dee derailing it all helped make this one a definitive Cartoon Network classic. From the brain of the similarly brainy Genndy Tartakovsky, Dexter also boasted other animated shorts like Dial M For Monkey and The Justice Friends, which were all equally as enjoyable. To this day, I bet there are many who owe their ability to say “cheese omelet” in French to this wonderful series.

66. Kim Possible

“Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me,” because it’s time to talk about Kim Possible. Mixing a high-stakes spy drama with high school shenanigans appropriate for Disney Channel-aged audiences, this show is an action-packed good time. Largely centered on Kim’s missions to take down Dr. Drakken and Shego with the help (or more like attempted help) of her bestie Ron Stoppable and his naked molerat Rufus, Kim Possible defined many childhoods and taught generations of kids, and specifically girls, that anything is possible with the right mindset and gadgets.

65. Muppet Babies (1984)

How amazing are Jim Henson’s Muppets? The list goes on, but one key factor would be that Kermit and the gang brought to life what remains one of pop culture’s only genuinely great examples of “Your favorite characters, but they’re babies.” Trading TV studios and New York City exteriors for a Nanny-run nursery where the power of make-believe knows no bounds, Muppet Babies showed viewers of all ages that imagination is powered best when one is surrounded by friends to the end. Unfortunately for avid fans, the show’s abundant use of licensed TV, film, and music clips will likely keep it from ever hitting home media.

64. Family Guy

For one reason or 69 others — get it, Peter? — certain TV shows are able to get away with wildly edgy content without getting “canceled," either literally or figuratively. Granted, Seth MacFarlane's long-running fave Family Guy actually did actually get canceled by Fox back in 2002, but the '80s-adoring comedy was able to return from its shallow grave just two years later due to extraordinary DVD sales, a hit syndicated run, and the embrace of Adult Swim. and high ratings from reruns in syndication. Ever since that 2004 revival, viewers have followed the antics of Peter, Lois, Chris, Meg, Stewie and Brian along with all the ridiculous and often offensive cutaway flashbacks that fill their lives.

63. Robot Chicken 

Watching Robot Chicken calls to mind many chldhood memories of inventing scenarios with action figures modeled after classic movie and TV characters. That's essentially what Seth Green and Matthew Senreich’s stop-motion animated Adult Swim hit is: people playing with their toys. But with a bigger budget and more talented voice actors than any kids I ever played with. With boundary-pushing and insightful humor in the mix, the Emmy-winning Robot Chicken is sketch comedy at its most refreshingly unique, rebelliously raw, and deliciously nostalgic, and is not bogged down by the limitations that might come with a live-action production.

62. The Flintstones

For many people, The Flintstones is one of the first cartoons we remember watching on TV. This classic Hanna-Barbera series about a lovable caveman and his family navigating a prehistoric world field with outrageous stone-age variations of modern-day appliances and tools, is just as funny and attention-grabbing as it was upon its release more than 60 years ago, which is really saying something about its quality. On top of such indelible characters like Fred Flinstone, Barney Rubble, and the Great Gazoo, the show also has one of the most iconic opening themes of all time.

61. Freakazoid!

Though not the most marquee-ready superhero, Freakazoid!’s titular protagonist is the creation of Batman: The Animated Series legends Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, with Steven Spielberg and Tiny Toons vet Paul Ruegger leading the charge. So yeah, it’s a perfectly bonkers mix of comic book mythos mixed with slapstick and fourth-wall-breaking comedy, complete with a mini-universe of B-tier heroes and villains such as Candle Jack (but don’t say his name). Lasting two seasons from 1995-1997, Freakazoid! ss a joy for viewers of all ages, anchored by the stellar voice work of stars Paul Rugg and Ed Asner.

60. Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers

Long before the series was reimagined as a hilarious Disney+ movie starring John Mulaney and Andy Sandberg, Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers started out as a tremendous and timeless action-adventure toon about a pair of chipmunks fronting a crew of anthropomorphic animals. Thanks in part to that earworm theme, it never gets old watching Chip, Dale, Gadget Hackwrench, Monterey Jack, and Zipper solve all manner of crimes (both big and small, really small) and save the day before the end of each episode, and the show can still hold the attention of our kids all these years later.

59. Teen Titans

Some viewers probably weren’t sure what to make of Teen Titans upon its debut, but the series eventually became a hit – and for good reason. The quirky superhero romp is the definition of cartoon greatness, as it skillfully blends action and comedy, ultimately using both to great effect. Yet, most importantly, so much heart is on display amidst the explosions and sheer wackiness as well. Because of that, Robin, Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy and Raven remain not only one of DC’s best TV super teams, but also one of its greatest familial units. And, yes, that theme song still slaps.

58. Gargoyles

The oft-underrated Saturday morning toon Gargoyles is one of those shows that manages to deliver more than the kind of action you’d expect from Disney's weekly animated fare. It’s a dark and complex drama series with dynamic characters, beautiful animation and stories that sometimes border on Greek tragedy. Many viewers understandably still have such reverence for the tales that EP Greg Weisman and his team told about the mighty Goliath and his clan of night guardians. It’s ironic that a group of beings that turn cold as stone are among some of the warmest heroes to ever grace a TV screen.

57. DuckTales

Having quite possibly the catchiest theme song on this list that's chock-full of them is probably enough reason to include DuckTales on this list, but of course, the show has so much more going for it. Scrooge McDuck and his nephews, previously only bit players in Disney cartoons, earned the star spotlight for a show that was about as close to an action/adventure cartoon as Disney had delivered at the time, making it something fresh new, and exciting. But it was still “Disney” and thus more accessible to younger viewers than other ‘80s cartoons looking to sell action figures, drawing from Carl Banks' timeless comic run.

56. Hey Arnold!

Amidst all of Nickelodeon's best chracters, perhaps no greater role model for younger viewers exists than the football-headed protagonist of Hey Arnold! In fact, Craig Bartlett’s series offered something very few animated programs have (then or since): a diverse ensemble whom kids could potentially relate to or aspire to be like. With a stunningly grounded urban aesthetic, even in its most peculiar momens, and a hefty set of valuable life lessons that often came out of dark situations, admittedly — not to mention an absolute banger of a jazz score — Hey Arnold! is a masterstroke for the medium.

55. The Real Ghostbusters

1984's Ghostbusters inspired an immediate sequel, but when live-action follow-ups stalled, Sony did the next best thing: created this magnificent riff on the beloved property. No, they couldn’t get BIll Murray and Dan Aykroyd together every three years, but they could animate Peter, Ray, Winston and Egon for a series of animated adventures around New York City, the world, and even realms beyond. The best part about The Real Ghostbusters is that it understood the irreverent tone of Ivan Reitman’s two movies, but split the difference to also appeal directly to kids who just wanted to see Slimer. When we really need a hit of that nostalgic rush, these are the Ghostbusters stories that most deserve revisiting.

54. Teen Titans Go

DC Comics adaptations often get knocked for being too serious, but that's not the case with Teen Titans Go, an effervescent, energetic, and rapid-fire funny series centered on Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, and Starfire. The show embraced irreverent humor, leaning hard into its heroes' stereotypical behaviors, from Robin’s crippling need to be a leader to Raven’s broody Goth Girl energy and beyond. Without hinging on continuity or major cameos from A-list DC heroes (at least, not until Teen Titans Go! To The Movies, which was equally excellent), this slap-happy toon basically gave young kids a comic book portal where they could enjoy “waffles, waffles, waffles” without having to brood over anyone's parents getting gunned down in an alley.

53. The Powerpuff Girls

Sugar, spice, and everything nice wasn’t even half of what we got with The Powerpuff Girls. Like many other animated classics, it was a show made for kids that adults could easily also enjoy. The superpowered Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup deal with typical childhood troubles like sibling rivalry and bed wetting while also saving their town from a truly ingenious rogue’s gallery. These endearing kindergartners, their friends and foes (like arch nemesis Mojo Jojo, and Powerpuff wanna-be Princess Morbucks) provide us with laughs, lessons and intrigue, all wrapped in a parody and pop-culture focused package that doles out plenty of surprises.

52. Tiny Toon Adventures

Following in the footsteps of the iconic Looney Tunes squad was always going to be a tall order, but the Stephen Spielbeg-produced Tiny Toon Adventures understood the assignment. While the characters may have been inspired by those that came before, each one from Babs and Buster to Plucky and Hampton, was given just as much freedom to be entirely new characters, not simply the “new versions” of the classics. The humor was always on point, with plenty of gags for younger viewers, alongside references only the older “kids” watching would get.

51. Courage the Cowardly Dog

Making a cartoon for children that's as creepy as it is funny is no easy task, but Courage the Cowardly Dog found a way to execute that balance quite beautifully, relying mostly on overtly bizarre and/or paranormal villains. Courage protecting his owners, Eustace and Muriel, against everything from a cursed mummy to a duck with a mallet never gets old. It’s the most deserving Cartoon Network original that needs a revival, which could potentially still happen someday, considering Courage was part of a Scooby-Doo crossover movie released in 2021. Until that day comes, fans can revisit the entire series with a Max subscription.

50. Adventure Time

Most classic adventure cartoons engage in storytelling in a more earnest manner, but only a few effectively capture the joys of make-believe like Adventure Time — which for many is the absolute cream of the crop for Cartoon Network’s original programming. Creator Pendleton Ward’s fantasy-comedy follows Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) as they navigate the weird and wonderful, post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo, having a mathematical time along the way. With its charming animation, ingenious creatures, clever world-building, and a lighthearted tone that never abandons spellbinding excitement, the fun truly never ends.

49. Big Mouth

It’s not every day that audiences get a hilariously offensive animated show that actually provides accurate representation of growing up LGBTQ+. On the surface, Netflix's Big Mouth, which rocks an all-star cast led by co-creator Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, simply shows the trouble and turmoil of puberty, sexuality, hormones, and the everyday struggle that we call “life.” Lucky for viewers, it is also much, much more than that. The show follows a group of young people who tend to be accompanied by “hormone monsters” (who now have their own wacky spinoff series) who help guide them through the changes and struggles that come with growing up.

48. Arthur

Kids owe PBS for so many great animated series, but Arthur might be its crown jewel. For over 20 years, Marc Brown’s storybook aardvark, along with his friends and family, endeared themselves to the public. The author and the show’s writing staff, through their efforts, taught youngsters firm lessons in responsibility, community, empathy and much more. What’s particularly impressive is that the grade-school comedy managed to remain consistent in conveying such morals during its lengthy run. Of course, when the program wasn’t dropping vital nuggets of knowledge, it was simply exuding pure, imaginative fun. What we have here is a truly timeless show, and one that’s sure to delight audiences for generations to come.

47. Pokémon

Part of the reason Pokémon remains one of the top franchises worldwide is because the series can have a different meaning for every generation that consumes it. The kids of 2024 can watch the same show O.G. viewers watched in the late '90s and appreciate those characters in new ways, given there have been plenty of successive projects that have come loaded with over a thousand different Pokémon for children to latch onto and make their favorite. The show's awesome battles haven't quite held up when it comes to the franchise's many video games, but perhaps someday, Game Freak will give the people what they want.

46. Spider-Man

Spider-Man fandom has been known to grow from many sources, including the comics and multiple generations of live-action blockbusters, but the Spider-Man animated series from 1994 holds a special place in the hearts of millennials – as it should, because it is amazing (pun totally intended). In retrospect, the content censorship is ridiculous (this is a show where Spidey wasn’t even allowed to punch people), but the filmmakers still found ways to deliver exciting adaptations of comic book stories, and some episodes are even better than the source material. We have yet to see a better version of the Venom origin story than what was created here.

45. Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Thanks in large part to the success of Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989, it was at one point decided that the best version of the Caped Crusader is the dark and brooding version. That has now been the go-to mode for the superhero for decades – but at the very least Batman: The Brave And The Bold reminded us for a time just how much fun the Dark Knight can be. The deep voice and silly sensibilities of Diedrich Bader make him one of the best to ever play the hero, and every episode delivers a fun team-up opportunity. Every DC character is represented with love, but there’s an argument to be made that John DiMaggio's Aquaman is the all-time best version of the Atlantean king.

44. Doug

The entire Nicktoons library was a big deal for '90s kids, and who was more relatable than Doug Funnie on Doug? Through his journal entries and soaring imagination, the preteen opened up about the seemingly everyday events of his life, from getting a haircut to trying liver and onions, and we totally felt that. We understood the middle school awkwardness, the anguish of his crush on Patti Mayonnaise and just how good it felt to rock out to your favorite band (The Beets, of course! “Aw-wee-oo! Killer tofuuuuu!”). We wanted Skeeter to be our best friend and a dog as cool as Porkchop. Not to mention, the opening credits and theme song are pretty iconic.

43. Pinky and the Brain

Let’s be honest here: Pinky and the Brain was repetitive. In every episode, the two main characters did “the same thing we do every night, Pinky… try to take over the world!” But it was the way that the odd couple mice played off of each other — with Pinky being the doofus assistant to the Orson Welles-inspired mastermind mouse that is The Brain — that allowed this Animaniacs episode segment to thrive as its own standalone series. It's one we still quote to this day, using many of the cast members’ favorite jokes. Like everything in Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain benefitted from an “anything goes” approach to humor, meaning that stories would involve Brain’s archnemesis (a hamster named Snowball) or a bit where Pinky gets elected President of the United States. And it all worked because the creators understood how to be intelligent while also being goofy.

42. X-Men: The Animated Series

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe revitalized how big and connected comic book adaptations could be, few film and TV examples truly brought to live what people loved about the medium. X-Men: The Animated Series was one of the first, giving audiences comic book-accurate versions of the beloved mutants that felt like they jumped right off the page. The show offered long-term serializing storytelling just like the source material, something that was essentially unheard of for a Saturday morning cartoon. But whether one was an avid reader or not, these were (and perhaps still are) the definitive versions of the X-Men. It’s no wonder that decades later, the series was revived as X-Men '97.

41. Infinity Train

Created by Regular Show writer/artist Owen Dennis, the Cartoon Network-turned-Max series Infinity Train is the crown jewel of overlooked and under-discussed animated series. A highly imaginative coming-of-age sci-fi fantasy,  not the most common sub-genre, the series centers on a different interconnected story and character set in each of its four seasons, with everything taking place on a mysterious and impossibly long train where most cars present challenges for the characters to figure out and overcome. It’s an emotionally gripping and exciting tale that never goes off the rails, with a stacked cast of familiar voices.

40. Futurama

The second mega-hit series created in part by Matt Groening, Futurama has always been far more than just The Future Simpsons, thanks to its unforgettable cast of meme-ready nutjobs, egomaniacs, and bending-proficient robots. From Fry’s dopey optimism to The Professor’s absent-minded genius to Hermes’ ability to drop everything if a limbo stick comes around, the series balances its strong personalities with tons of space-faring, paradox-thwarting, time-traveling mayhem that never stops being fun. Both one of the smartest and silliest animated series of all time, and filled with some of the nerdiest jokes possible, Futurama has remained a beloved small-screen entity in part because the Planet Express crew has managed to survive multiple cancellations at Fox and Comedy Central, reaching its third lifeform at Hulu, presumably because the Hypnotoad demanded it so.

39. Mickey Mouse (Classic Disney Shorts)

There are few animated characters more famous than Mickey Mouse, and it’s safe to say the House of Mouse wouldn’t be everything it is today without Disney’s classic Mickey Mouse animated shorts that debuted in the 1920s. Smartly written and brimming with slapstick comedy, these quick hits of quirky fun introduced us to the loveable mouse — who displayed courage and strength but in a way that was achievable for any of us — along with the equally iconic Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto and Goofy. Included in this series is 1935’s “The Band Concert” — Disney’s first color cartoon, which quite literally paved the way for Disney animation for 100 years and counting. And while it may not be part of that exact era, give me Goofy bungling up ski lessons any day.

38. Dragon Ball Z

Though it wasn’t the first show in the franchise, Dragon Ball Z introduced countless kids and teenagers to iconic characters like Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, and Gohan throughout the ‘90s, especially after the anime series became a mainstay in Cartoon Network’s Toonami afternoon block. This intense cartoon about a group known as the Z Fighters who attempt to protect Earth (and later, other planets) from diabolical forces was something many of us ran home from school or off the bus to catch each weekday. The introduction of increasingly dangerous and destructive villains like Frieza, Cell, and Boo (each had their own saga) continued to raise the bar as the series went on, and make this still a gem worth revisiting.

37. Rocko's Modern Life

Is there a classic Nickelodeon show from the ‘90s that captures the spirit of the era more than Rocko’s Modern Life? This zany, surreal, and extraordinary animated series debuted in 1993 and quickly found an audience thanks to its unique style of humor that appealed to both children and adults. With characters like the neurotic titular wallaby, his best friends Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, and the various members of the Bighead family, there was so much to love about the show. It pushed the envelope with its humor and art direction and had a lot to say about the modern world, hence its name. The mammalian gang even returned to fans in 2019 with the special Static Cling.

36. Animaniacs

We still have no idea how Animaniacs creator Tom Ruegger got the greenlight to make everyone's childhood better with this hilarious, clever, but extremely inside-baseball showbiz comedy aimed at mature kids. Yes, on the surface, the Animaniacs works as a variety show, an evolution off The Muppet Show during which the hosts – the Warner siblings, one with a Liverpool accent – would set up individual cartoons. But in between, the banter and humor offered up in Animaniacs consisted of some of the funniest, most outrageous, and unpredictable jokes that would spoof Dolly Parton, Marilyn Monroe, and the idea of fingering Prince, as it were. Sometimes the show managed to be educational, but mostly it was pure lunacy, and we loved every second of it.

35. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Mysteries are the most entertaining genre of storytelling. What’s more satisfying than a tidy reveal at the end of a whodunit, and a villain exclaiming how they would have gotten away with it, if not for those meddling kids? Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? followed a very popular “monster of the week” format, but wasn’t afraid to push the envelope to freak out little kids who tuned into a cartoon and were terrified by haunted suits of armor, killer clowns, and more. From its unforgettable theme song to the vocal contributions of radio icon Casey Kasem as Shaggy, Scooby-Doo Where Are You? walked so that Goosebumps and Gravity Falls could run.

34. Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated is a breath of fresh air within the long-running franchise birthed by Hanna-Barbera. For this particular production, the typical case-of-the-week format isn’t in play, as serialized storytelling is utilized. It’s a great approach that really fleshes out the meddling kids and the titular canine in a way that past incarnations don’t. The humor associated with this entertainment property is definitely employed in this iteration. However, what’s also exciting is how the writers and artists aim to deliver some truly scary monsters, all seemingly tied to the antagonist Mr. E. While it’s admirable that the show sticks to its predecessors’ roots in many ways, its goal to shake up the classic formula results in an overarching mystery that’s both compelling and creepy.

33. Archer

Creator Adam Reed’s singular vision and undying creativity turned Archer from a ribald spin on James Bond into one of the most well-rounded pieces of spy fiction in existence. H. Jon Benjamin’s unmistakable voice gives life to the booze-swilling agent’s snappy insults and TV-MA euphemisms alongside a downright stellar cast that also includes Aisha Tyler, Judy Greer, Jessica Walter, Chris Parnell and more. The series is a testament to the importance of characters compared to plot, with Archer’s core group shifting from years of traditional storytelling to multiple side-mission seasons such as the Miami-set Vice, the subconscious-set Dreamland, the jungle-filled Danger Island and others. On a jokes-per-minute basis, it stands next to comedy giants like The Simpsons and Airplane!, and can drink them both under the table.

32. Batman Beyond

Debuting in 1999, Batman Beyond jumps decades forward into the future and showcases the story of a now-retired Bruce Wayne who is acting as a mentor to the next generation Dark Knight, Terry McGinnis, as voiced by the legend himself, Kevin Conroy. The show earned multiple award nominations, winning two Daytime Emmy Awards. Bruce and Terry have just enough similarities and frustrating differences to keep their dynamic captivating while still wholesome, which makes this particular animated series one of the most enjoyable to watch in the franchise. Terry is forced to work twice as hard in order to balance out both his personal life and his crime-fighting side persona, as he both learns from and teaches his mentor as they both work to stand up for what they both clearly believe in.

31. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

While a lot is owed to Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars, the animated side of George Lucas’ sci-fi universe truly took off in 2008 with the launch of Cartoon Network's Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The series is, in large part, what it is due to franchise guru Dave Filoni, who thought his hiring was a prank. Filoni’s respect for Lucas’ work permeates the entire CGI show, but there are also some cool elements that he himself adds to the canon, including the now-beloved Jedi Ahsoka Tano. With incredible storylines, sweet animation and strong voice acting, this show works well on its own but also stands firmly alongside the films it builds upon.

30. Bob's Burgers

One of the many things to love about Bob’s Burgers is just how close, loving, and, well, lovingly strange the main characters at the center of the show are. The Belcher family is (mostly) committed to keeping their small, family-run burger shop up and running, but their kooky adventures usually take the whole family away from the restaurant. Exasperated pessimist Bob, his happy-go-lucky wife Linda and their kids, Tina, Gene and Louise get into a number of hilariously weird scrapes that, honestly, most of us only wish we could have to make life more intriguing. Add to that Louise’s near-constant scheming, Tina’s awkwardness, and how the whole family interacts with a town full of endearing oddballs, and you have yourself a wonderfully weird winner. Tell 'em Teddy sent ya.

29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was the perfect show for a perfect moment in time. It combined outrageous and over the top late 80s imagery with some of the first mainstream depictions of skater culture and added ninjas, an outrageous backstory and a steady stream of cheesy catchphrases. Deep in the sewer of our hearts, amidst roundhouse kicks and impossibly yellow April O’Neil jumpsuits, they carved out a place for themselves, and more than thirty years later, their ooze still remains in the form of reimagined shows, new movies and billions of dollars worth of merchandise. And despite all the success, they're still just heroes in a half-shell, and they're green. (Hey, get a grip.)

28. SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-Present)

In 1999, if you told someone a silly gap-toothed sponge would one day be as recognizable to the children of the world as Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny, they would’ve laughed. And yet, SpongeBob SquarePants continues to entertain the children of today, and has been lovingly embraced by the Millenials and Gen-Z who grew up with it as well. The internet is loaded with memes dedicated to the franchise, and there’s still plenty of debate as to what is in a Krabby Patty. With plenty of episodes and even some spinoffs, it feels like SpongeBob and friends will be entertaining children for many years to come.

27. Rugrats (1991)

Rugrats premiered in 1991 on Nickelodeon as one of the first three Nicktoons, aimed at a younger audience than Doug and The Ren & Stimpy Show. It was a staple for kids throughout the ‘90s and into the early 2000s, with nine seasons about the adventures of babies Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, with regular appearances from characters like the parents, Angelica, and (eventually) Dil. The show could swing from silly to serious, with memorable episodes that ranged from covering the grief of losing a parent to the spectacular Reptar On Ice, with a dinosaur love song that still rings in the hearts of plenty of ‘90s kids. There’s a reason why this Nicktoon show went on to inspire Rugrats movies and a 2021 reboot.

26. Harley Quinn

What happens when you blend DC Comics mythology with the kind of crass adult comedy you find in shows like Family Guy and South Park? You get Harley Quinn, which follows Kaley Cuoco’s version of The Joker’s former squeeze going on adventures with Lake Bell’s Poison Ivy, her best-friend-turned-girlfriend, and getting into hijinks with fellow supervillains and superheroes alike. One doesn’t need to be a hardcore DC fan to appreciate Harley Quinn, although that definitely helps with catching the deep-cut references and Easter eggs. As long as you're in the mood for clever writing and all the edgy, not-safe-for-kids humor you could ask for, Harley Quinn is a must-[censored]-watch.

25. Gravity Falls

With hands on our bible of beasts, baubles and bafflement — Journal 3, naturally — we can solemnly swear that Gravity Falls is the weirdest, wildest and gobblewonkiest project that’s ever come out of Disney, bursting through the castle doors like rainbows from a gnome’s mouth. Created by Alex Hirsch, the mystery-hinged funfest centers on a pair of siblings, Jason Ritter’s Dipper and Kristen Schaal’s Mabel, living with their kooky and perhaps unstable great uncle, Grunkle Stan (voiced by Hirsch). And for anyone who loves codes, hidden messages, deep lore, crytozoology, conspiracies, and everything sharing that fringe space, Gravity Falls is the holy grail of animated shows. (And that grail is filled with Pitt Cola.)

Despite nearly universal love and acclaim, Disney cut Gravity Falls’ run short at just two seasons, although the actual supplementary Journal 3 (which Hirsch co-wrote) is expansive and unique enough of an experience to at least count as a one-off special. There’s still hope that fans will one day go on more adventures in the Mystery Shack with Soos, assuming Bill Cipher doesn’t muck anything up, but even if these 40 episodes are all that ever get produced, it was perfection.

24. The Boondocks

Aaron McGruder’s adaptation of his own comic strip, The Boondocks, is a must-watch for those trying to better understand racial relations, culture, and racism in the United States. With the help of some voice acting from Regina King, Riley and his brother Huey navigate the Black experience of living in a predominantly white suburb.

The Boondocks thrived on taking hot-button issues and forcing the viewer to think about not just the issue but their own reaction and perspective of that issue. The Boondocks deserves applause for how it pushed the envelope in its four seasons and offered thoughtful commentary in a way few other animated shows can.

23. Justice League

Superheroes joining forces in the DC Animated Universe wasn’t anything new prior to 2001 thanks to special pairings in Superman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond’s “The Call” two-parter, but Justice League placed teamwork front and center. Viewers watched Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl vanquish terrestrial, alien and magical threats together, and it was a blast.

Justice League continues to be appreciated for its crisp animation, mature storytelling and stellar character development, as well as for transforming John Stewart from a B-list character to the definitive Green Lantern for a generation. Justice League makes an effective crash course for those wanting to dive into DC lore without having read any of the comics.

22. Star Trek: Lower Decks

Being such a well known and praised franchise for decades, die-hard fans were quite surprised when it was announced back in 2019 that the Star Trek franchise would be taking a shot at an adult comedy with a brand new animated show, Star Trek: Lower Decks. Written by Rick and Morty’s Mike McMahan, the show takes place in the 24th century and instead of focusing on the high-ranking officers on the Bridge Crew, it gives viewers a glimpse into the “lower deck” officers with the more humble jobs that keep the ship running…smoothly? The show often references the rest of the Star Trek earlier entries and breaks down sci-fi tropes, often in a very NSFW way, and should delight both seasoned and new fans alike.

21. Sailor Moon

If you’re of a certain age, Sailor Moon may be the first anime you ever saw in your entire life. It’s one of those ‘90s anime that was sandwiched between Fist of the North Star in the ‘80s, and the explosion that was Dragon Ball Z, and Pokemon in the later ‘90s. Even so, Sailor Moon still managed to stand out, and it still stands out today. It may be because Serena (or Usagi, if you prefer sub over dub) is so dang loveable. As is her relationship with Darien (AKA, Tuxedo Mask).

And of course, we can’t forget the many other Sailor Scouts, as they all have their own unique personalities and inner worlds. In truth, Sailor Moon is the kind of cartoon that appeals to both young girls, but also grown men in their ‘30s and ‘40s, and really, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

20. One Piece

Shows like One Piece don’t come along often, and really, we’re not sure there is any other show on television that’s like it. It’s one thing to have an astronomically high episode count, but quite another for that story to be serialized and tell a great story of a pirate adventure that’s been wowing viewers for over two decades. The character development and growth of the Straw Hat Pirates and the world-building it boasts makes this an easy choice for top-tier anime, and it’s great that Netflix finally took notice and made an equally enjoyable live-action series.

It’s a modern-day epic story equatable to Gilgamesh or Beowulf, and feels like a lived-in universe more than any other anime out there. It’s totally worth the time investment for those who feel overwhelmed by tackling the 1000+ episodes of this ongoing series.

19. The Critic

The Critic, which revolves around New York film critic, Jay Sherman (voiced by A League of Their Own’s Jon Lovitz) sometimes hits way too close to home. What we mean is, with many of us being critics ourselves, a lot of Jay’s fussy qualms about movies seem super spot on, such as the eye roll he gave to the made-up movie, Beverly Hills RoboCanine Cop and a Half 2 (Starring Clint Eastwood!).

But that’s just the beauty of The Critic, because even though Jay was often fed up with having to review so many mediocre movies, he still loved his job, and stayed a movie fan to his core. Which, again, hits very close to home. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the series had The Simpsons writers, Al Jean and Mike Reiss as showrunners. It stinks!...that we don’t have any new episodes of The Critic to watch these days.

18. Daria

Daria once described herself to a therapist as actively working to make people dislike her. She’s not wrong. Daria's main character is, at times, deeply unlikeable. She speaks as if she’s a detached observer into her own life, making callous observations in a dry, dispassionate voice. She’s like a real life narrator, condescendingly commenting on the world around her as everyone else plays volleyball and talks about who they’re going to prom with.

Despite all her efforts, however, it’s impossible to hate Daria because she’s really funny and also not wrong most of the time. High school is often pretty stupid and populated with try-hards who don’t know themselves or have any idea where they’re going. Listening to Daria judge them feels like therapy, even if, deep down, we know she’s just as lost as they are.

17. Over The Garden Wall

What’s most impressive about Over The Garden Wall is just how effectively it slips under your skin and rattles you. The familiar sibling dynamic between Wirt (Elijah Wood) and his little brother Greg (Collin Dean) is disarming, as are the fantasy elements and talking animals… but never forgotten is the terror that comes from the show’s central premise: two boys getting lost in the woods and trying to find their way home. Each chapter starts with a light touch, but ends up gripping you by the throat and invading your nightmares.

The episodes brim with fantastic and horrific imagination - from the shadowy beasts that lead souls astray to the disturbing Auntie Whispers (voiced brilliantly by John Cleese). There are only 10 episodes and none of them run over 12 minutes, but Over The Wall leaves a deep impression, and it’s wonderful to revisit annually during Spooky Season.

16. King of the Hill

I tell you what, it’s hard to get better than King of the Hill. The long-running hit (which has a Mike Judge-led revival coming to Hulu soon), focused on Hank, Peggy and their son Bobby Hill, and their day to day life in the small town of Arlen, Texas. This slice-of-life animated show used something a lot of people probably take for granted - the absurdities of relationships, work, growing up, marriage and other aspects of daily life - turned them up to 11 and made every episode across 13 seasons feel like we were laughing at our own friends and family.

Don’t we all know at least one person obsessed with lawn care? Or one boy who ain’t right? If not, you’ll certainly wish you knew the residents of Rainey Street and could call them neighbors, because mundane, working class life has never looked like so much looney fun.

15. Mickey Mouse (2013 shorts)

Mickey Mouse is one of the most iconic characters in the history of animation. He’s been everywhere and done everything. What made the new series of shorts that began in 2013 and ended in 2023 special wasn’t that they did anything differently, (though certainly the visual style was completely new for the character) it was that they went back to the beginning and let Mickey be the Mickey he was always designed to be.

The modern run of shorts, simple called Mickey Mouse, let the big-eared protagonist be the hero, but they also let him be silly, angry, surprising, and ridiculous. They pack more gags into a five-minute short than would seem possible. The shorts were new, but also served as throwbacks to earlier Mickey eras when the character had more creative freedom before he became the icon we know. They were a breath of fresh air after decades of a stagnant and sterilized mouse.

14. The Legend Of Korra

There is sometimes debate on whether Avatar: The Last Airbender or its follow-up series, The Legend of Korra, is the better cartoon. But, when it comes to us, all we have to say is, why not both? Because honestly, you can’t lose with either series. That said, The Legend of Korra definitely is special in its own right. This is a more grown-up take on the world of Avatar, where each season introduces a new threat to our heroine, Korra (Voiced by the magnificent Janet Varney).

With each season, however, we see Korra adapt and change in ways that Aang never got to do, which is enhanced by Korra’s fantastic Team Avatar of Bolin, Mako, and of course, Asami. Oh, and speaking of Asami, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention how groundbreaking this show was, as Korrasami is still one of our favorite TV couples of all time.

13. South Park

Possibly the most controversial animated show of all time, South Park. With 26 seasons under their belt, Trey Parker and Matt Stones’ on Comedy Central follows the story of four young boys and the typically pop-culture chaos that surrounds them. The show’s intro blatantly states that the show “...should not be viewed by anyone.” South Park pulls no punches and gives no f’s. T

The creators have pulled some crazy stunts in the past, like attending the 2000 Oscars while being nominated, wearing dresses, and high on LSD. They have also attempted to get their own show canceled, been banned in China, as well as hitting a television milestone by going “bleep-free” with the use of the “f-bomb” live on air. It’s a show that could not be launched today, but since it has such huge weight in the zeitgeist, expect to see some more offensive Colorado antics for some time.

12. Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars Rebels picked up the action set in the galaxy far, far away after The Clone Wars ended, and the animated series ran from 2014-2018 on Disney XD to expand on the era ahead of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story with a found family of original characters. Not only did the show prove that Star Wars doesn’t need to rely on legacy characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to tell a fantastic story and deliver arguably one of the best deaths in the franchise’s history, but it set up some stellar stories that are being expanded in live-action with Ahsoka.

There was no certainty that Rebels would succeed back in the beginning despite the popularity of The Clone Wars, but the story was solid during its original run and stands the test of time for first-time watchers and re-watchers alike. And its characters, ships and plots have remained core to the universe even beyond its conclusion.

11. Invincible

Invincible was released for those with an Amazon Prime subscription during the height of superhero mania. Despite concerns about superhero fatigue, the animated series carved stands out within the genre. Namely by being the animated answer to The Boys, and being an R-rated and wildly violent cartoon show. Invincible focuses on the title character aka Mark Grayson who is a young person coming into his own as a wildly popular hero who boasts the same powers, if not the same prowess, as his father Omni- Man, who is revealed to be something quite a bit more dangerous than anyone readily expected.

Adapted rather faithfully from Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker's comic book, the story is emotional, the action sequences are bloody and brutal, and Invincible’s voice cast is led by A-list talent like Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons, Sandra Oh, and more. And the show is so popular that Omni-Man spawned a character in Mortal Kombat 1.

10. Justice League Unlimited

Everything that was great about Justice League got ratcheted up a notch with Justice League Unlimited. Thanks to the team’s founding heroes expanding its ranks — minus Hawkgirl, who returned later in Season 1 — this continuation allowed the DC Animated Universe to shine the spotlight on even lesser-known heroes, from Green Arrow and The Question to Booster Gold and Huntress. Like its predecessor, the show wholeheartedly embraced its printed page while also putting unique spins on its starring protagonists and antagonists.

Although there were various standalone episodes peppered throughout Justice League Unlimited, the show was at its best when delving into its serialized stories that built off plot threads from the previous DC Animated Universe shows, namely the Cadmus and Secret Society arcs. That makes Unlimited arguably feel like the most comic book-y entry in this shared continuity. While the DCAU would be revisited a handful of other times following the show’s conclusion, Unlimited definitely marked the end of an era, and it stuck the landing wonderfully.

9. Phineas and Ferb

The concept of two brothers spending their summer vacation trying to figure out a way to spend it comes with endless possibilities, and Phineas and Ferb explored them creatively and expertly. Following a formula where every episode the titular characters are always finding an over-the-top thing to do or build. Meanwhile, their sister Candace tries to bust them while their pet platypus Perry goes on a mission to stop his nemesis Dr. Doofenshmirtz and his latest -enator.

Over the years, Phineas and Ferb mastered its formula and had a blast with it. Watching the brothers build a roller-coaster, create a backyard beach, get their parents' favorite band back together and oh so much more was not only fun but creatively invigorating. Not to mention, many episodes also featured incredible original music – like the Emmy-nominated song “Ain’t Got Rhythm” – meaning you’ll be humming along and thinking about this show long after the episode ends.

8. Looney Tunes

To describe Looney Tunes as a classic is completely appropriate, and yet, somehow not quite enough. This collection of animated shorts (produced from 1930 to 1969 and then revived in the late 1970s) has provided generations of audiences with wacky adventures featuring some of the most recognizable and quotable cartoon characters ever created. Even if you’ve only seen a handful of the many, many cartoons made by Warner Bros., you likely know that Bugs Bunny usually outsmarts everyone, Sylvester and Tweety are hilarious adversaries, Daffy Duck is at his funniest when he’s angry or on the losing end of anything, and that Roadrunner is way more trouble than it’s worth to Wile E. Coyote.

Looney Tunes is yet another example of how something could, technically, be pleasantly silly enough for kids, but just mature enough to get and keep the attention of adults. (Who doesn’t know what it’s like to repeatedly miss your target like Elmer Fudd?) When you watch one of these belly-laugh inducing entries, the only thing stopping you from watching another (and another) will be a power outage… That’s a joke, son!

7. Rick and Morty

A decade ago, if you asked us to name our Top Five most thoroughly inventive, consistently thrilling, amusingly thought-provoking, and deeply moving science-fiction series, we would have never guessed an Adult Swim original comedy would make the cut. Nevertheless, Rick and Morty — co-created by the now-fired Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon — has risen above its crude animation, and even cruder humor, to be widely remembered as, not just one of the funniest sci-fi TV shows, but among the genre’s all-time finest.

It is no surprise the series was bred from a Back to the Future parody short, as the pairing of alcoholic scientist Rick Sanchez with his grandson, Morty Smith, feels like a more volatile Marty and Doc situation, which is also just one of the many ways the series brilliantly pokes fun at and pays homage to pop culture. However, the best Rick and Morty episodes — in addition to introducing eye-popping, otherworldly, and downright absurd concepts — honor the series’ more relatable themes, such as family and existential dread, which cleverly sneak up on you while you experience the duo's latest crazy adventure through time and space.

6. Attack On Titan

There’s a lot of great anime out there, from wholesome shows like Spy X Family to much more action-heavy series like Demon Slayer and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. But when it comes to anime that just generally rivals some of the greatest television shows of all-time, then look no further than Attack on Titan, which we once called the best under-the-radar show on television. Because no show swerved like Attack on Titan did, and it all falls upon its protagonist/antagonist, Eren Yeager, who the audience is firmly behind…until we aren’t.

That’s right, Attack on Titan initially seems very simple in premise — Titans bad, people good — but soon changes dramatically to the point where we wonder if we may have had it all wrong the entire time. Are the titans were the ones who were misunderstood, and the humans were the bad guys. Plus, this is the rare exception where the anime may be superior to the manga, and if you know anything about manga, that is no small feat. This is an anime for the ages.

5. Bluey

Bluey has simply become must-watch programming for families, and don’t be surprised when Mom and Dad find themselves just as entertained as the little ones. The infectious theme song ropes you in as it introduces Mum (Chilli), Dad (Bandit), little sister Bingo and big sister Bluey, but it’s the heart-filled interactions between the Blue Heelers that have kept people coming back. Some episodes are laugh-out-loud funny — “I slipped on my beans!” — and others will hit you right in the feels and cause tears to flow freely.

Parents have become endeared to Bluey because it inspires us to be better. It encourages us to play with our kids and gives us permission to act silly in public. Why care what strangers think if you can make your kids laugh, right? But Bluey also shows the harder moments. Sometimes Bandit and Chilli don’t have time to play. Sometimes they don’t know what to say or just need some peace and quiet after partying too hard on New Year’s Eve. We need permission to want those things in real life, too.

4. The Simpsons

The Simpsons is the most popular and successful animated show in history because it’s hilarious in so many different ways. No matter what your sense of humor is, there’s almost certainly a Simpsons character that’s funny in the exact way you’re looking for. From highbrow literary references thrown out as asides to people falling over and getting injured in embarrassing or gruesome ways, and everything in between, each episode is jam-packed with jokes intended to do very different things and to appeal to very different people.

If it happened in a lesser show, it might feel like pandering, but with The Simpsons, the "whatever sticks" approach always felt like layers and variance. That’s a testament to the quality of the writing. Most shows that try to do too much are overtly better at one of the things they’re trying to do, which makes the rest seem less than or out of place. Not The Simpsons. Thanks to fantastic, complicated leads and the funniest supporting network of side characters in TV history, the writers can be funny in so many unique, challenging, satirical, irreverent and sometimes prophetic ways, and they have for more than 750 delightful episodes.

3. Avatar: The Last Airbender

From scathing commentary about imperialism to discussions of spirituality, trauma and extinction, Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender packs deep philosophical meaning into its animated stories. This universe, centered around people boasting the ability to bend elements, follows Avatar Aang on his journey to master the elements and defeat the Fire Lord. This series from Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko is a masterful classic, filled with fun side-quests like the trio’s journey to Omashu, as well as complex politics surrounding the Royal Fire Nation family, sassy characters (we’re of course talking about Sokka and Toph), insanely well-developed story arcs like Zuko’s, and it's all taied together with mind-boggling action,

Like the Avatar, ATLA gets stronger with time, and as Aang mastered the elements, the series grew with him. No matter how old you are, this series hits hard, and the more you watch it the better it gets. Avatar: The Last Airbender seems destined to always feel timeless, and like the Avatar’s powers, this show will likely continue to be passed down through generations for years to come.

2. BoJack Horseman

It’s understandable if you watch the first episode of BoJack Horseman and don’t quite click with it. It’s a show that throws you headfirst into its world  – providing a deep inside look at Hollywood and celebrity in a reality where humans coexist with humanoid animals. That being said, as one of the first Netflix original creations, it’s a series that greatly benefited from the streamer’s binge model, as to dig deeper into the show is to fall in love with it and everything it has to say.

All six seasons of BoJack Horseman are witty, clever, and hilarious, with countless background gags that make it incredibly rewarding on rewatch – but what makes it special is just how real it is. The aesthetic may be silly, but the characters are all ultimately broken people and there is an unflinching and powerful examination of their individual damage over the course of the show. The penultimate episode of every season manages to be as emotionally devastating as anything that Hollywood has ever produced for the small screen, and each one is both shocking and mesmerizing.

1. Batman: The Animated Series

Unquestionably one of the best examples of any animated TV show appealing to both kids and adults, Batman: The Animated Series continues to stand as perhaps the greatest triumph in the media history of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader. BTAS, and by extension The New Batman Adventures, followed in the footsteps of the Tim Burton Batman movies by bringing the character back to his darker roots and inserting viewers into an anachronistic Gotham City dripping with noir flavor. Here we have a Batman who strikes fear into the hearts of criminals just as easily as he inspires the innocent.

Anchored by the late Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne, Batman: The Animated Series effectively walked the line of honoring the source material while also putting unique spins on characters like The Joker, Mr. Freeze and Two-Face, while also launching neo-icons like Harley Quinn, Renee Montoya and a handful of others who’ve become mythos mainstays. Even ignoring that BTAS launched the beloved DC Animated Universe, Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski's show serves for many as the gold(black) standard by which all other Batman adaptations are judged. 1992 may be a long time ago, but BTAS still feels wonderfully timeless.

Hopefully the next 80 years of animated series can stand up to the classic eras that have already come and gone, as well as everything happening currently. But for anyone who hasn't yet watched everything listed above, now you know the assignment, mmk?

As you may or may not be aware, voice actor Tom Kenny has been the voice of SpongeBob Squarepants on the iconic Nickelodeon series of the same name since 1999. Of course, many might also remember him from Adventure Time as the Ice King. However, there are likely a whole lot more movies and TV shows that you know him from without even realizing it.

In fact, it took a while to sift through nearly the 500 acting credits of the 58-year-old former stand-up comedian - not even counting his 2021 new movie releases (namely The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run on Paramount+). Luckily, I managed to narrow it down to 12 movies and TV shows of both an animated and live-action variety that present Tom Kenny at his best outside of Bikini Bottom. See if you remember spotting (or hearing) the man behind SpongeBob Squarepants as any of the following characters, starting with one of his more iconic villains.

Adventure Time (Ice King, Various)

It is hard to imagine the voice of SpongeBob playing anyone other than an innocent, child-like dolt, but Tom Kenny was Finn the Human and Jake the Dog’s arch-nemesis from 2010-2018. Yet, the Ice King was not even his first (and far from the last) character on the Cartoon Network hit Adventure Time (such as Lumpy Space King of Ice King’s hench-penguin Gunter), which is pretty common in his voice acting career. For instance…

Rocko’s Modern Life (Heffer Wolfe, Various)

Before landing a lead Nicktoons role, Tom Kenny was the slow-witted sidekick to Carlos Alazraqui’s titular Australian wallaby on Rocko’s Modern Life as Heffer - a male cow raised by wolves. Kenny also voiced Chuck Chameleon and Really Really Big Man among other on what was actually his first collaboration with late SpongeBob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg, who also co-created the bizarre and often dark comedy in the early 1990s.

Mr. Show With Bob And David (Various)

In the mid-to-late 1990s, Tom Kenny's live-action talents were most prominently brought to light on Mr. Show with Bob and David. The “Bob and David” of the groundbreaking HBO sketch comedy series’ title are Breaking Bad and Nobody star Bob Odenkirk and Arrested Development’s David Cross, who would reboot the show on Netflix as W/ Bob and David, with Kenny returning, for another aggressively weird season in 2015.

CatDog (Dog, Various)

Speaking of aggressive weirdness, this classic Nicktoon, starring Tom Kenny as the canine half of a conjoined, inner-species brotherly duo, is a prime example of his reputation for playing slow-witted sidekicks before SpongeBob. Kenny also frequently voiced a tough bulldog named Cliff on CatDog, on which Kenny’s future Winnie the Pooh co-star Jim Cummings played his feline brother from 1998 until 2005.

Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends (Eduardo, Various)

Tom Kenny also was able work with many voice acting greats, including DC animated TV show veterans Phil LaMarr and Grey Griffin (née DeLisle), on this highly imaginative hit Cartoon Network show that won six Emmy Awards during its 2004-2009 run. Once again, Kenny had the liberty of playing multiple characters on Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, but his best-known role was the two-horned, two-eyed, Spanish-accented, purple people protector Eduardo.

The Powerpuff Girls (Narrator, Mayor)

Speaking of colorful people protectors, this other Cartoon Network classic about a trio of young girls with superpowers saw Tom Kenny show off his booming announcer voice, opening each episode with a reminder that it is set in the city of Townsville. He did not narrate The Powerpuff Girls’ 2016 revival as frequently as its 1998-2004 run, but did get to bring back his role as the Mayor quite often. I wonder if he has a chance at appearing on The CW’s live-action Powerpuff Girls series, which is now in the works.

Sky High (Mr. Timmerman)

If not, at least Tom Kenny can say he has starred in a live-action superhero movie before. In 2005’s underrated Disney gem Sky High, he and his real-life wife and Mr. Show co-star Jill Talley (also Plankton’s computer spouse, Karen, in the SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run cast) play a couple whose new house is almost destroyed by the titular school for young crimefighters after it literally falls from the sky.

The Batman (The Penguin)

In a rare instance of Tom Kenny playing just one character for an animated series’ entire run, he voiced bird-like villain The Penguin on The Batman (which follows a younger Bruce Wayne protecting Gotham) and the 2005 spin-off movie in which becomes Dracula’s minion. Of course, Kenny has played many additional DC characters, such as Mumbo on Teen Titans, Plastic Man (among others) on Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Commissioner James Gordon on DC Super Hero Girls (again, among others).

Ultimate Spider-Man (Doctor Octopus, Vulture)

Tom Kenny has also voiced a plethora of Marvel characters, not counting a vocal cameo in Ant-Man as an ugly rabbit doll Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) gives young Cassie for her birthday. His personal record for most roles in a single Marvel adaptation comes from the animated Ultimate Spider-Man series, on which he has appeared as villains Doctor Octopus and Vulture most frequently.

The Transformers Movies (Wheelie, Skids)

Tom Kenny can also claim to be involved with both the live-action cinematic and modern animated TV adaptations of the Transformers franchise. As expected, he has an innumerable amount of characters from the show, but appears as both Decepticon Wheelie and controversial twin Autobot Skids in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, reprised Wheelie as a full-fledge Autobot in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and later appeared as the tiny alien robot again in Transformers: The Last Knight in 2017.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Greedo, Various)

On the other hand, Tom Kenny has yet to appear in any live-action Star Wars movies, but still has a prominent role of the universe through lending his voice to many well-known characters. He has played the likes of Greedo (the one Han shot first at) and Nute Gunray on the animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, in addition to voicing X-wing pilot, and friend of Luke Skywalker, Biggs Darklighter in two Star Wars: Rogue Squadron video games.

The Spyro Video Games (Spyro, Various)

Speaking of video games, Tom Kenny has appeared in many, including several that are related to SpongeBob Squarepants if you can believe it. His most famous video game-specific character, however, would have to be Spyro - the purple dragon, which he has been voicing since the second installment of the series, 1999’s Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage.

At 22 years, Tom Kenny has been voicing Spyro as long as he has played SpongeBob, but the porous, yellow bottom dweller is easily his defining role and one he is far from finished playing. After more than 200 episodes of SpongeBob Squarepants, three movies, and the prequel series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, now Bill Fagerbakke’s Patrick Star is getting his own spin-off which Kenny is also set appear on. I guess we have no choice but to be “ready.”

Look, I grew up watching the Powerpuff Girls. One of my first Halloween costumes was dressing up as Blossom back when I was a 5-year-old kid. However, when I first discovered the news of a new live-action series, I was less than interested – at first. Then I saw the premise, and the cast that they decided to go with, and I was like, “Alright, maybe I am on board.” With the number of shows already on the 2021 TV schedule, it’s nice to see a change of pace in regard to reboots.

I feel like with how saturated the genre of live-action has been lately, many folks don’t think about how some animated stories might work as live-action. Or, in the Powerpuff Girls case, they could be turned into a different concept from the original, and become a new phenomenon entirely. I always like to say that my generation – as well as the one before me – grew up on the best cartoons, and that’s why some of them could most certainly become live-action TV shows.

Codename: Kids Next Door

Codename: Kids Next Door was like a fever dream for me for a while. I remembered watching it when I was young and the episodes only just came back to me, but that doesn’t mean the show wasn’t great. Codename: Kids Next Door is all about a group of fifth-graders who operate out of a high-tech treehouse, fighting adult and teen villains alike under the global operation called “Kids Next Door.”

Honestly, this was the first show that came to mind when I thought of this list. I always thought of Codename: Kids Next Door as sort of the cartoon version of Spy Kids, with a lot of the missions these kids went on being so action-packed that they would fit the narrative of a live-action show. I mean, could you imagine the action scenes? It would be fantastic.

Gravity Falls

Man, Gravity Falls was lowkey after my time of consuming cartoons, premiering in 2012, but I’ve been informed of its greatness by many people. Gravity Falls follows the adventures of Dipper and Mabel Pines, two siblings who are sent to spend the summer with their uncle in Gravity Falls, where the paranormal and supernatural run wild.

Let me tell you, Gravity Falls would be perfect for a live-action interpretation, because not only are the characters super relatable and interesting, the story itself would make for an excellent mystery-drama if they wanted to upgrade to a more mature audience as they are for Powerpuff Girls. The history of Gravity Falls itself, and the lore that follows, is enough to carry its own series.

Samurai Jack

I always remembered Samurai Jack as being the show that followed Powerpuff Girls back in the day, and I always ended up watching it because it was so cool and badass. Samurai Jack follows a young prince from a feudal Japanese kingdom, whose father was given a magical katana from three gods, which he could and had used to defeat and imprison his arch-enemy, the shape-shifting demon Aku.

There’s so much more to the story, however, as Samurai Jack really does tell a complete action-based story, with plenty of lore and amazing animation. I could so see this story moving into live-action – maybe even as something that got picked up on HBO and modernized, if they wanted to make it more mature. It’s such an interesting concept. I know that there was recently a video game adaption, and a revival of the cartoon in 2017, but man, the live-action scenes on this type of show would be crazy. Definitely one of the best options out there.

Dexter’s Laboratory

To be honest, I always thought this show was entertaining, but scary at times. Does anyone remember the episode “Chicken Scratch”? God, I get shivers just thinking about it. Either way, Dexter’s Laboratory is about a boy named Dexter who is a genius and has a hidden laboratory under his bedroom, which, of course, no one in his household knows about.

Let’s not talk about how unrealistic it is (I mean, would no one notice the electric bills being way too high?), but discuss how fantastical some of these episodes are. I am always down for someone who is absolutely brilliant but has a sarcastic personality as Dexter did – I mean, look at Tony Stark from the MCU and how popular Iron Man became because of that. There could be so much included in a Dexter live-action series, especially with the types of daily adventures he could have. Plus, I can already see the cast list in my mind.

Monster High

I remember when Monster High was only a book series. Then the books ended up getting so popular they received their own TV show and multiple animated specials. Monster High is exactly what you would expect it to be – it’s about a group of teenage monsters who are related to famous monsters – such as Dracula, Frankenstein, etc., - going to high school together.

This series blew up when it became a TV show, and I think it would be a better fit as a series, than as a movie – but it would have to be done right. I feel like Monster High would be brilliant as a Disney Channel show, where we could see the Monster High kids grow up and do normal teenage things with the twist of them being monsters. Disney has already put out hit movies like Halloweentown, Twitches, and Zombies where mythical creatures are the main focus – why not make a series out of it?

Adventure Time

This hit show came out just as I was becoming a tween, and I still enjoy it to this day. Adventure Time is about two characters, Finn the Human and his sidekick, Jake the Dog, going on adventures together to take down enemies, both big and small.

Adventure Time became a runaway hit with both kids and adults alike, so much so that it ran for eight years with 274 episodes. With how popular this show was I was surprised that there hasn’t been a live-action adaptation already planned, but I could only imagine what they could do if they did end up going that route. Not only does Adventure Time have brilliant storylines with plenty of adventure, but there are also several characters who tackle real-life issues, such as depression, anxiety, love, and loss. It would be great if they brought that over to the live-action scene.

Steven Universe

Another show that came a little bit after my time, but was still beloved by many all the same, Steven Universe became a popular animated show with many ages, from little children all the way up to full-fledged adults. Steven Universe is about the Crystal Gems, who live in a temple near the beach and protect humanity from monsters and other threats. They take the forms of female humanoids so they can fit in better with the world.

While the premise sounds a bit crazy, I promise you that it’s worth the time to watch. The story itself is filled with plenty of emotions, and the themes which are explored, like love, family, and the importance of having good relationships with others, is something that would be great to see kids deal with in live-action with this storyline. Plus the superhero aspect of the Crystal Gems would be fun.

Scooby-Doo

I mean, you know it, you love it, it’s been around since the '60s... Scooby-Doo is all about the iconic gang of problem solvers, with their pal, Scooby-Doo, riding around in the Mystery Machine. While there have been two live-action movies, I could see Scooby-Doo doing the same with a series.

Why? Because I feel like Scooby-Doo could be darker, and not just in a funny-dark kind of way like the movies (which was done kind of poorly). Besides the obvious mysteries that would be fun to follow, the characters themselves could have developed backstories and more personality than in the cartoon. We’ve got shows like Supernatural and Twin Peaks with mystery and horror combined – why not do that with Scooby-Doo?

I’m usually not one for live-action reboots, but I truly do think any of these might work. However, until one of those is announced, I’ll stick to just rewatching the animated shows.

Being an animated send-up of genre conventions, it is surprising that Rick and Morty is now considered one of the best sci-fi TV shows of its time, if not all time. Perhaps, outside of its refreshingly complex plotting and clever references to many great sci-fi movies (and other classics of a wide variety), it is the grounding detail of relatable family drama from many of the best Rick and Morty episodes that has helped it achieve almost universal accessibility.

Adult Swim recently put out an anime version of Rick and Morty that is wildly different from the original series from creator Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland but, fortunately, there are plenty more TV shows with similar themes and tones that you can also “get schwifty” with as we wait for Rick and Morty Season 8 to premiere in 2025. The following are just a few series that remind me of this beloved animated TV show for one reason or another.

Inside Job (2021-2022)

Starring: Lizzy Caplan

What it's about: An anti-social technology expert named s having an especially difficult time helping maintain elaborate cover-ups of the world’s most damning secrets and concerning conspiracies at Cognito Inc..

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: If Rick and Morty was more of a workplace comedy, it might be something like the bizarre animated satire Inside Job, which is a TV show Netflix cancelled too soon from creators Shion Takeuchi and Alex Hirsch.

How to watch Inside Job

• Stream Inside Job on Netflix

The Legend Of Vox Machina (2022-Present)

Starring: Laura Bailey, Ashley Johnson

What it's about: A ragtag group of heroes for hire becomes the last hope for the survival of their enchanted realm.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: If Rick and Morty took place in a more traditional fantasy world, it might be something like Amazon Prime’s off-beat adventure comedy series, The Legend of Vox Machina, which is inspired by the creators’ own Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

• Stream The Legend of Vox Machina on Amazon Prime

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (2023)

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

What it's about: A young, emotionally shallow musician is forced to fight seven powerful enemies if he wants to have a relationship with the woman of his dreams.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s acclaimed graphic novel series and featuring the voice talents of the original Scott Pilgrim vs. the World movie cast, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is another high-energy, fantastic animated comedy series that convinces you to root for a relatively unlikable protagonist, similar to how fans still have some affinity for the emotionally shallow, verbally abusive, hard-drinking Rick Sanchez.

How to watch Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

• Stream Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix

Invader Zim (2001-2006)

Starring: Richard Steven Horvitz, Andy Berman

What it's about: In an attempt to secretly get rid of him, a species of aliens sends an overly ambitious member and a faulty robotic assistant to Earth with a mission to infiltrate and conquer it.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: For any Rick and Morty fan looking for something similar but more suitable to show younger viewers, Invader Zim is certainly a more kid-friendly sci-fi comedy but is also one of the darkest and absolute weirdest Nicktoons ever conceived, especially for the early 2000s.

How to watch Invader Zim

• Stream Invader Zim on Paramount+
• Rent or buy Invader Zim on Amazon

Gravity Falls (2012-2016)

Starring: Jason Ritter, Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch

What it's about: Dipper and his twin sister, Mabel, are sent to live with their great uncle Stan in a town where there is more than meets the eye.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Also created by Alex Hirsch Disney Channel’s Gravity Falls is also more family-friendly than Ricky and Morty but is also another multi-layered animated comedy fantasy with a legion of devoted fans that follows the adventures of a couple of kids and their eccentric relative.

How to watch Gravity Falls

• Stream Gravity Falls on Disney+
• Stream Gravity Falls on Hulu

Solar Opposites (2020-Present)

Starring: Dan Stevens, Thomas Middleditch

What it's about: A family of extraterrestrials struggles to make a stable living after crash landing on Earth.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Before a domestic abuse charge led to his exit, Rick and Morty co-creator and former Rick and Morty actor Justin Roiland served as the voice of Korvo (now played by Dan Stevens) and co-creator (along with Michael McMahan) of another animated sci-fi family comedy called Solar Opposites, which some say surpasses Rick and Morty is a few areas.

How to watch Solar Opposites

• Stream Solar Opposites on Hulu

Community (2009-2015)

Starring: Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs

What it's about: A suspended lawyer is forced to attend a community college where he forms a close bond with his diverse study group.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Before co-creating Rick and Morty, Dan Harmon hit it (pretty) big with a live-action comedy that seamlessly balances pop culture references, deconstructive self-awareness, and relatable social themes like Rick and Morty, as many of the best episodes of Community can prove.

How to watch Community

• Stream Community on Peacock
• Buy Community on Amazon
• Buy Community on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Mandalorian (2019-Present)

Starring: Pedro Pascal

What it's about: An interplanetary bounty hunter becomes the protector of an abandoned creature of great power.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: An iconic duo one could compare Rick and Morty to is the testy Din Djarin and the endearingly innocent, yet sometimes troublesome, Grogu in The Mandalorian – Jon Favreau's Star Wars universe series that also crosses streams with other genre styles and sprinkles comic relief into its action-packed moments.

How to watch The Mandalorian

• Stream The Mandalorian on Disney+

One Punch Man (2015-Present)

Starring: Makoto Furukawa, Max Mittelman

What it's about: A teenage vigilante whose unfailing ability to defeat any enemy with a single attack forces him into an existential crisis.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: A funny thing about Rick is that he is so knowledgeable and resourceful that he finds most dire threats merely tedious, which is similar to the title hero of the popular anime, One Punch Man, which is based on the manga by Yusuke Murata that pokes fun at the superhero lifestyle in some hilariously inventive ways.

How to watch One Punch Man

• Stream One Punch Man on Hulu
• Buy One Punch Man on Amazon
• Buy One Punch Man on Blu-ray on Amazon

Ash Vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)

Starring: Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorezno

What it's about: Aging, chainsaw-handed "Deadite" hunter Ash accidentally unleashes another wave of malevolent, possessive forces.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Any Rick and Morty fan who wants to see more of its signature dark humor and graphic violence in a live-action setting should look no further than Ash vs. Evil Dead – a series continuation of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead movies which lasted three seasons of non-stop, explosive demon-busting action.

How to watch Ash vs. Evil Dead

• Stream Ash vs. Evil Dead on Starz
• Buy Ash vs. Evil Dead on Amazon
• Buy Ash vs. Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon

Spaced (1999-2001)

Starring: Simon Pegg, Jessica Hynes

What it's about: Two platonic friends must pose as a couple to live in an apartment building overrun with some odd characters in London.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: Pegg and Hynes teamed up with Edgar Wright to craft one of the best sitcoms of all time, Spaced, which is similar to Rick and Morty in the way it incorporates inventive references to pop culture iconography with relatable storylines of common human struggles.

How to watch Spaced

• Stream Spaced on Amazon Prime for free
• Stream Spaced on Tubi
• Buy Spaced on DVD on Amazon

Adventure Time (2010-2018)

Starring: Jeremy Shada, John DiMaggio

What it's about: The escapades of Finn the Human and Jake the Dog in a bizarre fantasy land.

Why it is a great TV show to watch if you are a fan of Rick and Morty: While not quite as plentiful with pop culture Easter Eggs and dark adult humor, Pendleton Ward’s Adventure Time is a ceaselessly witty and cleverly exciting animated fantasy series that will easily appeal to all ages.

How to watch Adventure Time

• Stream Adventure Time on Hulu
• Stream Adventure Time on Max
• Buy Adventure Time on Amazon
• Buy Adventure Time on DVD on Amazon

What do you think? Would these movies and TV shows go well with a side of Szechuan sauce, or are they just the inferior copies of Rick and Morty you feel would be best if kept in the Citadel?

For several years now, Justin Roiland has been of the most popular TV animations actors on the planet, based largely (but not completely) on being the voice of both the titular characters in Adult Swim's Rick and Morty. His improvisational style and manic drive are two of his biggest strengths, which has also helped boost his career outside of Rick and Morty-dom. Not all of it has been a painless dream, though, with Roiland recently revealing one role that completely wrecked his voice after the first time he did it.

Before Rick and Morty shook up the late-night animation game, Justin Roiland held roles on two of the most beloved animated series of the past 20 years, Adventure Time and Gravity Falls. While talking about his various acting gigs with GQ, he revealed that taking on the role of Adventure Time's batty Earl of Lemongrab was quite detrimental to his voice at the time. Mentioning that the show's creator Pendleton Ward had been on an episode of his Grandma's Virginity Podcast, Roiland explained:

Anyone who is familiar with the Earl of Lemongrab knows exactly what Justin Roiland is talking about. The character's voice is high-pitched and strained, to the point where it sometimes sounds as if Roiland's vocal cords would be splintering with each word. It doesn't help, of course, that Earl of Lemongrab's rabid and unstable personality only causes his voice to get more stretched out and fractured as he gets upset.

Justin Roiland had to take some healthful advice from Tom Kenny, who voice Adventure Time's Ice King (as well as SpongeBob SquarePants himself). In Roiland's words:

As the creation of one Princess Bubblegum, Earl of Lemongrab first showed up on Adventure Time in the Season 3 episode "Too Young," riding his Lemon Camel into the Candy Kingdom as its ruler, only to get fired (ya butt) from the position after being pranked. That debut performance was definitely a memorable one, and set up more than a dozen appearances on Adventure Time (sometimes as cloned versions). But you can bet that he came up with better ways to voice Lemongrab, which may or may not have involved running around and ripping his pants off. (It did not.)

While certain characters on Rick and Morty have a passing resemblance to the way Earl of Lemongrab sounds on Adventure Time, Justin Roiland likely knew never to push himself quite that hard when making the Adult Swim comedy.

Rick and Morty is all done with Season 4 now, following a Star Wars-filled season finale, with Season 5 set to possibly debut in 2020. Meanwhile, Adventure Time wrapped up its run on Cartoon Network back in 2018, with all ten seasons now available to stream on HBO Max. What's more, the show will be returning with four hour-long specials on HBO Max, which will be released under the title Adventure Time: Distant Lands.

HBO Max officially launched on May 25, 2020. The latest streaming service is trying to compete against giants Netflix, Hulu, and recent streaming star Disney+ for your attention and money. HBO Max is entering the streaming game full of popular content like The Big Bang Theory and Friends.

HBO Max is now the home to plenty of DC movies and shows, current CW series, classic TV series, the Harry Potter franchise, and so much more. The great thing about the launch of HBO Max is that it gives you plenty of content to stream for whatever strikes your mood. Need something dramatic? HBO Max has it! Need something suspenseful? HBO Max has that as well. Need something fun? HBO Max has plenty of those movies and series. Here are a few that you should consider watching.

The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory is a sitcom that originally aired on CBS and follows a group of nerds, and their cool neighbor Penny (Kaley Cuoco), as they learn to navigate social situations, love, embrace their geeky interests, and become more evolved as humans. The Big Bang Theory’s cast includes Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Melissa Rauch, and Mayim Bialik.

The Big Bang Theory is a funny series that takes a playful look at nerd culture, while also incorporating the many sitcom themes and elements that viewers love, like wacky characters, gasp worthy guest stars, long-running jokes, sincere moments, and just plain funny antics.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The Bachelor Franchise

HBO Max is home to the original American Bachelor series. Unfortunately for Bachelor Nation, all seasons still aren’t available to stream online. HBO Max currently has about three seasons of the original series, and plenty other Bachelor related series, including international Bachelor shows. The UK, New Zealand, Canada, and UK Bachelor series all have some seasons available to stream on HBO Max. But wait, there is more.

The Bachelorette and international versions of that series are also available, along with Bachelor in Paradise and Bachelor Pad. This collection comes at a perfect time with Clare Crawley’s season of The Bachelorette still on hold until further notice. The Bachelor has been going on for over 20 seasons because it’s a show easy to consume. Just grab some snacks, a drink or two, and watch all the cringey, exciting, and cheesy romantic moments unfold. It’s the reality TV equivalent of a fairy tale.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Rick And Morty

Rick and Morty revolves around the adventures of a genius time traveler named Rick (Justin Rolland) and his grandson Morty (also Justin Rolland). This animated adult series explores quests in time and domestic sci-fi related struggles. Rick is eccentric, so he often dreams up crazy schemes and forces his grandson to help with them. Somehow, it ends up (mostly) all right in the end.

Rick and Morty works both as an adult animated series and a sci-fi comedy show. Rick and Morty is full of weird characters, strange storylines, and a really fun absurdity that makes it a really funny way to spend a half an hour.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Friends

Friends is the very popular sitcom from the 90s about six 20-somethings (turn 30-somethings) trying to make it in New York. It follows the ups and downs of Monica (Courteney Cox), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer).

Friends has remained such a beloved series all these years later because of its simple concept that most people find relatable. Everyone, at some point, will or has been 20 and 30 somethings trying to figure it all out. And who hasn’t looked to their friends for guidance and support? Friends creates ridiculous situations that amp up the comedy, and help viewers grow attached to these Friends.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Little Big Shots

The first three seasons of Little Big Shots, which is hosted by Steve Harvey, focuses on children with remarkable talents, dedication, spirit, perseverance, and character. It’s more of a talk-show than a reality series. Steve Harvey sits down with several children each episode, and goes more in-depth with their talents and history. There is also a segment where they get to show the audience what makes them such a little big shot.

Little Big Shots is a nice blend of inspirational, entertaining, and cute. It’s a great series to watch with the family, because it’s wholesome and a bit educational. Steve Harvey also brings his unique comedic flare to this series, so it keeps it lighthearted and funny.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Adventure Time

Finn the Human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the Dog (John DiMaggio) travel the galaxy as they engage with various different creatures. Adventure Time is all about Jake and Finn going on adventures to help their friends, learn something new, or save and protect each other.

Adventure Time is a quick series to binge with short episodes, most less than 15 minutes. The minds behind this fantasy cartoon really sculpture a unique, detailed, and delightfully silly world. It’s a funny series that stays true to its bizarre but lovable characters from beginning to end.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Insecure

Issa Rae stars in and co-created Insecure, an HBO original comedy series about a young woman named Issa and her friends trying to navigate romantic relationships, friendships, and their careers. Insecure hilariously portrays Issa and her friend’s struggles as black women trying to forge their own identity and not always getting it right.

The seriesworks so well because of its smart, relatable comedy with a very strong ensemble cast. As you watch, you root them on, get frustrated with them, and grow to appreciate most of the characters. It’s one of HBO’s most unique and entertaining comedies still on the air.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The Nineties

The Nineties is a docu-series that aired on CNN in 2017. It’s a seven part series co-produced by Tom Hanks, which follows some of the biggest stories of the 1990s, like the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky affair scandal, the evolution of 90s TV series, and the birth of the internet.

Though The Nineties isn’t completely light hearted, because it addresses some serious issues facing the world in the 1990s, overall it’s a nostalgic look at a decade that was very influential for today’s pop culture, and a defining decade for many Gen X and Millennials.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

Dexter’s Laboratory

Dexter’s Laboratory is an animated series about a kid genius named Dexter (Christine Cavanaugh/Candi Milo), who has a secret lab in his room. He uses the lab for various projects and inventions. Despite Dexter’s best efforts, his sister Dee Dee (Allison Moore/Kat Cressida) often foils his plans.

Dexter’s Laboratory is a series I grew up watching, and to this day, I still remember some of the gags and episodes because the show leaves a pleasant impression. The series has a playful take on the mad genius that both made Dexter someone to respect for his mental prowess and someone to pat on the head for his childish delusions.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air helped launch Will Smith to superstardom. In it, he plays Will, a kid from West Philadelphia who gets into trouble, and has to move with his aunt (Janet Hubert-Whitten/Daphne Maxwell Reid) and uncle (James Avery) in Bel-Air. It’s a culture clash as Will must learn to adjust to the rich lifestyle, while bringing a little bit of urban life to Bel-Air.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is many people’s favorite series because it’s one of those rare show that’s still relevant and funny in any decade. It’s the classic fish out of water story with heart, lovable wacky characters, and many meme-able and memorable moments.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The Comeback

Lisa Kudrow stars in this HBO original series about a sitcom actress named Valerie Cherish. Valerie is holding on to hopes of glory, but hasn’t really found work since her sitcom was canceled in the '90s. Valerie has another shot at fame as Aunt Sassy in a new sitcom, which is paired with a reality TV series that follows her attempted comeback.

Valerie’s sense of delusion makes her a character to pity, but also empathize with, and eventually cheer on. Kudrow takes a role much different from her Friends character, but even more complex (no offense to Phoebe) and believable. It’s a sad but very funny look at the struggles of trying to make it in Hollywood, especially as an aging woman.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

The Righteous Gemstones

Danny McBride brings another fresh and funny series to HBO with The Righteous Gemstones. It’s a series about a family of televangelists. They are corrupt, greedy, and display narcissistic behavior-- all in pursuit of their own sense of glory and fame.

Most of the series that Danny McBride brings to HBO are pretty fantastic, but this one has an all-star cast that includes John Goodman, Adam DeVine, Walton Goggins, Edi Patterson, and Jennifer Nettles. The show relies a lot on the cast to bring these ridiculous characters to new heights of ridiculousness, but every minute is worth it, even if to just get to this moment.

Stream it on HBO Max here.

HBO Max has plenty of fun series available to stream, both as licensed and original content, so your next few weekends might be booked.

Boomers, Millennials, Generation Z, and all those in-between love TV Shows. We can all agree that there is a plethora of exciting shows available on the vast selection of streaming services. Kids of all ages are especially reliant on them for entertainment, education, and laughs. A TV show can unite a family; all arguments, petty debates, and negotiations can (temporarily) halt when a really funny series starts. Comedy is a peacemaker.

Shows have become diverse enough to reflect the needs of both parents and children. Parents no longer need to sacrifice quality in the name of wholesomeness. A series can now fit the needs of various age groups while offering a message, causing a giggle fest, and keeping parents sane—no one wants to see a tired mother or father rocking in the corner from seeing that “Baby Shark” video one too many times.

For this list, I selected TV shows that families can watch together where neither child nor parent has to feel like the program is too mature or immature of them. Most of the shows surround families and episodic messages, but some of my choices are just shows that I believe will make everyone in the family laugh.

Black-ish (Hulu)

Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross star in Black-ish, a series about an African American middle-class family that consists of two parents and four children. The family struggles with issues of identity, race, culture, and society. Black-ish began in 2014 and is currently airing its sixth season on ABC. The series has already created two spin-off series, Grown-ish and Mixed-ish.

Black-ish doesn’t shy away from addressing divisive issues but it approaches them with thought provoking commentary and sharp humor. Children can enjoy Black-ish because the comedy is easy to digest and the four Johnson children are focal parts of the overall show. Children may even identify with some of the struggles these kids face. Parents will enjoy Black-ish for the complex issues it addresses that reflect current challenges faced by minorities. It also gives a sincere and honest look at the problems facing the Johnsons and many modern families.

Stream It Here: All six seasons of Black-ish are available to stream on Hulu.

Everybody Hates Chris (Hulu)

Comedian Chris Rock created Everybody Hates Chris, a series based on his childhood. It stars Tyler James Williams as Chris, and Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold as his parents Julius and Rochelle. Much of the Everybody Hates Chris humor comes from the characters.

Everybody Hates Chris puts Chris in very funny situations, but the ridiculous characters that go to his school, live in his neighborhood, or ones he encounters in other locations enhance them. Chris’s parents and their wacky ways, like Julius’ extreme penny-pinching, are two of the funniest characters in his life. Everybody Hates Chris works for both parents and children because the characters are silly enough to make everyone laugh.

Stream it Here: All four seasons of Everybody Hates Chris is available to stream on Hulu.

Total Drama (Netflix)

In 2008, Total Drama started airing on Cartoon Network, but the show began and aired in Canada first. Total Drama brilliantly parodies reality television, especially shows like Survivor and The Amazing Race. The series had five seasons that totaled 120 episodes.

Like real reality shows, Total Drama has different reality show themes and character archetypes. The series features villains, showmances, extreme challenges, and region based stereotypical characters. Each season of Total Drama takes place in a new location with a new reality show theme. The hilarity with this show is how accurately it parodies the ridiculous and addictive nature of most reality TV. If your family doesn’t enjoy reality TV, you can still appreciate the humor in these outlandish situations.

Stream It Here: All five seasons of Total Drama is available to stream on Netflix.

Adventure Time (Hulu)

Adventure Time is an animated fantasy show that follows the journey and adventures of boy Finn (Jeremy Shada) and magical dog Jake (John DiMaggio). They live in the Land of Ooo. The two heroes often interact with a variety of characters including Princess Bubblegum (Hynden Walch) and Lumpy Space Princess (Pendleton Ward).

Adventure Time ran for 10 seasons and has 283 episodes. The episodes are usually under 15 minutes. Adventure Time is a very strangely wonderful show. It channels many different fantasy shows and movies, which adult fans can appreciate, but keeps things light and youthful enough for children to enjoy as well.

Stream It Here: All 10 seasons of Adventure Time are available to stream on Hulu.

The Middle (IMDbTV)

The Middle was an ABC family sitcom that followed a lower middle class Midwestern family. Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn played Frankie and Mike Hack. They have three children Axl (Charlie McDermott), Sue (Eden Sher) and Brick (Atticus Shaffer). The Middle aired for nine seasons.

Most of The Middle’s comedy comes from the family’s Midwestern values and lower middle class lifestyle. The Middle is a very wholesome comedy that relies on the eccentricities of the Heck family to bring the big laughs. Axl doesn’t care enough, Sue cares too much, Brick has many social ticks, Frankie over-exaggerates, and Mike tends to be apathetic. They are a mismatched family that works very well together. The Middle is both very funny and heartwarming. This makes it a show that parents can watch with children of all ages without getting bored or worrying about too much adult humor. It's just too bad the Sue in the City spinoff never took off.

Stream it Here: All nine seasons of The Middle are available to stream on IMDb TV.

Liv And Maddie (Netflix)

Dove Cameron plays twins Liv and Maddie in this Disney Channel original series. The series opens with Liv returning home after being away for four years in Hollywood. She is an actress who was on a popular TV show. Maddie has been living at home building her high school basketball career. The show is about the sisters learning to connect again after time apart and their different interests. Liv and Maddie also have two brothers Joey (Joey Bragg) and Parker (Tenzing Norgay Trainor), and live with their parents Karen (Kali Rocha) and Peter (Benjamin King).

Liv and Maddie tackles the everyday trials and tribulations of being teen girls, but with the added complication of one being famous and the other a devoted and skilled basketball player. Liv and Maddie is an entertaining, funny, and insightful Disney comedy. It reflects the new school Disney Channel style, while drawing upon some of ABC’s TGIF 90s programming.

Stream It Here: All four seasons of Liv and Maddie are available to stream on Netflix.

Boy Meets World (Disney+)

Boy Meets World is a series that follows Cory Matthews (Ben Savage), and his friends and family, especially Topanga (Danielle Fishel), Shawn (Rider Strong), and his brother Eric (Will Friedle), as they deal with the normal struggles of growing up. The series begins with Cory in middle school and follows him all the way to college. Boy Meets World aired from 1993 to 2000 with seven seasons. In 2014, it inspired a spin-off series called Girl Meets World that followed Cory and Topanga’s daughter Riley (Rowan Blanchard).

Boy Meets World will inspire nostalgic feelings for parents that grew up with the series. It’s a good series to watch with children and teens because of its journey through adolescence. Boy Meets World is a series that can be very goofy at times, but uses that in a charming way.

Stream It Here: All seven seasons of Boy Meets World are available to stream on Disney+.

One Day At A Time (Netflix)

One Day At A Time is a reboot of the 70s and 80s Norman Lear series of the same name. It follows the Alvarez family as they deal with modern problems like immigration, sexuality, old age, and politics. Justina Machado and Rita Moreno lead the cast as the two matriarchs of the family.

One Day At A Time aired its first three seasons on Netflix, but the series was cancelled by the streaming service. PopTV swooped in and revived the series for a fourth season. One Day At A Time may cover topics too complicated and mature for younger children, but it’s still a very family friendly show. The honest and frank subjects presented make it a great tool to use to inspire a family discussion about some of the topics, but it’s not a preachy series. One Day At a Time is a very comical show that also happens to be really smart and current.

Stream it Here: The first three seasons of One Day at a Time are available to stream on Netflix.

That’s So Raven (Disney+)

That’s So Raven follows Raven Baxter (Raven-Symone), a teen with psychic abilities. Her ability to see the future usually leads to outrageous situations and costumes. Her friends Eddie (Orlando Brown) and Chelsea (Anneliese van der Pol) are often dragged into Raven’s schemes. That’s So Raven had one spin-off series Cory in the House, which follows Raven’s younger brother Cory (Kyle Massey), and another continuation series Raven’s Home, a show about adult Raven raising her kids.

Classic comedies like I Love Lucy are obvious inspirations for That’s So Raven situational comedy. Raven Symone’s flare for physical comedy really makes her a dynamic lead in this series. She carries the series well. That’s So Raven works for the whole family, because it’s really silly at times but it also offers important messages that can connect with parents and children.

Stream it Here: All four seasons of That’s So Raven is available to stream on Disney+.

Billy on the Street (Netflix)

Comedian Billy Eichner hosts Billy on the Street. The series revolves around Eichner (and sometimes celebrities) running around New York with a microphone. He then challenges random New Yorkers to play games or answer questions for prizes, such as money or a clay replica of a scene from House of Cards.

This is my curveball selection, as this is not a scripted comedy. Billy Eichner’s random encounters with New Yorkers sometimes end in him screaming profanity at them. Therefore, Billy on the Street is definitely not suitable for the little ones, but it’s a perfect series to watch with older children if you're ok with the occasional swear word. Billy Eichner is freaking hilarious and he shines best when he can ask people the hard hitting questions, like “for a dollar, are you jealous of Beyonce’s success?.” The spontaneous nature of the series makes it hilarious. You never know what to expect from Eichner or the random New Yorkers.

Stream It Here: All four seasons of Billy on the Street is available to stream on Netflix.

Let us know in the comment section what shows you love to stream with your family.

Adventure Time has only been off the air since 2018, but apparently that was too long. The critically acclaimed animated series is coming back to television, but, surprisingly, Cartoon Network will not be the home of this latest continuation of the franchise. Instead, Pendleton Ward's show is headed to HBO Max for 4 specials.

Starting in 2020, HBO Max will be the home for Adventure Time: Distant Lands. These 4 specials will each be one hour in length, and will expand on the stories of some of the show's most beloved characters throughout the first 10 seasons. Specifically, expect to see specials focused on BMO, Marceline, Bubblegum, Peppermint Butler, and, of course, Finn and Jake.

The first two episodes, which will air on HBO Max in 2020, are titled "BMO" and "Obsidian." The first is pretty explanatory, and will feature another episode following the lovable yet slightly bizarre video game BMO. "Obsidian" will bring Princess Bubblegum and Marceline back together since their surprising finale twist, and show them on a journey to protect the Glass Kingdom from a potential catastrophe.

After that there's two more planned specials, which Variety reported are without release dates at this time. "Wizard City" will follow Peppermint Butler, who is "starting over at the beginning" as an amateur wizard in school. Then, it's the reunion everyone is waiting for as "Together Again" will put Finn and Jake together as they embark on the "most important adventure of their lives." That's quite a tease given how insane that finale was!

The move to HBO Max is a bit surprising, especially considering Adventure Time was a Cartoon Network staple for all 10 seasons. The network has no problem with bringing back old classics, so it's curious that the series made the jump over to HBO Max. This isn't the first original series the streamer has scooped from the network, as HBO Max is also the home for the revival of The Boondocks, which was on Adult Swim.

For the moment, though, it does not appear that HBO Max secured the streaming rights to classic episodes of Adventure Time. Even without that, the streamer's lineup is looking pretty strong with the offerings it's gathered thus far. This announcement comes not long after it was announced Studio Ghibli movies will stream exclusively on the platform. That, alone, is a solid animation lineup, and it's even possible it could get stronger, as rumors swirl that HBO Max could soon be the streaming home for South Park.

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New Adventure Time specials are coming to HBO Max in 2020, and after these 4 specials, who knows? CinemaBlend will be the place to find out what's next for Adventure Time, as well as what's happening with other major franchises in the world of television and movies.

Live-action franchises aren't the only properties getting reboots, remakes, and revivals these days. Cartoons have been in on the fun for quite a while, with Nickelodeon being one of the more recent revivers with its movies for Rocko's Modern Life and Invader Zim. Cartoon Network made some similar moves when it brought back The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack, but why stop there?

Cartoon Network had a lot of well-loved shows back in the day, and there's surely a large community of people that wouldn't mind to see one or two of them make a comeback in the near future. Here's some of the picks that I personally think deserve a shot, and would become hits all over again with a new generation of kids (and their parents).

Dexter's Laboratory

They just don't make cartoons like Dexter's Laboratory anymore. One would think the hilarious hijinks of a boy genius with a secret lab would go stale after so long, but the series was able to consistently keep things entertaining with the way Dexter's inventions inadvertently ruined his everyday life. Who can forget the rise and fall of the day when Dexter could only say "cheese omelette" in French?

Dexter's Laboratory is a concept that works across many generations, which makes it perfect for a modern revival. People who grew up watching are having or have kids, and a kid with the ability to have all sorts of wacky inventions will never go out of style. Plus bringing back it opens the door for The Justice Friends and Dial M For Monkey to come back as well and maybe even get their own spinoffs.

Courage The Cowardly Dog

Kid shows can be weird, but very few can and have been as weird as Courage the Cowardly Dog. The series centered on the lives of an elderly couple and their easily frightened dog, who frequently had to save his masters from supernatural forces that came into the family's lives. While there were some freaky episodes that may have given a child or two nightmares, this show was great because it was only kind of scary to children.

For the record, there has been word of a Courage the Cowardly Dog prequel that was in negotiations to happen October of 2018. With that being said, we're rolling up on a full year with no updates on that project, which was supposed to be developed for Cartoon Network spinoff Boomerang. Here's hoping the silence is due to creator John R. Dilworth being hard at work, and not because the project is dead.

Ed, Edd N Eddy

The misadventures of Ed, Edd n Eddy were loved by children far and wide, as the international sensation ranks among one of Cartoon Network's most successful shows of all time. People still wonder to this day exactly why, although many think kids tended to relate to the boys and the dynamics of suburban living in a neighborhood with other kids. None of the kids in my neighborhood wanted to play, but I still liked the show.

Sad childhood memories aside, it's a wonder with the widespread commercial success Cartoon Network had with Ed, Edd n Eddy that Cartoon Network hasn't tried to reboot the series in some way. The show is still very relatable today, and could definitely adapt the boys to the modern age we now live in. Ed can have a smartphone but still have a love for buttered toast.

Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends

Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends came near the tail end of what many would consider the golden era of Cartoon Cartoon Fridays, but it's a great show that marked the changing of the guard from the previous generation to the current line of programming. In fact, the series was the last show creator Craig McCracken (who worked on Dexter's Lab and created The Powerpuff Girls) created for Cartoon Network.

That's not why Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends deserves a revival, but rather the immense amount of fun it was. The wacky cast of characters mixed with the wholesomeness of a kid who didn't want to say goodbye to his imaginary friend was endearing. It was also a premise that garnered seven Emmy awards for Cartoon Network, and bringing it back with the same premise today would almost certainly get the network a few more.

Cow And Chicken

As what is perhaps one of the more underrated old Cartoon Network originals, Cow and Chicken deserves a slot on the list of shows that need a reboot. Very little about this show made sense (a cow and chicken with human parents?) but that didn't matter. In an era where Tom & Jerry was long gone, this show was there to pick up the slack to deliver some high quality slapstick comedy.

Would we love for the children of today to be better than us and like critically acclaimed cartoons with deep engaging stories and emotional storylines? Absolutely, that would be great, but let's also let children have some fun. Sometimes it's funny to see a chicken with no bones get thrown in a washer while his cousins devour a plate of pork butts and taters. Cow and Chicken is that perfect bit of chaos kids could really get into today.

Adventure Time

Okay, Adventure Time hasn't been off the air all that long, but that doesn't mean we can't hope for a reboot or revival. After all, the series finale did introduce a new duo of characters named Shermy and Beth who could pick up the torch following Finn and Jake's adventure. It seemed like the series set the stage for what would be a great continuation of the story.

Adventure Time created a fantastic world with the Land of Ooo, and it's a shame that it may not be utilized ever again for a future series. Of course, this series hasn't been gone all that long, so perhaps it's too early to be all doom and gloom that a revival hasn't been planned just yet.

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Excited to see what's coming to television this fall season? Check out CinemaBlend's fall premiere guide to see what all is on the way, and continue to stick with us for the latest and greatest news in movies and television.

2018 was a sad one for Adventure Time fans, as the insta-classic series had to close out its tenth and final season through vastly spaced-apart episode blocks. Awesomely, though, Cartoon Network has made it so that we never have to wait between episodes again, thanks to the April 30 release of Adventure Time: The Complete Collection on DVD. The fully stocked set has everything that fans could want, complete with new features exclusive to the compilation release.

Below, you can watch an exclusive clip from the "Farewell Tour" feature, in which writers and animators such as Rebecca Sugar and Julia Potts talk about their storytelling references and inspirations, complete with a Buffy the Vampire Slayer shout out.

If you're like me, that clip serves as a pretty decent justification for blowing off the rest of the afternoon in order to rewatch a season or two. But then if you're like me, you probably can't afford to make that choice, so it's a matter of calling for the Ice King to come round and cause havoc at everyone's day jobs to allow the binge-watching to go uninterrupted.

Seriously, though, the clip above offers some fun insight into how Adventure Time's creative team landed on some of the themes and concepts for certain episodes and moments during the series' eight-year run. I think we can all agree that BMO is just a few blonde hairs short of being a shoo-in for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot that may or may not still be happening.

It also sounds like some of the more memorable Adventure Time episodes were conceived by the writers in the same way that fans think about the show: "I wonder what it'd be like if LSP and Marceline hung out for an afternoon." I mean, when you have characters like this that have seemingly unlimited narrative scopes and personality quirks, the combinations can be endlessly fun to ponder. Plus, just add Andy Daly's King of Ooo to the mix, and it's can't-miss fun.

One Adventure Time moment that might not have seemed ripped from real life – or did it? – would be the Ice King looking for his banana phone and then finding it in a pair of pants. You know, the pants that we always see the Ice King wearing. That minutiae-infused gag came from Kent Osborne's life.

Adventure Time fans can find a lot more than just the above clip (and a banana phone) among the many features on the upcoming The Complete Collection, which hits stores on Tuesday, April 30. The 22-disc set compiles all 238 episodes from the ten-season run within a splendid Enchiridion-inspired storybook package. and each season's discs contain all the previously released special features. That includes commentaries with creator Pendleton Ward, the cast and the crew, as well as featurettes, music videos, deleted scenes and other Ooodds and ends.

Also included is an extra disc full of content that's mostly exclusive to the Adventure Time: The Complete Collection box set. Some previously released features are on there, but the majority are new for all fans.

The crown jewel of the bunch is the "Farewell Tour" feature that includes the clip seen above. This is a retrospective look back at the show that features talking-head bits from so many of the talented people who worked on Adventure Time, most of whom then subsequently went on to other excellent Cartoon Network shows.

The disc also includes a featurette focusing solely on the show's composers and the unforgettable music that Adventure Time fans have gotten quite obsessed with over the years, and it's suitably called "Sonic Sounds from Ooo." On the music front, there are also several music videos for fans to dive into, including videos made for the show's popular songs, as well as live performances the cast put on at San Diego Comic-Con.

And if all that wasn't enough, Adventure Time is getting a massive soundtrack boasting more than 230 songs, including...every song you can think of, probably. The more streamlined version of the soundtrack can be purchased and streamed on all the major platforms on Wednesday, May 1.

For those wanting something a bit more intense, however, Mondo is putting out a fancy AF version of the soundtrack that will contain 4 vinyls, a CD, and a cassette. That set's exclusives include 17 extended tracks, 5 combined songs, and 21 song demos that can't be found anywhere else.

While the world of Earth my not get to experience any brand new Adventure Time conquests in the future, the Complete Collection DVD box set is the best substitute imaginable. Be sure to pick it up when it goes on sale on Tuesday, April 30.

*Warning! The following contains more in-depth details about the _Adventure Time_ finale "Come Along With Me." *

Adventure Time's finale had a couple big moments for viewers, with one fan theory getting confirmed in a pretty big way. It's been speculated for a while now that Marceline and Princess Bubblegum had some sort of romantic relationship, although the show was never too blatant in displaying it to viewers. That changed in "Come Along With Me," when the two kissed after Marceline believed Bubblegum was gravely injured. Executive producer and showrunner Adam Muto explained how the scene came about, and how the kiss wasn't initially in the script:

Eventually, Adam Muto and the Adventure Time team decided to approve the kiss for the finale, and Hanna K. Nyströmthe gets the credit for the iconic moment. Part of the credit, anyway, as Muto added that the two's dynamic would've never gotten to that level had it not been for former writer for the show and Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar laying so much of the groundwork that made the kiss possible. Muto told TVLine a kiss between the two had been an "ongoing conversation," but that it was never in the show's original pitch to have something like that happen.

Once it was decided a kiss between Marceline and Princess Bubblegum was going to happen, Adam Muto and the Adventure Time crew had to do some soul searching as to how to go about it. After all, seeing two members of the same sex kissing was always going to be a talking point, and those involved didn't want the kiss to overshadow the finale as a whole. Muto explained the process the team went through in debating the scene's inclusion, and how they ultimately made the decision:

Adam Muto didn't lay out Marceline and Princess Bubblegum's fictional futures post-Adventure Time, but said fans can watch the kiss and "construct what their life will be like going forward." Whether Muto is being cryptic about the future of the characters in case there's any chance of a spinoff down the line is unknown, although nothing has indicated that beyond the introduction of Shermy and Beth. One could speculate Bubblegum and Marceline wouldn't be around that far into the future anyway, although with Marceline being a vampire and Bubblegum being, well, bubblegum, who's to say they aren't still kicking around deep into the future?

Adventure Time may be over, but it's still airing sporadically on Cartoon Network and can be binged on demand at Hulu. For more on other upcoming television, be sure to visit our fall premiere guide.

Warning! The following contains spoilers to the Adventure Time series finale "Come Along With Me." Read at your own risk!

Adventure Time came to an end recently and, after a bunch of trippiness that only this show could get away with on Cartoon Network, the "Great Gum War" that threatened the Land of Ooo's future was resolved. To some, it may have felt like a pleasant ending, considering nothing too devastating happened and the world was shown to have survived well into the future. However, executive producer and showrunner Adam Muto doesn't quite see it that way. Muto explained why the series finale wasn't all that happy, sharing additional information on how it played into the show's overall premise.

Adam Muto revealed that while everyone was able to end the Great Gum War amicably, the future timeline essentially reveals that yet another apocalyptic situation successfully came through in the end. That's sort of depressing in a macro sense, although there is some micro-sense hope for the two future friends Shermy and Beth, who appear to take up the mantle of being the new Finn and Jake in this brave new world.

Also sort of depressing is the fact that we don't really learn what becomes of Finn in the time after the finale's events. Although BMO's possession of his mechanical arm, and the inability to remember Finn's name, indicate the world is much further into the future than one might have expected.

Adventure Time's ending is somewhat bleak, considering Ooo eventually has another big event that brings about the kingdom's destruction, but still fits the beloved series' ethos. As Adam Muto reminded Polygon in his interview, the entire show is based on a premise that the weirdness of Ooo and Earth's sporadic human population are the result of the mass detonation of nuclear bombs. So while it's sad that evil eventually triumphed and brought the Ooo of Adventure Time to an end, there's also some bittersweet optimism to be found in life moving on and continuing to thrive regardless.

Adam Muto said Adventure Time's ending really didn't begin to form until the end of Season 8, and even then said it wasn't officially laid out until Cartoon Network told them the show would be ending. Muto revealed that had Adventure Time concluded years earlier, say in Season 5, there probably would've been a completely different ending than what was shown in "Come Along With Me." Optimists may have preferred whatever would have been conceived at that point over how the actual finale played out, although everyone can at least appreciate that Adventure Time essentially laid the groundwork for a potential spinoff that could continue the show's legacy in the future! Provided the animators aren't too busy with other projects or another apocalypse or anything.

Adventure Time is over, but it can still be binged on physical release copies and on Hulu. Those looking for something to watch now that those imaginative fantasies are over should head over to our fall premiere guide and see what's on the way.

Cartoon Network's long-running animated series Adventure Time is ending, with the show set to go out soon with a long-awaited series finale. It's sure to be good, although it's hard to say yet if the episode will match the level of quality of everything else Pendleton Ward and the show's creative team have crafted. The creative team broke down their 15 personal favorites from the past ten years of the series, and while some selections may be expected and were the same episodes they've won Emmys for, their roundup also included a few surprises.

One pattern that emerged from the 15 episodes is that Pendleton Ward and the staff appear to have a soft spot for Marceline. The Vampire Queen was featured as a significant character in four of the selections, as the Emmy-winning "It Came From The Nightosphere," was featured along with "What Was Missing," "Marceline's Closet," and "Simon and Marcy." The story behind the latter was particularly interesting, as there was apparently a bit of a hassle in order to get the dark episode completed. Here's how it was told to EW.

Another interesting thing to note about the team's favorite episodes, which were seemingly presented in no particular order, is that there are no episodes chosen from Seasons 1, 4, or 8. Seasons 3 and 5 were tied for the most representation, with each getting 4 episodes. Beyond those previously mentioned, other love-earning installments include "Hitman," "Shh," "Thank You," "We Fixed A Truck," and the much-beloved "James Baxter The Horse." THree episodes from Season 6 made the cut ("Jake The Brick," "Astral Plane," and "Evergreen") and were followed by Season 7's two installments ("The Hall of Egress" and "Football") and one episode each from Season 9 ("The First Investigation") and Season 2 ("It Came From The Nightosphere").

Out of all the episodes mentioned in the Adventure Time list, only one was specifically described as a personal favorite of creator Pendleton Ward. Season 7's "The Hall of Egress" got that prestigious honor, with Ward appreciating the amount of thoughtfulness that went into crafting the episode, which features Finn trying to find his way out of a cave with "no exit." It was the effort of a series of dungeon-based episodes that were pitched by Tom Herpich, who penned the ep. It's worth noting this episode was in the Number 1 spot, even though there weren't technically any official rankings. (The creators continued with some "bonus" additions to the list afterward.)

Adventure Time will air its series finale on Cartoon Network on Monday, September 3, at 6:00 p.m. ET. For more on the finale, executive producer Adam Muto recently spoke about the unique challenges of tackling the episode. For a look at other shows that will be coming to television in the days leading up to that and beyond, visit our summer and fall premiere guides.

Beloved animated series Adventure Time is soon to come to an end on Cartoon Network, and fans are already dreading having to say goodbye to the quirky characters they've fallen in love with over the years, and there may not be enough bacon pancakes in the world to help soothe the sting of the series' end. The good news is that there is a series finale event to air later this year (with an official date also announced). and Adventure Time executive producer Adam Muto was on hand at San Diego Comic-Con to talk about the upcoming series finale and the particular challenges in putting it together. Muto had this to say:

In case you were at all afraid that Adam Muto and the team at Adventure Time weren't going to put their all into creating something truly wondrous to close off this series, his comments at the Adventure Time panel at San Diego Comic-Con should reassure you. While the end of the series is still sad, perhaps the rest of the wait for the finale (and the joy of the rest of the episodes) won't have to be tainted by any bitterness. Yes, the end is nigh. No, the show will not end on a whimper. It sounds like fans are in for a bang.

At the panel, it was also announced that "The Ultimate Adventure" finale will air on September 3 at 6 p.m. on Cartoon Network, so fans should probably clear that day in their schedule now. This finale comes across as an event that needs to be watched and absorbed live. The wait for the finale isn't all that long, all things considered, but there should be enough time to emotionally prepare for anything and everything that could happen in the finale.

The room was packed for the Adventure Time panel, proving that plenty of fans were willing to brave the lines of San Diego Comic-Con for a panel hyping what remains of the final season. It's only fitting that the show got to come to Comic-Con in 2018; after ten seasons of a groundbreaking cartoon series, it more than earned the right to a packed house at the biggest fan event of the year. I'm just spitballing here, but I'm guessing the ratings for the finale will be quite solid for Cartoon Network. A big question is just how long it will take for viewers too tart clamoring for a reboot, revival, or sequel. This is the time to do it!

If you feel the need to relive some earlier seasons of Adventure Time goodness, you can find the first nine seasons of the series streaming on Hulu. There's more Adventure Time good news -- Adventure Time: The Final Seasons DVD will release on Tuesday, September 4 with Seasons 8, 9, and 10 included. That means the last three seasons will be available on DVD the day right after the big finale. For some extra streaming options, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere schedule and our 2018 Amazon Prime rundown. For some non-streaming options, you can find the best of the best on our summer TV guide.

Arby's has been serving up roast beef sandwiches, curly fries, and other snacks for over 50 years, and now it's also serving up some of the most perfect, pop culture-inspired photos and videos on social media.

The fast food chain's Facebook page has surprisingly been killing it throughout this past year, by posting hilariously clever homages to popular movies, TV shows, and video games starring their own food products. Take a bite out of some recent highlights.

Harry Potter

Arby's definitely had the sauciest tribute to the late Alan Rickman on the anniversary of his death at the start of 2017. The account will often upload videos of artists drawing using their Arby's sauce, and in honor of Rickman's famous Harry Potter role as the self-sacrificing guardian Severus Snape, they drew Snape's patronus (a doe) alongside the closest thing he has to a catchphrase. Always is his response to Dumbledore's curious response to the fact that Snape's Patronus reflects the torch he still carries for Lily Potter.

Princess Mononoke

At the core of these Arby's posts, and what makes them so appealing, is an unabashed love for "nerdy" or "geeky" culture. Some of the very first pop culture posts that the social media team was doing were references to The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, Deadpool, and other video game and comic book franchises. Clearly, the Arby's team is still sticking close to their tried-and-true fanbase, especially given this awesome recent Studio Ghibli reference.

Power Rangers

Another big target of these posts is to capitalize on the trendy story of the day, such as posting a Power Rangers-inspired photo on the day that the franchise released the trailer for its rebooted new film. It was this strategy of honing in on the buzzy pop culture news of the moment the first established Arby's as a social media force in the first place. Back during the 2014 Grammy Awards, the chain proved its pop culture savviness online for the first time by making a joke about how Pharrell's large hat looked exactly like their logo.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Arby's really won over my heart by paying tribute to my all-time favorite TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And the social media team proved they knew their Buffy stuff by interacting with fans using references to the show. When one commenter brought up an allusion to the series' musical episode, the Arby's account was able to slyly work in a mention of one of the song titles in their reply.

King of the Hill

Amidst all the clever ketchup drawings and topical pop culture references, some of the best posts from the account are the random ones. Who in the world would think of recreating King of the Hill with chicken fries!? Arby's, that's who.

Deadpool

Although the social media success of Arby's can be traced back to the 2014 Pharrell tweet, the chain didn't start incorporating pop culture into its brand as effectively as it is now until 2016. One of the first pop culture-related photos that the Facebook account uploaded was in last February, just a few days before the world premiere of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool movie.

Dragon Ball Z

Arby's used its Deadpool post to set the tone for this new brand of marketing, and upped the nerdiness factor another notch a few months later by going Super Saiyan with a pic of Goku from the anime Dragon Ball Z with hash browns for hair.

Gravity Falls

One of the reasons the campaign has become so beloved is that Arby's doesn't only craft its images for the mega-popular, mainstream pieces of pop culture. Fans of the (criminally under-appreciated) Disney series Gravity Falls were in for a treat last August when Arby's recreated the show's antagonist Bill Cipher with a hash brown and some sauce.

Adventure Time

And when Christmas came around, Arby's was more than ready with a bunch of nerd-tastic homemade ornaments, like this adorable one of BMO from Adventure Time.

Donnie Darko

And Arby's never forgets the classics either, as the social media team proved last month when they turned a bunch of sandwich wrappers into the rabbit from Donnie Darko. From the looks of the Facebook page, Arby's isn't showing any signs of slowing down their pop culture postings, so now would be the perfect time to start following and guess what TV show or movie is coming next!

Sadly, this year brought the announcement that the widely popular Cartoon Network series Adventure Time is coming to an end, though we still thankfully have two more seasons to come, which includes the mystery-solving miniseries Islands. The show's production company, Frederator, is already hard at work on a new series that will probably get an entire fandom celebrating, should everything pan out accordingly. Here's studio head Fred Seibert offering a short plan for Frederator's future, in which he appears to be confirming the long-gestating adaptation of the best-selling video game series Castlevania.

Fred Seibert is an animation giant at this point, having worked for years with Hanna-Barbera and Nickelodeon before going independent with Frederator, but his secret-telling skills weren't quite as impressive during his interview with the Nick Animation podcast. Sure, he did a fine job not actually divulging what this new project is, but in doing so, he kind of ignored the fact that it's already public knowledge that Frederator owns the rights to any Castlevania adaptations. Obviously, not everyone is going to be privy to such things, but it's enough that trying to keep this project a mystery just seems silly.

Silliness aside, though, how amazing would this be, if it is indeed Castlevania getting the animated treatment? Granted, Frederator Studios is known for big, bright and colorful series such as The Fairly OddParents and Fanboy & Chum Chum, so the dark and gothic world of Castlevania doesn't immediately sound like the most likely next step. But considering how imaginative Adventure Time and others are/were, the aesthetic change shouldn't be an insurmountable challenge. (Like, say, some of the Castlevania games.)

It was only last year when a Castlevania animated series was first announced with some legitimacy, and Frederator was working on it in conjunction with producer Adi Shankar, best known for working on violent projects such as those Power Rangers and Punisher short films, as well as movies like Killing Them Softly and Dredd. Unfortunately, little more came out of that, until maybe now. Hopefully Shankar will hit up social media with some news soon.

It is, of course, worth taking a second to acknowledge that Fred Seibert might not be talking about Castlevania here at all, and we might actually one day get to watch a new TV show about Q*bert or Pole Position. But I'm certainly hoping to see some high-octane vampire-hunting action in the future from Frederator. That would be mathematical!

Head to our midseason premiere schedule to see what the small screen has to offer as we wait to hear about more from Frederator.

The fabulously fun Adventure Time has been a highlight of the Cartoon Network roster ever since its premiere back in 2010. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi-tinged fairy tale comedy has built up an impressive following of very loyal fans who have watched Finn the Human come of age with his pal Jake the Dog at his side. Unfortunately for those fans, Adventure Time is officially coming to an end. We shouldn't start cursing the Ice King of yore just yet, however, because Adventure Time still has another whole season to go.

Adventure Time has produced eight seasons so far, and fans have gotten more than 200 episodes of Finn and Jake getting in and out of trouble in the Land of Ooo. Production has already started on Season 9, and there are still some major questions about the mythology of the series that have emerged from the fantastical plots, so hopefully the show will be able to use this ninth season to tie up loose ends. We don't have to worry about the series finale until 2018, according to EW, and the confirmation of an end point now in 2016 could help the team behind the scenes to plan out the perfect way to finish Finn's story.

It's no surprise that Adventure Time has lasted for as long as it has alongside fellow hit (and soon-to-be-ending) Regular Show. The show has won a whole slew of awards, including six Primetime Emmys, and it has spawned a sizable merchandising empire that has had appeal to boys, girls, and adults alike. Cartoon Network has made the most of the show's popularity at events like San Diego Comic-Con, which in the past featured a quest for fans to enjoy during the events of the convention. The characters of Adventure Time have been popular choices for cosplayers at San Diego Comic-Con as well as other fan conventions. There's certainly no shortage of fun characters for fans of both genders, and "Fiona" and "Cake" have become gender-swapped cosplay versions of Finn and Jake.

The series hit a snag during Season 5 when Adventure Time creator and showrunner Pendleton Ward abruptly gave up his position as head honcho. Ward was evidently so worn out by all the demands of production that he didn't feel he could continue running the show. Luckily, he stayed on board in a creative capacity as a writer and storyboard artist. Adventure Time didn't have to change much to facilitate Ward's change in status. It certainly had to help that Ward's replacement was storyboard artist Adam Muto, who already had years of experience with Finn and Jake.

Considering The Simpsons just used Adventure Time's animators to put together the Season 28 premiere's couch gag, perhaps we can hope for another crossover of sorts before the Cartoon Network favorite goes away. Lisa and Marceline would be besties for sure.

All in all, the looming conclusion of Adventure Time won't be good news for the legions of fans, but the knowledge that there's still plenty to go before the series finale in 2018 should make it easier to accept that an end is in sight. Check out our TV premiere schedule to see what you can watch on the other networks this fall.

Porn Parodies of TV and movie projects have been all the rage in recent years, and sometimes those porn parodies are the weirdest. Case in point: this week the trailer for the new porn parody of Cartoon Network’s Adventure Time dropped, and it is pretty wild. There’s boob-grabbing, a makeout session and an F-bomb, so it’s probably NSFW, unless you already work in the porn industry or have a really cool boss. In which case, check it out.

I have to say, with a title like Assventure Time, this porn parody was ripe for the making. All your favorite Cartoon Network characters are involved, including Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, a janky-looking Marceline, Princess Bubblegum and even a cameo from the Ice King, only their names are changed for this naughty version of the original cartoon. Finn and Jake become Sinn and Jerk. Then, Marceline becomes Whoreceline, Bubblegum gets the Bubblecum moniker and Ice King becomes Ice Peen. Some of these are more inspired than others.

There’s a talking blue dildo too, so if you're game for that, this might be the porn parody for you.

Honestly, Wood Rocket puts similar videos to these out on a regular basis, and while I’m fine with grown-up porn parodies featuring the likes of the Guardians of the Galaxy or Parks and Recreation characters, there’s something about cartoon characters become porn characters that is a whole lot stranger. Especially since essentially Adventure Time is a kids program that a lot of adults and teens happen to watch. I feel similarly about the Pokemon porn parody, which also featured cartoon-ish costumes.

I guess it's no different than cosplay with sex, but I'll certainly never look at Finn or Jake (or Sinn and Jerk) in the same way.

In the meantime, I hope Wood Rocket keeps being punny. Because even I have enough sense of humor to be amused when I have to type out things like Assventure Time more than once in an article.

Man, when I heard Adventure Time might be making a movie, this wasn’t what I expected at all…

This fall, Jake the Dog and Finn the Human will break the laws of physics by crossing into the third dimension. A brand new, fully-3D Adventure Time adventure is heading to the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U.

According to a press release, Adventure Time: Finn and Jake Investigations will follow the Cartoon Network's favorite psychedelic duo as they take up detective work. Players will solve a series of puzzles, interrogate witnesses, and battle evildoers while unraveling the Land of Ooo's latest mystery.

The title is being co-published by Little Orbit and Cartoon Network, and Vicious Cycle Software is handling the development. If you've played Ben 10: Omniverse or the Marvel Trading Card Game, you're already familiar with Vicious Cycle's work.

Pete Yoder, the Cartoon Network's vice president of enterprises in North America, described Finn and Jake Investigations this way:

Unfortunately, the video game industry hasn't been kind to Adventure Time. Even though the franchise's fan base is gigantic, the games have always felt like they were being held to gather with duct tape and band-aids. However, Finn and Jake Investigations is definitely taking a different approach.

The 3D graphics are the most obvious difference. Little Orbit CEO Matt Scott said the publisher has received "a lot of fan feedback" asking for a 3D Adventure Time game. So, Vicious Cycle Software is ditching the previous titles' top-down perspective in favor of a 3D interface.

Here's what Mr. Scott had to say:

At the risk of sounding like a naysayer, though, I do have a question: why? Adventure Time's iconic art direction is a huge part of its success, so why not just make the game look like the cartoon?

Hopefully the developer has a legitimate reason behind the graphical shift. Adventure Time fans deserve a break from those duct-tape-and-band-aid jobbies.

While some may believe cinema to be far superior to television by default, anyone who's been paying attention to what's happening on the small screen in recent years likely knows that television has raised its game in many respects, including the talent it showcases and good storytelling in general. Patton Oswalt has been paying attention, and the comedian/writer/actor recently went on an epic Twitter rant to express his appreciation for what the small screen has to offer, dropping more than a few titles in the process. Among them, Broad City, Bob's Burgers, Hannibal, Better Call Saul and more...

Uproxx caught wind of Oswalt's excellent TV-themed tirade, which began -- and could have easily ended -- last night with the following statement...

Oswalt may have been watching AMC's Better Call Saul at the time, as he followed this up with some praise for Michael McKean.

And from there, it was a nod to Comedy Central's Broad City...

Followed by love for John Oliver's excellent weekly HBO news series Last Week Tonight...

And then HBO's Togetherness...

And then he jumps around, moving from Comedy Central to some of TV's promising superhero offerings, to basic cable's darker shows, and the back to network TV for more humor...

It's at this point that Oswalt declares TV's current phase as "American cinema in the early 70s"...

He actually apologizes for the "feed-choking" rant after that, but then remembers he has a ton of other great shows lined up and waiting for him in his DVR...

He also shows some love for some kids programming (and True Detective)...

Not to be forgotten is Hannibal...

It's that remark that strikes me as particularly interesting, not only because I'm sure Hannibal fans will appreciate the high praise, but also because it points out what's been staring us in the face for some time now. TV is doing great things. What's more, the lines between the big and small screen seem to be getting a bit blurrier. We have networks like HBO distributing feature-quality films, and Netflix lining up big deals with the likes of Adam Sandler to bring movies directly to the small screen. And then, we have only to look at any of the shows Patton Oswalt listed among his favorites to note that TV has raised its game dramatically, and the medium isn't likely to be done evolving anytime soon.

Beyond loving that Oswalt shared some love for some of TV's best offerings, these tweets are a reminder of why I'm a fan of Oswalt - because he's a fan. Though he's found his own success as an actor, it's evident that he remains an enthusiastic spectator of the arts as well, and he's not above sharing his thoughts on the things that work (and sometimes the things that don't).

And now I'd like to see him show up in every one of the shows he's listed (a couple of which he actually has shown up in, come to think of it).

If you'd asked anyone if they'd thought The Lego Movie would have sparked an animated renaissance for Warner Bros, they probably would have laughed. Yet here we are, as the film has spurred not only the LEGO brand into spawning a couple more films, but it also may have given form to another feature film adaptation. Get ready, folks, because it looks like Adventure Time is coming to the big screen in the near future!

Deadline has a report that Pendleton Ward's highly successful Cartoon Network series is going to Warner Bros for a full length feature film. The reason The Lego Movie may figure so importantly into Adventure Time's feature film treatment is that Chris McKay, one of the executive producers of the Lord and Miller hit, is co-producing the Cartoon Network film. McKay is an experienced hand when it comes to animation at both Warner Bros and Cartoon Network, as he's worked on Robot Chicken and is about to direct The Lego Batman Movie for the studio as well.

Adventure Time is an undeniable hit, with almost five whole years under its belt at the Cartoon Network. Considering how good of a relationship the network has always had with Warner Bros, in no small part thanks to the good relationship owner Ted Turner has with the studio as well, this project could have very easily been nothing more than a typical direct to DVD release that would please the fans, while at the same time giving them a little more time with Finn, Jake, and the rest of the Land of Ooo's well known residents. But given that The Lego Movie managed to make some decent summer money in a February release date last year, as well as take the world by storm in the ensuing months, it looks like Warner Bros has gotten its cartoon mojo back.

And just in time too, as Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Studios' success with The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water is as good a case as any in proving how a basic cable series can translate into healthy box office dollars. Even more telling is the fact that Spongebob has done this not only once, but twice – and through the course of a decade.  You can bet that with Spongebob sitting pretty at the movies for the past month, Warner Bros is going to move mountains to make sure this film happens as soon as possible. While their live action division has taken some hits in the past year, the animation division of Warner Bros looks to be making a comeback on the shoulders of the animation world. Maybe there's hope for the Looney Tunes after all!

Adventure Time: The Movie is only in the developmental stages as of this moment, but don't be surprised if there's some rapid movement on this title in the coming year. Good thing to keep in mind while crafting your Jake/Fiona costume for opening night.

One of the most beloved animated shows on television has lost the love its own creator. Pendleton Ward, creator of the Emmy-yielding, cult-following TV hit, Adventure Time has decided to leave his title behind in hopes of regaining his own sanity.

In Season 5 of the show, Ward walked away without hesitation, and without warning. Fans were left awestruck and confused, without any hint of why their Adventure Time leader was putting down his crown. But, in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Ward broke his silence and opened up on the relief he felt from saying goodbye.

He wasn’t sad to leave, or disappointed. Ward believes he honestly needed to let it go:

Among the 14 million viewers a week, the popularity of the show has spawned a massive merchandise empire. Adventure Time has become a household name. And for an introvert, like Pendleton Ward, the idea of that many people following your every move, is not an exciting prospect.

And in short, Adventure Time wore him out. Not the creation of new worlds and characters, it was the dealing with people, and requests, and pressures of being a showrunner. Ward decided to step down from his leadership role to become one of the show’s writers and storyboard artists. He admitted in his interview that he prefers to be isolated. He realized his comfort zone, and he longs for it.

By stepping down from the empire, Ward hopes to get back to the creative end of things. He asserts that he has no intention of creating a new series, and finds that idea to be a nightmare. But, he is looking for a new challenge. He hopes to write an Adventure Time movie, as well as an original video game. And whatever his next task may be, Ward’s in no rush. His own sanity depends on it:

Though a highlight of Adventure Time is that it’s seemingly created by somewhat of a fried brain, over-frying may stray viewers away. And not worry because Ward chose his successor wisely. Adam Muto, classmate of Ward’s at CalArts started on the show years ago as a storyboard artist and was trained to take Ward’s place. Taking a break from the responsibility of being Adventure Time’s showrunner may be just what Ward needs. Especially if we want to see a fresh take on his project of a new movie.

Oh my glob, great news: Cartoon Network is renewing five of its animated series. On Friday, the network announced at San Diego Comic-Con that Adventure Time, Regular Show, Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe and newcomer Clarence have all gotten additional episode orders. With the new orders in place, Adventure Time will be returning for a seventh season, Regular Show will be returning for a sixth season, Uncle Grandpa and Steven Universe are getting full second seasons and Clarence has landed 13 more episodes.

The fact that Adventure Time is getting a seventh season is actually an extremely exciting achievement for the channel. During Friday’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, it was announced that Adventure Time’s big renewal marks the first time that a Cartoon Network series has ever made it to a seventh season. It's a worthy honor though considering how sneaky impressive the show's ratings are. The last season of Adventure Time aired in an almost primetime slot on Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. ET and still managed to average an impressive 3 million viewers or so per episode. With Adventure Time and Regular Show anchoring the network, there should be plenty of good things to come.

Animated programs have a lot of longevity, so it’s no real surprise that Cartoon Network and Adult Swim opted to renew some of its biggest hits. Still, I think many of us often have that nagging feeling in our stomachs when our favorite shows are existing in limbo somewhere between renewal and cancellation. Today’s news will should capably alleviate that feeling for fans.

Clarence fans should be especially relieved by the extra episode order. The show has been in an uncomfortable space since the beginning of the month when showrunner Skyler Page was taken off the series and then fired from network amid allegations of misconduct towards female Cartoon Network employees. At the time, social networking blew up with the story, and the network seemed to want to distance itself from the award winning animator and showrunner immediately. While losing a showrunner doesn’t automatically damn a show, Page also voiced Clarence, leaving even more logistical problems if the show was to move forward. Clearly, an additional 13 episodes doesn’t mean the show will continue down the road, but it does give fans something to look forward to.

We’ll let you know as soon as Cartoon network announces premiere dates for the brand new episodes.

Adventure Time is gearing up for its fifth season finale next week, and we now have a look at a very intense moment for Jake that involves a voice appearance by Andy Samberg. Who's the Brooklyn Nine-Nine star playing in the Cartoon Network animated series? A rapping bear of course! It's a rap battle, but evidently Jake's not buying that it wasn't obviously pre-written.

EW shared the video above, which gives us a sample of Andy Samberg's bear-rapping abilities. The site says the fifth season finale, titled "Billy's Bucket List," will have Finn and Jake's idol Billy dying, "the victim of a nefarious scheme concocted by nefarious antagonist the Lich."

Those familiar with Andy Samberg from Saturday Night Live and his comedy group The Lonely Island know he has a knack for music, but how is he with freestyle rapping? Um... passable? Ok, that might be a generous assessment. Check him out in this radio interview from Power 106 FM from a couple of years ago...

"I suck at rapping," Samberg says at the end of the video, after he literally cleared the room with his terrible beats. But watching the Adventure Time clip, it seems like Finn might suck at rapping more, which could be a big problem if he wants to win this battle. And we're left hanging as we wait for him to finish his rap.

Is he stuck or is he just getting warmed up? Because we know Finn can carry a tune. If he can't come up with anything on the spot, maybe he can reprise the Puncha Yo Buns song?

Or the "What Am I To You" song?

Find out if Finn manages to win the rap battle on Monday night when the Adventure Time finale airs on Cartoon Network!

The panel opened with a sweet Lego version of the Adventure Time titles before Pendleton Ward came on stage to introduce the panel that included Jeremy Shada (Finn), John DiMaggio (Jake), Tom Kenny (Ice King), Olivia Olson (Marceline), Kent Osborne (Head of Story), Rebecca Sugar (singer/songwriter) and Adam Muto (Supervising Producer). The crowd goes insane for DiMaggio. Obvie. Ward then lets us know of his weird plans which include a play he's written and wants an aspiring voice artist in the crowd to participate. As Ward goes looking for people, the panel starts looking around for AT cosplay.

Ward returns to the stage and starts filling out details on his mad-lib like play. In the meatime, Rebecca Sugar is going to perform a few songs with special guest DONALD GLOVER! Or Childish Gambino. Algebraic! Good girls and bad boys. They are great with the love silly love song. Glover then leaves to raucous applause. One more? Of course! I don't remember you! She's amazing! And one more short song. Making bacon pancakes! That was super special, especially when the crowd joined in for most of the song.

Time for the play! Starring a mom and son, Jennifer and Adrian, from the audience. The stars are given their copies, with Kenny remarking how secretive his process usually is. The crowd cheers with each new character's entrance. Finn and Jake are already there before Lumpy shows to dish on the new audience inspired characters. Kenny, sorry, The Ice King then joins the party, even though they keep him outside. The 'guest stars' are actually quite good. Next up comes Marceline, and Olson shows off her singing voice. It's quite the skit. Schmowzow!

Time for a BEEMO clip! And then Princess and Marc tracking down the skywitch. After the clip, DiMaggio adds that this show is weird. Now there's a sheet on stage that needs to be lifted to reveal a big surprise. Cue the drumline! Seriously, there was a drumline. Finn and Jake are joining the Macy's Thanksgiving parade! And we got a look at a model of the balloons. Also, Pendleton's mom came up to share how she dreamt about this over five years ago and even emailed the network.

There's a giveaway for a Beemo iPad. It's just like Oprah. The winer is mocked fr not looking that excited as he meanders his way to the front. Ward warns us that if you walk up, you will be criticized. Cue the Q and A and the biggest rush to the mic I think I've ever seen. And it's full of Finns. A very young boy asks the first question and it's tough, why does the show often end so abruptly? Ward says lazy writing before saying it reminds him of Three Stooges or Aqua Teen. The next question is deep, says DiMaggio, whether the red blobs evolve into the candy people and the answer may lie in the new game.

Will there be any crossovers? Ward says no crossovers. None. Except on the bootleg shirts. Besides that, no way. What is the approval process for the more adult jokes that are slipped into the show? The expression used as an example is 'what the funky fresh.' That cleared fine and then DiMaggio suddenly erupts in his Tracy Morgan impression and threatens to get the crowd pregnant. Favorite person or character to work with? DiMaggio gives the diplomatic answer saying everyone. Any more glimpses at Ceemo or Amo? Ward's eyebrows do most of the talking. Yes. Look for Emo.

Will the Ultimate Universe ever be its own show since it was so popular? Ward says no then quickly follows up with a maybe. An absolutely maybe. Will Penn's love of Animal Crossing bleed into the show? He doesn't know but he hates Cookie the dog. He's got him locked inside his house. A young kid asks if they will ever be in Adventure Time? Met with confusion, he explains that he meant the voice actors as themselves. Minds blown. Finn's parents? You might find out soon. Maybe. Will we meet Princess Bubblegum's parent? Yep. And it's going to be weird. Will Ice King find love? Just Gunter. Put a ring on it! Oh, Lumpy.

Now a clip of the video game, which features the characters exploring Princess Bubblegum's dungeon. a Fun dungeon. Fungeon. Like the Regular Show game, it looks like oldschool fun. The last question, how did Jake become a magic dog? The love for Finn fuels his magic. It's canon now! Check out Adventure Time on The Cartoon Network.

For the passionate TV fan, it's not difficult to find great TV-related panels at Comic-Con. In fact, the real challenge is trying to figure out how to get to all of the great panels in a given day, which is virtually impossible. When it comes down to it, it's all about prioritizing. And Friday's schedule is a prime example. Is it possible to get to the Adventure Time panel at the Hilton and also make The Walking Dead panel over in Hall H? Given how long the Hall H line usually is, I wouldn't bet on it. And catching The Walking Dead panel means missing Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. over in Ballroom 20. These are the decisions fans must make when mapping out their plans for SDCC on Friday. Fortunately, we still have some time to sort through the schedule.

Between movies and television, there's plenty going on. In Hall H, in addition to The Walking Dead, there's also the Veronica Mars movie panel, Game of Thrones, Kick-Ass 2 and the Sony Panel. In Ballroom 20, there's The Legend of Korra, Bones, The Following and S.H.I.E.L.D. People who show up for that one might want to stick around for Joss Whedon's panel later on. And over at the Hilton, there's Cartoon Network and Adult Swim panels, including the mentioned Adventure Time panel, along with Regular Show, and later on, The Venture Bros., Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV::.

Check out the full list of events for movie and TV fans below! To see Thursday's schedule click here.

Cartoon Network: Regular Show

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Care to join the not so regular cast and crew for an eventful hour of over the top regular? Yeeeeeeeeuh you do! Check out exclusive content and get the inside scoop on your favorite slackers and some of their closest friends. The panel features: Regular Show creator J. G. Quintel (voice of Mordecai), William Salyers (voice of Rigby),Sam Marin (voice of Benson, Pops, and Muscle Man), Sean Szeles (supervising director), Matt Price (writer), and storyboard artists Toby Jones and Calvin Wong. Part of the back-to-back Regular Show/Adventure TimePanel Extravaganza, continuing at 11:00.

10:00AM – 11:00AM

Comic-Con Film School 102: Production

Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina

Day 2 of this four-day course on microbudget moviemaking focuses on the specifics of production, from shooting techniques, to lighting on the cheap, to crew positions you need (and don't need), to costuming, props, and set decorating for as little money as possible. Panelists include Valerie Perez (producer/star of the Paula Peril series), Vera Vanguard (producer of The Building of Good and Evil), Nick Murphy (writer/director of Pizza and Bullets), Jack Conway (writer/producer of Fear News), and Sean Rourke (writer of Ballistica).

10:00AM – 11:00AM

Inside The Big Bang Theory Writers' Room

Ballroom 20

In a panel sure to be filled with debate, discussion, and more than a few surprises, go behind the scenes of The Big Bang Theory to meet the writers behind TV's #1 comedy. Who is the most hardcore gamer? Who has the (dubious?) honor of being the room's designated dungeon-master? Who watches Game of Thrones? (All of them.) How does an idea become a story and a story become an episode? Discussing the creative process for the first time, the hit show's executive producers and writers take the stage for a lively discussion. From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory airs Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS, with season 7 premiering on September 26. The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Sixth Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 10.

10:00AM – 11:00AM

The World's End: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost Reunited

Hall H

The director and stars of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz have joined forces for a third movie-and it's "Barmageddon," their biggest yet. As ever, they're as happy to be here as you are. So expect candid chatter and spirited surprises as they take the wraps off their new comedy, which Focus Features is opening nationwide in the U.S. on August 23.

10:00AM – 11:30AM

The 2013 Black Panel

Room 5AB

This year's panel once again brings together movers and shakers from a variety of entertainment mediums:Wayne Brady (The Wayne Brady Show, Let's Make a Deal, The Chappelle Show), Orlando Jones (Sleepy Hollow, Tainted Love, Black Dynamite), Tatiana El-Khouri (Dark Girls, The Milestones Show), John Jenning(BLACK COMIX, Octavia Butler's Kindred), Tony Rich (The Tony Rich Project, The Hidden Beach), and David Walker (Bad Azz MoFo, Super Justice Force). Moderated by Michael Davis.

10:15AM – 11:15AM

Stan Lee's World of Heroes

Room 6BCF

Kick off your Comic-Con Friday inside the mind of the legend himself on a journey through the inimitable Stan Lee's World of Heroes. Stan Lee and several of his World of Heroes collaborators recap the YouTube channel's exciting first year. Enjoy a special performance by Cosplay Piano star Sonya Pelousova, and catch a sneak peek of upcoming programing and announcements. Moderator Ben Gigli (Five Second Films) will guide panelists through discussions of popular shows like Bad Days, How It Should Have Ended Crossover, Cosplay Piano,Superhero and Supervillain Speed Dating, and several new shows. Remember, Q&A with Stan always provides some juicy surprises.

10:30AM – 11:20AM

Defiance

Room 6A

Earth has changed, and entertainment will never be the same. Grant Bowler (Nolan), Julie Benz (Amanda Rosewater), Jaime Murray (Stahma Tarr), and the rest of the cast from Syfy's groundbreaking multiplatform series discuss the overwhelming success of Defiance (the show and game) and share exclusive details from the second season. Moderated by Maureen Ryan, TV critic for Huffington Post.

10:30AM – 11:30AM

Writing for TV: From First Draft to Getting Staffed

Room 24ABC

Spiro Skentzos (Grimm), Karen Horne (NBC executive/Spawn co-producer), Keto Shimizu (Arrow), and Jane Espenson (Husbands) share their TV writing experiences on such topics as getting started, basic script mistakes, how to get representation, writing programs, staying motivated, and negotiating today's turbulent TV terrain. There will be a large Q&A component, so bring your questions.

10:30AM – 12:00PM

Cartoon Network: Adventure Time

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

What's algebraic and schmowzow and righteous all over? It's Adventure Time! Holy stuff! As if chatting up the coolest kids in the cartoon kingdom wasn't enough, get ready for your eyeballs to be fixed on some never-before-seen content and your jaw to drop at a rad surprise or two. The panel features Adventure Time creatorPendleton Ward (Lumpy Space Princess), Jeremy Shada (Finn), John DiMaggio (Jake), Tom Kenny (Ice King), Olivia Olson (Marceline), Kent Osborne (head of story), and Adam Muto (supervising producer). Part of the back-to-back Regular Show/Adventure Time Panel Extravaganza, beginning at 10:00.

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Veronica Mars Special Video Presentation and Q&A

Hall H

Join cast members Kristen Bell, Francis Capra, Enrico Colantoni, Percy Daggs III, Jason Dohring, Ryan Hansen, Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino and Krysten Ritter along with producer and director Rob Thomas in a panel moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Jeff Jensen. Fresh off the set of the film that was funded by over 90,000 devoted fans through Kickstarter, attendees will have an opportunity to see exclusive footage, hear details about the production, and ask the cast and producers questions about this upcoming movie.

11:15AM – 12:15PM

Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra Returns!

Ballroom 20

Executive producer and creator team Bryan Konietzko and Michael DiMartino (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and co-executive producer Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender) discuss what's in store for the highly anticipated Book 2: Spirits. The mind-bending panel will be full of never-before-seen artwork and the ultimate of sneak peeks. You'll also get to hear from your favorite characters, as talented voice actors Janet Varney (voice of Korra), David Faustino (voice of Mako), and P. J. Byrne (voice of Bolin) share their experiences working on the series. Moderated by Bryan Konietzko.

11:25AM – 11:40AM

Nikita Special Video Presentation and Q&A

Room 6BCF

Nikita returns to San Diego for its final Comic-Con appearance with series stars Maggie Q (Mission: Impossible 3), Shane West (ER), Lyndsy Fonseca (Kick-Ass), Aaron Stanford (X-Men: The Last Stand), Melinda Clarke(The O.C.), Devon Sawa (Final Destination), and Noah Bean (Damages) joining executive producer Craig Silverstein (Bones). This farewell panel looks back on three seasons of action-packed drama and teases the final six episodes of the final season. Nikita: The Complete Third Season will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 1. From Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television, the fourth season ofNikita will air midseason on The CW.

11:30AM – 1:00PM

Helix

Room 6A

Leave sunny San Diego behind for an arctic chill as the team behind Helix (executive produced by Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore) discusses Syfy's hotly anticipated new series. Get an inside look at the thriller about a mysterious outbreak on Earth's coldest continent. The truth will spread! Moderated by Entertainment Weekly's Geoff Boucher.

11:55AM – 12:35PM

[adult swim]: The Venture Bros.

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Show creators Jackson Publick and Doc Hammer discuss the original series, now in its fifth season, and answer fan questions. They will be joined by the voice of Brock Samson, Patrick Warburton (Seinfeld, The Tick).

12:15PM – 1:15PM

Kick-Ass 2 and Riddick

Hall H

Universal Pictures presents an all-star panel featuring talent from two of its highly anticipated summer films. In attendance will be stars and filmmakers from the action-comedy Kick-Ass 2. Attending from Riddick will be the action-adventure's star/producer Vin Diesel (Fast & Furious 6), along with actors Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Galactica) and Dave Bautista (The Man with the Iron Fists) and Riddick's writer/director David Twohy (The Fugitive).

12:30PM – 1:30PM

Bones

Ballroom 20

Creator and executive producer Hart Hanson, executive producer Stephen Nathan, and star David Boreanazdiscuss what's in store for Booth and Brennan and screen a reel of never-before- seen footage from the upcoming season, followed by a Q&A panel discussion.

12:30PM – 1:30PM

The 100 Pilot Screening and Q&A

Room 6BCF

Almost a hundred years after mankind nearly destroyed itself with nuclear war, a group of survivors living on a space station called the Ark take the first step to recolonize Earth, as 100 juvenile delinquents are released to the surface of the planet to determine if it is once again inhabitable. Facing uncertainty, and with the survival of the human race in their hands, these teenagers must learn to survive on this wildly changed planet. The 100 makes its Comic-Con debut with a screening of the complete pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with series stars Eliza Taylor (Australia's Neighbours), Thomas McDonell (Suburgatory), Marie Avgeropoulos (Cult), and Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), as well as executive producers Matthew Miller (Human Target) and Jason Rothenberg(upcoming Twilight Zone feature). From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television, The 100 premieres midseason on The CW.

12:50PM – 1:05PM

[adult swim]: Childrens Hospital

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Watch a sneak peek of Childrens Hospital season 5 and hear from the show's creative team, led by creator and star Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), executive producer Jonathan Stern (Burning Love, Newsreaders), and executive producer David Wain (The State, Wanderlust). They will be joined by members of the show's ensemble cast of comedic heavyweights, including Lake Bell (How to Make It in America), Erinn Hayes (Parenthood), Ken Marino (Party Down, The State), and Rob Huebel (Human Giant, The Descendants).

1:00PM – 2:00PM

Phineas and Ferb

Room 6A

"Mom! Phineas and Ferb are doing a Comic-Con panel again!" Join show creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, along with voice talent Vincent Martella (Everybody Hates Chris), Alyson Stoner (Camp Rock), Dee Bradley Baker (American Dad), and Olivia Olson (Adventure Time) for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what's to come for Disney Channel's hit animated series, including a sneak peek at this summer's epic crossover event Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel.

1:00PM – 2:00PM

Warner Archive Collection presents Attack of the Killer Bs

Room 24ABC

The movies you hate to admit you love-and the Warner Archive unabashedly adores- get their overdue marquee moment as panelists shine the spotlight on some of the very best of the B-movies-all those quirky and crazed sci-fi, horror, and action films that transcend their B-movie-ness to become permanent fixtures in our collective imaginations. From The Frozen Dead and The Green Slime to The Hand and The Beast with Five Fingers; from Joe Don Baker waging a one-man war in Mitchell to Peter Graves leading the 5-Man Army in an impossible gold train robbery; these B's (and many more) will get the TLC they greatly deserve as part of an hour-long discussion of B- movies and the reasons we love them. Join ever-informed, fan-centric WAC Podcast hosts George Feltenstein, Matthew Patterson, and D. W. Ferranti, super-critic Leonard Maltin, and Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (A History of Violence) as they delve into cinematic fun, revealing highlights from WAC’s upcoming slate of entertaining releases.

1:35PM – 2:30PM

AMC's The Walking Dead

Hall H

Series stars Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, David Morrissey, Scott Wilson, and Chad Coleman join executive producer and showrunner Scott Gimple, executive producer Robert Kirkman, executive producer Gale Anne Hurd, executive producer Dave Alpert, and special effects makeup supervisor and executive producer Greg Nicotero in a panel moderated by Chris Hardwick (The Nerdist, Talking Dead). The panelists will discuss the record-breaking third season of The Walking Dead and what to look forward to in season 4, debuting this fall on AMC. Join the panelists for a one-on-one Q&A session and an official sneak preview of season 4.

1:40PM – 2:15PM

[adult swim]: NTSF:SD:SUV::

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

See a sneak peek of NTSF:SD:SUV:: season 3 and hear from the show's creative team, led by creator and starPaul Scheer (The League), executive producer Jonathan Stern (Childrens Hospital, Newsreaders), and consulting producer Curtis Gwinn (Fat Guy Stuck in Internet). They will be joined by members of their ensemble cast, including Brandon Johnson (Funny or Die), June Diane Raphael (Burning Love, Ass Backwards), andMartin Starr (Party Down, Freaks and Geeks).

1:45PM – 2:45PM

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC

Ballroom 20

Jeph Loeb (Marvel's head of television), Joss Whedon (Marvel's The Avengers), and surprise guests reveal top-secret new information about the first live-action television series from the House of Ideas. No Comic-Con attendee can afford to miss this historic panel!

2:00PM – 3:00PM

Showrunners Documentary Film Panel: Showrunning: The Hardest Job in Entertainment?

Lyceum

Showrunners, a new documentary film that takes the audience behind the scenes, into the writers’ room and on set with candid interviews with 20 of today's top showrunners, presents an intimate discussion with the creators of your favorite TV shows! Tara DiLullo Bennett (Lost Encyclopedia, Fringe: Septembers Notebook) moderates a panel on the craft of running a television series with contributors featured in the documentary: Hart Hanson(Bones), Bill Prady (The Big Bang Theory), and Jane Espenson (Husbands, Once Upon A Time) plus others. The panel will also feature exclusive new footage from the film, which also includes Joss Whedon, J. J. Abrams, Ronald D. Moore, Damon Lindelof, and many more!

2:00PM – 3:00PM

Go Green! With the Lean, Mean, Ninja Team: Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

Room 6A

Check out Nick's latest mutation as executive producer Ciro Nieli (Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!) and Peter Hastings (Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness) discuss the upcoming finale for season 1, and get an exclusive look at what's in store for Season 2. Meet members of the incredible Ninja cast: Sean Astin(voice of Raphael), Greg Cipes (voice of Michelangelo), Rob Paulsen (voice of Donatello), Mae Whitman (voice of April O'Neil) and Kevin Michael Richardson (voice of Shredder). Stick around for the "unmasking" of a fan-favorite character. Moderated by Peter Hastings.

2:20PM – 3:20PM

The Casting Society of America Presents: The Casting Directors

Marriott Hall 2, Marriott Marquis & Marina

Moderated by Lora Kennedy (Warner Brothers, EVP, features casting; CD, Man of Steel). With a panel that includes Roger Mussenden (X-Men: Days of Future Past), Sharon Bialy (The Walking Dead), David Rapaport(Arrow), Randi Hiller (VP of casting for Walt Disney Studio, The Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor), these leading casting directors will give behind-the-scenes insight to the casting process.

2:30PM – 3:15PM

[adult swim]: The Eric Andre Show and Hot Package

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Adult Swim's late night hosts share the stage for a season preview and fan questions. Eric Andre (Don't Trust the B- in Apartment 23), host of the returning late night talk show The Eric Andre Show, and his sidekick Hannibal Buress (30 Rock, SNL) will be joined by Derrick Beckles (TV Carnage), host of the new live-action fictional Canadian entertainment program Hot Package.

2:30PM – 3:30PM

Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A Session

Hall H

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin, HBO's Game of Thrones concluded its 10-episode third season in June and will begin filming its fourth season this summer. The series, executive produced and written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, is an epic story of treachery and nobility, set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years. Featured cast include: (in alphabetical order): John Bradley as Samwell Tarly, Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister, Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark, Kit Harington as Jon Snow, Rose Leslie as Ygritte, and Richard Madden as Robb Stark. The panel will be moderated by Elvis Mitchell.

3:00PM – 4:00PM

Haven

Room 6DE

Emily Rose (ER), Lucas Bryant (MVP), Eric Balfour (24), and Adam Copeland (WWE superstar Edge) are joined by new cast member Colin Ferguson (Eureka) along with the creators, producers, and writers of the hit Syfy series.

3:00PM – 4:00PM

Mattel and DC Comics: A Celebration for Collectors of All Ages!

Room 25ABC

Mattel toy designers Ruben Martinez and Bill Benecke, the Mattel marketing team of Jessica Sikca andDanielle McLachlan, VP Warner Bros. consumer products Julian Montoya, VP creative services DC Entertainment Kevin Kiniry, a member of the Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) team, members of the Four Horsemen Toy Design Studios, and other surprise guests celebrate the Batman Classic TV Series andMan of Steel product lines, announce new product lines, reveal upcoming products, and give you a few special sneak peeks from the DC Comics and Batman toy lines. There will be a Q&A, a trivia game and an exciting toy giveaway for everyone who attends!

3:00PM – 4:00PM

The Following Special Video Presentation and Q&A

Ballroom 20

Hit thriller The Following returns to Comic-Con for a second year, this time bringing the bacon to Ballroom 20. Series stars Kevin Bacon (Mystic River), Shawn Ashmore (X- Men: The Last Stand) and Valorie Curry (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2) join creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson (Scream) and executive producer Marcos Siega (The Vampire Diaries) for a Q&A and video presentation.Season 1 left a number of casualties in its wake, including Jacob's emotional killing of Paul, the kidnapping of Agent Parker that ended in her death, and Emma's murder of Jacob. The explosive finale featured the highly anticipated face-off between Ryan and Carroll, ending in Carroll's ultimate demise and leaving Ryan's true love, Claire, hanging on for her life. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Outerbanks Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television, The Following's second season premieres midseason on FOX.

3:15PM – 4:00PM

[adult swim]: Robot Chicken

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Co-creators/executive producers Seth Green and Matthew Senreich are joined by co-head writer/executive producer Tom Root, actor/writer Breckin Meyer, and writer Matthew Beans to discuss the Emmy-winning series. Get a sneak peek and get your questions answered about the upcoming new season and the next Robot Chicken DC Comics Special. Keith Crofford, vice president of production for Adult Swim, moderates.

3:15PM – 4:15PM

Marvel: Cup O' Joe

Room 6BCF

Here is your chance to Q&A with Marvel's chief creative officer Joe Quesada, for this no-holds-barred exposé on everything Marvel. Got a question about a favorite hero? Want to hear groundbreaking news straight from the source? Need a rundown on breaking developments in Marvel comics, film, and TV? This panel is for you! Plus, don't miss out on the exciting developments in the biggest new series of the year, Guardians of the Galaxy!Featuring panelists editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, talent scout C. B. Cebulski, David Gabriel (SVP, print and digital publishing), writers Rick Remender (Uncanny Avengers) and Brian Michael Bendis (Guardians of the Galaxy), and some other Mighty Marvel guests!

3:25PM – 4:00PM

Sleepy Hollow

Room 6A

Executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (Star Trek, Fringe, Spider-Man 2) and Len Wiseman(Underworld, Total Recall) unveil their highly anticipated project with an exclusive world premiere screening of the pilot, followed by a Q&A with fans featuring series lead Tom Mison (Parade's End) and Nicole Beharie (42, Shame).

3:30PM – 4:30PM

The Long and Winding Trek: Living Long and Propsering - From 'The Cage' to Darkness

Room 24ABC

Get ready to boldly go as this panel of ultimate Treksperts discuss the past, present, and future of the Star Trekfranchise as it comes out of Darkness and boldly heads toward its 50th anniversary in 2016. What can we expect in the next sequel? Will a new television series warp onto the airwaves soon? And who will play Janet Lester? Inspired by the bestselling cover story in GEEK magazine, Scott Mantz (chief film critic, Access Hollywood),David A. Goodman (Futurama, Federation: The First 150 Years, Star Trek: Enterprise), Robert Meyer Burnett(ST: TNG Blu-ray Special Editions), and moderator Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise, Femme Fatales) are joined by a few special surprise guests.

3:45PM – 4:45PM

Almost Human Pilot Screening and Q&A

Ballroom 20

In the near future, technology and crime will increase so quickly that law enforcement will not be able to keep up. To maintain order and keep the public safe, all police officers must partner with highly evolved human-like-androids known as synthetics. From creator J. H. Wyman (Fringe) and J. J. Abrams's Bad Robot Productions,Almost Human tells the story of Detective John Kennex and his synthetic partner Dorian, who must learn to work together in order to survive. Attendees will see a screening of the complete pilot episode, followed by a Q&A with series stars and producers. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Almost Human premieres this fall on FOX.

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Bob's Burgers

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Creator and executive producer Loren Bouchard, executive producer Jim Dauterive, and the always entertaining cast including H. Jon Benjamin, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman, John Roberts, Kristen Schaal, andLarry Murphy will be serving up hilarious never-before-seen footage followed by a Q&A.

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Sony & Screen Gems

Hall H

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 -- You remember Sony Pictures Animation's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs -- Flint Lockwood invented a machine that turned water into food, and it worked, but it also unleashed a dangerously delicious tsunami of food weather and Flint was forced to destroy it. Or so he thought...In Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, the adventure and fun continue when Flint discovers that his old invention is still working and is now creating new food-animal hybrids -- foodimals! Come join stars Anna Faris and Terry Crews along with directors Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, to get a taste of this new animated movie from Sony Pictures Animation.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones -- Set in contemporary New York City, a seemingly ordinary teenager, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), discovers she is the descendant of a line of Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of half-angel warriors locked in an ancient battle to protect our world from demons. After the disappearance of her mother (Lena Headey), Clary must join forces with a group of Shadowhunters, who introduce her to a dangerous alternate New York called Downworld, filled with demons, warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures. Based on the worldwide best-selling book series. Please join best- selling author, Cassandra Clare, along with the film's director Harald Zwart and stars Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehanand Kevin Zegers for a first look at exciting new footage and discussion of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.

RoboCop-- In RoboCop, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years -- and it's meant billions for OmniCorp's bottom line. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit -- is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine pursuing justice. Join stars Joel Kinnaman, Abbie Cornish, and Samuel L. Jackson along with director José Padilha for insight into this eagerly awaited movie.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 -- Last year, Andrew Garfield, along with director Marc Webb and producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach, launched a new chapter in the Peter Parker story with The Amazing Spider-Man. With a new installment in the franchise due in 2014, join us in Hall H for one of Comic-Con's most highly anticipated panels to hear a bit about what awaits Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.…

4:15PM – 5:15PM

Falling Skies

Room 6BCF

TNT's Falling Skies, which last year ranked as basic cable's #1 summer drama among young adults, tells the extraordinary story about life and survival in the wake of a catastrophic alien invasion. Stars Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Collin Cunningham, Sarah Carter, Conner Jessup, and Doug Jonesare on hand for a Q&A session, along with executive producers Remi Aubuchon and Greg Beeman. In addition, fans will get to enjoy exclusive, never-before-seen footage from the upcoming third season. Wil Wheaton serves as the moderator.

4:30PM – 5:30PM

The Paranormal and Extraterrestrial Squad Screening and Q&A

Room 5AB

A new digital series from Divide Pictures and CW Seed (The CW Network's digital studio) for CWTV.com, The Paranormal and Extraterrestrial Squad chronicles the misadventures of a ragtag group of ex-community college students as they search for paranormal and extraterrestrial (PET) activity. Join DiVide Pictures producers Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) and Russ Cundiff (Ultradome), along with writers/directors/actors John Dale (Funny or Die) and Michael Hobert (Scrubs), as they present new episodes and answer fan questions.

4:55PM – 5:30PM

Archer: Screening and Q&A

Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

Archer is an animated comedy that revolves around the International Secret Intelligence Service (ISIS) and its employees, who use every covert operation and global crisis as another excuse to undermine, sabotage, and betray each other for personal gain. The voice cast of H. Jon Benjamin (Bob's Burgers), Aisha Tyler (The Talk), Chris Parnell (30 Rock), Judy Greer (Arrested Development), Amber Nash (Frisky Dingo), and Lucky Yates (Good Eats), along with executive producers Adam Reed (Sealab 2021) and Matt Thompson (Sealab 2021), discuss bringing this animated series to life.

5:00PM – 6:00PM

[adult swim]: China, IL

Room 25ABC

Creator and executive producer Brad Neely and executive producer Daniel Weidenfeld discuss the second season of the animated series China, IL, which will air this fall. They will be joined by cast member Hannibal Buress (30 Rock, SNL). Moderated by Jonah Ray (The Meltdown, The Nerdist).

5:15PM – 6:00PM

TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites

Ballroom 20

TV Guide magazine returns to San Diego for its annual all-star panel. Moderated by president/editor-in-chiefDebra Birnbaum, Fan Favorites brings together stars from TV's hottest shows for a lively discussion filled with behind-the-scenes scoop. Panelists (subject to change) include Candice Accola (The Vampire Diaries), Kristin Bauer (True Blood), Katie Cassidy (Arrow), Henry Ian Cusick (The 100), Giancarlo Esposito (Revolution),Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead), Tyler Hoechlin (Teen Wolf), Joseph Morgan (The Originals), Yvonne Strahovski (Dexter), and others.

5:30PM – 6:00PM

Making Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary

Room 6BCF

The making of Who Framed Roger Rabbit is revealed with a world class panel of animators led by legendary producer Don Hahn and featuring a special appearance by the voice of Roger Rabbit himself, Charles Fleisher. The panel includes animation masters Andreas Deja and James Baxter, animator/writer/historian Tom Sito, and special effx wizard Dave Bossert, along with incredible clips and stories from the making of this classic film.

5:45PM – 6:45PM

All Hail Vikings

Room 6A

HISTORY's Vikings cast triumphantly storms the stage here: Travis Fimmel (Ragnar), Katheryn Winnick(Lagertha), George Blagden (Athelstan), Jessalyn Gilsig (Siggy), Gustaf Skarsgård (Floki), and Clive Standen (Rollo), along with writer/creator Michael Hirst, and Dirk Hoogstra (EVP and general manager, HISTORY & H2). Don't miss this star-studded event filled with Season 2 teasers.

6:00PM – 7:00PM

Brickleberry

Room 25ABC

Creators and executive producers Waco O'Guin and Roger Black, executive producer Zac Moncrief, and actors David Herman (Office Space), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Jerry Minor (Anchorman) andNatasha Leggero (Community, Burning Love) will be on hand to premiere a hysterical episode from its second season, followed by a Q&A panel discussion.

6:00PM – 7:00PM

Dark Horse: Joss Whedon

Ballroom 20

Joss Whedon has rewarded fans the world over with some of the most compelling characters and plotlines in the history of comics, television, and movies. Here's your chance to find out what he has in store next, and get exclusive insight into Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity, and much more!

6:30PM – 7:00PM

At the Drive-In Featuring Metallica

Hall H

Join all four members of Metallica, one of the most influential rock bands in history -- James Hetfield (vocals, guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Kirk Hammett (guitar, background vocals), and Robert Trujillo (bass, background vocals) -- along with director/writer Nimród Antal (Kontroll) and producer Charlotte Huggins (Journey to the Center of the Earth) for the world premiere of the theatrical trailer, poster, and an exclusive preview of footage, followed by a discussion on the making of this groundbreaking 3D motion picture. Metallica Through the Neverstars Metallica and rising star Dane DeHaan (The Amazing Spider- Man 2) and combines a bold narrative and a spectacular never-before-seen live performance of the band's most iconic songs created exclusively for the film, which will be released by Picturehouse in North America on September 27, exclusively in over 300 IMAX 3D Theatres, and will expand into additional theaters on October 4.

6:30PM – 7:10PM

BBC America's Orphan Black

Room 7AB

"There's no better special effect on television right now than Tatiana Maslany playing a variety of clones," saysEntertainment Weekly. The stars of BBC America's Orphan Black -- Critics' Choice Best Actress winner Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce and co-creators Graeme Manson and John Fawcett -- discuss the first season of the critically acclaimed clone thriller. Smart, sexy, and pulsating with suspense, the series begins with Sarah (Maslany), a punk outsider and orphan whose life changes dramatically after witnessing the suicide of a woman, "Beth," who looks just like her. Sarah takes Beth's identity, boyfriend, and money. But instead of solving her problems, the street-smart chameleon is thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. She makes the dizzying discovery that she and the dead woman are clones...but are they the only ones? Sarah quickly finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy, racing to find answers.

7:00PM – 8:00PM

Drew Struzan: The Man Behind the Poster

Room 4

Movie poster artist Drew Struzan (creator of the Star Wars, Back to the Future, and Indiana Jones movie posters) is joined by celebrity guests and the film crew behind the documentary feature film about his career, set to premiere this summer. Enjoy movie clips, poster giveaways, and free movie tickets.

7:00PM – 8:00PM

Banshee

Room 6A

Welcome to Banshee, Pennsylvania-a small town with big secrets. Cinemax's Banshee is centered around an ex-con and master thief who assumes the identity of the sheriff of Banshee, PA, where he continues his criminal activities, even as he's hunted by the shadowy gangsters he betrayed years earlier. Executive producer Greg Yaitanes (House, Lost),writer/executive producer Jonathan Tropper (This is Where I Leave You),and cast members Antony Starr (Rush), Ivana Mili?evi? (Casino Royale, Mind of the Married Man), Lili Simmons (Las Vegas), and Hoon Lee (Premium Rush) will discuss the addictive first season. Join the panelists as they discuss their experience working in one of America's most crooked fictional small towns, conduct an audience Q&A session, and debut an official sneak preview of season 2. Moderated by John Rogers (Leverage, Blue Beetlecomic series, Dungeons & Dragons comic series).

7:30PM – 8:30PM

World Premiere of Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

Ballroom 20

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation invite you to be the first to experience Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, the highly anticipated next entry in the ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original Movies. When time travel allows a past wrong to be righted for Flash and his family, the event's temporal ripples prove disastrous, creating a fractured alternate reality where the Justice League never formed, and even Superman is nowhere to be found. Amidst a new world being ravaged by a fierce war between Wonder Woman's Amazons and Aquaman's Atlanteans, Flash must team with a grittier, more violent Batman and government agent Cyborg to restore the continuity of Flash's original timeline. Come for the film, but stay for the star-studded panel that features Grey's Anatomy stars Justin Chambers and Kevin McKidd as Flash and Batman, respectively, along with C. Thomas Howell (Southland), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride),Sam Daly (The Daly Show), and a few surprise voice cast members, plus the filmmaking team of producerJames Tucker (Superman: Unbound), director Jay Oliva (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), dialogue directorAndrea Romano (Batman: The Dark Knight Returns), screenwriter Jim Krieg (Green Lantern: The Animated Series), and character designer Phil Bourassa (Young Justice). Moderator Gary Miereanu will add to the fun with a special announcement of the 2014 DCU movie slate, as well as exclusive, cast-autographed prizes for a few lucky fans. Based on the landmark mini-series by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox will be available as a digital download on July 19 and a Blu-ray Combo Pack on July 30.

7:45PM – 8:25PM

Your Opinion Sucks! Rotten Tomatoes Critics vs. Fans

Room 8

Face off with your favorite Rotten Tomatoes critics such as Leonard Maltin (Badass Film Critic and historian),Ben Lyons (Extra), and Scott Mantz (Access Hollywood) when they join editor-in-chief Matt Atchity and senior editor Grae Drake of Rotten Tomatoes along with their editorial team. As Matt and Grae name popular movies of 2012 and 2013, everyone in the room uses their "Personal Tomatometer Paddle" to dis/agree with the score-and debate questions such as "Do reviews even matter anymore?" Courageous members of the audience who openly debate their opinion with the critics receive super cool prizes! Remember: Fortune favors the bold. The panel will be broadcast on Rotten Tomatoes Radio on SiriusXM.

8:00PM – 9:00PM

Hey, remember earlier when we mentioned that Adult Swim's Comic Con announcement hopefully meant Cartoon Network's own plans for SDCC would be revealed soon? Well, we were right! And to give you a clue as to what CN has in store for fans attending the San Diego-set convention next month, we advise you to "c'mon and grab your friend," as Adventure Time will be one of the panels featured, and those of us who especially love the Ice King - I maintain that he's really just lonely and misunderstood, despite being surrounded by adoring penguins - will likely appreciate the replica of the Ice King's castle, which will be set up at the Adventure Time-themed booth on the convention floor.

Last year, Adventure Time fans were sent on a Comic Con quest, which sent them around to various booths. This year, Cartoon Network says fans will again have the opportunity to collect exclusive Comic Con giveaways including five different Adventure Time buttons. It's opportunities like these that make it really tempting to abandon whatever insane schedule I have planned for SDCC and spend as much time on the floor collecting buttons and other loot. Alas, that's not an option for me, but it might be for you! I'll settle for enjoying Adventure Time on Netflix and hoping for the chance to check out the castle on the convention floor. Long live Ice King!

If you're a fan of The Regular Show and you're attending Comic Con, you might want to head across the street from the Convention Center to where the Cartoon Network has joined forces for a second year with the New Children's Museum of San Diego. They're offering a unique immersive experience, as they'll be transforming the museum into a Regular Show Regular Zone, which is described as a "sensory feast complete with nostalgic 80's arcade games, Regular Show inspired video games and groovy neon lighting.

As for the panels, Cartoon Network's panels kick off Thursday with MAD and Annoying Orange. On Friday, Adventure Time and Regular Show will get back-to-back panels over at the HIlton Bayfront. Other shows to be featured in panels are Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe, Clarence, Beware the Batman, Teen Titans Go! and Ben 10: Omniverse. Check out the full schedule below.

Keep up to date with our Comic Con coverage here.

Netflix is getting a lot more fun with its latest crop of new additions.

Adventure Time! Come on and grab your friends…

As previously announced, the streaming video subscription service has secured deals with Turner's Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, which means Adventure Time, Robot Chicken, Regular Show and a number of other great animated and live-action series are now available to streaming subscribers. The announcement also included word that the first season of TNT's Dallas is now available streaming.

Pause for a second to do a little dance!

Effective April 1 - this is no April Fools' joke - Netflix has announced that they are now streaming past seasons of Adventure Time, Ben 10, Regular Show, Johnny Bravo and Warner Bros. Animation's Green Lantern. They've also added Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sony Pictures Television's The Boondocks and WBTVG's Studio 2.0's Childrens Hospital.

Before you start panicking, trying to figure how how you're going to watch all of these shows at once, it looks like - for most of them - only the first seasons of each are available. Childrens Hospital's first two seasons are available. That's still hours of great new content for Netflix subscribers. I've personally wanted to check out Regular Show, which is frequently advertised during Adventure Time on Cartoon Network. And hopefully we'll see the service start rolling out later seasons of the series going forward.

This news is so exciting, it might make you want to puncha-yo-buns!

Netflix is always working to bring new streaming content to the table and on Monday, the home entertainment company announced it has worked out a deal for complete seasons of Cartoon Network, Warner Bros. Animation, and Adult Swim. Additionally, just to shake things up a bit, fans will also be treated to episodes of TNT’s Dallas.

The list of new shows headed to Netflix is fairly lengthy, and quite frankly, animated fans should rejoice. Cartoon Network fodder that is joining the lineup includes Adventure Time, Ben 10, Johnny Bravo, and the Regular Show. Plus, Warner Bros. Animation’s Green Lantern will also get a chance to shine on Netflix’s streaming service. Adult Swim will bring episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Boondocks, Children’s Hospital, and Robot Chicken to the table. In short, there will be plenty of animated fodder to watch.

The bad news is that licensing agreements are complicated, and we still have a while to wait before all of the new programs become part of the streaming service. All of the animated programming won’t hit Netflix until March 30, 2013. Additionally, Dallas might as well not have been announced at this juncture, since it won’t be available to view until January 2014. Luckily, when Dallas does show up, both Season 1 and Season 2 of the hit TNT drama will be available in full. “Complete past seasons” of the other series will be made available, but “complete seasons” doesn’t necessarily imply “most seasons,” although I’m hoping that the programs that have run for a shorter amount of time will be available in full. Stay tuned for more information.

WayForward Technologies has completed the first gameplay trailer for Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!. The game, based on a Cartoon Network animated series, is definitely drawing inspiration from the 8-bit era.

Adventure Time stars Finn, a young man with a heroic streak. His constant companion is Jake, a dog with a variety of special powers. Jake rides around on Finn's back and performs special moves to defeat enemies.

The gameplay seems modeled on Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Players travel between key locations on a top-down overland map with wandering monsters. When the player enters an area with enemies, the game switches to a 2D side-scrolling style.

There's no shortage of Zelda clones out there, to be sure. However, it does feel like Zelda 2 clones are much more rare. Its deviations from the first Zelda's gameplay led to some hatin'. Whether it was as good as the first game is debatable but it's still a good game nonetheless. It's a fine model for Adventure Time to use, in other words.

Adventure Time will debut on the 3DS on October 23rd.

"It's Adventure Time! C'mon grab your friends. We'll go to very distant lands…" Those Adventure Time fans who are grabbing their friends and heading off to Comic Con in San Diego (next week!) may want to get involved in Cartoon Network's first-ever Adventure Time Comic-Con Quest. Get a map. Visit the booths. Get a prize. Sounds like an adventure fit for Finn the Human and Jake the Dog!

If you're attending Comic-Con in San Diego next week, and wish to participate in the Adventure Time Comic-Con Quest, be sure to visit the Cartoon Network booth (#3735), where you can pick up a custom map that lays out the journey. Participants must visit all of the stops on the map to get a custom stamp from each location. Once they have all 10 stamps, they can return to the Cartoon Network booth to receive a reward. Cartoon Network doesn't specify what the reward is, other than by saying it's "an exclusive, custom award fit for a victor." So basically, it's something amazing. Probably. Supplies are limited, so if you want in on this, it'd probably be a good idea to get started as soon as you can.

Even if you don't manage to get all of the stamps, it sounds like the map is also an Adventure Time treasure map of sorts, as it leads fans throughout the floor to the various booths carrying Adventure Time merchandise. Is it too soon to stock up on a 2013 calendar? Because there's a booth selling one! In the market for a USB drive with Finn, Jake or Princess Bubblegum on it? There's a booth selling those too. Rather than scouring the massive floor looking for AT items, it sounds like the Quest will send you in the right direction.

Here's the list of participating booths and what they have...

Adventure Time Mad Libs! Adventure Time wallets. Adventure Time posters!

Just yesterday, while babysitting my nephews, I had my first experience with Adventure Time, a show they give the same kind of blank-faced focus I once exercised in my own youth, during Saturday mornings when TV became a virtual buffet of animated content (this was before Netflix and whole channels dedicated to cartoons, kids). My sister tells me her husband is also a fan of this animated series, which follows a boy and his best friend Jake (a dog with special powers) and their adventures in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo. With my admittedly limited attention to cartoons these days, had it not been for watching my small nephews stare intently at the TV while this strange series played on the television in front of them, I might have missed it among the list of panels set to be featured for Cartoon Network at Comic Con this year.

The AT panel actually sounds like a lot of fun. Mentioned in the description, "There will be singing, live readings, lots of exclusive clips and other mathematical surprises!" Who'd want to miss that?

Adventure Time isn't the only series set to make an appearance at Comic Con this year for Cartoon Network. Also on the list is How to Train Your Dragon's TV sequel Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk, the MAD animated series, and Star Wars: Clone Wars, among others. Check out the schedule below, which includes the rooms. It looks like 6A will play host to a number of Cartoon Network's panels this year.