The Top Ten Animated Series of All Time

Honorable Mentions

Tiny Toon Adventures – The first of many “Steven Spielberg Presents” animated series, Tiny Toons was a fantastic throwback to Looney Tunes of old while giving it a modern relatable edge. Spielberg would go on to be connected to many great children’s shows of the 90s but Tiny Toons was the first.
Winnie the Pooh (Various Series) – It’s Pooh bear! Anyone born from the 80s onward most likely watched some form of Winnie the Pooh. Fantastic animation, voice acting, and a touchstone for most children’s lives.
Dragon Ball Z – The first mainstream exposure American audiences got to anime. While seen by most hardcore anime purists as less than exceptional, there’s no doubt that many fans of anime today owe a lot to Dragon Ball Z paving the way into many American homes.

10. Scooby Doo

With 10+ series, 24 direct to DVD movies, and two live action films, Scooby Doo has cemented its place in pulp culture. Now approaching its 50th anniversary, Scooby and those pesky kids have been solving crimes and staying groovy with baby boomers all the way through millennials and shows no signs of slowing down.

Hanna-Barbera

9. The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show

Dudley Doo-Right, George of the Jungle, Mr. Peabody and Sherman, these are just some of the series linked intrinsically with The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show. While the show was known by several names, the adventures of Rocky the flying squirrel and Bullwinkle the dimwitted moose had an impact on pop culture and animation that would be felt for years to come. From its inane and tongue in cheek sense of humor, multi-part storylines, and constant call backs, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show was fun for kids and adults alike.

Jay Ward Productions

8. The Bugs Bunny Show

“And oh what heights we’ll hit, on with the show this is it.” To many of us these words were our signal that great comedy was about to happen. Several variations of The Bugs Bunny Show existed over a forty year period. Over those forty years generations of us sat watching Bugs and Daffy.

Warner Bros.

7. Avatar: The Last Airbender

It’s been called the Breaking Bad of animation, mostly by me but still it’s a great show. Fantastic characters, amazing action, and well-written stories, The Last Airbender was a show with purpose. With only three seasons, where so many shows would try to drag things out and squeeze every penny out of a popular property, Avatar had a plan and kept to it. If your only exposure to this universe is the god awful M. Night film, do yourself a favor and watch this modern classic.

Nickelodeon

6. Ducktales

“Ducktales!!! ____________”

You just did the “woohoohoo!” part the didn’t you? Don’t deny it. With one of the most recognizable, smile inducing theme songs of all time, Ducktales had to be on any comprehensive list of the top animated series, not to mention it was a Disney show in the late eighties/early nineties. The success of the show led to Darkwing Duck, Chip ‘n Dale’s Rescue Rangers, and Talespin to just name a few. Disney’s afternoon kids shows were some of the best animation of their time and the crown jewel was Ducktales.

Walt Disney Studios

5. Ren and Stimpy

Weird, irreverant, a little offensive, these words and more could be used to describe the #5 spot’s Ren and Stimpy. While not as long lasting as many other entries on this list, they were one of the first cross-over cartoons. A show that adults could thoroughly enjoy as well as children. From these beginnings sprang such modern shows as Spongebob Squarepants and Adventure Time. What at the time was a risky, sometimes controversial, show has given birth to gigantic pop culture icons of today.

Nickelodeon

4. South Park

The smartest dumb show … The dumbest smart show … Many things could be said of Matt Parker and Trey Stone’s brilliant work on South Park, with an amazing mish-mash of relevant pop culture, topical news references, and low-brow humor. South Park has become what Saturday Night Live once prided itself on being: a biting parody and satire of popular culture and topical news. If they can keep the same quality up throughout the rest of their tenure it’s very likely their spot on this list will keep rising.

Comedy Central

3. The Flintstones

How could we do any list of the best animated series without this old standard? The Flintstones continue to be known by people all over the world, both young and old. While not groundbreaking in its content, the show was a television milestone. Both in pop culture penetration and making animation for both children and adults. Without The Flintstones you have no Simpsons, no Family Guy. The impact by this show is felt to this very day.

Hanna-Barbera

2. The Simpsons

While it’s long outlasted its cultural relevance, The Simpsons is to animation what Seinfeld is to live action: a pinnacle of creativity + mass appeal. With jokes for the masses, references for the fanboys, and literary/mathematical jokes for the Harvard crowd, a perfect blend of low brow and high brow, and a level of quotability never seen before or since, The Simpsons was and for the most part still is an epic achievement in animation.

FOX Television

1. Batman: The Animated Series

The mood … the music … the animation … The Batman! Batman: The Animated Series is widely hailed as one of the best, most artistic animated series of all time. From its dark palette to its great stories, BTAS stands as a testament to animation. Considered by many as the best, truest interpretation of Batman, it was a show that didn’t speak down to its audience and offered both fun adventures as well as darker mysteries.