I still say the first 5 seasons of Family Guy were when it was at its best. There are some funny/good episodes after that, like the Star Wars ones, and And Then There Were Fewer (the Clue 2-parter), and imo a lot of the ones where we follow Carter.
Though American Dad is still leagues better imo. It's a little more absurd, but it's a better fit for the stories they want to tell there.
The local PBS station carried a science show called Newton's Apple. Not only was the content amazing to a nerdy kid, the theme song was way too cool for a PBS show.
Reruns/syndication. I don't think I watched much of either as they originally aired, not old enough yet or not alive in the case of MSW. We just had free antennae channels, so weeknight evenings were lots of syndicated shows.
MASH was another common one but I didn't like it as much. I found Alan Alda annoying and the Klinger schtick weird.
A second is really hard to pick though. There’s so many great kids shows from that time, if I picked one it would just be at random.
Maybe Rocko’s Modern Life, because the absurdity of it stands out more than many others.
Out of Animaniacs, Scooby Doo, Power Rangers, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, Angry Beavers, Road Rovers, Rugrats, CatDog, Hey Arnold, The Wild Thornberrys, SpongeBob (Seasons 1-3), Arthur, Little Bear, Cow and Chicken, Ren and Stimpy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed Edd n Eddy, Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Fairly Oddparents, Jimmy Neutron, Reboot...
If I had to narrow those down, I'd say Animaniacs and Grim Adventures but damn it's really hard to choose just two.
Well, I was pretty big into Magic School Bus for a while when I was still of the age to be watching that sorta thing, as in I had some VHS tapes of that show, and tbh its animation still holds up really well 30+ years on (RIP Nelvana unless things change for the better for them; they're pretty much a licensing company now for the time being), and oh, for davidgro, this was another PBS show that had a banger theme song, made by the late Little Richard, and I remember liking Clifford and Arthur well enough too.
Rugrats was also one of my earliest memories in this regard and I liked it a lot too, and it's also really cute looking back onto it as well.
Strange Hill High, a really unique but short lived show which blew my mind.
Honourable Mentions:
Now, one of my most watched TV shows as a kid was Arthur because my parents insisted on showing it to me a lot. It's fine but not my favourite. Music is banging. [also wtf - it went on until 2022???]
Also Spectacular Spiderman would edge out a place in top 2, but I only saw that as an adult or late teenager. You can binge it all in about a week and rewatch every year because the episodes are so concise, but it's absolutely banging. (Full episodes supposedly on YouTube or Disney+)
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
3-2-1 Contact
David the Gnome
Contact! Let's make CONNN-tact!
Simpsons and In Living Color (I was a latchkey kid)
Justice League and Justice League Unlimited
Futurama and ATLA
Futurama isn't exactly what I would let my kids watch, but ok.
Sure, but it's way less raunchy or suggestive than Family Guy.
Usually.
Modern Family Guy especially.
I still say the first 5 seasons of Family Guy were when it was at its best. There are some funny/good episodes after that, like the Star Wars ones, and And Then There Were Fewer (the Clue 2-parter), and imo a lot of the ones where we follow Carter.
Though American Dad is still leagues better imo. It's a little more absurd, but it's a better fit for the stories they want to tell there.
The episodes after Brian got killed and resurrected have gone off the deep end in terms of being outright sadistic, though.
What were yours?
I think it's gotta be Arthur and Rugrats
Solid choices
The local PBS station carried a science show called Newton's Apple. Not only was the content amazing to a nerdy kid, the theme song was way too cool for a PBS show.
That and Animaniacs.
Pokémon (grew up with seasons one to four)
The Angry Beavers
Zaboomafoo, Dragon Ball
Loved Zabu!
Star Trek: Voyager and Murder, She Wrote
WOW! Decades apart!
Reruns/syndication. I don't think I watched much of either as they originally aired, not old enough yet or not alive in the case of MSW. We just had free antennae channels, so weeknight evenings were lots of syndicated shows.
MASH was another common one but I didn't like it as much. I found Alan Alda annoying and the Klinger schtick weird.
X-Men
A second is really hard to pick though. There’s so many great kids shows from that time, if I picked one it would just be at random. Maybe Rocko’s Modern Life, because the absurdity of it stands out more than many others.
Thundercats and Silver hawks. I loved those shows!
The Racoons
MASH
Original power rangers, samurai pizza cats.
Spongebob and Fairly Odd Parents. I still watch it to this day
Buffy. Not exactly a kid show, but I was a kid when I watched it ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Andy Griffith Show
Bugs Bunny/ Looney Tunes cartoons
When I was sick I got to watch reruns of Andy, Dukes of Hazard, and I love Lucy.
He-Man on Saturday morning, and Alf during prime time!
No problem!
Ghostwriter and Sailor Moon!
Whatever reruns were playing on the channel we had... Beggars can't be choosers (though I note, some beggars are quite choosey - odd).
When I was an actual kid, I liked Marlin Perkins Rearranging the Animals
When my baby sister was a kid I liked Electric Company
When my babies were kids I liked Blues Clues
And I'll always have a hug for a muppet, Sesame Street or otherwise.
While 6 yr old me and 16 year old me w of uld have wildly different opinions, the most significant 2 that I still love today as much as back then are:
The Simpsons, and Batman the Animated Series
Many things I've seen since then can't top those two.
Out of Animaniacs, Scooby Doo, Power Rangers, Dexter's Lab, Powerpuff Girls, Johnny Bravo, Angry Beavers, Road Rovers, Rugrats, CatDog, Hey Arnold, The Wild Thornberrys, SpongeBob (Seasons 1-3), Arthur, Little Bear, Cow and Chicken, Ren and Stimpy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed Edd n Eddy, Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Fairly Oddparents, Jimmy Neutron, Reboot...
If I had to narrow those down, I'd say Animaniacs and Grim Adventures but damn it's really hard to choose just two.
Simpsons
Anything from golden age Cartoon Network (dexter, coward the dog etc)
Scooby and Thundarr the Barbarian
I remember the little peanut creatures!
Well, I was pretty big into Magic School Bus for a while when I was still of the age to be watching that sorta thing, as in I had some VHS tapes of that show, and tbh its animation still holds up really well 30+ years on (RIP Nelvana unless things change for the better for them; they're pretty much a licensing company now for the time being), and oh, for davidgro, this was another PBS show that had a banger theme song, made by the late Little Richard, and I remember liking Clifford and Arthur well enough too.
Rugrats was also one of my earliest memories in this regard and I liked it a lot too, and it's also really cute looking back onto it as well.
A-team and Star Treck TOS.
Both on BW actually.
That shows my age i guess.
Hard to choose to be honest… but Avatar for sure. And maybe Powerpuff Girls? Kenan & Kel? Mythbusters (if it counts?)?
I was a hardcore Thomas the tank engine nerd.
And Theodore Tugboat.
Slayers and Reboot
Arthur
Mr Rogers
(Barney, but don't tell anyone)
🎶Reading-rain-bow🎵
Chocky - 1980s UK kids sci-fi shows.
Ulysses 31
Candle Cove
I still can't believe my parents let me watch this.
can't remember if this is accurate but
League of Super Evil comes to mind (canadian show btw, which is interesting)
And
Strange Hill High, a really unique but short lived show which blew my mind.
Honourable Mentions:
Now, one of my most watched TV shows as a kid was Arthur because my parents insisted on showing it to me a lot. It's fine but not my favourite. Music is banging. [also wtf - it went on until 2022???]
Also Spectacular Spiderman would edge out a place in top 2, but I only saw that as an adult or late teenager. You can binge it all in about a week and rewatch every year because the episodes are so concise, but it's absolutely banging. (Full episodes supposedly on YouTube or Disney+)
Miraculous
Ritter hoch 3
Mr. Dress-up (with Casey and Finnigan) and The Friendly Giant (with Rusty the Rooster and Jerome the Giraffe).