From seemingly tame shows like Barney & Friends to the obscure CatDog to the hilariously obscene Family Guy, there are many shows and cartoons from the '90s that we have been witness to! Whether you have seen every episode, memorized every line, cringed at the foul jokes, or turned them off immediately, these television shows have made an impact on our culture today.
Here is a selection of television shows and cartoons that you may have loved or hated from the '90s. Whether you watched them or not, we're guessing you're glad that your kids don't watch them today!
Image via nick.com
The Ren & Stimpy Show
The Ren & Stimpy Show premiered on kids network Nickelodeon and featured a crazed chihuahua and a dumb cat. The show gained a cult following and was definitely not kid-friendly, as the humor was adult-based and off-color.
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The Simpsons
Laugh-out-loud adult humor, yes, but no one wants their kid to grow up to be like Bart Simpson, a smart-mouthed, snarky kid who seems to know it all. And who wants to teach their kid to be like Duff beer drinker Homer Simpson — D'oh?!
Barney & Friends
Big purple dinosaur singing, "I love you, you love me." Is there any wonder why Barney got such a bad rap? Of course, if you were a '90s mom and needed a break, you could plop your kid in front of the TV for a few solid minutes of (mind-numbing) peace!
Beavis and Butt-Head
Remember that cackling "eh-eh-ehhh-ehhhh," their head-banging ways, fart jokes, and insinuations of drug use? Beavis and Butt-Head may have been hilarious back then, but we moms would cringe if our kids emulated these heavy metal punks today.
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Caillou
While Caillou offered some nice lessons in parenting starting with its first episode in 1997, the 4-year-old tyke was a bit of a whiner. His mother though … if we could only be as patient and as kind as she was every episode!
Teletubbies
I still cringe when I think of all the hours I let my little ones watch the Teletubbies. A character named Tinky Winky? Noo Noo the vacuum? Making burnt toast? A baby rising like the sun? The only communication between these strange aliens consisting of the word "eh-oh"? What was this show all about?
SpongeBob SquarePants
Seriously, you have to wonder what goes on in the mind of someone who creates a yellow sponge fellow living under the sea in a pineapple with a pet snail named Gary and a best friend who is a starfish and works as a fry cook in a place called The Krusty Krab. In a city called Bikini Bottom. Adults and kids alike love the show though. And the opening theme song is quite catchy! Are you ready?
Pinky and the Brain
Pinky and the Brain is another one of those shows where there's a smart one and a dumb one — two genetically enhanced laboratory mice trying to take over the world, but mishaps in every episode prevent them from doing so. Brain is the evil-minded deviant; Pink is feeble and naive, so of course, nothing ever gets accomplished.
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Rugrats
One word regarding Rugrats: Angelica. Bossy, mean, bratty. She made those babies do bad things. Not the best role model for little kids! However, this was a fun show for those of us who got the adult humor!
Hey Arnold!
Football-headed Arnold gets constantly bullied by unibrowed Helga in Hey Arnold! as he navigates school and deciphers urban legends while living with his paternal grandparents.
Family Guy
Just barely making it as a '90s show, Family Guy premiered in January 1999. Wikipedia calls it "sick, twisted and politically incorrect," yet it has had a cult-like following of viewers for more than 15 years. Tune in once and you'll either love it or hate it. Either way, hide it from little eyes and ears!
South Park
Another show with a cult-like following, South Park has all of the political, sexual, and religious offensive satire anyone could want. The show comes with its very own disclaimer so be warned if you watch it. The part of the show I hate most — not its horrible writing, gross jokes, profanity … I cringe because the characters sound like screeching chickens when they speak.
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King of the Hill
By the same people who created Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill ran for 13 seasons. The series centered around a middle-class family and their niece who lived with them in their small town where not much really happened but beer-drinking and making bad decisions.
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Courage The Cowardly Dog is actually categorized as "horror comedy" and when my 18-year-old son recounted memories of this show, he said it was really scary when he was little. There are monsters, zombies, and aliens of all types and Courage's role was to protect his owners even though he was frightened to death of the creatures that visited each episode. Pass!
Animaniacs
Silly dancing and singing mouse-looking characters that performed in animated skits. However, I do remember one of them taught my daughter the capitals of all 50 states, so maybe this one is worth the watch!
CatDog
Half cat, half dog, stuck together with their heads at opposite ends of their bodies? Sure, that's normal and appealing for little kids to watch, right? And although they're the best of friends, they have completely different personalities and have no similar hobbies. Dog chases garbage trucks and cars, and Cat is cultured and reads. It's the Felix and Oscar of animals!
