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7 best ’90s cartoons that will make you nostalgic

Dexter running away from Dee Dee in Dexter's Laboratory.
Cartoon Network

The ’90s were a time when Saturday mornings were sacred and after-school TV blocks were the highlight of the day, with the decade serving as a golden era for cartoons that would shape so many childhoods. This period had a diverse offering, with many animated series covering a wide array of topics that include everything from the angst that comes with growing up to exciting superhero adventures.

In order to look back at and identify the cartoons that can induce the most nostalgia, these ’90s cartoons are those that have largely stayed in the past, unaltered by the continuous reruns or reboots that some other iconic shows — like X-Men: The Animated Series and South Park — have enjoyed. These are the cartoons from the 1990s that viewers can turn to when searching for a trip down memory lane, showcasing just how special that time was for animated TV.

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Hey Arnold! (1996-2004)

Arnold in the Hey Arnold! intro.
Nickelodeon

Arnold Shortman is a widely beloved character from the ’90s who lives in a New York-like fictional big city with his grandparents, Phil (Dan Castellaneta) and Gertie (Tress MacNeille). Hey Arnold! follows the fourth-grader’s antics as he and his friends make the most of urban life. Alongside the laid-back Gerald (Jamil Walker Smith) and the secretly smitten Helga Pataki (Francesca Marie Smith), each episode sees Arnold learning new lessons about growing up.

Hey Arnold! was a standout show from the ’90s not only because of its entertaining depiction of a kid’s day-to-day adventures with his friends but also due to the way it handles more mature topics and introduces nuanced characters. It has some surprisingly complex subject matter, like Helga’s insecurity and intense unrequited love for Arnold, Mr. Hyunh’s (Baoan Coleman) use of alcohol to cope with hardship, Grandpa Phil’s experiences serving in World War II, and more. These arcs add a layer of emotional depth that was uncommon in children’s programming then, and provide a whole new meaning to the animated show for fans who choose to revisit it now.

Animaniacs (1993-1998)

Animaniacs on Hulu.
Fox

Animaniacs is a hallmark of ’90s cartoons that broke the mold of traditional children’s programming. It depicts the experiences of the Warner siblings — Yakko (Rob Paulsen), Wakko (Jess Harnell), and Dot (Tress MacNeille) — who have been locked away in the Warner Bros. water tower for decades. When they’re finally released, they wreak havoc on everyone they meet, including historical figures and contemporary celebrities. All of this chaos is delivered with witty jokes and slapstick comedy, sometimes in the form of musical numbers.

Each episode of Animaniacs features a variety of segments like Pinky and the Brain, which would go on to be a successful spinoff of the series. Praised for its smart writing and inventive animation, Animaniacs is best remembered for introducing something new that appealed to both kids and adults, pushing the boundaries of what cartoons could be in the process. The show’s meta-commentary, fourth-wall breaks, and brilliant parodies make it rewatchable today, especially for those who did not quite enjoy its 2020 reboot.

Doug (1991-1999)

Characters from Doug in a basketball court.
Nickelodeon

As the first of the original three Nicktoons, Doug is a landmark animated sitcom that has a special place in many fans’ hearts. The show follows Doug Funnie (Billy West), an 11-year-old boy growing up in the fictional town of Bluffington where he uses his trusty journal and vivid imagination to daydream of himself as the heroic Quailman. His fantasies help him cope with everyday situations, which include many common predicaments young adolescents face, from dealing with crushes to managing rumors.

Doug has a memorable cast of characters, including the protagonist’s dog, Porkchop, his best friend, Skeeter (Fred Newman), and his crush Patti Mayonnaise (Constance Shulman). These would be viewers’ loyal companions after a long day at school, with their relatable storylines mirroring real-life scenarios that audiences may have been facing, too. Fans who see themselves in Doug’s everyday dilemmas are also likely to feel relief, as the show always uses gentle humor and positive messages to remind young viewers that they are not alone in their experiences and things will turn out OK.

Rugrats (1991-2004)

Characters from Rugrats
Nickelodeon

Rugrats is an iconic Nicktoon centered on a group of toddlers and the mundane experiences that they transform into extraordinary adventures every day. Tommy Pickles (E.G. Daily), the courageous leader of the group, and his friends Chuckie Finster (Christine Cavanaugh), Phil and Lil DeVille (Kath Soucie), and Angelica Pickles (Cheryl Chase) use their surroundings to create exciting moments. Whether it’s overcoming the fear of a barber or the stress of potty training, the toddlers work through it together.

Rugrats is a nostalgic favorite, especially for those who watched it when they were very young, as the stories were designed to be relatable to that demographic. Some topics that seem trivial to adults actually feel like exhilarating journeys or insurmountable challenges to kids, which is precisely what the cartoon captures. Thanks to this reliability and its charming characters, Rugrats led to several spinoffs, movies, and a reboot, with its lasting impact on pop culture being a testament to how cherished the series is.

Dexter’s Laboratory (1996-2003)

Mandark and Dexter in Dexter's Laboratory.
Cartoon Network

An award-winning sci-fi animated TV series, Dexter’s Laboratory follows a boy genius with a secret lab hidden behind a bookshelf in his bedroom. The show revolves around Dexter’s obsession with scientific achievement, with his greatest works often foiled by his annoying yet lovable older sister, Dee Dee (Allison Moore and Kat Cressida). Dee Dee’s antics and Dexter’s dangerous experiments surprisingly go unnoticed by Mom (Kath Soucie) and Dad (Jeff Bennett). Dexter also faces challenges from his rival, Mandark (Eddie Deezen), whose own lab and sinister plots lead to clashes between the two characters.

Dexter’s Laboratory boasted a bold art style that made it memorable, not to mention clever humor that blended science-fiction concepts with everyday childhood scenarios. The Cartoon Network show captured the spirit of curiosity and frustration that often comes hand-in-hand for kids with a particularly active imagination and a love for science. Popular episodes like Dexter’s Rival and Dee Dee’s Room are a blast to watch again today for anyone who misses the humorous and intelligent character.

Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1999)

Batman in Batman: The Animated Series.
Warner Bros. Animation

The legendary animated TV show that would set the gold standard for the superhero genre, Batman: The Animated Series (BTAS) follows Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy) in his role as the Caped Crusader who protects Gotham City from an array of villains like the Joker (Mark Hamill) and Two-Face (Richard Moll). Every episode sees him take on foes, with storylines introducing complex characters and morally gray arcs inspired by the DC Comics.

BTAS was hailed for its pioneering animation, featuring a unique art style called “Dark Deco,” which combines minimalist designs with dramatic shadows and muted color palettes to create a moody and immersive setting. It was also known for its writing and voice acting, with its stories and performances underscoring how animation could cater to more mature viewers who want to see darker depictions of their comic book heroes. Batman: The Animated Series has a cinematic quality that has helped it age incredibly well, with many fans likely still hoping to see it get a reboot or revival that would see the Dark Knight return.

Daria (1997-2002)

Daria and Jane standing by lockers in Daria.
MTV

La la la la la. Daria Morgendorffer (Tracy Grandstaff) is a high school student who won’t bend to societal expectations, even if it makes her different from everyone else in the town of Lawndale. Daria sees the titular character deal with teenage life alongside her artsy best friend Jane Lane (Wendy Hoopes), who seems to be the only person she tolerates. The show critiques a host of stereotypical high school archetypes and serious subjects like consumerism and conformity, making it one of the best animated series for adults.

Daria’s sarcasm and deadpan humor turned her into an unforgettable character from the ’90s, with her acerbic observations being the series’ source of comedy rather than the typical slapstick gags. The show’s comedy is witty and often understated, relying on creative writing to deliver biting satire about popularity, education, and the media. In the process, Daria would offer a unique representation for the misunderstood and the marginalized, influencing countless movies and shows that would attempt to capture that same adolescent struggle.

Hannah Saab
Saab whips up SEO-optimized articles as a writer for Digital Trends and updates top-performing articles on Collider.
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40 years later, there’s no forgetting about The Breakfast Club
The cast of The Breakfast Club sits in a line of chairs in a still from the 1985 movie.

Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, and Anthony Michael Hall in The Breakfast Club Universal Pictures
The late John Hughes once mulled a sequel to his 1985 ode to adolescence, The Breakfast Club. The idea was that he’d pick up years later with the same characters, five suburban teenagers from different cliques who look past their differences and forge some common ground over a long Saturday in detention. Simple minds race with the questions Hughes could answer by reconvening his party of five. Would neo-maxi-zoom-dweebie Brian become a meathead, just like the actor who played him, Anthony Michael Hall? Would the glam-up makeover that outsider Allison (Ally Sheedy) receives at the end of the film take? Would burnout Bender (Judd Nelson) escape the lifetime in Loserville so many assume awaits him?
It was an intriguing pitch, at least for anyone who’s ever wondered who these fictional Illinois kids might grow up to be. At the same time, maybe it’s a relief that Hughes never got around to pursuing the idea. After all, the enduring appeal of The Breakfast Club rests largely on the narrow parameters it sets for itself: It’s just five kids in one room over a single day. To look beyond this mere snapshot of youth would be to betray its eternal present tense. The movie exists, irresistibly, in the moment, just like the teenagers who flocked to it in initial release and the many who have continued to discover it over the four decades since.
Arguably no filmmaker capitalized more on the teen experience than Hughes, the writer and sometimes director of youth-courting sensations like Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, and of course Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But if all those movies could be called quintessential ’80s hits, The Breakfast Club is more timeless, even as it unfolds entirely within a kind of hourglass. The almost theatrical minimalism of Hughes’ scenario transcends trends. He shaved off all the extraneous conventions of high-school movies. There’s no big game, no prom, no graduation, no classroom even. It’s a teen movie that says that the teens alone are enough.
The Breakfast Club Trailer
The Breakfast Club, which turns 40 today (they grow up so fast!), made stars out of its stars – the core members of the so-called Brat Pack that took Hollywood by storm for a few whirlwind years. It’s primarily an acting showcase. When not trading sharp insults, the five deliver tearful monologues — sometimes in a literal circle, à la a drama club. Like their characters, they had their whole lives ahead of them, and it’s interesting to consider the careers that followed: Molly Ringwald becoming America’s sweetheart before decamping for Paris, Emilio Estevez headlining multiple hit franchises, Sheedy reinventing herself as an indie darling. And who could have guessed that Nelson, who arguably delivers the film’s most charismatic performance (all bad-boy bravado, until we get glimpses of the scared kid underneath), would land a comfy network sitcom gig a mere decade later?
The film is an optimistic fantasy of unexpected teenage solidarity. It takes a little suspension of disbelief to imagine that eight hours together could turn “a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal” into fast friends. Of course, Hughes’ script is smart enough to acknowledge the ephemerality of their kumbaya: None of them harbor too many delusions about their connection lasting once the five are back in their respective social circles. That’s the bittersweet power of the Billboard-climbing Simple Minds anthem that both opens and closes the movie: “Don’t you forget about me” is a touching plea to immortalize this fleeting day of communion, even once it fades with the ring of the school bell.
The hierarchies of high school don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, The Breakfast Club says. It’d be easier to take that message seriously if Hughes didn’t end up kind of reinforcing them. Allison’s miniature Pygmalion arc — emerging from the bathroom like a homecoming queen, dolled up by Ringwald’s Claire — betrays both the character’s countercultural kookiness and the film’s be-yourself ethos. She only wins the jock prince by fundamentally changing who she is; it’s a preview of the makeover plots of future teen comedies like She’s All That and Drive Me Crazy. And Hughes really does Brian dirty. However much empathy the dork garners with the cooler kids, he’s still doing their homework as they pair off and make out.
The Breakfast Club | Detention Dance
It’s a little ironic that a movie all about looking past stereotypes would codify them so much through its advertising campaign. That famous Annie Leibovitz poster, with the cast huddled together, treats each label the characters reject and rebel against as a marketable brand. The Breakfast Club might be the most influential teen movie of them all, and part of its influence was turning the genre into one big game of opposites attracting. How many major teen movies and TV shows derive their tension from the clash of cliques, and the supposedly revelatory revelation that jocks, freaks, and geeks aren’t so different after all?
You can see a little of The Breakfast Club in nearly every quick-witted teen entertainment that came after it. While films like Heathers explicitly positioned themselves as sardonic rebuttals to the Hughes school of kids-are-all-right sentimentality, plenty of descendants of the big and small screen simply updated the writer-director’s model for younger generations, swapping the music and fashion and slang, but not the essential spirit. The Breakfast Club’s single day of bickering and bonding bled into everything from Scream to My-So Called Life to the collegiate Community (a sitcom that references the film in its first episode, and arranged a guest spot for Hall a few weeks later). 

It’s also what you could call an essential Gen X text: Before Reality Bites or Singles or the comparably gabby work of Richard Linklater, there was this portrait of five teens divided by social status but united by their shared disaffection and desire not to become their parents. Not that the Latchkey Generation has a monopoly on such feelings. One reason The Breakfast Club endures where some of its ’80s contemporaries don’t is that it gets at the essential identity crisis of growing up: The whole world seems invested in defining you (and your future) at a time when you’re still very much on the cusp of figuring that out for yourself.
You could say that the kids of The Breakfast Club aren’t just rebelling against the boxes everyone wants to put them. They’re rebelling against the pressure to be anything before they’re ready to decide who they are. That’s the real reason a sequel was a bad idea, however appealing it may have sounded. In plucking a single significant day out of the lives of these characters — the kind any kid might mythically inflate in their mind, at a time when every emotion and experience feels massive — Hughes remained true to the embryonic beauty of late childhood, when the possibilities still seem endless because they essentially are. The movie is a freeze frame, just like the one on which it triumphantly, iconically ends.
The Breakfast Club is available to rent or purchase through the major digital services. For more of A.A. Dowd’s writing, visit his Authory page.

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