10 '90s Cartoons I Wish Were On Netflix
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10 '90s Cartoons I Wish Were On Netflix

Being a '90s kid had it's perks, especially when it came to the best cartoons on T.V.

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10 '90s Cartoons I Wish Were On Netflix
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Today's kids don't understand what they are missing.

For those '90s kids, like myself, the TV shows that graced our childhood will never be replaced. Whether I was sitting down after school to watch a favorite show before finishing my homework, or waking up at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning for cartoons and cereal (my mom was so happy when I learned to pour my own bowl of cereal), there are some shows that I often find myself reminiscing about. In many ways, it's fair to say that these cartoons helped shape my perspectives and definitely fair to say that they increased my imagination.

*Disclaimer*: These are the shows that are NOT on Netflix (this does not include other services) and to my surprise (and excitement) a few of the shows I intended to include actually are on Netflix.

Here are the top 10 TV shows from my 90's childhood that I wish were on Netflix.

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 - 1996)

COWABUNGA DUDE! This was the real deal. In all honesty, I don't care what adaptation you enjoy of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles because I love them all. I was a die-hard fan, but as far as TV shows go this sums up my childhood. I could have watched this show every single day if it had been possible (and still would). I had the action figures, the pajamas, a sleeping bag, sheets, the underwear, the whole nine-yards. In fact, I own all of the movies that have been made to date. "The Heroes in a Half Shell" will always be the favorites of my childhood. Best of all? It encouraged eating Pizza for every single meal! Not to mention that in February of 1998, they did a crossover with "Power Rangers in Space," which only added to my love for the Turtles. For a little more nostalgia, check out the theme song from this fantastic show here: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2. Tiny Toon Adventures (1990 - 1995)

Laugh all you want that Tiny Toon Adventures is No. 2 in the list, but this show was pure gold. Buster and Babs Bunny, along with all of their friends, made for great entertainment. To this day, one of my favorite clips is that of Plucky Duck flushing everything he can down the toilet and saying "Water go down the hooooole" — if you don't remember that, look it up on YouTube. In fact, my sister and I were such big fans of this show, we dressed as Buster and Babs bunny for Halloween one year (pictures not included!) Again, for the sake of nostalgia, here's a link to the theme song: Tiny Toon Adventures

3. Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990 - 1996)

Captain Planet and the Planeteers were well before their time. If this show isn't the poster-child for "wholesome" television, I don't know what is. You've got a diverse group of kids, each with a ring that can summon the power of a different element (Earth, Wind, Fire, Water and Heart), and the help of a superhero fighting against pollution and the forces of evil, all while trying to maintain the environment. If there's one '90s show that should be rebooted, it's this one. The lessons I learned about working with others, protecting our environment, and being generally awesome from this TV show are endless. I even had a replica of the "Fire" ring and definitely prayed that eventually I would be able to unleash it's powers — for good of course. Not to mention that LeVar Burton voiced the character of Kwame, which in retrospect makes it that much more phenomenal. Theme song: Captain Planet and the Planeteers

4. TaleSpin (1990 - 1991)

Unfortunately, this show was short-lived, as far as cartoon series are concerned. It only ran 1 season, for a total of 65 episodes. I don't know ultimately what led to it's cancellation, but I can't imagine the reasoning was sound. What's not to love about a bear named Baloo (yes, the same Baloo from The Jungle Book) flying around in a plane with his little buddy Kit Cloudkicker, aka Lil' Britches, and love interest, Rebecca.

Whether they were fighting off air space pirates or rescuing others, this was a family-friendly show that really emphasized that the ones you love the most come first. Of course, as the show continued into syndication a few of the episodes were never seen again as they were added to Disney's Banned Episode list for various reasons. It's the only cartoon I can recall that is set in the 1930s, and they did a great job emphasizing the simplicity of that time. Theme song: TaleSpin

5. DuckTales (1987 - 1990)

Huey, Dewie and Louie's adventures alongside their adventurous and arguably money hungry great uncle, Scrooge McDuck were both hilarious and exciting. Disney's adaptation of the Donald Duck family heritage being extended into these three nephews was perfect for '90s kids to get lost in.

I can remember only dreaming of what it would be like to visit/live with a relative who literally had a vault full of money to swim in. Not to mention that the theme song was one of the best of it's time, and a blatant rip-off of the 1980s Hall & Oats classic "You Make My Dreams Come True". Theme song: DuckTales Theme Song

6. Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers (1989 - 1990)

Another series inexplicably cut short, having only run three season over the course of two years, the Rescue Rangers. A team of four common rodents, along with the help of Zipper the fly make up a team of sleuth detectives investigating crimes that usually involve other animals as clients, things that the Police are too busy to handle.

While I can't remember any of the exact cases that they solved, I know this show consistently kept me entertained. A couple of chipmunks, their best friends who were mice and a fly that tried his best to communicate through buzzing around, always made for a good laugh on Saturday morning. Not to mention Monty's obsession with cheese, and the trouble that often caused the foursome. Theme Song: Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers

7. Doug (1991 - 1994)

Now, before any of you youngins try and tell me that Doug lasted well beyond 1994, let me tell you, you are WRONG. The original Doug cartoon ran on Nickelodeon until 1994. This was the Doug of my childhood. Disney did do a reboot of this from 1996 -1999. While the reboot was still well done, it was indeed NOT the original.

Doug, Skeeter, Porkchop and Patty Mayonnaise will forever be in the hearts of '90s kids everywhere. In fact, Doug's self-created comic book superhero QuailMan continues to show up at Halloween parties year after year, as a costume favorite. It was a coming of age tale, perfect for elementary school kids traversing frienships, bullies, crushs, and the necessity of school. Theme Song: Doug.

8. Scooby Doo (Forever)

Let's clear something up right away -- Scooby Doo will forever be a classic in the hearts of many generations. Personally, "Scooby Doo Where Are You? and A Pup Named Scooby Doo" were the ones I recall growing up with.

Little did I know (until researching this article) that "Scooby Doo Where Are You?" actually originally aired in 1969-1970 for two seasons. However, since 1980, it's been in syndication and has continued to air on various networks, blessing a number of generations with it's wholesome, fun, mystery solving action. This explains why both my Pops and I enjoyed watching this show together. Despite that it's not specific to 90's kids, it had to be included in the list. Theme Song: Scooby Doo Where Are You.

9. Rugrats (1990 -2006)

Before anyone gets snippy, I am aware that Rugrats was at one time on Netflix — however, it's not anymore and that's not OK. I had no idea that Rugrats ran for 16 years before I started researching this article. Even though this show was at times very stupid (my mom actually hated this show), most '90s kids recall watching it. The adventures of Tommy Pickles and his friends, captivated kids everywhere with their day dreaming adventures, and truly capturing what the world looks like from the perspective of toddlers. Everyone knew an Angelica, and we all had a favorite toy — just like Tommy and his Reptar! Theme Song: Rugrats.

10. Rocket Power (1999 - 2004)

I don't know how many '90s kids truly watched this show, as it appeared in 1999. This was around the time I was 11, and by then a lot of my friends were watching more SportsCenter than anything. However, this show was my jam. It included extreme sports, kids my age and was set in SoCal. I wanted to be just like the Rockets, riding my BMX bike and rollerblading through town. Rocket Power actually spurred my interest in the X-Games, which led to some of my favorite childhood memories (I met Tony Hawk and Dave Mirra) This show was easily one of my all time favorites. Theme Song: Rocket Power.


While this is in no way a comprehensive list of the BEST cartoons, these are the ones I desperately wish Netflix would order up for the coming months. What I wouldn't give to spend a Sunday afternoon reliving my childhood.

Honorable Mentions:

Rupert (Yes Mom -- I really did watch this show!)

Street Sharks

Ed, Edd & Eddy

Angry Beavers

Darkwing Duck

Batman: The Animated Series

Goof Troop

Histeria!

Pinky and The Brain

Dexter's Laboratory

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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