These Cartoon Network Shows Were Your '90s Jam

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the '90s were a stellar time for children's TV shows. Just like I don't need to tell you that there was also a slew of Cartoon Network shows that you loved in the '90s and would always make time for. The best Cartoon Network shows of the '90s were serving up unique toons that felt truly original. These were shows that were ridiculous, hilarious, anarchic, stupid, inspiring, and, most importantly, easy to watch. It was so easy to switch over to Cartoon Network back in the '90s and find yourself pulled into its programming for the rest of the day.

While many of these were original shows, others were shows that were retrieved from stations like The WB or CBS, so they could continue to be screened in reruns on the station. And thank goodness for that, because the mixture of content really worked. There was, and still is, no mistaking the unique charm of a Cartoon Network original show, but those charms also played out wonderfully among the weird and wonderful variety of other cartoons featured on the channel.

There was nothing better than saving up a bunch of snacks and sitting down in front of the TV to marathon watch whatever shows Cartoon Network was serving up that day. If it was a really great day, then odds are all of the following shows would have been on...

1. 2 Stupid Dogs

Like a canine version of the odd couple, watching Big Dog (slow and stoic) and Little Dog (full of energy and over excited about life) get into mischief together was absolute comedy gold.

2. Johnny Bravo

Although, Mr Bravo was just about the absolute worst, it was damn hilarious to laugh at in his feeble attempts to impress women and be super macho.

3. Captain Planet And The Planeteers

I don't know how I ever got it, but I used to own a Planeteer Ring and wear it while I watched this show. And honestly? I still wish I had it so I could utilize it's powers to save the world.

4. Tiny Toon Adventures

Be honest: you totally saw a lot of yourself in Elmyra Duff — the Tiny Toons character whose obsessive love for animals often led to borderline and accidentally harmful behavior towards them. I definitely did. And still have the power to smother people (and animals) with my love.

5. Sailor Moon

On top of making you and the rest of your girlfriends feel ferociously fierce, Sailor Moon was just all-out magical and fun.

6. Animaniacs

Although some of the occasionally inappropriate humor on Animaniacs could go right over your head as a child, it still remained the ultimate cartoon for making '90s kids cry with laughter.

7. Freakazoid!

It was produced by Steven Spielberg, for crying out loud. And it was weird, wonderful, and hilarious.

8. Cow And Chicken

Cow And Chicken reveled in being ridiculous and stupid, making it the perfect show to watch on a Saturday morning. With a giant bowl of snacks.

9. Pokémon

Long before Pokémon enjoyed the gigantic renaissance of recent years, it was a simple Game Boy pleasure and a top notch cartoon. I still have so much love for how ridiculously adorable Pikachu was in this show that I can barely function looking at that gif right now.

10. Dexter's Laboratory

Whether you could relate to neurotic child genius Dexter or his science experiment destroying sister Dee Dee, there was plenty to love about this show. Extra marks if you got a kick out of impersonating Dexter's accent.

11. I Am Weasel

Singing along to this theme song every week was one of the highlights of my TV watching downtime. But also what is it about a baboon's butt that is so damn hilarious?

12. Batman: The Animated Series

Mark Hamill's portrayal of The Joker in Batman: The Animated Series is one that's so strongly etched into my brain that I struggle to ever enjoy anyone else in the role (with the exception of Heath Ledger, naturally).

13. The Sylvester And Tweety Mysteries

I would really like to shake the hand of the person who realized that what Tweety and Sylvester needed next in their canon was some cartoon-noir capers. Because this cartoon was perfection.

14. The Powerpuff Girls

Hands up if you started watching The Powerpuff Girls in the '90s and haven't stopped since. Me too, guys. Me too.

15. Tom & Jerry Kids

The baby versions of Tom and Jerry were the absolute cutest things in the whole damn world. But also, Tom & Jerry Kids was just cute, wholesome fun.

16. Pinky And The Brain

Featuring the perfect combination of a genius (Brain) and a dunce (Pinky), Pinky And The Brain served up reliable comedy with catchphrases that kids repeated everywhere. If you answered, "the same thing we do every night... try to take over the world," whenever a friend asked what you wanted to do that night, then congrats — you were my kinda kid.

Those were the days, my friends. Long may they reign, right?