Cartoons tend to have a practice of putting in comments and jokes that kids flat out won’t get. Only on a second viewing, years and years later, after you have, ahem, matured, do you realize that “Oh My God! X Meant Y?”
Note : I am asking about actual Children’s cartoons, and not the Adult Swim type cartoon. FOX’s “Animation Domination” Sunday prime time Block, Comedy Central, and Adult Swim needs not apply.
Pee Wee Herman… had some well placed moments. But while this is a Kids show, I wouldn’t call it a cartoon. [I’m Sure Beakman’s World had some moments too…]
Not to bias the responses, but I think that Ren and Stimpy, Rocko’s Modern Life, and Spongebob Squarepants have to be in the running.
If there is a channel that does this better* than Nickelodeon, provide that as well. I’m just not so sure there is another Kid’s network that … ends up with this much… gray.
No Offense to Nick, I think that the first 20 years of Nick are sacred. But that’s another thread. Nick just comes off having a few number of shows that do this. Not saying that strive to do it, but it IS in the content.
Well, to me - those are a few shows that I can watch without wanting to stab myself in the eyeball with a blunt fork. Hey, Arnold! and Rugrats also make the cut.
In addition to SpongeBob and Animaniacs, I would nominate The Fairly Odd Parents. It’s loaded with references that kids like my nieces and nephews, who I watch it with, completely don’t get (not that that interferes with their enjoyment of the show, nor mine for that matter).
Those don’t count, they were theatrical shorts intended for a general audience that included kids but were also just as much for adults. My vote also goes to Animaniacs and Rocko’s Modern Life.
