Cartoons That Have Had Greater Longevity Than You'd Expect

[Classic Speedy]

It's arguable that Family Guy is actually MORE popular in the UK than the U.S., but admittedly I don't have the numbers to back that up.

 

[John Pannozzi]

Yes, the UK (England)

I recall that contractual obligations re: Adult Swim's syndication rights to the show caused the DVDs of Futurama (and maybe also Family Guy) to be released in the UK before their release in the US.

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Huh I'm really surprised Spongebob Squarepants hasn't been brought up yet. Then again I suppose there are some members of this board who may not have even been born when SB premiered but yeah when I first saw it as a teen I figured it would be at most 2-3 possibly 4 season show and last like a few years. Seemed like in 2000 the only super long last Nicktoon was Rugrats and with about to get this big push for it's 10th anniversary that was seen as the fluke and nothing else would really come close but yeah Spongebob proved such a monster hit even now in it's... what 14th season? I can't even really keep track anymore but I'm still surprised of how huge it is. Like with the Simpsons by the time I was a fan it was in it's 7th and 8th season so like it being around for years was just something I accepted and figured it would keep going on FOX but yeah did not see Spongebob also chugging along. The power of the yellow I guess.

 

[John Pannozzi]

Huh I'm really surprised Spongebob Squarepants hasn't been brought up yet. Then again I suppose there are some members of this board who may not have even been born when SB premiered but yeah when I first saw it as a teen I figured it would be at most 2-3 possibly 4 season show and last like a few years. Seemed like in 2000 the only super long last Nicktoon was Rugrats and with about to get this big push for it's 10th anniversary that was seen as the fluke and nothing else would really come close

And even Rugrats had an unusual history: it was initially canceled a few seasons in, and then the unexpected success of reruns lead to it being revived only a few years later.

 

[5YearsOnEastCoast]

I am shocked to learn that Smurfs had nine seasons.

 

[Ace]

It's arguable that Family Guy is actually MORE popular in the UK than the U.S., but admittedly I don't have the numbers to back that up.

I think the Simpsons is arguably more popular outside the US than it is in the US. A lot of it's fanbase is either in Europe or Latin America.

It's still one of the most popular adult cartoons in the US (next to South Park) but it's not huge like it is in some other parts of the world.

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

And even Rugrats had an unusual history: it was initially canceled a few seasons in, and then the unexpected success of reruns lead to it being revived only a few years later.

I don't think it was necessarily cancelled originally; Nickelodeon had a deal with all of the original Nicktoons to produce a certain amount of episodes for their runs that would then constantly reair on the network. The idea was the one that wound up being most popular in ratings would continue on but that believe it or not was originally promised to Doug the Nicktoon that originally tested well when first premiered but yeah then Ren and Stimpy became the break out when the shows actually started going but due to John K's various issues ren and Stimpy quickly burnt out it's popularity and by the time all the shows ended their production run Rugrats did best in reruns thus why it continued on far longer then the other original NIcktoons.

 

[John Pannozzi]

I don't think it was necessarily cancelled originally; Nickelodeon had a deal with all of the original Nicktoons to produce a certain amount of episodes for their runs that would then constantly reair on the network. The idea was the one that wound up being most popular in ratings would continue on but that believe it or not was originally promised to Doug the Nicktoon that originally tested well when first premiered but yeah then Ren and Stimpy became the break out when the shows actually started going but due to John K's various issues ren and Stimpy quickly burnt out it's popularity and by the time all the shows ended their production run Rugrats did best in reruns thus why it continued on far longer then the other original NIcktoons.

Same difference as to whether it was "cancelled" or just initially ended in a way that was maybe premature in hindsight, I guess? I hope my larger points still stand.

 

[Peter Paltridge]

Rugrats - This cartoon is literally just babies doing baby stuff. I don't hate it, but I also don't see any of the appeal. I guess it's just one of those "you had to be there to understand it" situations and I am too young (1997 born) to see the appeal it had for 90s kids.

You did have to be there, or at least, you had to be there when the original 65 episodes were all that existed. They're pretty funny and clever. When the show came back it was never the same.

My vote in this topic is for Winx Club. It and the WITCH cartoon premiered at the same time, and the WITCH cartoon was superior in so many ways I didn't expect Winx to last more than one season (it was also stuck on 4Kids TV at first). I still don't understand why it lasted so long. Everything about it is terrible -- the animation, the English dub, the wonky character designs, everything.

 

[Pooky]

I recall that contractual obligations re: Adult Swim's syndication rights to the show caused the DVDs of Futurama (and maybe also Family Guy) to be released in the UK before their release in the US.

That certainly fits in with my memories; ,my family got the Season 3 Family Guy set in the Summer of 2003 and the Season 4 set of Futurama that Christmas (I think it was on Sale by this point), neither of which I'd been able to catch on UK TV (lost access to Sky in 2002). I also think the UK DVD of Season 2 might have been the first release of any kind (including broadcast) for Wish Upon a Weinstein?

The Family Guy DVDs didn't have the Commentary Tracks that were recorded for the US release. Can't recall if the Futurama Season 4 DVD did, pretty sure all the earlier sets did.

Should maybe note that Family Guy caught on here despite us not recognising a lot of the Pop Culture references from the earlier seasons, especially the parodies of 70s/80s commercials. Then again, Mila Kunis apparently didn't recognise them either.

Huh I'm really surprised Spongebob Squarepants hasn't been brought up yet.

I'm not surprised Spongebob has had longevity; I remember fairly early on people identifying the character as having a classic Bugs Bunny-type appeal, in contrast to a lot of other (then) recent characters. I probably didn't expect the original series to last over 20 years, have three movies over a span of 16 years and two spin-offs, but that just didn't happen then.

I am shocked to learn that Smurfs had nine seasons.

The Smurfs was almost certainly the most popular cartoon of the 80s, at least during the 80s in America. It was a phenomenon; there were even vintage electro and hip-hop songs and even a hip-hop dance move named after them! Even before they crossed over to the US they'd been pretty darn successful. The Smurf Song was a legit chart hit all over Europe, big enough in the UK for a parody version to hit the Top 3 (A Taste of Aggro by the Baron Knights; OK, it was part of a medley of parodies, but still). Smurf figurines were the big Christmas toy in the UK 1978. And since the 80s they had a second bite at euro pop stardom in the 90s and the film in 2011 did pretty darn well.

I don't think anyone denies their appeal got spread pretty thin over nine seasons of TV, but it was so popular they couldn't afford to not keep going, and as characters like them or not, they've certainly got some staying power.

 

[Red Arrow]

Did you have to watch a dub? Honestly, I could never picture watching this show with different voice actors than the Americans. Nothing would translate or work. There is some great comic timing and observational humor with the American cast that would not play with a dub.

No, adult programs are subtitled here.

 

[Fone Bone]

No, adult programs are subtitled here.

Interesting. Thanks for this.

 

[Peter Paltridge]

I am shocked to learn that Smurfs had nine seasons.

Heck, at its peak the show was on for a 90 minute block with 39 episodes a season. Putting this into perspective, this was back when if a Saturday Morning cartoon was lucky enough to get a second season, it got just eight episodes. And then there was Smurfs.

It's no wonder every cartoon from 1982 through 1986 was called "The Somethings" and was about a bunch of creatures with specific personality types.

 

[Zorak Masaki]

It's kind of odd that of all of Hanna Barbera's shows, Scooby Doo is the one that's been the most popular and is still getting new shows. No other HB show has had this longevity.

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

Same difference as to whether it was "cancelled" or just initially ended in a way that was maybe premature in hindsight, I guess? I hope my larger points still stand.

I think it's an important distinction though because how it relates to the current seemingly never going to end Nickelodeon animated series Spongebob. Which also had a planned much smaller run as Stephen Hillenburg really wanted to only make 3 seasons and then the movie but SB proved so mammoth by that point it kept going for years without him before he returned to SB until his untimely death. It is clear Nickelodeon realized much quicker then Rugrats about wanting to keep using Spongebob thus stretching out it's third season to not only line up with the movie but to give time for a fourth season to only come out like half a year after the film. Though speaking a bit more about Spongebob...

I'm not surprised Spongebob has had longevity; I remember fairly early on people identifying the character as having a classic Bugs Bunny-type appeal, in contrast to a lot of other (then) recent characters. I probably didn't expect the original series to last over 20 years, have three movies over a span of 16 years and two spin-offs, but that just didn't happen then.

A big reason I didn't feel at least when it first started out that Spongebob wouldn't be the new big Nicktoon sans Rugrats still going strong is I knew it was from a lot of the team that worked on Rocko's Modern Life. Yeah before creating SB, Hillenburg worked a lot on RML and if you watch the two series you can see some obvious inspiration for character types and inspiration. However Spongebob especially in it's first season felt much more geared towards kids but didn't explode into a phenomenon until season 2 that also showed it as the perfect show the entire family could get into and that's when it really became Nick's biggest thing ever.

It's kind of odd that of all of Hanna Barbera's shows, Scooby Doo is the one that's been the most popular and is still getting new shows. No other HB show has had this longevity.

Especially odd because though that is a series that was produced by Hanna Barbera it wasn't created by them but rather Joe Ruby and Ken Spears so it's espeically odd of all the HB properties that's the one that is most relevant. Granted Joe Hannah and William Barbera didn't create all the characters for HB (especially not the later characters from the end of the 60's and the 70's) but what many would call their most recognized creation wasn't really theirs at all.

 

[servinsomesassin]

Rugrats - This cartoon is literally just babies doing baby stuff. I don't hate it, but I also don't see any of the appeal. I guess it's just one of those "you had to be there to understand it" situations and I am too young (1997 born) to see the appeal it had for 90s kids.

Family Guy - It doesn't help that I have never in my life met a fan. Unlike The Simpsons and South Park, I think this is something that only Americans find funny.

I also agree with Phineas & Ferb.

There are some things about it that are dated (The slow pacing, and the psychobabble boomer stereotypes. But that's the case with most slice of life shows, this even applies to The Simpsons), which the reboot does remedy. But most of the show is pretty timeless. You go into the show thinking it's going to be simple and monotonous, its true allure lies in its subversive humor, quirky characters, unconventional animation, handling of themes such as friendship and family, refusal to condescend to its audience, and it's adept handling of mature subjects (I Remember Melville) with finesse and sophistication.

Phineas and Ferb and Big City Greens. They both were cute enough shows, but I never thought they'd be strong or popular enough to get life past Disney Channel's standard "two season and done" rule.

Phineas and Ferb, though later overshadowed by competing shows, initially positioned itself as a successor to SpongeBob and was actively promoted as the next iconic cartoon of its time. Engaging in fierce ratings battles with SpongeBob and achieving pop culture phenomenon status, Phineas and Ferb enjoyed a prolonged run. The subsequent waning of its popularity later in it's life can be comprehensible to those not present during its peak, as newer shows emerged, steering the medium in innovative directions and defining the voice of the 2010s, unlike Phineas and Ferb, which drew inspiration from its predecessors (Namely SpongeBob, Family Guy, Rocko's Modern Life, and Hey Arnold). Nonetheless, it is precisely this adherence to established influences that contributed to its enduring success.

Anyway....

American Dad, particularly during its inception, occupied a niche status, perpetually destined to be eclipsed by the overwhelming popularity of Family Guy. Anticipating a fate akin to the trajectories of Family Guy and Futurama, it nearly succumbed to this expectation when FOX canceled it in 2013. The unforeseen resilience of American Dad, enduring for nearly two decades, defied my initial expectations.

Teen Titans Go, akin to my perception of The Looney Tunes Show, I initially assumed would only last a few years. I did not envision its longevity reaching 11 years or the attainment of a theatrical film.

Futurama provides another example. In a traditional context, when companies exercised greater discernment in reviving shows, my expectation was for Futurama to remain dormant after 2013, persisting through alternative formats such as podcasts or RPGs. While I did foresee the possibility of a reboot during the height of the reboot trend, I had not anticipated it materializing prior to 2022.

 

[Goldstar!]

It's kind of odd that of all of Hanna Barbera's shows, Scooby Doo is the one that's been the most popular and is still getting new shows. No other HB show has had this longevity.

Except for Tom & Jerry and (arguably) The Flintstones. Yes, the former was originally produced by MGM studios, but Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera created T&J before leaving to start their own studio and got the rights to the characters from MGM in 1975, so T&J are technically H-B characters. In the case if the latter, while things fell off for franchise after the 1980s, The Flintstones had a number of spinoff series after the original series ended (The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, The Flintstone Comedy Hour/Show, The All-New Fred and Barney Show, Fred and Barney Meet the Thing/Shmoo, The Flintstone Comedy Show, The Flintstone Kids, Cave Kids).

There are some things about it (Rugrats) that are dated (The slow pacing, and the psychobabble boomer stereotypes. But that's the case with most slice of life shows, this even applies to The Simpsons), which the reboot does remedy. But most of the show is pretty timeless. You go into the show thinking it's going to be simple and monotonous, its true allure lies in its subversive humor, quirky characters, unconventional animation, handling of themes such as friendship and family, refusal to condescend to its audience, and it's adept handling of mature subjects (I Remember Melville) with finesse and sophistication.

Rugrats was simple and monotonous. I kid, but the immense popularity of Rugrats baffles me to this very day. I never understood why this show struck such a chord with kids and adults and how this show got 3 movies and a revival after its initial cancellation when there were other Nicktoons like Rocko's Modern Life that were far more deserving. I get why SpongeBob was/is popular (although I didn't expect it to still be going 2 decades later), but Rugrats, I swear someone must've made a deal with some supernatural entity for Rugrats to become Nick's #1 show.

 

[servinsomesassin]

Except for Tom & Jerry and (arguably) The Flintstones. Yes, the former was originally produced by MGM studios, but Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera created T&J before leaving to start their own studio and got the rights to the characters from MGM in 1975, so T&J are technically H-B characters. In the case if the latter, while things fell off for franchise after the 1980s, The Flintstones had a number of spinoff series after the original series ended (The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, The Flintstone Comedy Hour/Show, The All-New Fred and Barney Show, Fred and Barney Meet the Thing/Shmoo, The Flintstone Comedy Show, The Flintstone Kids, Cave Kids).



Rugrats was simple and monotonous. I kid, but the immense popularity of Rugrats baffles me to this very day. I never understood why this show struck such a chord with kids and adults and how this show got 3 movies and a revival after its initial cancellation when there were other Nicktoons like Rocko's Modern Life that were far more deserving. I get why SpongeBob was/is popular (although I didn't expect it to still be going 2 decades later), but Rugrats, I swear someone must've made a deal with some supernatural entity for Rugrats to become Nick's #1 show.

I elucidated that its subversive humor, peculiar yet captivating animation style, treatment of certain themes, the show's evolution and coherence, and its intelligent approach to writing all contributed to its status as a program ahead of its time – akin to a more family-friendly rendition of The Simpsons. It strikes a balance, managing to be appropriate for adults without being excessively cute or saccharine, despite the initial impression its premise might convey. Paul Germain and his writing team aimed to create a series with writing comparable to Taxi but tailored for a younger audience.


The show gained traction for valid reasons, albeit being somewhat overshadowed by the initial success of Ren and Stimpy, and would likely have gained popularity earlier if not for their existence (Though I'm glad R&S exists). While I hold a deep affection for Rocko, it's important to recognize that both shows adopt distinct approaches. SpongeBob, Rocko's successor, has since become Nickelodeon's flagship show, compensating for any prior overshadowing. It's also important to note that we probably wouldn't have gotten shows like Hey Arnold or Recess if it wasn't for Rugrats.

 

[stephane dumas]

It's no wonder every cartoon from 1982 through 1986 was called "The Somethings" and was about a bunch of creatures with specific personality types.

And don't forget some cartoons adaptation of various live-action stuffs like The Dukes, Rambo, Mr. T, Chuck Norris, Police Academy, Teen Wolf, Punky Brewster, Real Ghostbusters.

Also, Garfield & Friends menaged to get a good run as well, 7 seasons. Fat Albert stayed on the air for a decade as well.

Btw, I wonder if we could include Totally Spies? After 5 seasons, there was a spin-off series (Amazing Spiez), a movie released in 2009, a 6th season in 2013 and a 7th season coming soon.

 

[aegisrawks]

Did you have to watch a dub? Honestly, I could never picture watching this show with different voice actors than the Americans. Nothing would translate or work. There is some great comic timing and observational humor with the American cast that would not play with a dub.

I really dont like this way of thinking. I know dubs in the USA are bad and thus have a terrible reputation but in regions like Latin America and so on, where dubbing is great and many shows are famous for having great dubs, that's not a problem at all. Most people consume dubbing so naturally they dont even ever mind it.

Sadly Family Guys' dubbing went downhill a bit but I dont think there is any undub able media.