Every Original Cartoon Network Show Of The 90s, Ranked

The original ’90s Cartoon Network shows made for a golden era for the animation powerhouse. In 1991, Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera Productions for $320 million. Desiring a channel to broadcast Hanna-Barbera’s extensive library of cartoons, he launched the Cartoon Network channel in 1992 — the first in history to play cartoons 24/7. Initially, these programs were re-runs of classics like The Flintstones, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, and Jonny Quest. As the channel grew, they’d add new programming that helped shape the image of the channel — shows like The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy, and Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

By 1994, Cartoon Network was ranked as the fifth most popular cable channel in the United States thanks to series like these and eventually other staples like Dexter’s Laboratory. Cartoon Network is known for its original programming which was unique and engaging for all audiences. There are iconic series like Johnny Bravo or Courage the Cowardly Dog and more relatively unknown series like Mike, Lu & Og that all started in the 90s, and still have a strong following as fans rewatch the original series from Cartoon Network. Every original Cartoon Network show from the ’90s, ranked worst to best here, could give the classics on the network a run for their money.

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12 Mike, Lu & Og, 1999-2001

Out of the original ’90s Cartoon Network shows, Mike, Lu & Og may be one of the most short-lived. Mike, Lu & Og followed the young trio of kids, including Mike, who is an 11-year-old who is sent to a deserted island where she meets Lu and Og. Mike is from New York and is completely out of her depth on the odd island, but she joins Lu and Og in various adventures. Og tends to create inventions that get the trio in trouble, including his self-proclaimed Princess of the Island cousin Lu. It’s a fun and different series from Cartoon Network.

However, Mike, Lu & Og suffered with ratings from early on, leading to its cancelation after two seasons, consisting of 13 episodes a piece. There were several factors to blame, with many criticizing the show’s pacing and writing. Audiences were ushered into the world of Mike, Lu & Og with little to no explanation of its plot, leading to some more confusing moments throughout the cartoon. All in all, the series wasn’t exciting enough to capture the attention of ’90s kids during its run.

11 Big Bag, 1996-1998

Big Bag was the only one of the original ’90s Cartoon Network shows to mix live-action and animation. A puppet series for preschoolers, Cartoon Network collaborated with Sesame Workshop, and its cast was created by the Jim Henson Company. Similar to Sesame Street, the puppet characters co-existed in a world with humans. The two puppet leads, Chelli and Bag, ran a store together. The series ran for two seasons. Viewers were fans of the colorful characters and animated segments. It was also the channel’s first live-action series and one of the few preschool programs at the time.

Big Bag was a unique show with an interesting premise. While its first season consisted of hour-long episodes, studios found their young audiences’ attention spans waning, and made the decision to cut down episodes to 30 minutes for season 2. While it did have the genius of Jim Henson creations on its side, the series couldn’t live up to the likes of Sesame Street, being canceled after its second season. Big Bag went largely under the radar after it went off the air, with only five episodes being released on VHS at the time, and nary a DVD to its name.

10 The Moxy Show, 1993-1995

The Moxy Show was a 3D-animated series made for Cartoon Network that only ran for a few seasons. It may not be the most popular of every original Cartoon Network ’90s show, but it did feature the very first original Cartoon Network character. It was an anthology series full of classic cartoon sketches that had added interludes of Moxy (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Flea (Penn Jillette originally and then Chris Rock). The series is considered Cartoon Network’s first original series, but it wasn’t a fully produced show and has become somewhat lost due to the series not being rerun or released for purchase.

While Moxy was the first original Cartoon Network character, he didn’t score well among critics and audiences. The series went through a couple of reimaginings during its short run, starting out as The Moxy Pirate Show, then The Moxy Show, and finally being renamed to The Moxy & Flea Show. Unfortunately, the cartoon anthology series didn’t last long on the air, but it seemed CN learned from their mistakes and created more successful and popular original characters from then out.

9 I Am Weasel, 1997-1999

The hilarious, but somewhat forgotten Cartoon Network cartoon, I Am Weasel, started as a series of segments on Cow & Chicken before receiving its own series, which unfortunately wasn’t as successful as its parent show. Weasel (Michael Dorn) was sophisticated and intelligent in contrast to his dim-witted and sloppy friend I.R. Baboon (Charlie Adler). Baboon was envious of Weasel and always tried to outdo him with little luck. It also had an interesting turn where Baboon eventually succeeded and became the star of the series instead of Weasel. The Red Guy also appeared on the show as an antagonist.

Out of every original ’90s Cartoon Network show, I Am Weasel’s spinoff status — and its amount of success within those confines — is unique. Despite its relatively short run, I Am Weasel had relatively solid ratings for the two years it was on the air and managed to stand on its own outside of Cow & Chicken. The series got five seasons and milked 79 episodes, proving that it was well-liked among Cartoon Network’s many properties. Why the series was taken off the air is still unknown.

8 Space Ghost Coast To Coast, 1994-2001

Space Ghost Coast to Coast may have the biggest legacy among adult watchers of the ’90s original Cartoon Network shows. This animated talk show starred superhero Space Ghost (George Lowe) and was accompanied by his bandleader Zorak and director/producer Moltar (both played by C. Martin Kroker). Originally, Space Ghost was a Hanna-Barbera character and series from the ’60s. He interviewed celebrity guests like Eartha Kitt, Adam West, and comedian Jim Carrey. Due to his ego and lack of research, the interviews usually went poorly and were hilariously awkward. The show also featured Space Ghost’s interactions with Zorak and Moltar, who hated him.

It was one of the many Cartoon Network cartoons that appealed heavily to adults, continuing its legacy with short appearances in CN’s Adult Swim block. Space Ghost Coast to Coast was CN’s first effort at purposeful surrealism and predated some of its most popular bizarre adult cartoons like Aqua Teen Hungerforce. The series moved to Adult Swim from 2002 to 2004, and then over to GameTap from 2006 to 2008. Its absurdist and erratic humor may not be for everyone, but Space Ghost Coast to Coast’s influence on future Cartoon Network shows is undeniable.

7 What A Cartoon!, 1995-1997, 2000

What a Cartoon! was the most influential on the future of the network of the Cartoon Network original ’90s shows. This series featured a variety of cartoons from up-and-comers in the industry. Shows like Cow & Chicken, Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Larry and Steve, Family Guy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog were launched from this show. The concept was designed to give back creative control to artists and filmmakers. Besides debuting eventual cartoon classics, What A Cartoon! was also credited for resurrecting animation in the ’90s.

In 2000, What a Cartoon! was rebranded and rereleased as The Cartoon Cartoon Show, under the new management of Sam Register after Fred Seibert left. While the series was still responsible for launching more original Cartoon Network shows like Sheep in the Big City and Grim & Evil, its second iteration didn’t experience the same successes as its initial run. It was an ambitious format in the cartoon era, one that hadn’t been attempted before.

6 Johnny Bravo, 1997-2004

The titular Johnny Bravo (Jeff Bennett) was a buff guy who regularly creeped out women with his advances and occasionally went on bizarre adventures with his five-year-old neighbor Suzy (who enjoyed annoying him), Carl Chryniszzswics (who worshiped him), or celebrity guests like Adam West. Out of every original ’90s Cartoon Network show, Johnny Bravo and its best episodes are most especially well known for its adult humor. Bravo was one of the earlier faces of the network and propelled the careers of Butch Hartman (creator of The Fairly Odd Parents) and Seth MacFarlane (creator of Family Guy).

Johnny Bravo is now considered one of the most iconic cartoon characters of the ’90s, and his catchphrases and quotes are still relevant in pop culture today. The series spawned a spin-off programming block known as JBVO: Your All Request Cartoon Show, with Johnny Bravo hosting and the occasional guest star such as Chicken from Cow & Chicken. While Johnny Bravo didn’t technically win any accolades, it was nominated for seven Annie Awards, YoungStar Awards, and Golden Reel Awards.

5 Cow & Chicken, 1997-1999

When it comes to the original ’90s Cartoon Network shows, Cow & Chicken draws the easiest comparisons to the Nickelodeon breakout hit Ren & Stimpy. Two animal siblings (both voiced by Charlie Adler) with human parents had wacky misadventures in their messed-up city and interacted with its equally messed-up civilians. Chicken was the cocky older brother of the naive and sweet-natured Cow. They were usually pursued by the Red Guy (also Adler), who enjoyed making them suffer. Viewers gravitated towards characters like Cow and the Red Guy as they were seen as the funniest on the show.

While some were turned off by the unattractive art-style and gross-out humor, this type of content became immeasurably popular and is a staple of most beloved ’90s cartoons like the aforementioned Ren & Stimpy, or Rocko’s Modern Life. Cow & Chicken spawned the spinoff I Am Weasel, and like many original Cartoon Network shows, got its start on What a Cartoon!. In addition to winning three Annie Awards, the series was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Animated Program category.

4 Courage The Cowardly Dog, 1999-2002

Courage the Cowardly Dog followed a dog named Courage and his elderly owners Muriel and Eustace, who lived in the middle of nowhere. Despite their remote location, they were met by many paranormal and supernatural occurrences and characters. Courage was usually wise and tried to warn his owners but was rebuffed by Eustace. Viewers loved the show for its ominous and creepy atmosphere, character design, memorable villains, and the sweet relationship between Muriel and Courage.

Out of every original Cartoon Network show, Courage the Cowardly Dog probably has the biggest cult following. The overall aesthetic of the series proudly touted its weirdness, using random bits of CGI and composites of realistic images to bring an ethereal and surrealistic strangeness to the world of Muriel, Eustace, and of course, Courage. While some criticized the show for being too scary for kids, especially some of Courage’s creepiest villains, the cartoon’s strength was in its thrills and chills, winning it an Annie Award and a Golden Reel award.

3 Dexter’s Laboratory, 1996-2003

Created by Genndy Tartakovsky as his first Cartoon Network series. Dexter’s Laboratory was about a child prodigy named Dexter (Christine Cavanaugh) who crafted concoctions in his laboratory but was usually antagonized by his older sister Dee Dee (Kat Cressida). It was one of the greatest ’90s cartoons and has lived on through memes and nostalgia. Similar to its title character, the show was witty, and it slipped in references that went over most children’s heads, had a memorable opening, and an even more entertaining closing number that was narrator by Mako (voice of Avatar’s Iroh and Aku) who’d collaborate with Tartakovsky in Samurai Jack.

In terms of every original Cartoon Network show of the ’90s, Dexter’s Laboratory is one of the most celebrated among critics. The series, along with The Powerpuff Girls, changed the direction of Cartoon Network’s signature style of animation going into the future and was responsible for kickstarting Genndy Tartakovsky’s career, who later went on to create Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars. Dexter’s Laboratory was nominated for a slew of awards, 19 in total, and ended up winning three Annie Awards for its writing and voice acting.

2 Ed, Edd N Eddy, 1999-2002

Creator Danny Antonucci made the show on a dare, having previously created The Brothers Grunt and known for his adult content. The show starred three boys named Ed, Edd, and Eddy. They were seen as the outcasts of the neighborhood. While they (mostly Eddy) tried to swindle them out of their money to buy Jawbreakers, they also tried to be their friends. Fans were won over by the zany characters (especially the three Eds), the strange and random humor, and down-to-earth animation style.

Ed, Edd n Eddy easily draws the most obvious parallels to The Three Stooges. The original ’90s Cartoon Network animated series drew critical acclaim during its run, being praised for its animation and storylines. Following suit in being a bizarre and surrealistic adventure like other cartoons on CN at the time, the show ended up being a resounding success for the network. All in all, Ed, Edd n Eddy has four awards to its name, including a Reuben Award, two Leo Awards, and a SOCAN Award. Its final award is proof of the show’s legacy, as it was given to composer Patric Caird in 2009.

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1 The Powerpuff Girls, 1998-2005

The best original ’90s Cartoon Network show is The Powerpuff Girls. The Powerpuff Girls were born following a lab accident and featured Blossom (Cathy Cavadini), Buttercup (EG Daily), and Bubbles (Tara Strong). Each girl was different from the last, with Blossom as the leader and brains, Buttercup the brawn, and Bubbles as the sweet one. Viewers became quick fans of this show and its list of intriguing Powerpuff Girls villains. Fans of the show also loved the comedy, hidden adult jokes, fierce action, stylish animation, and voice acting.

The Powerpuff Girls was such a beloved series that it was nominated for six Emmy Awards, nine Annie Awards, and a Kids’ Choice Award. The show has a ton of ancillary material to its name, including an anime spinoff (Powerpuff Girls Z), a 2016 reboot series with different voice actors, three soundtracks, home releases, comic books, and video games. The CW had a live-action version of the show in development, titled Powerpuff, but after deciding to rework the pilot and actress Chloe Bennet leaving the series in 2021, it’s unclear if the series is still happening. All in all, the Cartoon Network show has won two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Annie Awards, but it’s the cultural legacy more than anything which secures The Powerpuff Girls as the best 90s Cartoon Network show.