For more than three decades, Cartoon Network has dominated the children’s media environment and has the best-relieving shows ever. The network competes against powerhouses like Disney and Nickelodeon and has won numerous accolades, established franchises, and carved out a distinctive path for its content.
Cartoon Network Studios, which initially operated on the fringe of Hanna-Barbera productions, has subsequently established itself, producing more than 60 animated shows.
Innovating, supporting independent producers, and pushing the limits of children’s programming have long been hallmarks of the Cartoon Network channel. Of course, some programs have been better than others.
Still, looking back, even many less successful ones have a nostalgic appeal, which makes creating a “Best of” list in appreciation of their long history even more difficult. Others have ripened like great wine, while others may not be as wonderful as your fond memories have painted. Some of these films were cinematic masterpieces.
Even if it’s a difficult job, someone has to do it. The top Cartoon Network programs ever are listed below.
20. The Marvelous Misadventures Of Flapjack
- Creator: Thurop Van Orman
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu and Prime Video.
In the 2000s, gross-out humor made a significant resurgence in children’s programming, and Cartoon Network Studios had been at the forefront of the trend.
“The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack” elevated visual puns by contrasting its fluid animation with ugly, stop-motion cut scenes and other interactive features.
The show portrayed budding sailor Flapjack alongside his disgraced pirate tutor Captain Knuckles, on their explorations of Candied Island. The two shared a home with the lovely people that lived on Stormalong Harbor, including Bubby, Flapjack’s (actual) whale of a mother.Like “Courage the Cowardly Dog,” the animations might be considered brave and scary.
Although the show dealt with adult issues like alcoholism and consuming enough salt to induce hallucinations, this didn’t make it inappropriate for children. The fact that the program won a Primetime Emmy proves that much thought went into creating this silly children’s program.
19. Codename: Kids Next Door
- Creator: Tom Warburton
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video and HBO Max.
“Codename: Kids Next Door” is a perfect example of a program about oddball kids leading organizations that Cartoon Network execs adore. From beginning to end, this 2002–2008 program was an exhilarating trip propelled by endearing people and entertaining storylines.
According to the plot of this series, a worldwide underground group called the Kids Next Door was founded to combat atrocities against children. Five 10-year-old crime fighters from Sector V, specifically, are the focus of the program.
Fans could identify with the character they felt the most affinity for because each was distinctively fleshed out and given their personality. The youngsters fought against “crimes” like flossing and becoming older, but the show never treated itself too seriously.
18. Craig Of The Creek
- Creator: Matt Burnett and Ben Levin
- IMDb Ratings: 7.8
- Streaming Platforms: Cartoon network.com and Prime Video
Although “Craig of the Creek” is a recent addition to Cartoon Network’s lineup, ss deserves to be counted among some of the network’s most fabulous. It is a buddy-adventure show that debuted in 2018 and centered on a young boy named Craig and his group of creek-dwelling friends.
In addition to portraying Black families well, the show succeeds because its entire plot is filled with a sense of purity. “Craig” focuses on creativity and a childish curiosity to explore rather than magic or the possibility of harm to keep the audience fascinated.
Put “Craig of the Creek” on your shortlist of cartouch because it has slick animation, beautifully detailed scenery, and a willingness to address issues like LGBTQ representation. You won’t be sorry.
17. Justice League
- Creator: Butch Lukic, Dan Riba
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video.
To be clear, “Justice League” is not a Cartoon Network Studios creation, despite being one of the network’s most well-liked shows. The plot features DC’s most well-known heroes, including Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, The Flash, and Martian Manhunter.
It debuted on Cartoon Network 2 years earlier,r “Teen Titans.” The show, however, never rested on its laurels and, in 2009, placed #20 on an IGN list of the finest animated television shows ever produced.
The animation, like “Teen Titans,” prioritized authenticity over pretending a more solemn tone and was also modified to serve a grimier, darker appeared.
The series succeeded because it portrayed these exceptional characters through the lens of fellow humans, with character flaws and weaknesses and extremely earth-based personal lives, who just so occurred to solve crimes from a flying superhero headquarters on the edge of space. The infrequent joke to cheer people up would usually come from Flash.
16. Ben 10
- Creator: Ben 10
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+.
If you were a child in the early 2000s, “Ben 10” likely took up most of your free time. Wherever you turned, the coming-of-age tale of Ben Tennyson, a 10-year-old child who finds an extraterrestrial wristwatch with technologies, was being told—from reruns to merchandise to McDonald’s toys.
Ben utilizes this ability to change into various extraterrestrial species to defend his family from intergalactic foes threatening their safety.
Ben 10 seems to make an additional effort to portray a young boy’s ambitions, concerns, dreams, and yearning for adventure, even though many of Cartoon Network’s shows have starred young male stars. Ben’s development throughout the show was refreshing, and this novelty in animation gave viewers the impression that they were friends with him.
15. The Looney Tunes Show
- Creator: Sam Register, Spike Brandt, Tony Cervone
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video
This is undoubtedly not your folks’ “Looney Tunes.” The recognizable characters from Warner Brothers are returned, but this time they are millennials or, at the very least, updated.
This series, which exploded into Cartoon Network in 2011, featured Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck again, living in a pleasant suburban rental home after emerging from the woods. The program is self-contained and doesn’t transfer storylines from one installment to the next, just like the original cartoon classics.
Additionally, it gave the slapstick gags that we all cherish a satirical spin by favoring fully conscious, self-referential humor this time. Regarding reboots, it’s a fine one, especially in light of all the different Looney Tunes iterations that have subsequently appeared.
It’s difficult to oppose this relaunch because of the strong animation and the characters’ innate likeability. The show made a sensation in the animation industry and even received three Primetime Emmy nominations, though some spectators might find its obsession with a “Space Jam” style irritating.
14. Johnny Bravo
- Creator: Van Partible
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2
- Streaming Platforms: HBO Max, Prime Video.
Although “Johnny Bravo” may have been one of the first Hanna-Barbera broadcast ventures to succeed, the show hasn’t held up well over time. It covers the lifestyle of a self-described egomaniac with women issues; although he is a giant creep, girls won’t leave him alone.
This character might even refer to himself as a himbo. Pop culture references and adult humor render this shooutstandingat, along with the fact that there were not many programs like it at the time.
While the program reflects its era and is still vividly recalled today, watching the entire series again won’t make it more enjoyable.
With Adonis-like muscles, demi-godlike blonde hair, and Elvis-like vocals, you’d think he’d have no trouble with the girls. But you’d be mistaken. In reality, the entire plot of this animation is built on Johnny Bravo’s recurrent failures with the unlucky women who managed to capture his attention.
However, some colorful, enjoyable animation serves to enhance the series. One of the grounds why “Johnny Bravo” is still famous after all these years is the lighthearted and inviting way the show’s human characters are drawn.
13. Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated
- Creator: Mitch Watson
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video.
With “Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated,” Cartoon Network did a great job of upgrading everyone’s favorite case-solving canine in 2010. This show raised the bar for the group, bringing darker plots, a more affluent background, and Matthew Lillard, continuing over as Shaggy’sy first from live-action films.
The series liked paying homage to well-known horror films and playing into the “Scooby-Doo” mythology. It was funny, creepy, and self-aware.
A certain percentage of any program will slip into the same familiar pattern when working with “Scooby-Doo”; there are only so many grumpy old men you can tear a mask from. Fortunately, “Incorporated” progressed the brand by examining Shaggy with Velma’s or Daphne and Fred’s romantic tension, but the puzzles drew viewers in time and time again.
12. Regular Show
- Creator: James Garland Quintel
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Prime Video.
This show is intended for children, but many topics are unmistakably for teenagers and adults. It was developed for the Cartoon Network’s Cartoonstitute project, which allows up-and-coming creators to pitch programs free from network intervention.
“Regular Show” covers the range from love to responsibilities to maturity thru the perspective of two local park groundskeepers and close buddies,s Mordecai and Rig, in fun, totally arbitrary, tongue-in-cheek fashion. Of course, the fact that an ’80s dance war with ghosts is uncommon in cartoons makes us adore it.
The show received a Primetime Emmy award for its substantial plot lines and adult humorGiven how cute and welcoming the animation seems on the surface, it aimed at a more sophisticated audience than one might assume. “Regular Show” was unique because it relied on routine, blue-collar jobs and an abstract sense of humor.
11. Ed, Edd n Eddy
- Creator: Danny Antonucci
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5
- Streaming Platforms: HBO Max, Prime Video.
This 1999 series about the three titular lads and their get-rich-quick plans to buy jawbreakers was an innovative program that affected a generation of children (albeit not always positively). But, unfortunately, by the end of each episode, most of these schemes—from offering magic-marker tattoos via hypnosis scams—had failed horribly.
They were a group of three pals who, more or less, had the same name. Despite having wildly different personalities and demeanors, they were incredibly cohesive and gave rise to one of Cartoon Network’s most popular original series. What else can you anticipate from three young children living in a cul-de-sac?
Although “Ed, Edd n Eddy” did not originate from Cartoon Network Studios, it continued inits trademark cartoony graphics. It makes sense,e given thatseriesries’ creator, Danny Antonucci started as an animator on various Hanna-Barbera cartoons geared toward children.
As a result, it felt like a coarser, more fluid form of a Hanna-Barbera production in many ways.
It may have occasionally been overtaken by shows like “Courage the Cowardly Dog” or “The Powerpuff Girls,” but “Ed, Edd & Eddy” is still regarded as a beloved cult classic cartoon series more than ten years later.
10. Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends
- Creator: Craig McCracken
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video, cartoonetwork.com.
“Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” is another one of those programs that everyone likes, and it has one of the most exemplary opening title sequences in Cartoon Network’s existence.
While you grow out of your imaginary companions, what happens to them? Of course, they go to an orphanage. They do, at least, in this Cartoon Network favorite.
This cartoon series was exciting and entertaining as it followed the exploits of a 9-year-old boy, his fictitious best buddy, and the other inhabitants of the Foster home. It might even be moving when it was centered on the bond between Mac and Bloo.
The cartoon’s premise offers the perfect canvas of fovariousof characters, unrestrained inventiveness, and creative variety. The show’s vivid colors capture your attentin and don’t let go; the effects frequently have a cinematic quality.
9. The Amazing World Of Gumball
- Creator: Ben Bocquelet
- IMDb Ratings: 8.3
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, cartoonnetwork.com
Few Cartoon Network shows have made art and design their primary focus, even though many have prioritized them. This is why “The Amazing World of Gumball” was distinguished when it was initially released in 2011.
Each episode of “Gumball” is produced with such care and precision that the plot almost appears incidental, and with this show, that’s good.
This style experiment received praise from the entire animation community for its innovative discord and acceptance of various media. The program always had audiences on their feet, switching between traditional 2D animation, CGI, puppetry, and even sporadic-action.
The plot, I see. The blue cat Gumball Watterson with his adoptive goldfish brother Darwin was tracked by “Amazing World” as they made their way through middle school.
Humorous and self-aware, the program welcomed pop culture allusions and frequently veered into the mature area with parts of its writing. Still, regardless of young age, the series’s unique aesthetic and playful atmosphere made it work.
8. The Grim Adventures Of Billy And Mandy
- Creator: Maxwell Atoms
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7
- Streaming Platforms: PVideovideo and HBO Max.
“The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy,” developed by Maxwell Atoms, welcomed mindless pleasure for six seasons of unrepentant bliss; it still serves as the ideal hangover remedy or ambient noise nowadays.
The show centers on two young humans who persuade the all-powerful Grim Reaper to become their lifelong best buddy. Even while the show has some sad moments, it never goes too far that youngsters can’t enjoy themselves. Instead, going on a fun, Tim Burton-style ride would be best.
The trio’s interaction is intriguing and disinterested in conventional constraints on the characters’ likeability or relatability.
The text is self-aware and loaded with cryptic allusions, many of which are assigned to intelligent characters such as Mandy. Unfortunately, the series was designed to be hilarious in 11-minute chunks, with no actual character arcs or storyline.
7. Dexter’s Laboratory
- Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9
- Streaming Platforms: HBO Max, cartoonnetwork.com
Whenever it refers to nostalgia, “Dexter’s Laboratory” takes the biscuit — the strawberry facing the wrong way cake, to be precise — for a specific generation.
A kid having a sizable, private, professional laboratory at residence without his parent’s knowledge about it is something you’d only see in a cartoon. Unfortunately, Dexter’s parents appeared to be blissfully unconscious of his activities as a budding mad scientist, and he also acquired an accent of questionable foreign origin.
This makes “Dexter’s Laboratory” one of the most well-liked original shown on the Cartoon Network. At least his sister had a chance to dance about and get into mischief, which we occasionally find adorable.
He competes against Susan “Mandark” Astronomonov, a less accomplished scientist, although their relationship is limited chiefly to healthy playground rivalry.
Another Hanna-Barbera creation, the series used the same flat backdrops and straightforward animation style as “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Johnny Bravo,” the show eliminated sharp differences or shadows by using bright colors in most scenes.
Although the concept was entertaining, it nevedesiredre to incorporate much of a storyline into the episodes. Nevertheless, it remains a fan favorite and one of the most criticaoriginallofom Cartoon Network’s formative days.
6. Teen Titans
- Creator: Glen Murakami, Sam Register
- IMDb Ratings: 7.9
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, cartoonnetwork.com
Returning to another DC Comics program, “Teen Tita, ns,” wasn’t exactly a Cartoon Network Studios creation either, but that didn’t make it any less essential to the network or deserving of inclusion if it’s top programs.
These young people kick butt. As a tight-knit gang of adolescent superheroes, the battling crime for the greater good while resolving common teen issues.
Hey, it sounds a lot like maturity. Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Robin experienced crushes, struggled with insecurities, and engaged in petty fights. The majority of us don’t also have abilities and wear costumes. Therefore that is the sole exception, certainly not in public.
It began broadcasting on Cartoon Network in 2003 when it quickly gained a sizable following of young peopleThe program boosted the superhero genre even before Zack Snyder entered the picture.
The DC character ensemble inspired it, including Beast Boy, Robin, Cyborg, and others. They would occasionally find time to protect their city from danger while keeping the main focus on a band of young heroes coping with the problems of adolescence.
The series, a wonderfully animated and eloquently written examination of growth, would inevitably give place to something entirely different: the well-known “Teen Titans Go!” series, which debuted in 2013.
5. Steven Universe
- Creator: Rebecca Sugar
- IMDb Ratings: 8.2
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, cartoonnetwork.com
Perhaps the groundbreaking “Steven Universe” rates highly among the best Cartoon Network shows would be unsurprising.
After its 2013 launch, the series became somewhat of a sensation thanks to its fervent fandom, and it seemed to garner attention and impact each year until its conclusion in 2019.
This similar series, which followed “Adventure Time,” features a preteen character named Steven, who is half-human and half-Crystal Gem. The Crystal Gems, which should not be confused with genuine rocks, is a collection of supernatural, extraterrestrial beings that draw power from each of their unique gems. Again, this coming-of-age tale follows the unexpected hero fighting supernatural foes and defending the people nearby.
The first wholly female-created television series, “Universe,” also features a gay marriage, making significant advancements for children’s media. The show’s groundbreaking representation of mental health, particularly PTSD and neurodivergence, is another aspect of its legacy.
In addition, the series enthralled audiences with its captivating animation and catchy original score, permanently altering how mature topics are addressed in cartoons.
4. Courage The Cowardly Dog
- Creator: John R. Dilworth
- IMDb Ratings: 8.3
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video and cartoonnetwork.com
A different animated series that never feltlike it was created for children, even though many were enjoying it, is “Courage the Cowardly Dog.” Talking of content that tends toward the older.
Although he was terrified of practically everything, Courage had a lot of bravery, which was appropriate for the figure at the center of one of the Cartoon Network’s highest-rated debuts ever.
With his old masters, he appeared to run into supernatural, mystical, or just plain bizarre things all the time. But, of course, if we routinely had to deal with the dead, monsters, and violent, headless chickens, we might also be a little wary.
Many today cite the 1999–2002 series as their introduction to horror, and they are grateful that it frightened them when they were young. The TV show’s subjects were a frightened pink dog named Courage and his masters, Muriel and Eustace.
The fam was a magnet for demons, monsters, and just insane people while they lived in their place in the middle of Nowhere, and that was up to Courage to keep them safe. The program was alarming for animation; one episode even referenced “The Exorcist.”
The show, however, has always been more than just a “Goosebumps” imitation, following its route that occasionally made it insightful and poignant in its peculiar manner.
For example, the movie “Courage,” despite not always appearing to do so on the surface, the movie ” Courage ” subtly portrays the delicate balance between someone being courageous and terrified. He might be afraid of every tiny squeal at night, but it didn’t stop him from defending the people he cared about.
3. Samurai Jack
- Creator: Genndy Tartakovsky
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5
- Streaming Platforms: Prime Video
“Samurai Jack” was frequently cited as one of the greatest animated shows ever. It was the kind of exquisitely animated, profoundly emotional melodramthatch that could only be produced by the genius Genndy Tartakovsky.
In addition to being visually gorgeous and receiving four Primetime Emmy Awards, “Samurai Jack” stood out from its contemporaries by having a unique style and using few words.
The show’s main topic was the conflict between good and evil, centered on the story of a single samurai who was sent to a dystopian future. To return to the current and fight his archenemy Aku, Jack would have to contend with various enemies and villains. It is the best kind of addictive.
The show always had a brazenly mature ait, as if aimed explicitly at an adult crown like other combat shows; it never used comedic supporting characters or lighthearted plots to lighten the mood. However, the animation design made it stand out; to this day, nothing looks like it.
It would sound right if it resembled earlier Cartoon Network Studios products like “The Powerpuff Girls” or “Dexter’s Laboratory” because it was one of the first.
However, “Jack” was utterly unique, making history one of the firscartoonson works to use lineless characters. This highlighted the artistic skill required to distinguish characters frotheirhe their surroundings, producing striking contrast in each episode’s picture.
2. The Powerpuff Girls
- Creator: Craig McCracken
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+
The “Powerpuff Girls” pioneered and established the animation industry. This McCracken masterwork became a worldwide hit thanks to its use of sugar, spice, and everything superb, as well as colorful, vivid animation, addictive style, and three young girls at the heart who you can’t help but cheer for.
Who thought three crime-fighting kindergarteners and the Cartoon Network’s highest-rated debut program to that time could be created from a bit of sugar, a little spice, and an unknown chemical element?
Three cute little ladies, Bubbles, Blossom, & Buttercup, assist in defending the town of Townsville while also possessing unique abilities. You know, kid things. The show is full of pop culture allusions and has a unique aesthetic, making it a treat for adults and children.
Yet “The Powerpuff Girls” wasn’t just any cartoon; it fundamentally altered kids’ shows and animation.
When it debuted in 1998, there weren’t many kid-targeted programs featuring young girls as superheroes. Instead, these young children were told by Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup that they could accomplish anything, regardless of their size or age.
1. Adventure Time
- Creator: Pendleton Ward
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6
- Streaming Platforms: Hulu, cartoonnetwork.com
Few cartoon series can match “Adventure Time,” probably saving till last. The program, which has nine seasons plus eight Primetime Emmy wins, centers on 12-year-old Finn and Jake, magical-speaking dogs. The two spend most of their time adventuring, battling evil, and defending the people they care about.
The series debuted in 2010 and has a devoted following among children and adults because of its meaningful, slowly-evolving plot and exquisite animation. Each episode has an intensely emotional component bolstered by an impressive original score.
Cartoons can be humorous and cheerful, but young people shouldn’t be denied storylines with substance and inessential messages. “Adventure Time” combines overt life lessons and understated themes regarding change and development.
Even while the show’s seemingly unrelated elements work nicely together, the script is what jumps out. Among the numerous reasons to suggest this program as CartoonNetwork’sk best is its compelling LGBTQ narrative, which centers on a romance between Marceline (the Vampire Queen) and Princess Bubblegum.
