Every Original Cartoon Network Show Of The 90s, Ranked (According To IMDb)

Cartoon Network was a juggernaut on cable during the ’90s and these fantastic original series were a major reason for its success.

In 1991, Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera Productions for $320 million. Desiring a channel to broadcast Hanna-Barbera’s extensive library of cartoons, he and his team developed and launched Cartoon Network by 1992. The channel was 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.

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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. And it’s thanks to series like these.

Updated on March 4th, 2021 by Kristen Palamara: Cartoon Network is known for its original programming that was unique and engaging for all audiences. The old Cartoon Network shows, the ones that started in the 90s in particular, are nostalgic and always worth a rewatch for any fan of Cartoon Network 90s shows. 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 watch and rewatch the original series from Cartoon Network. 

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Mike, Lu & Og 1999-2001 (6.2)

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 on the island.

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, but short-lived, series from Cartoon Network.

Cow & Chicken 1997-1999 (6.5)

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. However, some were turned off by the unattractive art-style and gross content.

I.M. Weasel 1999-2000 (6.6)

The hilarious, but somewhat forgotten cartoon, I.M. Weasel started as a series of segments on Cow & Chicken before receiving its own series. 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 comedically with little luck.

While the show was in the same art style as Cow & Chicken, viewers found this series to be more hilarious. 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.

The Moxy Show 1993-1995 (6.7)

The Moxy Show was a 3D animated series made for Cartoon Network that only ran for a few seasons. 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.

Big Bag 1996-1998 (6.7)

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 pre-school programs at the time.

Codename: Kids Next Door 1998-2008 (7.2)

Codename: Kids Next Door had a great animation style and five main characters each with a unique look and character design. The series followed the five friends, nicknamed the Kids Next Door, as they hide out in their treehouse and try to avoid adult responsibilities.

Each member of the team, each assigned a number, has a special skill that they use to defeat adults trying to get them to do things they don’t want to do like going to the dentist.

Johnny Bravo 1997-2004 (7.2)

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 worshipped him), or celebrity guests like Adam West.

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Viewers, especially adults, were fans of the mature humor and pop-culture references. 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).

The Powerpuff Girls 1998-2005 (7.2)

Three superhero girls who saved the world before bedtime. 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 was the sweet one.

Viewers became quick fans of this show that had kindergarteners viciously defeating various villains again and again. They also dug the comedy, hidden adult jokes, fierce action, stylish animation, and voice acting.

Ed, Edd N Eddy 1999-2002 (7.4)

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.

Dexter’s Laboratory 1996-2003 (7.9)

Created by Genndy Tartakovsky and 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.

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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 Iroh and Aku) who’d collaborate with Tartakovsky in Samurai Jack.

Space Ghost Coast To Coast 1994-2001 (7.9)

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 Jim Carrey. Due to his ego and lack of research, the interviews usually went poorly and were comedically awkward. The show also featured Ghost’s interactions with Zorak and Moltar, who hated him.

Courage The Cowardly Dog 1999-2002 (8.2)

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.

What A Cartoon! 1995-1997, 2002 (8.3)

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 and gave all these shows and more their big breaks.

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