9. Dinosaurs
This dinosaur show for kids, a Jim Henson and Disney collaboration, featured a family of puppet dinosaurs. It’s a sitcom set in an alternate universe wherein dinosaurs never became extinct.
8. Agro’s Cartoon Connection
This show was a sort of “repackaging” of other 90s kids shows like Sailor Moon, Scooby-Doo, Popeye, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Each segment was presented by Agro, a puppet character so named because of his aggressiveness, which was often played up for humour.
Between the cartoon segments, there were also short comedy skits starring Agro and other hosts. This variety of content within one single episode made for a pretty memorable viewing experience for us 90s kids.
7. Ren And Stimpy
Everyone’s experience with Ren and Stimpy in the 90s is different. Its youngest viewers were likely equal parts horrified and intrigued by the distinctly unattractive animation style. Some children may have found its themes too disgusting or weird to be entertaining. Teens and young adults may have loved the surreal humour and its numerous innuendos.
This unhinged show was revolutionary in the world of animation. Its dark, adult humour was unprecedented in the realm of cartoons, and the show singlehandedly started a trend of weirdness amongst Nickelodeon shows which can still be felt today in shows like ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ and ‘Adventure Time’.
6. Cheez TV
This show had a format that was almost exactly like Agro’s Cartoon Connection, except that it was much more kid-friendly (Agro was infamous for its subtle adult humour). Hosted by Ryan Lapin and Jade Gatt, Cheez TV holds a special place in the hearts of 90s kids for showing some of the best kids television available at the time, and the abrasive yet catchy theme song will forever be etched deeply in our memories.
5. Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z was a worldwide phenomenon in the 90s, making an appearance on almost every Australian TV in the 90s. Parents were perplexed, and kids were utterly enthralled. It was many 90s kids’ first taste of Japanese animation. Dragon Ball Z was violent, complex, fantastical, and had such detailed animation and character design: traits that are absent in many of its western cartoon contemporaries.
Dragon Ball Z is primarily about Goku’s exploration of his superhuman powers. Following along on his journey across the galaxy, viewers saw Goku defeat stronger and stronger enemies. Though the series can sometimes be formulaic, children and teens in the 90s nevertheless got hooked on its badass characters and its intense fight sequences.
4. Rocko’s Modern Life
This Nickelodeon show is one of Ren and Stimpy’s direct descendants, with dark humour, weird-looking animation, and poorly-masked sexual innuendos; it ticks every box. The main character Rocko is a wallaby (with an unconvincing Australian accent), immigrating to the United States and settling down in the fictional O-Town. There he meets his eventual best friend Heffer the cow as well as other animal neighbours.
Though Ren and Stimpy’s influence on Rocko’s Modern Life is unquestionable, its humour is markedly tamer and more accessible to children than its predecessor, giving it a rather unique appeal.
3. The Adventures of Blinky Bill
There is no kids show more distinctly Australian than The Adventures of Blinky Bill. Dorothy Wall’s famous koala character has been in books, kids movies, and live-action TV shows, but its most famous iteration is this ABC cartoon show from the 90s. In each episode, Blinky Bill and the show’s other Australian wildlife characters taught children about the importance of caring for the environment as well as other important values. The cartoon is now considered a classic and the character is recognised as a national icon.
2. Batman: The Animated Series
Fresh off the heels of the 1989 Tim Burton “Batman” movie, this TV show was made to capitalize on the movie’s commercial and critical success. Episodes took stories from Batman’s decades-long comic book history, and introduced children to characters from the source material that they had never seen before: Mister Freeze, Poison Ivy, Catwoman, and many more.
Despite it being a cartoon, Batman: The Animated Series appealed to both children and adults, with its colourful characters playing out complex themes of revenge, justice, grief, and crime. With its brilliant, timeless writing and its beautiful animation, it’s been frequently appraised as one of the best animated television shows ever made.
1. Art Attack
Ask any young creative professional out there and it’s likely that they would fondly remember Art Attack, hosted by Neil Buchanan. In every episode, Neil would guide viewers through 3 or 4 craft projects, which any kid can easily make with household items and recycled materials. Between each segment are short comedy skits, and occasionally there would be a “Big Art Attack” segment where Neil would create large scale artwork with unconventional materials.
Even if you didn’t follow along with Neil’s art projects, Art Attack was still such a joy to watch. Seeing something fanciful and unexpected be created out of nothing was inspiring to so many children. There’s nothing quite like Art Attack, and that’s why it tops our list.