Top 20 Short Lived Cartoon Kids Shows That Gained A Cult Following
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most underrated, but beloved animated shows that were canceled too soon. What’s a childhood favorite that you wish got more attention? Let us know in the comments below!
#20: “Road Rovers” (1996-97)
At a time when cheesy action cartoons were all the rage, one starring man’s best friend practically sold itself. Especially since these weren’t just cuddly pets. They were cano-sapiens A.K.A., superhero dogs. Throw in a good amount of that classic 90s camp, and “Road Rovers” cemented its place as one of the most entertaining kids programs of the time. Unfortunately, an alleged lawsuit had several higher-ups playing fetch with the show’s rights, and it had to be put down after just thirteen episodes. If there’s any justice, it’s that the show’s future release on DVD and streaming have finally given it the audience it always deserved.
#19: “Megas XLR” (2004-05)
Coop and his allies spent most of their time worried about alien invaders. But, as it turns out, not even giant robots and slick action could protect them from the biggest threat of all: low ratings. Despite positive marks, the show quietly finished its run in 2005, and then was quickly forgotten about. At least, by the network. Fans didn’t go down as quietly, and the strong word of mouth turned “Megas XLR” into an underground hit. But, by then, it was already too late. The show was written off as a tax loss, so no matter how many fans rally in support, “Megas XLR” will never power-on again.
#18: “Three Delivery” (2008-09)
Top 10 Short Lived Cartoon Kids Shows That Gained A Cult Following
Ordering from this takeout place gets you an entree of kung-fu action, a side of heartfelt characters, and a heaping dose of entertainment. Best of all, with Sue, Sid, and Tobey on the case, the delivery is always on time. When they’re not on the clock, these three orphans kick some major villain tail protecting the pages of an ancient, magical cookbook. And, thanks to their martials arts training, they always look cool while doing it. Fans certainly thought so. It’s a true shame the show only got a single season. But, on the bright side, that taste was enough to make “Three Delivery” an enduring fan-favorite.
#17: “Sym-Bionic Titan” (2010-11)
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An alien princess, a rebel soldier, and an overprotective robot seek refuge on Earth to escape a villainous dictator. Lots of fighting, laughter, and drama ensues. Usually, featuring the massive, titular cyborg. In a nutshell, that’s “Sym-Bionic Titan.” As anyone who’s seen it will tell you, the show’s balance of colorful action and mature themes makes it a must-watch to this day. Sadly, it’s a quick binge; the show was canned after just one season. The worst part? Of all the reasons, “Sym-Bionic Titan” was taken off the air because it couldn’t get a toy deal. Yeah, chalk this one up as one of the most unfair cancellations in television history.
#16: “Motorcity” (2012-13)
In a cyberpunk Detroit, one man and his hot-rod are the only thing standing between civilian liberty and total government oppression. And, what better way to settle the score than with some seriously sick races? “Motorcity” was loud, edgy, fun, and never once apologized for it. Instead, it kept burning rubber until it became one of Disney XD’s most inventive shows, ever. But, the series’ stylized plotlines weren’t a good fit with the rest of the network. Combined with leaked episodes and poor timeslots, “Motorcity” didn’t find an audience until it had already been canceled. Even though it didn’t get a proper ending, many fans agree that “Motorcity” is still well worth the ride.
#15: “The Life & Times of Juniper Lee” (2005-06)
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Compared to some other runs, forty episodes across three whole seasons is nothing to be ashamed of. And yet, it’s hard not to feel like “The Life and Times of Juniper Lee” should have gotten more. Seeing a young girl discover herself by fighting monsters just never gets old. Audiences agreed then, and they still do, now. The only one who didn’t think so was Cartoon Network. Rather than supporting the final episodes, they dumped them online the same day they were meant to air. But, in doing so, Cartoon Network unwittingly gave “Juniper Lee” a massive online following. Fifteen years after the fact, the fanbase is still as active as ever.
#14: “Mummies Alive!” (1997)
For a show that’s been buried for over two decades, “Mummies Alive!” has a surprising modern sense of humor. It was initially conceived as an adult-oriented cartoon, and while those plans changed during production, that edgy tone remains in the final product. Sure, there’s the classic young kid thrust into an age-old fight against darkness. But, it’s all surrounded by a dry wit that elevates even the most trite plot points. However, “Mummies Alive!” couldn’t command high viewership, and was sealed back in its tomb after just one season. Thankfully, the internet discovered the show once again, and rightfully gave it credit for daring to try something new.
#13: “Dave the Barbarian” (2004-05)
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A canceled TV show is no laughing matter. “Dave the Barbarian,” though? We dare you to try and sit through an episode without cracking up. The series is an anachronistic look at knights, magic, and siblinghood, all wrapped into one, gut-busting package. It’s a lot, and you’ll be amazed by how many subtle jokes they squeeze into twenty one episodes. In a way, that’s why “Dave the Barbarian” has found such a prolific second life online. These are episodes you can watch over and over, and still find something new each time. While it didn’t last very long, “Dave the Barbarian” is the comedy that keeps on giving.
#12: “Cadillacs and Dinosaurs” (1993-94)
“Cadillacs and Dinosaurs” was a show ahead of its time. Or, was it behind its time? These phrases get confusing. Anyway, this futuristic series depicted a world full of dinosaurs and lizard people with a strong environmental message. The show’s hero, Jack, leads a group of Cadillac-driving freedom fighters against the corrupt government. The series’ high-quality writing and animation won its fair share of fans, but the political-based series had a hard time finding its footing amongst Saturday morning cartoons. The show only produced 13 episodes before the decision was made to pull the plug.
#11: “Freakazoid!” (1995-97)
This is one of those shows you have to see for yourself; trying to describe “Freakazoid!” just doesn’t do it justice. It’s part parody, part superhero drama and part social critique. Together, all those elements make for a show that has more wit than it knows what to do with. Ironically, though, that bold sense of humor is exactly what doomed “Freakazoid!” in the first place. The exaggerated storytelling didn’t connect with kids at the time. Adults, though? They were a different story. Because of their support, the show’s legacy hasn’t dulled one bit over the years. If anything, “Freakazoid!” is more entertaining now than it was when it aired - and that’s saying something.
#10: “The Pirates of Dark Water” (1991-93)
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This wildly original Hanna-Barbera show started off as a miniseries before being elevated to a full commitment. Unfortunately, it only lasted 21 episodes before it was cancelled. Featuring the heroic adventures of an alien pirate prince on the island planet of Mer, we can see why the show may have been a hard sell for the network executives in charge. That being said, we loved it as kids, and the show has a strong fan base still going today. We could easily see the adventures of Ren and his crew reimagined for audiences today. Aliens plus pirates? Count us in.
#9: “Biker Mice from Mars” (1993-96)
Lasting three seasons, “Biker Mice from Mars” was a very strange show, and that’s probably why so many kids who grew up watching it still remember it today. The story of three alien mice who escape their war-torn home of Mars and come to protect planet Earth from a variety of dangers, the series is remembered for its stylish tone and the outrageous main villain, Lawrence Limburger. “Biker Mice” spawned several video games, a short-lived Marvel series, and even received the reboot treatment around 2006. Though it wasn’t quite able to stick around, the show is still fondly-remembered by many fans today.
#8: “Earthworm Jim” (1995-96)
Based on a popular video game released the year before, “Earthworm Jim” was the story of a super-heroic earthworm named, you guessed it, Jim. With his advanced suit giving him extraordinary abilities, Earthworm Jim, voiced by the legendary Dan Castellaneta, fought off enemies such as the Lord of Nightmares and the Archbug, saving the world for 23 episodes of adventures before the series was cancelled. The franchise was able to live on through several more video games, but eventually died off. The character was quite popular, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see an “Earthworm Jim” revival somewhere down the line.
#7: “Fillmore!” (2002-04)
Solving crimes as the Safety Patrol isn’t for the faint of heart. Luckily, there’s more to Filmore and his partner, Ingrid, than meets the eye. The same can be said of the show overall. While “Fillmore!” initially comes across as standard children’s fare, it’s actually filled to the brim with all sorts of clever references, easter eggs, and parodies. The series dramatizes the school’s Safety Patrol as something of a hard-boiled detective agency. As a result, each episode feels like a family-friendly gangster film in the best way possible. Still, “Filmore!” doesn’t have as many episodes as you’d expect from something with such broad appeal. But, even though it’s gone, “Filmore!” is certainly not forgotten.
#6: “Sonic the Hedgehog” (1993-94)
Airing around the same time as “Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog,” this short-lived cult classic provided viewers with a darker alternative. “Sonic the Hedgehog” depicted a dystopian alien planet where Sonic leads a resistance against the planet’s ruler, Dr. Robotnik. The show is more mature than you might first expect, which may be why it only lasted 26 episodes. Fortunately, unlike many cartoons of the era, the show was given a satisfying series finale that saw Sonic and his allies defeat Robotnik’s forces, albeit with one cliffhanger. Fans remember this series for being head and shoulders above most other Sonic cartoons.
#5: “Mighty Ducks” (1996-97)
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Inspired by the popular series of Disney live-action hockey films, this cartoon told the story of a team of hockey-playing, evil-vanquishing humanoid ducks from an alternate universe. On paper, it’s absolutely absurd. But it works! It’s a fun cartoon that was taken from us too soon, lasting for only one 26-episode season. Its villains were wildly imaginative, and the voice acting from the entire series was memorable, being populated by some of the best voice actors of the decade. This was an extremely well-made cartoon that had an inventive and unique premise. It’s really a shame we didn’t get more of it.
#4: “SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron” (1993-95)
“SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron” was another in a long line of ‘90s cartoons starring anthropomorphic animals who worked normal jobs by the day and fought crime at night. It was, however, an excellent one. The real tragedy of “SWAT Kats” was that it was cancelled only because it was perceived as too violent. Its fan base remained strong even though the show was cancelled, and in 2015 the show’s creators started a crowdfunding campaign to revive the series. It received enough funding to get the project off the ground, getting us also hyped for “SWAT Kats Revolution.”
#3: “Mighty Max” (1993-94)
This animated series depicted the adventures of a young boy named Max who is granted a hat that gives him portal-hopping powers. The series lasted for 40 episodes, but had the potential to go for many more, and many older fans now are left wondering why it didn’t. The journey of Max, his mentor Virgil, and his bodyguard Norman gave us some of the most engaging storytelling and action in cartoons at the time, and the primary villain Skullmaster was even voiced by Tim Curry. To this day, the show is not easily available digitally or through physical media.
#2: “Gargoyles” (1994-97)
Starting from the theme’s opening notes, this gothic action-adventure tale had us gripped. Taking a page from “Batman: The Animated Series,” “Gargoyles” used its dark atmosphere and setting along with three-dimensional characters to weave a surprisingly deep story within this Disney cartoon, drawing inspiration from Shakespeare and other classical sources. The series still has a strong following today, with its characters making appearances as cosplays, and Jordan Peele reportedly pitching an idea for a feature-length movie to Disney. Fingers crossed we’ll get to see the “Get Out” director’s take on this awesome potential franchise.
#1: “Invader Zim” (2001-02; 2006)
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The adventures of Zim, GIR, Dib, and Gaz made such a strong impact despite their short run. “Invader Zim” has thus carved out its own recognizable pop culture niche in the years since its cancellation. The series was dark and strange, and that’s why a subset of kids absolutely loved it. The show’s unique animation style and dark sense of humor made it a departure from Nickelodeon’s ordinary programming. Maintaining wild popularity even over a decade after its cancellation, Nickelodeon decided to revive the show as a TV movie entitled “Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus!” If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll even get some more Zim after that.
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