Here’s our list of the top 5 ‘Kids’ cartoons of all time…

Tom and Jerry Kids

One of the last entries into the ‘Kids’ cartoon sub-genre, Tom and Jerry Kids was a great modernization of the ‘Tom and Jerry’ formula for the 90s. The show aired on FOX from 1990 to 1993, and featured short segments staring Tom, Jerry, Slowpoke Antonio, Kyle the Cat, and Wildmouse.

The Flintstone Kids

From 1986 to 1988, The Flintstone Kids aired as an hour long show that featured the most popular characters from The Flintstones in junior sized versions. Most character personalities remained the same, but the show also introduced new characters like Captain Caveman to the Flintstones mythos. The show actually caused controversy among hard core Flintstones fans because it contradicted prior established continuity with the Flintstone’s history. Still, it was a great series, and one of the top ‘Kids’ series from the era.

A Pup Named Scooby Doo

How good was A Pup Named Scooby Doo? So good that it still airs daily on Cartoon Network (and it has been on the network since 1993!). This was the 8th incarnation of Scooby Doo as a saturday morning cartoon, and it ran from 1988 to 1991 on ABC. It follows the same formula as the original series, but with a much more sarcastic tone. Of every show on the list, this is the easiest to find. It still airs on television, and is available on DVD as well.

Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies

Muppet Babies started this ‘Kids’ trend, and ran the longest of all the series on this list – from 1984-1992 (new episodes ended in 1990). The series is an animated classic that featured the famous Muppet characters as children, going on imaginative adventures (often parodying popular culture and current films) – all from the safety of their nursery. The series has not, and probably will not, come to DVD. One reason sighted is that the series featured a great deal of footage from other sources (including Indiana Jones and Star Wars in the series opening) and rights may be difficult to iron out.

Tiny Toon Adventures

With a high production budget, fantastic writing, and the backing of Stephen Speilberg, Tiny Toons put Warner Bros. animation back on the map in the 1990s. This series took a slightly different route to the ‘Kids’ concept, with the Tiny Toons being unrelated animated kids who were taught by the previous Loony Tunes generation. The show ran for almost 100 episodes, including several specials and a direct to video movie, and often lampooned pop culture and current events.

The series is finally coming to DVD on July 29, 2008.

This list includes those two phenomenal shows, but also includes a few others that I think are truly great television, and that I recommend for anyone to watch.

5. Torchwood – This spin-off from ‘Doctor Who’ revolves around a government agency created to combat the paranormal forces that threaten the UK. Torchwood comes off as mostly evil – except for the branch in Cardiff run by Captain Jack Harkness, which is the branch the series focuses on.

It’s shades of “X-Files” but with its own unique twist. While a few of the episodes in season two were on the “hokey” side, this show remains engaging and well worth your time.

4. You Are What you Eat - Nutritionist Gillian McKeith doesn’t hesitate to tell the overweight people on her show exactly what they’re doing wrong. She is blunt, to the point, and a great motivator. The show makes no bones about analyzing poo, discussing farting, and showing people first hand exactly what a week of eating crap looks like.

You can learn a lot from this show, but simply watching it, is a motivator to eat a healthier diet, and live a healthier life style. If you’re even slightly over weight, I recommend watching this show at least a few times a week. Reruns run everyday, and there’s plenty of episodes to fill your DVR.

3. Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares – Chef Gordon Ramsay is well known to US audiences for “Hell’s Kitchen” as well as “Kitchen Nightmares”, the US made version of this show, but his original UK show is vastly superior to both of these programs. Free of “Reality show” casting, the show simply focuses on Chet Ramsay going to various restaurants that are in trouble, and showing them how to turn around their business.

It’s educational, and highly entertaining, and I think fans of the US show will be able to quickly see the contrast in style of the show. I have watched the first season of the US show, and will continue to watch it in the future, but there’s just something about the original that is a much more satisfying viewing experience.

2. That Mitchell and Webb Look – I originally became aware of these two when they were hired by Apple to star in UK versions of the PC vs Mac ads. While those weren’t terribly well received, their show “That Mitchell and Webb Look” is another story entirely. It is absolutely the best sketch comedy on television right now. Sure, there are a few times when I don’t get the jokes because they are referencing something in the UK that I’m not aware of, but most of the time these two guys absolutely channel the very best in british comedy.

1. Doctor Who – Who didn’t see this coming? Anyone? Anyone? I didn’t think so. Doctor Who enters its 4th season since returning to television, and new episodes will air on the Sci-Fi Channel in the US starting this Friday. Doctor Who is the very best in Sci-Fi, and out of all the current Sci-Fi television series currently in production, it is my absolute favorite.

Season 4 is set to be explosive, and possibly the best yet, with the Doctor being joined by the surprisingly likable Catherine Tate. We also know that previous companion, Martha Jones will be making an appearance, and The Doctor’s first companion (since the series returned) – Rose Tyler – will be showing up at some point as well.

If you’re a fan of ANY kind of Sci-fi – it’s worth your time to check out this amazing series.

Future Cop

Ernest Borgnine starred in this terrible, terrible series about a robotic police officer “a cop from the future, a future cop”. Ernest played the steadfast father figure to the Data-like robotic cop, while John Amos screamed a lot, made “white boy” jokes, and continued to be flabbergasted at the amazing things that the new rookie cop could do.

Surprisingly, the show ran from 1976-1978.

Gemini Man

Secret Agent Sam Casey was injured in a diving accident which rendered him Invisible (an all too common side effect of diving accidents in the 70s). Luckily for him, an agency called INTERSECT, managed to work this little problem out for him by giving him a “DNA Stabilizer” in the form of a wrist watch. However, after getting the wrist watch he could only turn Invisible for 15 minutes a day or he would die.

bummer.

Man from Atlantis

Patrick Duffy starred as – you guessed it – a Man from Atlantis. Is superpowers included being able to breath underwater and withstand extreme depths. With those kinds of abilities how on earth could a show get cancelled?

Oh…yeah…he’s a freakin’ fish man. That’s lame.

The Powers of Matthew Star

The 80s weren’t particularly good to sci-fi on television either. This particular crapfest is explained perfectly in the series opening video above. Louis Gossett, Jr starred as the guardian of an alien prince who was your typical All-American kid…except of course, that he wasn’t.

Phoenix

Judson Scott (who?) starred in this extremely short lived series about an ancient astronaut with super powers.

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These, of course, are just a handful of the terrible sci-fi shows that have graced the small screen – feel free to leave our candidates for Worst Sci-Fi series of all time in the comments below.

Below, we have a list of 5 TV Shows that never should have been cancelled – and each of them was for one of the reasons listed above.

5. The Screen Savers

When TechTV was merged with G4 – every fan of TechTV knew that the glory days were over. Bizarre changes started immediately, and Leo Laporte left the show, and things looked really bad. The new co-host, however, was an aspiring actor named Alex Albriecht. He, along with Kevin Rose, managed to usher in a new era for The Screen Savers. The show was reborn, but after a few months Alex was fired, and the format was changed over an over again until they finally cancelled the show all together, and moved the staff to a new program called Attack of the Show!.

The Screen Savers should have never been cancelled, and the hosting team of Alex Albriecht and Kevin Rose would later re-team for an online show called Diggnation that has officially made them tech-rock stars.

4. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Studio 60, much like Bionic Woman, had great ratings the first night, but most viewers didn’t make it back for a second glance. It’s a shame too, because the engaging drama was well written, well acted, and a joy to watch. The first episode did seem to drag a bit to me, but the show really improved from there on out, and had the fickle audience given it another chance, I think it would still be on today.

3. Clerks the Animated Series

ABC was originally so supportive of Clerks that they planned to air it after the Superbowl. It was going to be BIG. ABC’s version of The Simpsons – but what series creator Kevin Smith soon learned, is that its much better to be “a big fish in a small pond, than a small fish, in the giant [exploitive deleted] that is ABC”. Executives didn’t understand the show, and it was quickly buried and cancelled. Had it found a proper home on a smaller network, or even somewhere in Fox’s animated line-up, the show would probably still be on today.

2. Arrested Development

Never has there been a show quite like Arrested Development. It’s irreverent style and sense of humor have influenced some of the biggest comedy hits today including The Office, and feature films like Superbad. The show did catch on with audiences, and its my firm belief that if a realistic ratings system was in place, the show would still be on the air.

Firefly

Joss Whedon’s space western masterpiece has sparked a fan base all over the world, and was so successful on DVD that it launched a feature film version of the show. Fox never even went so far as to air the show in order when it first appeared on their network – making it almost impossible to really “get into” the show. It lives on it merchandise, conventions, DVDs, comics, and possibly more in the future…but if Fox had had any sense at all and given it a chance, it would be on the air right now.

(Note – Family Guy and Futurama are not on the list because they were effectively “uncanceled” – feel free leave your selections for uncancelation in the comments below)

Then there are other Christmas Specials. Specials that, if you’re a child of the 80s, you probably watched more than once, but that haven’t lived on into the immortal status. They aired annually for a few years, but these shows will never be the holiday mainstays that they were intended to be…but that doesn’t make them any less great.

Thanks to the magic of YouTube, however, we can remember these shows…

5. A Garfield Christmas

The Garfield Christmas Special was one of my favorites as a kid, and is available on a really cheaply produced DVD that includes his Thanksgiving and Halloween specials as well. Even though the special doesn’t air annually anymore, and the DVD looks like a VHS copy, I’m glad I share this one with my kids.

4. It’s Christmas Time Again, Charlie Brown

Like many sequels, this Charlie Brown Christmas Special (which first aired in 1992) just didn’t click with people like the original. This special lives on as a Special Feature in the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” DVD – and is sometimes aired directly after the original “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on television, although it is no long listed as a separate special.

3. Claymation Christmas

I always found claymation to be both creepy and awesome at the time time. This special was one of my favorites, and featured the California Raisins as well as other claymation characters. The special is available on DVD, although I’ve never been able to find it in a store.

2. He-Man and She-Ra Christmas Special