I grew up in the 1990s, and it was a blast. Everything was so … well, I mean, we were caught between the 1980s and the 2000s, so that tells you something, right? I was reading this site the other day, about the things kids of the 90s realized when they grew up, and it got me to think about some of my favorite hilarious cartoons from the 1990s. There were a lot of them, but here’s my top list!
From the very first episode, I adored the Rugrats. Specifically, I loved Tommy Pickles, from the top of his misshapen head to those delicious little bowlegs. I even had that talking Tommy doll when I was way too old to be playing with dolls, because he was so cute. I still watch it when I catch it on – and yeah, I’ve been known to catch All Grown Up, too. Does anyone else think Angelica will probably grow up to be a reality TV star?
There’s no way you can talk about hilarious cartoons from the 1990s without mentioning Ren and Stimpy. To this day, I still sometimes sing “Happy Happy Joy Joy.” They were gross before South Park was even on the map, and were often even more inappropriate than Beavis and Butthead (who I left off because, while yes, I watched it all the time, I actually couldn’t find any appropriate clips!).
Doug was the most esoteric cartoon ever. Watching it now, I see it even more. Now, I’m talking about Nicktoons Doug, he was my favorite. Once he became a Disney kid, I just wasn’t a fan. Nor am I a fan of Patty any longer because, looking back, she took so much advantage of Doug! Forget that mess.
In addition to being one of the most hilarious from the 1990s, this is still one of my favorites. I don’t know what it is about Rocko, but I had a big cartoon crush. Maybe it was that accent, or maybe it was Spunky. My parents have a dog that closely resemble Spunky, FYI, so I’m still hung up. Heifer, Filbert, Rocko – I still love them all. Has anyone noticed how strangely adult this cartoon is in retrospect?
Jon Lovitz is kind of annoying … but I still loved him in this cartoon. An adult toon of the Simpsons genre, this was just … it was awesome. It was the most awesome thing Lovitz ever did, and there was not a single episode I didn’t watch over and over. I was so sad when it disappeared!
I could watch Tiny Toons for days. There was one reason for that, which you shall see in the video. Baby Plucky. Years later, and I still sometimes find myself flushing the toilet and going, “Water go down the hooole!” The sight of that little green duck sucking his thumb still makes me melt all over the place.
In lieu of Beavis and Butthead, here is Daria! I still watch Daria reruns. I wish they’d bring it back, so I could see if she and Trent ever got it together properly. Trent, by the way, is one of the hottest cartoon boys ever, and I admit that with no shame in my game.
Finally, this was definitely one of the most hilarious cartoons from the 1990s. All the Animaniacs were just crazy. Plus, they gave birth to Pinky and the Brain! Even up to high school, kids in my class were prone to whistling, “Helloooo, Nurse!” when they approved of something – and of course they quoted Pinky all day and night, because every teen wants to take over the world.
It’s funny the way cartoons work their way into your psyche. I still remember entire episodes of Alvin and the Chipmunks, and enjoy a nostalgic trip every time I watch my favorite hilarious cartoons from the 1990s. What are some of your favorites?