While children’s television sometimes gets dismissed as disposable content filled with crude, juvenile humor, there have been plenty of amazing series that never underestimated their young viewers’ intelligence. Although there are examples of kids’ programming that spoon-feeds its viewers’ lowest common denominator topics, the best kids’ shows aim for something higher and occasionally can stand up against the depth and maturity of adult-oriented series. From surprisingly dark Disney series to modern animated masterpieces, it’s always great when a show values its audience’s intelligence.
The best kids’ television series offer complex examinations of the trials and tribulations of childhood, as the complex social structures of the schoolyard and layered politics of adolescence are just as worthy of examination as adult life. With clever series that tackle topics of authority and totalitarianism, thoughtful children’s television series have never been afraid to push boundaries and address mature subject matters. It’s essential that programming aimed at young viewers is not intentionally dumbed down, as children who consume thought-provoking content are far more likely to grow up into self-assured and intelligent adults.
10
Recess (1997–2001)
6 Seasons
While plenty of animated series deal with the daily grievances of elementary school, few addressed the innate politics of the schoolyard better than Recess. Airing as part of ABC’s Disney’s One Saturday Morning block, Recess focused on six fourth graders and their highly fraught interactions with the school system, teachers, and the social dynamics of the educational system. While this hilarious show had a playful exterior, beneath the surface was a sharp social commentary about the politics of being a kid.
With thought put into the economics and social hierarchy of school life, Recess used the playground as a microcosm for society itself, where complex issues often rose to the surface. From the monarchy system that was King Bob’s ruling from the jungle gym to the totalitarian regimes of Miss Finster and Principal Prickly, while Recess may have exaggerated its social systems, it had a clever point to make about the deeply layered and complex social environment kids find themselves in every day when they go to school.
9
Animaniacs (1993–1998)
5 Seasons
While Animaniacs was a zany, off-the-wall, and outrageous series that threw jokes at its audience a mile a minute, it was always sharply written and presented in a way that respected the audience’s intelligence. Although Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, the strange siblings who live in the Warner Bros. Water Tower on the Warner Bros. Studios, felt totally chaotic, they were also bursting with satirical wit. Animaniacs was filled with so many pop culture references and allusions that many young viewers would only fully understand the depth of its humor when revisiting it later in life.
Animaniacs
- Release Date
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2020 – 2022
- Network
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Hulu
- Directors
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Katie Rice, Brett Varon, Erik Knutson, Scott O’Brien, Adriel Garcia
- Writers
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Lucas Crandles, Jess Lacher, Greg White, Jordan VanDina
It was not just pop culture references that made Animaniacs such a rewarding show, as the series balanced its self-referential nature with witty jokes, historical references, and educational moments. A prime example of this would be “Yakko’s World,” a song that outlined the nations of the world in a way that was funny, entertaining, and wildly creative. Any parents whose child memorized that song would attest to the undeniable value of Animaniacs.
8
Bluey (2018–present)
3 Seasons
While many of the most acclaimed kids’ TV series have built up their reputation over the decades of reruns, the recent success of Bluey has proven modern television’s power to break through in a significant way. This Australian series was aimed at preschoolers yet remained so deeply intelligent that it has also received acclaim from parents watching with their kids. With short seven-minute episodes, Bluey has stood out in the realm of preschooler television by focusing on rich storytelling of real emotional depth that delivers subtle life lessons.
Bluey
10/10
- Release Date
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September 30, 2018
With a nuanced approach to the childhood experience, Bluey stars a curious and energetic puppy who navigates friendship, experiences disappointment, and processes complex emotions in a way that goes beyond the simplistic morals of the average preschooler series. With a unique sense of humor and sharp dialogue, Bluey even delves into abstract concepts like time, memory, and imagination in a way that even a small child can understand.
7
Fillmore! (2002–2004)
2 Seasons
The ABC series Fillmore! was a sharp, kids-orientated animated series highly inspired by police procedurals of the 1970s. Fillmore! focused on the seventh-grader Cornelius Fillmore, a juvenile delinquent with a record who, after being caught raiding the school’s new chalk shipment, was given a choice: either become a safety patrol officer or spend the rest of elementary in detention. With a tongue-in-cheek style that blended film noir aesthetics with the tropes of clichés of detective fiction, Fillmore! was many children’s introduction to profound, mature, crime-driven narratives.
While Fillmore! saw its character solving everyday school-based crimes, such as stealing scooters, smuggling tartar sauce, or holding illegal frog races, it did so through hilarious references to pop culture. One example was Randall Julian, a student held in indefinite detention in an isolated building, just like Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs. This combination of mature references to Best Picture-winning horror movies and kid-friendly lessons on the perils of crime made Fillmore! stand out as a satirical kids’ show that did not even shy away from topics like police brutality, serial killing, and conspiracy.
6
Codename: Kids Next Door (2002–2008)
6 Seasons
One of the most impressive things about Codename: Kids Next Door was its rich and imaginative worldbuilding that invited young viewers to be taken in by its unique narrative. Focusing on a worldwide espionage-style organization called the Kids Next Door, this Cartoon Network series was set in a world where noble children must fight back against the sinister adults who try to enact crimes against children, such as forced homework or flossing their teeth. As a spy-thriller meeting a sci-fi epic, Codename: Kids Next Door was a clever show that took the mundanities of childhood and turned them into death-defying adventures.
The villains in Codename: Kids Next Door symbolized real childhood anxieties, as its antagonists of adults, senior citizens, and teenagers tapped into the fear of what’s lost in the transition from kid to grown-up. While the over-the-top gadgetry and intricate plots made for exciting viewing, the foes these child operatives faced off against were actually manifestations of ideas like conformity in adulthood and the loss of innocence. Amid all the fast-paced action, Codename: Kids Next Door was helping young viewers traverse the pain and fear surrounding growing older.
5
Adventure Time (2010–2018)
10 Seasons
The premise of Adventure Timesounds simple on paper as it tells the story of a young boy named Finn going on adventures with his dog best friend, Jake. However, this series becomes hugely interesting with the knowledge it’s set in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo and his dog is also his shapeshifting adoptive brother, and practically anything is possible. Taking influence from the endless possibilities of games like Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure Time blended this idea with deep philosophical themes and a Lynchian sense of surrealism.
Adventure Time
- Release Date
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2010 – 2017
- Network
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Cartoon Network
Not only did Adventure Time value its audience’s intelligence with the deeply layered characterization of tragic figures like The Ice King, but it did so while pushing the bounds of children’s animation in a visual and narrative sense. As a masterclass in worldbuilding, Adventure Time balanced episodic adventures with serialized storytelling that led to a fully developed, whimsical world of pure entertainment. As one of the greatest Cartoon Network series ever made, Adventure Time was a modern animated masterpiece.
4
Gravity Falls (2012–2016)
2 Seasons
Gravity Falls was truly unlike anything else on the Disney Channel, as it blended child-friendly animation with a sense of mystery that had more in common with Twin Peaks than The Mickey Mouse Club. Telling the story of Dipper Pines and his twin sister Mabel spending their summer with their great-uncle Grunkle Stan in the mysterious town of Gravity Falls, the pair soon found themselves embroiled in a complex conspiracy involving supernatural entities. Gravity Falls brought viewers into a world categorized by Lovecraftian terror and pushed viewers out of their comfort zones as it inched toward its conclusion.
With a playful animation style, hilarious characters, and a masterful story structure, over the course of just 40 episodes, Gravity Falls told a full story as complex and intriguing as any adult-oriented series. A prime example of the high quality that viewers came to expect from Gravity Falls was its three-part conclusion, “Weirdmageddon,” an apocalyptic climax that brought everything that came before it together in a masterclass finale.
3
Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
2 Seasons
Batman: The Animated Series was a trailblazing cartoon that subverted the traditionally lighthearted nature of the animated superhero series to produce a much darker and more complex presentation of the story of Bruce Wayne. By leaning more heavily into the dark mythos of the Batman comics, Batman: The Animated Series went against the campy zaniness seen in the 1960s Adam West series and replaced it with a more mature depiction that appealed to kids and adults alike.
This was a richer and more emotionally rewarding depiction of Gotham City that paid homage to the noir aesthetic and philosophical intrigue of the very best DC comic iterations of Batman. With iconic voice work from Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker, the dark themes underpinning this animated series helped open the door for later, gritty depictions of Batman, such as in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Batman: The Animated Series even added depth to its villains as it provided complex backstories for Joker, Two-Face, and even originated the character of Harley Quinn.
2
Gargoyles (1994–1997)
3 Seasons
Gargoyles was truly one of the most interesting and unique animated series Disney ever made, and it’s an absolute travesty it did not act as the inception point of a major franchise. Telling the story of enchanted gargoyles who had been petrified for a thousand years, Gargoyles showed these ancient creatures reawakened in modern-day New York and becoming the secret nighttime protectors of the city. With a narrative influenced by Shakespearean tragedy, Gargoyles was a clever, thought-provoking series that was not afraid to tap into topics of fairytales, religion, and mythology.
Gargoyles
8/10
While Gargoyles has rightfully become a cult classic in the years since its release, this modern Gothic fairytale deserves far more acclaim for pushing children’s animation into more complex and mature territory. With serious themes underpinning its epic narrative, Gargoyles stood apart from the litany of lighthearted and heavily merchandised cartoon series of the 1990s. With a live-action reboot in development at Disney Plus, audiences can only hope the new iteration of Gargoyles can live up to its esteemed legacy.
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1
Horrible Histories (2009 – 2014)
5 Seasons
The British children’s historical series Horrible Histories was based on the acclaimed illustrated book of the same name by Terry Deary. With a focus on the dark, gruesome, and at times smelly aspects of British and other Western world history, Horrible Histories mostly spanned the periods from the Stone Age right through to World War II. With a mix of comedy sketches, musical performances, and hilarious history lessons, Horrible Histories managed to transform the seemingly dull topic of world history into something that was absolutely fascinating for kid viewers.
Horrible Histories
- Release Date
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2009 – 2023
- Network
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CBBC
- Directors
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Steve Connelly
- Writers
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Ben Ward, Laurence Rickard, Dave Cohen, George Sawyer, Ben Willbond, Mathew Baynton, James McNicholas, Jon Holmes, James Harris, Steve Punt, Mark Blakewill, Lucy Clarke, Arnold Widdowson, Susie Donkin, Gemma Whelan, Jessica Ransom
As a series that was so well-written and consistently funny that children might not even notice how much they were learning, Horrible Histories proved that educational television does not need to be dull. The gory and grotesque nature of some of its content also showcased that just because it’s dealing with the stuffy topic of history does not mean it needs to be dull. Horrible Histories represented the best of British educational television and even led to spin-off movies like the William Shakespeare film Bill and Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans.
