5 Cartoon Network Shows That Are Criminally Underrated

The Cartoon Network may have shifted to a streaming model recently, but many people who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s have fond memories of the network, which featured popular shows such as Powerpuff Girls. Many young people spent Saturday mornings with this network. While The Cartoon Network still exists today, it is now owned by Warner Bros., which shut down its website and moved programming to the Max streaming site, which currently streams only 11 classic Cartoon Network shows.

In its golden age, The Cartoon Network had a large library of shows, which is why it is remembered so fondly. Not every show was as popular as Cowardly the Courageous Dog or Dexter’s Laboratory, and there are a fair number of shows that didn’t catch on or weren’t considered to be as good despite high quality.

5) Robotboy

Robotboy was a British-French cartoon that was broadcast on Cartoon Network in 2006. In some ways, it was similar to the story of Pinocchio. Robotboy was the invention of a Japanese scientist who sent him to live with a 10-year-old human boy to protect him from enemies who wanted to destroy him; his adventures helped him learn to behave like a “real” kid instead of a machine.

This series, which only lasted two years, combined these types of adventures with occasional fights to stop enemies from reclaiming Robotboy. It’s a shame that it never fully caught on, as it is an original and entertaining cartoon.

4) Class of 3000

Class of 3000 was one of the most diverse, entertaining, and original shows to come out of the Cartoon Network during its heyday. Running for two seasons starting in 2006, this cartoon was about a music teacher who taught and inspired a diverse group of students.

This cartoon has the same premise as the classic sitcom Welcome Back Kotter — a former student reluctantly takes a teaching position in his old neighborhood and works with students that others have given up on. However, this cartoon focused more on being inspirational than on rowdy students disrupting the class. It was also the brainchild of hip-hop artist André 3000, so the writing reflects real-life knowledge of how music works.

3) What’s With Andy?

Anyone who has ever been a practical joker will relate to Andy Larkin, the protagonist of What’s With Andy? This cartoon revolves around the misadventures of a teenager who loves to play pranks, tries to impress the girl he likes, and avoids the trouble caused by his sister, who dislikes his behavior.

Interestingly, What’s With Andy? was based on a series of children’s books by Andy Griffith, best known to younger audiences as the original Matlock. The books and show are an amusing, family-oriented cartoon that deserves a second look.

2) The Secret Saturdays

The Saturdays were a family of cryptozoologists who were determined to keep the existence of cryptids to themselves. They were part of a secret society that studied and protected classified and dangerous branches of science, and they interacted frequently with cryptids around the world as part of their mission.

This underrated cartoon, which ran for two seasons, also featured the Saturdays’ 11-year-old son, Zac. One of the most interesting aspects of this show is that Zac seems to have the ability to telepathically influence cryptids, something which could have been explored more had the series continued.

1) Chowder

The premise for Chowder is deceptively simple: it’s about a young boy who is an apprentice to a chef. Much of the humor in this comedy series comes from Chowder’s huge appetite, which causes him to eat things he should not be eating on the job, and his tendency to get into huge trouble because he’s not paying attention.

The title character desperately wants to be a chef, and his friends try to help him achieve that goal even though he is incredibly ill-suited for it. A subplot involves a girl named Panini who constantly undermines him because of her unrequited crush on him. This show is severely underrated, but the good news is that the creators are open to a Chowder reboot if Warner Bros. gives one a greenlight.

What Cartoon Network show do you think is criminally underrated? Leave a comment and join the conversation at the ComicBook Forum.

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