The modern landscape of TV is the Wild West, with streaming offering all kinds of different paths to the same content. Animation is one of the hardest genres to keep track of; one animated series (ex: South Park) can have complicated rights issues that land it on multiple streaming services, and you need multiple subscriptions to access. And no one likes keeping up with that.
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“Classic cartoons” have become a sub-genre that appeals to both younger and older audiences, especially parents looking to pass down some viewing traditions to their kids. But can you find any of the classic animated series that defined Gen X and Millennial childhoods on streaming? And is there any hope of ever finding them free to stream?
The answer is that, yes, you can currently find at least 7 of the most beloved classic cartoon series and stream them without paying any subscription fees. So check out the list below and then dive in!
7. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe
We should keep things topical, no? The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie is about to hit theaters, so fans should probably see where the fandom started. The original Masters of the Universe cartoon series aired from 1983 to 1985, and is pure, gooey, cheesy, fun, as well as a hilarious snapshot of the “Beefcake” era in action entertainment.
The series is set in the fictional world of “Eternia,” and follows Adam, the meek son of King Randor and Queen Marlena. The evil Skeletor and his minions keep trying to conquer the kingdom, but Eternia’s heroic forces constantly repel their sieges; Adam, as the wielder of the mythical “Sword of Power,” can recite a chant that transforms him into the superpowered champion, He-Man. With his mystical might and some warrior friends at his back, He-Man defends his homeland against evil.
6. Dungeons & Dragons
Don’t want to get into the deep homework and lore to run a Dungeons & Dragons campaign on tabletop? No worries, you can still have plenty of fun with the animated series, which ran from 1983 to 1985. It’s a goofy take on D&D, aimed at attracting a younger audience to the property, but it does manage to give you a pretty rudimentary breakdown of what the entire D&D universe is all about.
5. Scooby-Doo Where Are You!
Another classic cartoon headed for a new revival, Scooby-Doo has been on a revival arc for years now. The HBO Max series Velma may not have hit big, but the upcoming Scooby-Doo Origins live-action Netflix series certainly seems like it will. Before the new TV show is released, fans should take the opportunity to catch up on the original animated series that launched the franchise.
4. Popeye the Sailor
Poeye the Sailor Man has become a cultural icon, but do you actually know why? The animated series Popeye The Sailor (1960) wasn’t the first iteration of the character to hit TV screens – that legacy goes back to 1932, when Paramount launched the first Popeye cartoons. The character became a pop-culture icon thereafter, starring in comics, TV shows, films, Webtoons, and all the merchandising in between. Still, the 1960 cartoon series is the most popular and worth watching.
3. Animaniacs
The Animaniacs have become such breakout cultural icons that they were given a 2020s revival series that streamed on Hulu. Go over there to check out the new version, but there’s nothing quite like the original 1990s Animaniacs, which was far ahead of its time in terms of creating clips and segments that could live on the internet long after the show had aired. The main characters and their iconic segments (like the “Yakko’s World” geography song) are good enough, but as a variety show, Animaniacs has incredible secondary segments, from the Orson Wells-inspired Pink and the Brain (which later got its own spinoff) to the recurring “Chicken Boo” segments that became cult hits.
2. Tom & Jerry
Adults may have had Abbott and Costello, but kids had Tom and Jerry. The cat-and-mouse duo and their largely silent film battles for domestic supremacy were a defining building block of childhood, from the 1940s through the 2000s. The series is not as relevant now, with the 2021 reboot film only doing mildly well at the box office (largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic). That said, the original series is still a gem, whether you sit and watch it at full attention or simply play it as background content. It’s such a timeless classic that you don’t even need to have the volume on to watch and enjoy it.
1. The Transformers / Beast Wars
WHERE TO WATCH: TUBI & PLEX TV
The classic cartoon that has spawned the biggest modern franchise, Transformers will never go out of style. The original Generation 1 cartoon, The Transformers, is something every fan needs to watch at least once, followed by The Transformers: The Movie (1986). Beast Wars: Transformers was a computer-animated series that premiered in the mid-1990s as an “updated” version of Transformers for the 21st century. Both series offer the best kind of cheese, while genuinely reminding viewers why Transformers and its characters have become so iconic.
You can stream all of these animated series (and so many more) for free on Tubi or Plex TV.
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Forum Conversation: CLASSIC CARTOON REWATCH
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Which Classic animated series do you think would still hit with kids today?
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