If you were an eighties kid and remember most of the animated shows in our previous part 1 and part 2 articles, you will most likely have grown up with a good number of the animated shows that the nineties threw up. With the increase of cartoons being broadcast on Saturday mornings, weekday evenings, and dedicated networks such as Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network springing up, the 1990s was a golden era of memorable children’s TV shows and catchy theme tunes:

TaleSpin

TaleSpin was an American series based in the fictional city of Cape Suzette, with characters adapted from Disney’s 1967 animated feature The Jungle Book. Read more about TaleSpin

Year: 1990–91
No. of series: 1
No. of episodes: 65
Composer: Michael and Patricia Silversher

Funnybones

Funnybones was a British series, which focused on the adventures of a gang of skeletons – Big Funnybone, Little Funnybone and Dog Funnybone. The voices were provided by popular comedian Griff Rhys Jones, who also sang the theme song as the Moon Man. Read more about Funnybones

Year: 1992
No. of series: 1
No. of episodes: 12
Composer: Ernie Wood

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was an American series produced by the studio Murakami-Wolf-Swenson and the French company IDDH. The property was changed considerably from the darker-toned comic, to make it more suitable for children and the family. Read more about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Year: 1987-96
No. of series: 10
No. of episodes: 193
Composer: Chuck Lorre, Dennis C. Brown

Doug

Doug was an American series which focuses on the early adolescent life of its title character, Douglas “Doug” Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington. Doug narrates each story in his journal, and the show incorporates many imagination sequences. The series addresses numerous topics, including trying to fit in, platonic and romantic relationships, self-esteem, bullying, and rumors. Read more about Doug

Year: 1991–99
No. of series: 7
No. of episodes: 117
Composer: Dan Sawyer, Fred Newman

Rugrats

Rugrats was an American series created for Nickelodeon. The show focuses on a group of toddlers: Tommy, Chuckie, twins Phil and Lil, and Angelica, and their day-to-day lives, usually involving common life experiences that become adventures in the babies’ imaginations. Read more about Rugrats

Year: 1991-2004
No. of series: 9
No. of episodes: 172
Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh

Captain Planet and the Planeteers

Captain Planet and the Planeteers was an animated environmentalist television program created by Ted Turner and Barbara Pyle. The program was a form of edutainment and advocates environmentalism and was famous for having a number of famous actors providing voices for the villains. Read more about Captain Planet

Year: 1990-96
No. of series: 6
No. of episodes: 113
Composer: Tom Worrall, Thomas Chase Jones, Steve Rucker

Animaniacs

Animaniacs was an animated comedy television variety show, with short skits featuring a large cast of characters. While the show had no set format, the majority of episodes were composed of three short mini-episodes, each starring a different set of characters, and bridging segments. Hallmarks of the series included its music, character catchphrases, and humor directed at an adult audience. Read more about Animaniacs

Year: 1993-98
No. of series: 5
No. of episodes: 99
Composer: Richard Stone

Tiny Toon Adventures

Tiny Toon Adventures was the first collaborative effort of Warner Bros. Animation and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. The show follows the adventures of a group of young cartoon characters who attend Acme Looniversity to become the next generation of characters from the Looney Tunes series. Read more about Tiny Toon Adventures

Year: 1990-95
No. of series: 3
No. of episodes: 100
Composer: Bruce Broughton

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes was an American series based on the movies Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Return of the Killer Tomatoes. The series picks up five years after The Great Tomato War, where tomatoes are banned. There were many inside jokes to popular television series and movies that played out during the series’ run. It often poked fun at itself or its low-budget film origins. Read more about Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Year: 1990-91
No. of series: 2
No. of episodes: 21
Composer: Haim Saban, Shuki Levy, John Bello

Dexter’s Laboratory

Dexter’s Laboratory was a comic science fiction animated series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network. The series follows Dexter, a boy-genius and inventor with a secret laboratory in the basement of his house. Tartakovsky pitched the series to Fred Seibert’s first animated shorts showcase What a Cartoon! at Hanna-Barbera, basing it on student films he produced while attending the California Institute of the Arts. Read more about Dexter’s Laboratory

Year: 1996–2003
No. of series: 4
No. of episodes: 78
Composer: Thomas Chase, Steve Rucker

Hey Arnold!

Hey Arnold! was an American series that centers on a fourth grader named Arnold, who lives with his grandparents in an inner-city boarding house. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends encounter. Read more about Hey Arnold!

Year: 1996–2004
No. of series: 5
No. of episodes: 100
Composer: Jim Lang

Rocko’s Modern Life

Rocko’s Modern Life was an animated sitcom that centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian-immigrant wallaby named Rocko as well as his friends. The show was controversial for its adult humor, including double entendre, innuendo, and satirical social commentary, similar to The Ren & Stimpy Show. Read more about Rocko’s Modern Life

Year: 1993–96
No. of series: 4
No. of episodes: 52
Composer: Sarah Frost-Goetz

The Ren & Stimpy Show

The Ren & Stimpy Show was a series created by John Kricfalusi for Nickelodeon. The series follows the adventures of title characters Ren, an emotionally unstable chihuahua, and Stimpy, a good-natured, dimwitted cat. Known for its off-color humor, sexual innuendo, dark humor, adult jokes, and violence. Read more about The Ren & Stimpy Show

Year: 1991–95
No. of series: 5
No. of episodes: 52
Composer: “Die Screaming Leiderhosens”

Pinky and the Brain

Pinky and Brain are genetically enhanced laboratory mice who reside in a cage in the Acme Labs research facility. Pinky is good-natured but feebleminded. Brain is self-centered and scheming. In each episode, Brain devises a new plan to take over the world which ends in failure. It was the first animated television series to be presented in Dolby Surround. Read more about Pinky and the Brain

Year: 1995–98
No. of series: 4
No. of episodes: 65
Composer: Richard Stone

William’s Wish Wellingtons

William’s Wish Wellingtons was an animated BBC children’s television series produced by Hibbert Ralph Entertainment. It was narrated by Andrew Sachs. The central theme of the series is similar to The Galoshes of Fortune by Hans Christian Andersen. Read more about William’s Wish Wellingtons

Year: 1994
No. of series: 2
No. of episodes: 26
Composer: Kick Production

Sharky & George

Sharky & George was set in the underwater city of Seacago, populated by various kinds of fish. The protagonists are two fish private detectives who run their own agency. Together the two friends combat the mad plans of conquest of the many villains and gangs that are terrorizing Seacago, including Dr Medusa and Red Lobster. Read more about Sharky & George

Year: 1990-92
No. of series: 2
No. of episodes: 52
Composer: Phillipe Bouvet

Have we missed any out? Do you think there are better/more catchy/memorable show intros than this? Let us know n the comments below and we’ll add to our list!