Comments on: Blog For A Beer: Favorite Childhood Cartoons Now On DVD

By: Cheryl Holland

Cheryl Holland — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:43:37 +0000

Darn! I’m gutted I missed this discussion. Still, it’s nice to know I’m not alone in planning to brainwash my children with retro TV.

By: Michael Gordon

Michael Gordon — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:17:12 +0000

W00t! Thanks all!

I am aware that we’re being horrendously Gen-X all over the place. But it IS our demographic

Well, speaking as a Gen Y/Millennial I relished this opportunity to be exposed to kids show references from ten years’ before I was born. It seems that shows haven’t improved or declined much over the past 30-40 years. I find that oddly comforting.

By: K. Tempest Bradford

K. Tempest Bradford — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 16:14:34 +0000

Hey everyone, it’s time to pick a winner. There was a lot of fun and nostalgia this week and I’m glad you all took to the topic! And yes, Alan, I am aware that we’re being horrendously Gen-X all over the place. But it IS our demographic

Michael Gordon wins this week because he always adds something insightful to discussions and gets the ball rolling many times Also, this comment @ 17 made me laugh:

I wonder what it’s like to write kids’ shows. I’d have a hard time writing something I wouldn’t watch/read. So either the writers are a) really children, b) very dedicated to bringing quality TV to kids, or c) hacks who churn out formulaic crap just to get paid.

Congrats Michael! And everyone else is free to continue the conversation. Someone above mentioned theme songs they remembered — what cartoon themes can you sing all the way through? I’m not embarrassed to say I can sing BOTH Jem themes from memory.

By: Cat C.

Cat C. — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 13:50:52 +0000

Alan K @ 26:
Oh, that’s a good point, I never thought of that. Animanics was a great show too! My brother and I were big on that one. I think it was really well done.

Did anyone here watch Tiny Toons? I think that was on right before Animaniacs. That was pretty hysterical also from what I can remember.

By: Alan Kellogg

Alan Kellogg — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:24:12 +0000

re Danger Mouse

I wonder, how much of a role did DM and Penfold play in the creation of Brain and Pinky?

By: Cat C.

Cat C. — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:23:36 +0000

Danger Mouse definitely rokked my world when I was a four year old! My dad still talks about how much I loved that show (I just turned 25 so I must have REALLY liked it for him to keep commenting about it). I was so excited to find that the seasons had been released on DVD. I bought Seasons One and Two for my dad for Christmas last year, and we watch a few episodes every time I go home to visit. The funniest episode for me was when the villain’s (Baron Greenback’s) caterpillar Nero turned into a butterfly. Greenback looked so crushed! I think that show was the catalyst that sparked my love of BritCom (Monty Python and Absolutely Fabulous are two of my favorites). Also, DM spawned Count Duckula, another of my favorite shows when I was a kid, so in my opinion, DM pretty much kicks butt!

By: stankerbell

stankerbell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 23:44:32 +0000

I can’t believe no one’s mentioned Beverly Hills Teens yet……. I sometimes wonder if it was the inspiration for Beverly Hills 90210.

Like many others here, I like remembering those Saturday mornings w/ fondness but when I try to watch some of the old cartoons (Thundercats and Smurfs come to mind), I just can’t sit through it anymore or they become hysterically funny for totally different reasons.

By: Andrew Kaye

Andrew Kaye — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 22:39:09 +0000

I’m one of “those people” who remembers the theme song to every cartoon he ever watched. And even some he didn’t watch. Which includes “Jem and the Holograms,” “She-Ra,” and most of the score of the “My Little Ponies” and “Care Bears” movies. Proud? You bet I am. While you’re singing your kids lullabies, my son goes to sleep to me getting nostalgic with the “Silverhawks” theme.

But sometimes nostalgia is where these old cartoons belong. Because some of those ‘toons we watched growing up were just plain awful. My wife and I often discussed how great “Voltron” was, but when we finally got ahold of the series on DVD through Netflix, we were so disappointed with our childhood selves that we had to get hypnotherapy to undo the damage.

Even “Thundercats,” which to me will forever remain one of the Greatest Cartoons From The 80s, loses a bit of its luster when seen through the unforgiving eyes of an adult. “How the hell to robear burbils reproduce?” “Why does Cheetara have such a husky voice?” “What do you mean Panthro was the grandfather from the Cosby Show?!”

I want the entire 80s ‘toon collection out on DVD so my son can watch them, because kids don’t care about things like voice acting or art direction or plots. And maybe, just maybe, seeing his enjoyment in what I used to love will rekindle that old cartoon flame.

Except “Voltron.” Seriously, that was crap.

By: Clint Harris

Clint Harris — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:33:56 +0000

Michael @ 19, Spiderman and his Amazing Friends was a favorite of mine too. It was also paired with fifteen minutes of the Incredible Hulk.

What’s not to like? Crappy animation? Thin plot lines? Swanky 1980’s music? But then you’ve got STAN LEE! He could make a show about cotton balls hold you in thrall, just from the way he narrates.

By: Clint Harris

Clint Harris — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:30:19 +0000

Randy! What the hell are you doing!?! You have brought up an implausible means for alien invasion, thought long-dead by toy collectors everywhere. Now the damn SciFi channel is sure to pick this up as a SciFi Original Movie! THE HUMANITY!!!!