It is safe to say that, regardless of each person's age, the cartoons they watched as children still hold a very special place in their hearts. Those first productions we came in contact with as kids marked us forever, and became our day-to-day entertainment. Cartoon Network is probably one of the first channels that come to mind when talking about animated entertainment, and the one behind so many of our favorite childhood shows. This channel, founded by Ted Turner in 1992, has become an industry powerhouse that has greatly innovated animated content, setting trends and treating audiences to unique television shows that have achieved tremendous success.
Originally, Cartoon Network endeared itself to the public by airing content from Hanna-Barbera, Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, until it eventually started producing its own shows, which further cemented its popularity and raised the bar much higher for the rest of the animated entertainment channels. With this combination of classic and original shows, Cartoon Network was able to arouse the interest of both adult and younger audiences and, even though its content has changed a lot over the decades, it still continues to do so to this day. Here is a look back at the top 25 TV shows in Cartoon Network's history.
25 Justice League
Justice League is Cartoon Network's first animated show produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and the seventh in the DC Animated Universe. Throughout its over 50 episodes, it follows the crime-fighting adventures of DC's beloved superheroes. Justice League aired for two seasons, from 2001 to 2004, and met with critical acclaim. After two seasons, it changed its title to Justice League Unlimited and remained on the air for an additional two years.
24 2 Stupid Dogs
1993 marked the premiere of 2 Stupid Dogs, a TV show produced by Hanna-Barbera that, according to many people, drew inspiration from the popular Nickelodeon production Ren & Stimpy. 2 Stupid Dogs follows the adventures of two very unintelligent stray dogs with a knack for getting themselves in trouble at every turn. Its animation recalling earlier Hanna-Barbera productions and its trademark humor made it one of the audience's favorite TV series and led to two Daytime Emmy Award nominations.
23 Teen Titans
The DC universe proved to be very successful for Cartoon Network, as in addition to airing the hit show Justice League, the network premiered Teen Titans to great acclaim in 2003. This show, based on the group of young superheroes of the same name, proved to be one of the channel's most popular productions, and aired for five seasons, ending its run in 2006 with the movie Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo serving as the series finale. The popularity of said project prompted the development of a spin-off titled Teen Titans Go!, which premiered in 2013 and continues to air to this day.
22 Steven Universe
The 2013 show Steven Universe features Steven, a young boy who lives with a group of magical beings known as the Crystal Gems whom he helps in their mission to save the Earth. It is a production created by Rebecca Sugar, an animator and screenwriter who previously worked on Adventure Time. Steven Universe aired for five seasons, until 2019, and its success spawned a movie and an epilogue series titled Steven Universe Future. This Sugar show was widely acclaimed by critics, and became the first animated show to win a GLAAD Media Award, among many other accolades.
21 The Looney Tunes Show
The beloved characters of The Looney Tunes hold a special place in the audience's heart, which makes The Looney Tunes Show rank among the most important TV series in the history of Cartoon Network. This show featuring the adventures of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of their neighbors was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired for two seasons, from 2011 to 2013. While its reviews were not as good as the original show, it was well received by the audience and garnered some nominations and awards.
20 We Bare Bears
We Bare Bears follows the adventures of Grizzly, Panda, and Ice Bear, three bear brothers who live in San Francisco and attempt to integrate into the human society around them, although their efforts are often thwarted by their animal instincts. The show was created by Daniel Chong, inspired by one of his webcomics, and aired for four seasons until 2020, when it wrapped up with the movie We Bare Bears: The Movie. Following the success of this animated production, We Baby Bears, a spin-off prequel to the original show, hit Cartoon Network in 2022.
19 Samurai Jack
After working on Dexter's Laboratory, one of the most popular shows in Cartoon Network's history, Genndy Tartakovsky treated audiences to Samurai Jack, a show that highlights his passion for samurai culture. This production follows Jack, a samurai who has been sent to the future by an evil demon and must face several villains and find a way back to his time to save the world from harm. The show aired for four seasons, from 2001 to 2004, and several years later, a fifth one premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim to conclude the story.
18 Total Drama
Total Drama is the perfect show for people who love reality TV competition shows. This production, created by Jennifer Pertsch and Tom McGillis, follows different groups of teenagers who enter a competition in which they fight challenge after challenge to avoid elimination and claim a hefty cash prize. Total Drama premiered its first season in 2007, and its popularity kicked off a successful franchise with a cult following that has grown to include several spin-off series and a recent revival that premiered earlier this year.
17 Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends
Many children have had imaginary friends growing up, and perhaps that's why Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends became such a hit upon its premiere. This Craig McCracken show features a world in which children's imaginary friends live alongside humans from the moment they are imagined, and follows Mac and his imaginary friend Bloo, who moves into an orphanage for such creatures after the boy's mother urges him to ditch him.
However, Mac has no intention of breaking off his friendship with Bloo, so he visits him at the mansion every day, and the two go on the craziest adventures along with the rest of the imaginary friends there. Foster's Home aired for six seasons to great acclaim and earned many accolades. A spin-off of the show with new characters was announced last year with McCracken once again taking the lead.
16 Codename: Kids Next Door
Back in 2001, Cartoon Network aired the second emission of The Big Pick, a special event in which they presented several pilots so that the public could choose their favorite in order to develop the complete series. This led to the 2002 show Codename: Kids Next Door, which features a group of five skilled children who battle adults and teenagers from their headquarters, a tree house equipped with advanced technology. Codename: Kids Next Door aired for six seasons ending in 2008, and its popularity led to the release of two movies and several video games.
15 Chowder
Chowder is an animated show created by C. H. Greenblatt that, during its run on the air, won a Primetime Emmy Award and a huge number of accolades. It follows Chowder, a young aspiring chef who serves as an apprentice at Chef Mung Daal's catering company learning from the owner of the place, although his absent-minded attitude often gets him into trouble. The show aired for three seasons before being canceled by the network.
14 Over the Garden Wall
Besides premiering some of the most successful animated shows in the history of television, Cartoon Network has also treated audiences to some masterpieces in miniseries format. The first of these was Over the Garden Wall, a 2014 production created by Patrick McHale. This miniseries follows Wirt and Greg, two brothers who get lost in a mysterious forest and must find their way back home with the help of some pretty unique characters.
Elijah Wood and Collin Dean lead the voice cast of this production joined by Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Lloyd and Tim Curry. Over the Garden Wall was widely acclaimed by critics and received, among other accolades, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.
13 I Am Weasel
Originally, I Am Weasel was a segment of the animated show Cow and Chicken, but its popularity prompted these characters to have their own show. So, 1999 marked the premiere of this series by David Feiss following the adventures of a popular weasel and his friend and rival baboon, with whom everything turns into a competition. I Am Weasel became one of Cartoon Network's most beloved shows, and aired for five seasons until 2000.
12 Regular Show
Regular Show is one of those Cartoon Network productions that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. It was created by J. G. Quintel and premiered in September 2010. It follows the adventures of friends Mordecai and Rigby, a bluejay and a raccoon who work in a local park and often get into trouble due to their unwillingness to work and their overwhelming urge to have fun. Throughout its eight seasons on the air, Regular Show was widely acclaimed and earned several nominations.
11 Ben 10
2005 witnessed the premiere of Ben 10, a show that would kick off one of the channel's most successful franchises. This production introduces Ben, a boy who gets a special device that allows him to become different aliens with special abilities that come in handy to fight against villains. Currently, the Ben 10 franchise boasts five TV series and five movies that have earned, among many recognitions, three Emmy Awards.
10 The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy
Just like I Am Weasel, The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy began as a segment of the show Grim & Evil and later evolved into its own animated show. This production follows Billy and Mandy, two kids who couldn't be more different from one another, after they win a bet with the Grim Reaper that forces him to become their best friend. Thus, the three characters undergo the wackiest adventures over the course of six seasons on the air. The show's popularity led to the development of three TV films and also helped it win an Annie Award and two Emmy Awards.
9 Ed, Edd n Eddy
Ed, Edd n Eddy is a Danny Antonucci show featuring the Eds, three friends who live in the town of Peach Creek and spend their days plotting different strategies to get money to buy their favorite treats, even though their quests never go according to plan. It premiered in January 1999 and aired for six seasons, wrapping up with the 2009 film Ed, Edd n Eddy's Big Picture Show. To this day, Ed, Edd n Eddy still holds its place among Cartoon Network's most popular cartoons.
8 The Tom and Jerry Show
Something quite similar to Looney Tunes happened with Tom and Jerry: television's most famous cat and mouse became pop culture icons, so it makes sense that The Tom and Jerry Show enjoyed success on Cartoon Network as well. This show aired for five seasons, from 2014 to 2021, and migrated from Cartoon Network to Boomerang. After it concluded, Max premiered two additional shows starring these characters, Tom and Jerry Special Shorts and Tom and Jerry in New York.
7 Cow and Chicken
Cow and Chicken is probably one of the most bizarre shows in the history of Cartoon Network, and that is precisely why the audience loved it so much. This animated series follows the adventures of Cow and Chicken, two biological siblings adopted by human parents who are frequently confronted by their enemy, the Red Guy. It was created by David Feiss and ran for four seasons, airing from 1997 to 1999. Throughout its run, Cow and Chicken was nominated for several awards and won, among them, three Annie Awards.
6 Adventure Time
Adventure Time is one of Cartoon Network's most acclaimed shows of recent years, and another production that can be easily enjoyed by both children and older audiences. This creation by Pendleton Ward follows Finn the Human and Jake the Dog, two friends and adopted brothers living in the Land of Ooo. Adventure Time aired for ten seasons, ending in 2018, and not only managed to develop a huge fan base, but was also critically acclaimed and garnered eight Emmy Awards.