October is the perfect time to get nostalgic about our childhood. The season’s chilly winds and spooky atmosphere automatically remind us of when we were young and carefree. There is no better moment than to delve into the old cartoons we used to watch that have gotten lost in time. Most of us have grown up on networks and channels like Cartoon Network, Pogo, Disney, and Nickelodeon.
Hungama was a more recent addition to the line. You may remember some of these cartoons on the list, and some you may have to try to recollect. So let’s get into it right now! We have put together a list of 23 Old Cartoons, Lost In Time to take you on a trip down memory lane.
1. Courage The Cowardly Dog
Do you remember Courage The Cowardly Dog? The show used to run on Cartoon Network. It was a horror television series about a pink dog called Courage who lived with an old couple, Muriel and Eustace Bagge.
All three of them lived in the middle of “Nowhere.” Courage seems to be the most sensible character in the show. He keeps encountering various paranormal beings that are attracted to Nowhere and often put the old couple’s lives in danger in horrifying ways. Then it becomes Courage’s responsibility to save the duo.
2. Richie Rich
Richie Rich is a Hanna-Barbera creation. They were based on a comic book character of the same name. Richie Rich was aired as segments, and the series was about a boy named Richie Rich, who was extremely wealthy but kind.
It followed his daily activities of Richie as he interacted with his friends, his butler, and his dog. The show had four seasons and aired 41 episodes about Richie’s adventures. They were often aired between shows and were fun little segments for children to watch.
3. Spongebob Squarepants
Spongebob Squarepants is America’s fifth largest-running animated series and the highest-rated Nickelodeon series that the company has pushed into a whole media franchise. Everyone has heard of the show. The story is about the residents of Bikini Bottom, a small town of multi-colored fish, where Spongebob Squarepants lives in a pineapple house.
He has numerous adventures every day involving his other friends like Krusty, Patrick the Starfish, Squidward the Octopus, and more. The series has been running since 1999 and is on Season 13. The more recent versions have had upgrades in the art styles; however, fans keenly miss the original art style of the show.
4. Pink Panther
If you grew up with Pogo, you might vaguely recollect The Pink Panther Show. The misadventures of the smart and cool Pink Panther endeared the show to children. The show had an episodic format that went on for ten seasons. Pink Panther gets up to many different kinds of adventures or does his best to avoid them.
His arch-enemies are people who annoy him, and he uses his resourcefulness to tackle them in hilarious ways. There have been several adaptations of the Pink Panther cartoons in the years that followed, including Pink Panther and Pals. However, the original Pink Panther show’s comedy and timing are still missed.
5. Tom & Jerry
We cannot have this list without mentioning Tom & Jerry. Tom & Jerry is the most well-known animated series franchise out there. With many different directors taking hold of the helm in different eras, Tom & Jerry has evolved into many different sub-series. The basic plotline of each episode is that Tom is a grey pet cat, and Jerry is a mouse that lives in the same house.
The plot follows Tom as he tries various tricks and schemes to capture Jerry, who almost always escapes. Sometimes they help each other, like when Tom wants to woo a female cat. And sometimes they work together.
Their antics have had children laughing for decades. The show has gone ahead to produce various movie adaptations based on the characters and has built a successful media franchise off of it. But the original Tom & Jerry show, despite its violence, still remains etched in our hearts.
6. The Flintstones
Another of Hanna-Barbera’s creations, The Flintstones, is a nice call back to childhood. The series follows the lives of the Flintstones, a family living in the Stone Age in a city called Bedrock. The plot of the show resembles a modern sitcom, with the characters getting involved in minor conflicts and having to face minor problems in creative ways.
The Flintstone family has Fred Flintstone, his wife Wilma Flintstone, their daughter Pebbles Flintstone, and their pet dinosaur, Dino and Baby Puss. The story has won great acclaim for its humor, creativity, and world-building.
7. Mr. Bean The Animated Series
One of Pogo’s most popular shows in the 2000s was Mr. Bean: The Animated Series. Similar to the original comedy show Mr. Starring Rowan Atkinson’s comedic genius, the animated series is a lovely trip of comedy, adventure, and hilariousness.
The series has an episodic format and follows the life of Mr. Bean as he navigates through his daily life in London in his tweed jacket with his loyal best friend, Teddy. Rowan Atkinson voiced Mr. Bean’s character, and his timeless comedy is bound to make you laugh. Although there has been a recent reboot of the series, it is missing the original charm the original animated series had.
8. Samurai Jack
Samurai Jack will be familiar to those who grew up with Cartoon Network. Samurai Jack is the story of a young prince in feudal Japan. His father would have sealed away a shape-shifting demon Aku with a magical katana. However, Aku returns to take over the kingdom and holds the Emperor hostage. He puts a time travel curse on the prince, who is sent to a future dystopian world.
The series follows the adventures of the prince, who names himself Jack, and his quest to return to his kingdom and his own time to defeat the evil monster. The series ran for five seasons and 62 episodes. It originally had only four seasons and ended in 2004. However, the show was brought back after twelve years for the conclusion in 2016.
9. Looney Tunes
A cartoon show, lost in time, is called Looney Tunes. Created in the late 1940s, this was a short film series with a huge cast of characters, primarily starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester Cat, Tweety Bird, and Porky Pig. These characters, sometimes starring each other and sometimes on their own adventures, ensure that we remain to laugh at the screen.
The amazing success of the show has ensured that it developed into a whole media franchise with films, spin-offs, and even theme parks. The show has also been called the greatest animation of all time. One of the most famous spin-offs is Baby Looney Tunes.
10. Duck Tales
Let’s now take a look at Disney’s old shows lost in time. Although Duck Tales recently got a brand new adaptation, it is still going to be on the list. This series is about Donald Duck’s family. Donald goes away to serve in the US Navy, and he leaves his three nephews with his uncle, Scrooge McDuck. Scrooge happens to be a very wealthy duck and is very focused on his business.
He often gets annoyed at his grand nephews because they are so hyperactive. The four of them have many adventures and misadventures, often having to protect the McDuck fortune. Duck Tales is a charming set of episodes that refresh the viewers despite some controversies.
11. Recess
Recess is another lost time cartoon that we almost never see now. It was originally created by Disney in 1997. It had over 65 episodes in six seasons and four movies. The series officially ended in 2001, although the characters did appear in the Lilo & Stitch series in 2006 one last time. The series follows the lives of six fourth graders who attend the Third Street Elementary School.
Recess is that one period of free time when the students are allowed to express themselves freely. Otherwise, they are ruled by a sixth grader kind who has laws and decrees that are carried out in the school playground. If you want to experience a taste of Recess, you can stream the episodes on Disney+. They are also available in a video-on-demand format.
12. Dexter’s Laboratory
We cannot have a list like this and not mention Dexter’s Laboratory. Dexter’s Laboratory was a constant accompaniment to anyone who had Cartoon Network. The series follows the life of a genius boy, Dexter, who has built a laboratory behind his bookshelf, concealed from his parents.
Although he is a genius, he often gets reckless and messes up his own plans. The episodes follow the misadventures he gets up to in fighting his rival Mandark, who often tries to defeat Dexter. The series ran for four seasons and had a total of 78 episodes. If you want to take a look at Dexter’s Laboratory, you will find the episodes up for streaming on HBOMax.
13. The Powerpuff Girls
One of the most nostalgic cartoons of all time is The Powerpuff Girls. It is another of Hanna-Barbera’s creations and one of the world’s most popular superhero franchises. The story is an action-comedy about three kindergarten girls who Professor Ultonium accidentally created in his lab.
The girls usually have to deal with giant monsters and villains with elements borrowed from Japanese special effect shows and superhero standards while also living their normal daily life by attending school, having sibling rivalries, and having petty incidents with their classmates. The series ran for 78 episodes over six seasons. Originally the show aired on Cartoon Network, and now you can watch the episodes on Hulu, Prime Video, and HBOMax.
14. Winx Club
If there was a cartoon that introduced and established the magical girl genre in the West, it is Winx Club. The show used to air on Pogo and later Nickelodeon. The story was set in a world of magic, fairies, witches, and other mythical creatures with animesque artwork. The show follows the life of Bloom, who seems to be a normal student, before she encounters a fairy, Stella, fighting a monster in the forest near her home.
Stella then convinces Bloom to join her at Alfea College of Fairies, where she meets other fairies, and together they form the Winx Club. As the fairies go on adventures fighting witches and becoming friends with Specialists at the Red Fountain school, Bloom slowly starts uncovering her past. The original series ended in 2009 with season 4, but the series was revived and ran up to 2019.
Netflix even released a live-action that did not get good reviews, “Fate: The Winx Saga,” in 2021. You can catch the original Winx Club episodes on Winx Club’s official YouTube page.
15. The Roadrunner Show
The Roadrunner Show is an anthology animated series that used air as a Sunday morning treat for children. If you grew up with Pogo, you would remember this show. The series was in an episodic format and had three seasons and 23 episodes.
The episodes were usually set up such that the Coyote tries to set up elaborate traps and schemes to get the Roadrunner to stop running so he can eat him, and the Roadrunner always has clever tricks and finds new ways to get away from the Coyote and make his plans backfire. Fans loved the show because of the comedy, timing, and hilariousness.
You can buy the first season on Amazon. Or you could watch all the episodes on Archive (archive.org) for free.
16. The Addams Family (1992 TV Series)
The Addams Family 1992 TV Series is the second animated series of the franchise and is produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. The story is based on the characters developed by Charles Addams. The series focused on resolving issues per episode hence an episodic format and ran for two seasons with 21 episodes.
The series follows the lives of the members of the Addams family, who are a very peculiar part of the Happydale Heights community. The Addams have rather dark and macabre interests that frighten ordinary people, but they are, in fact, a very happy and wholesome family.
17. Mickey Mouse (TV Series)
Disney’s most popular mascot and worldwide favorite character Mickey Mouse is one of the best-known faces of animation. The show is an animated comedy series of short films depicting some of the most popular characters created by Walt Disney, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy, and Pluto.
They usually show Mickey as the main character in a range of funny and tricky situations that he charms his way out of. The friends often go on several adventures running the series for over five seasons with 96 episodes. You can find the Mickey Mouse TV Series cartoon on Disney+.
18. Dragon Ball
Although technically not a cartoon, Dragon Ball must be mentioned on the list primarily because the franchise is still ongoing with full power. A new Dragon Ball movie even came out recently. Dragon Ball is one of the core memories of children who grew up with Cartoon Network. Dragon Ball is a huge anime franchise based on manga of the same name.
The series is based on martial arts and amazing action sequences, where the story begins with Son Goku and Bulma, who start a journey to collect the seven Dragon Balls. These Balls can be used to summon the wish-fulfilling dragon Shenlong. On their journey, they encounter many villains who are either trying to steal Balls or trying to conquer Earth. You can stream the episodes on Hulu, which is available on Disney+ in some countries.
19. Jungle Cubs
One of Disney’s most successful franchises was Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book Franchise which came into existence after the successful release of its movie in 1967. Jungle Cubs is a prequel spin-off to the original Jungle Book movie. It ran for two seasons and 21 episodes.
The show has several animal characters and depicts them to be really young, alluding to the “Cubs” in the name. Fans can find their favorite characters of Baloo, Shere Khan, and Bagheera yet again. The series followed the adventures and the squabbles the cubs had amongst each other before the events of the Jungle Book.
20. The New Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
Winnie The Pooh is another of Disney’s famous anthropomorphic characters. The characters and the stories are based on the children’s book, “Winnie The Pooh” by A A Milne. The New Adventures was also Disney’s first foray into making made-for-television animated series headlined by a major Disney Character and based on a feature-length film.
The New Adventures of Winnie The Pooh is a show about a boy Christopher Robin who has several adventures with his friends Pooh, Piglet, Eyeore, and Tigger and learns many lessons on the way. There are four seasons and 50 episodes. The series is available for viewers on Disney +.
21. The Adventures of Tintin
What’s the list of Cartoons Lost in Time without the famous Belgian reporter and adventurer Tintin and his faithful fluffy friend Snowy? The Adventures of Tintin 1991 Animated Series, based on the comic of the same name, follows the adventures of Tintin and Snowy, with their friends Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, and Thomson & Thompson across the world as they fight crime and take down mysteries.
With elements of mystery, comedy, action, and adventure, Tintin has become one of the mystery world’s great representatives and a lovely gateway into the mystery genre. The show has three seasons and 39 episodes. You can catch the episodes on Hulu.
22. Batman: The Animated Series
One of the best superhero animated series is Batman: The Animated Series. Taking inspiration from Tim Burton’s Batman and some Superman animated releases, Warner Bros. produced this series. Among the cartoon series where the audience is primarily kids, this series was acclaimed for its mature writing, darker tone, and more serious view of events.
The story follows the origins and the adventures of Bruce Wayne, also Batman, as he acts as a vigilante and a detective in fighting crime and villains at night to keep Gotham safe. The show originally premiered on FOX kids. The episodes are up on Apple TV and Vudu. Prime Video has some seasons of the series as well.
23. Tiny Planets
Tiny Planets was a 2001 animated series with elements of space fiction and adventure to entertain children over extremely short periods. Each episode was around five minutes long and without dialogue. It showcased two main characters who solve one specific problem in every episode.
The series follows Bing and Bong, who live on the North Planet in Tiny Universe. They travel around the universe on a white couch, meet new aliens friends and solve problems. The series had 65 episodes.
24. Popeye The Sailor (TV Series)
Popeye, The Sailor, was released in 1960. The series follows the adventures of Popeye, who is a sailor. He always gets a sudden burst of strength every time he eats spinach. Popeye has grown into a media franchise having a range of comics, films, restaurant themes, and more.
The episodes have no continuity and have a simple format; Olive Oyl, Popeye’s friend, and love interest, is always being bullied by Bluto. She always runs to Popeye for rescue, and he eats spinach to gain strength and save her.
This is the list of 23 Cartoons Lost In Time. We hope this list gives you a nostalgic feeling and a chance to revisit some of the cartoons, if possible. Is there any cartoon that is lost in time that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!
