The 140 Essential Animated TV Shows

For most people, animation is our first introduction to television.

But the medium is not just kid-friendly Saturday morning cartoons. It consists of classics like The Flintstones and The Pink Panther Show as well as more modern, parental-discretion-advised series like BoJack Horseman and South Park. And in addition to differences in tone and targeted audiences, rapid technological advances mean shows from 2009 look very different than ones from 2019 (not to mention ones from 1990 or 1960 — heck, even series airing currently can look very different than when they first started).

Ranking the best series, then, is no laughing matter — though culling research for this roundup uncovered memories of so many other favorite shows from our childhoods. In compiling our ranking of the 140 essential animated TV shows you need to watch, we considered our Tomatometer data culled from critics’ reviews, consulted some reputable “best of” lists, and exercised some editorial discretion, asking ourselves which classic animated shows still hold up (and which don’t), which have been the most influential on the work of those artists who came after them, which have had major cultural impact (i.e. who your nieces and nephews are dressing up as every Halloween), and which have created lasting and beloved characters.

Don’t see your choices on this list? Sound off in the comments — because that’s not all folks! We’ll add to and adjust this list with time, new animation premieres, and suggestions from fans like you.

• Check out the 140 Essential Animated Movies