As kids grow up, they tend to leave behind childhood cartoons for live-action media. But many cartoons endure the test of time and can be enjoyed later in life, whether intended for older audiences or simply a way to bring back childhood joy. Here are some of the best animated shows that you should check out.
Gravity Falls
If this article included rankings, Gravity Falls would absolutely be first. The show follows a pair of twins, Dipper and Mable, as they spend the summer at their Uncle Stan’s gift shop in a small town called Gravity Falls. Though it seems like it’s going to be an ordinary summer, they discover a journal that reveals Gravity Falls’ secrets and supernatural elements. Each episode reveals a different mystery that the twins encounter. Although it seems like an ordinary comedy with each episode as a standalone, the small mysteries all lead up to an overarching plot.
Gravity Falls checks all of the boxes of what an ideal cartoon should be: the characters are lovable and funny, each in their own ways, but also complex and relatable, which differentiates it from pure comedic cartoons.
Gravity Falls strays far away from what people might traditionally think of a children’s cartoon show. Some of the creatures caused nightmares even when I was as old as 10. With Gravity Falls’ variety of anomalies, the show includes many grotesque images that add an unsettling charm. At the same time, Gravity Falls also tackles the struggles of growing up and becoming a teen, which resonates with older audiences, giving it depth beyond its supernatural thrills.
What stuck out the most to me about Gravity Falls was the way the show ended. Most popular cartoon shows go on for many seasons, which can lead viewers to getting lost in what the original plot of the story is. Writer Alex Hirch had the ending planned out from the start, and that clearly showed during the end of the show. The mystery was solved and summer was over, leading to the twins returning home. I and many other fans were left with little to no loose ends—and a lot of tears.
If this is the last section you read, do me a favor. Get your lazy butt out and watch Gravity Falls.
Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV
Over the Garden Wall
Cartoon Network has many hit shows, but buried in the lineup is Over the Garden Wall. Over the Garden Wall opens with two brothers, Wirt and Greg, lost in the woods that they call “The Unknown.” Neither the brothers nor the audience knows how and why they are stuck in the woods, but know that they desperately need to return home. During their journey they encounter a variety of strange towns and characters. Each challenges their understanding of themselves and the world around them. Their struggles help them find and develop the resilience needed to confront the darkness and unknown that prevents them from returning home.
Over the Garden Wall is a short 10-episode miniseries, with each episode lasting only approximately 10 minutes. The show is a super quick watch, making it perfect for a quick binge watch. With the crisp of fall air and changing leaves, Over the Garden Wall is a must watch in the fall time due to its eerie atmosphere and sense of unknown.
In those 100 minutes, Over the Garden Wall is able to achieve so many different things—moments that tug at one’s heartstrings, gut-busting comedy, a mix of somber and other times upbeat music, unique yet beautiful animation and finally, a satisfactory ending—that most shows with many seasons and much more writing cannot achieve.
Where to watch: Hulu, Max and Amazon Prime
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Avatar: The Last Airbender is a cult classic for those born in the 2000s. The story takes place in a fictional world divided into four different nations—the Water Tribe, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and Air Nomads. Each nation has “benders” which have the ability to manipulate the natural element for which the nation is named. Only the Avatar is able to bring peace to nations with the ability to bend all four elements. However, when the fire nation decided they wanted to take over the world, the Avatar mysteriously disappeared. After 100 years of fear and destruction from the Fire Nation, the Avatar finally returns after being found in an iceberg by two Water Tribe siblings. As an interesting twist, he is also just a young monk, with little knowledge of what has happened to the world in his absence. His quest to discover his powers and to mature in this new world with his friends make this an epic series.
Avatar consists of a lot of “filler” episodes that introduce characters that appear only once or twice throughout the series. If you get bored during the first few episodes, please bear with me. Though it was a little bit painful to get through the 10th episode without much action or plot, looking back it is worth watching the so called “filler” episodes because you watch the characters develop, which I think is the most beautiful part of the show.
Throughout the show I was able to watch immature and confused kids develop into powerful and kindhearted characters that inspire change and forgiveness. This not only resonates with young kids but also adults who face similar issues as well.
Apart from Avatar doing a great job of covering serious topics, every episode has an exceptional amount of humor that has my family dying laughing. The dialogue is hilarious, and many of the laughs stem from the animation. This was largely apparent when a live action TV show and movie were released, and were largely criticized by their lack of humor. Neither the Netflix series or the movie could live up to what the original cartoon series created.
Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, YouTube Plus
Phineas and Ferb
Out of all the TV shows mentioned, Phineas and Ferb is by far the most nostalgic. Two brothers, Phineas and Ferb, have 104 days of summer vacation left, so they choose to go on crazy adventures to make the summer memorable. By their side is their pet platypus, Perry, who is a covert special agent, who goes on missions to defeat the show’s villain, Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
Unlike the other shows on this list, Phineas and Ferb is the only show that has standalone episodes. When I was younger, I would turn on a random episode of Phineas and Ferb and laugh my head off with my brother. I had no idea what happened last episode, but it didn’t matter because what I was watching still made sense.
Phineas and Ferb is especially known for its comedic timing. What I find unique about the show’s humor is that it relies mostly on the dynamics of characters, rather than each individual character. Dynamics that are particularly hilarious are Perry the Platypus and Dr. Doofenshmirtz when they engage in over the top battles. Another standout is their older sister Candace’s attempts to catch Phineas and Ferb in an act that only backfires in the most comical ways.
The show is extremely clever as Phineas and Ferb are both extremely intelligent and innovative. In each episode, the brothers embark on a wild project to fuel their boredom. The creative ideas, witty humor and bits of hidden adult humor make it enjoyable for older audiences as well, who can appreciate the depth and cleverness behind each episode.
Don’t dismiss watching Phineas and Ferb because you don’t want to commit to 222 episodes. Luckily, you have the luxury of turning on any episode you like.
Where to watch: Disney+, Hulu, YouTube TV, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime
