The cartoons currently on television piggyback off of one another. Most of them aren’t original and the characters aren’t memorable. Some of the best cartoons are from the 80s. The characters, theme songs and episodes were memorable, creative and fun. Here’s a trip down memory lane for all the 80s babies and cartoon lovers.
G.I. Joe (1985-1986): Who would have thought that this little cartoon from the 80s, would become a blockbuster film? G.I. Joe was the codename of a group of special officers assigned to stop Cobra. Cobra was headed by Cobra Commander. The Joes were American heroes who would travel the world in an effort to stop the evil Cobra. At the end of every episode, a G.I. Joe officer would deliver a PSA to a group of children.
Signature Quote: “Now you know and knowing is half the battle!”
CareBears (1985 to 1986): The CareBears lived on clouds in the sky. Coincidentally, their home was called Care-A-Lot. Each bear had a special name, color, symbol and power. The CareBears were similar to guardian angels. Their Care-O-Meter would alert them whenever trouble was brewing. They weren’t superheroes who fought crime. Instead the bears, would venture to earth and try to help out the person or persons in trouble.
Signature Quote: “Carebears countdown 5, 4, 3, 2, 1″
Jem! AKA Jem and the Holograms (1985-1988): Jem was admired by young girls world-wide during her reign in the 80s. Jem was Jerrica Benton’s alter ego. Jerrica owned and operated Starlight Music. Jerrica is transformed into the singing sensation Jem with the help of a hologram projected from her earrings. Jem and her band mates, The Holograms, participate in competitions for titles and prizes. The band’s arch-enemies The Misfits are always trying to upstage Jem and The Holograms, but they fail miserably.
Signature quote: “Jem is excitement!”
DuckTales (1987-1990): DuckTales stars some of our favorite webbed friends from Disney. Each episode of DuckTales was an adventure. The series centered on the greedy millionaire Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews. The terrible threesome is left in Scrooge McDuck’s care after their Uncle Donald (Donald Duck) departs for the navy. On top of caring for his nephews, Scrooge devises ways to stop evil-doers from stealing his millions. The series Darkwing Duck, featuring Lunchpad McQuack, was a spin-off of DuckTales.
Alvin and the Chipmunks (1983-1991): Since The Chipmunks were already well-known for their music, the animated series was a huge success. The cartoon starred Alvin, Simon, Theodore and their panicky human Dad Dave. The show also introduced Brittany, Eleanor and Jeanette. They were known as The Chipettes and were considered the female counterparts of Alvin, Simon and Theodore. The Chipmunks still remain a hot commodity today. The sequel to their 2007 live-action film Alvin and The Chipmunks is set to be released on Christmas Day
Signature Quote: “ALVINNNN!”
Muppet Babies (1984-1990): Muppet Babies was developed into a series after being featured in the movie, Muppets Take Manhattan. The cartoon featured all of our favorite Muppets as infants. A headless nanny looked after all the tikes in a giant nursery. Muppet Babies is one of the few cartoon series that had a 90-minute time slot. Each episode consisted of the gang being whisked away to a different time or place through their imagination.
Transformers (1984-1987): The Transformers were robots in disguise. They could morph into vehicles, animals and other machinery. The Autobots were the good guys while the Decepticons were the evil bots. The Decepticons were led by Megatron and the Autobots were led by Optimus Prime. The series revolved around the Autobots’ attempts to keep the Earth’s energy safe from the Decepticons. The popularity of the cartoon and toys was resurrected in 2008, when director Michael Bay released a live-action version of Transformers.
Signature Quote: “Robots in disguise. More than meets the eye!”
ThunderCats (1985-1990): This series revolved around cat-like aliens from the planet Thundera. After barely escaping their exploding planet, the ThunderCats vehemently searched for a new planet to make their home. Lion-O is the leader of the ThunderCats. Unfortunately, Lion-O is a child trapped inside a man’s body. Snarf, WilyKit, Cheetara, WilyKat, Panthro and Tygra are the other members of the ThunderCats. Lion-O’s sword, the Sword of Omens, guides and protects the clan on their ventures. The ThunderCats explore their new world under the protection of their fearless leader and his special sword. The evil Mumm-ra consistently plotted ways to capture and kill the ThunderCats. A live-action version of the ThunderCats is currently in the works.
Signature Quote: “ThunderCats Hooooo!”
Cartoons aren’t just for kids. Most adults would never admit that they enjoy watching cartoons on a regular basis. The majority of these cartoons are more entertaining than the cartoons currently on television. These cartoons are more than 20 years old, but they are far from forgotten.
