Worst Cartoon Shows

[A random person]

Not a fan of anime, or anything anime inspired... Hell, maybe I'm just fucking old. Naruto was confusing; InuYashi was boring, Dragonball Z... well, that's a half-hour of my life I'll never get back.

God, I know there's more, too; I have two friends who are hooked on this crap up like its cocaine, but I can't/don't want to remember what they are.

And don't think i'm letting AMERICAN cartoons off the hook, either. That horrid remake hash of TMNT made me scream at my television set. King of the Hill is obnoxious, The Simpsons has been on the air FAAAR too long, and in my opinion, WAS NEVER FUNNY IN THE FIRST PLACE. And, oh yeah, let's not forget the Smurfs. God, I detested that show growing up; and it was on FOR 90 MINUTES.

Normally I'd say something about how Naruto, DBZ, etc. is a bad way to judge anime.

But King of the Hill? Really? Sure, the later episodes got a case of the stupids (the MySpace episode comes to mind), and Lucky shouldn't have stepped beyond center of a few B-plots, but the series exemplifies comparatively subtle humor in animation, not to mention probably the best use of running gags/traits in most things (translation: it's deadpan compared to, say, Family Guy, and I fucking loved Hank's obsession with propane). And a large chunk of what Dale does is gold.

Fair enough on The Simpsons, though, I only watch the new episodes on Sunday out of habit (only good thing about the Oscar episode, which could've been good with bringing back Angry Dad, was the animated shorts segments).

 

[A random person]

Hell, NOBODY here has mentioned the worst cartoon made in the last ten years even though it's on every Monday night at 8:15PM EST on Cartoon Network.

Assuming the schedule I have is accurate, I think you're referring to MAD. If so, while probably not the worst, it's pretty bad, outside of one or two times where the premise gave me a chuckle before becoming stupid again.

I hope my schedule is accurate, because otherwise there was the possibility you were referring to Regular Show, aka probably one of the 5 best non-Adult Swim things Cartoon Network did within the past few years.

 

[OutcastBOS]

Hell, NOBODY here has mentioned the worst cartoon made in the last ten years even though it's on every Monday night at 8:15PM EST on Cartoon Network.

Assuming the schedule I have is accurate, I think you're referring to MAD. If so, while probably not the worst, it's pretty bad, outside of one or two times where the premise gave me a chuckle before becoming stupid again.

I hope my schedule is accurate, because otherwise there was the possibility you were referring to Regular Show, aka probably one of the 5 best non-Adult Swim things Cartoon Network did within the past few years.

Ugh, I forgot about MAD...I hate that show so much...but I also love Regular Show.

 

[OutcastBOS]

The general idea with Adult Swim shows is "if you don't like it, then you don't get it."

Oh?

The only exception to this is Robot Chicken, that's the worst animated show on tv right now IMO.

Derp.

I'd vote for Invader Zim, Spongebob and King of the Hill. They probably don't qualify as the worst cartoons ever, but I've always thought they were pretty terrible, they were the first to pop into my mind anyway.

I love King of the Hill, but I've never really gotten what people saw in Zim. Everyone I talk to said it's like the best cartoon ever, but I hated it.

 

[ssgt splatter]

Adventure Time.
That show and others like it must make the Japanese say, "WTF America?"

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

That racist and very stupid ghost busters cartoon. I say racist because they replaced the black guy with a monkey and its how I interperate it <_<

I remember Winston being in the cartoon

your thinking of the other one there where 2 cartoons one that had nothing like Ghostbusters or anything and the otherone that kicked so much ass

I had no idea there was a second cartoon, gotta youtube that shit and take a peek

its god awful and abomination of ghostbusters it didnt even have the theme......

/facepalm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostbusters - 1984 Film
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Real_Ghostbusters - 1986 Cartoon (Original Characters)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_Ghostbusters - 1997 Cartoon (New Young Crew)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_Busters - 1970 TV programme
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmation%27s_Ghostbusters - 1986 Cartoon based on the 1970's show.

So no, the monkey isn't Winston. It's a guy in an Orangutan suit.

 

[Plurralbles]

... I watch cartoons because they're stupid...

SoI have a hard time telling you there is a bad one when I only watch a lot of htem because they are bad.

I loved the shit out of Samurai Jack because it was a badass cartoon, but chowder has some redeeming qualities such as being too stupid to hate.

 

[RootbeerJello]

I personally think Phineas and Ferb was and is the shit, but maybe I'm just weird. It's so dignified and wholesome compared to most cartoons these days, which frankly feel like they're degrading themselves just to get a cheap laugh out of the obnoxious little fuckers that watch them. Phineas and Ferb has it's shit in gear, with recurring jokes that don't feel forced, a subtle formula followed by every episode, and some pretty endearing characters. Hell, it referenced A Clockwork Orange.

Aaaaaaaaaanyway, Johnny Test may be the worst show ever. It just... isn't really about anything! Some kid with spiky hair skateboards, disrespects authority and acts like an idiot.

 

[SIXVI06-M]

I agree with Chowder - the whole thing is off color and has no appeal - it's just another gaudy hyperactive cartoon about nothing in particular where there is nothing to like about ANY of the characters.

Flapjack - similar vein as Chowder, it has a little bit more direction, but like an attention deficit kid in a bouncing castle toy shop made from candy - loses all manner of focus and direction.

Cow and Chicken - if anyone remembers this, I've probably traumatised you again with how bad this cartoon was; the voice-acting of Chicken is the most drawn out thing I have ever heard, the voice actor must've had to drink himself into a stupor afterwards to wash the ordeal out of his head, and Cow... don't get me started... that voice- nails on chalkboard - screeching squeaky squealing with intermittent moos in between... Apparently the whole animation was about how a human couple gave birth to a cow and chicken and they attempt to live daily life as... teenagers? Oh and of course- the Cow has super powers and fights evil by squirting milk at it.

Scooby Doo - I know it's a classic, but to me- even when I was a kid- it was boring, everything was predictable by the time you've watched a 3rd episode - routine as follows: Shaggy and Scooby get spooked and jumps into each others arms a lot, the blonde guy will talk like an uninspired infomercial as a play-by-play of events unfolding, the redhead chick was just there to keep the whole thing heterosexual, and Thelma - her little realisations is the ONLY thing that moves the cookie-cutter plot forward. Oh and of course, the monsters is always just a guy in a suit trying to make sure no one trespasses on his estate or something to that effect. Don't get me started on Scrappy-Do, I fervently hate animal cruelty, but I so want to punt that dog into the next universe if I could.

Some that have been mentioned I think are actually quite alright:
Courage, Spongebob (keeps me semi-entertained when I hit the late-night munchies), and some shows on Adult Swim were a hit with me: Harvey Birdman Attorney At Law and The Venture Bros. (any show that references David Bowie wins everything in my books); then of course some of which are a bit meh.

 

[SIXVI06-M]

I'd vote for Invader Zim, Spongebob and King of the Hill. They probably don't qualify as the worst cartoons ever, but I've always thought they were pretty terrible, they were the first to pop into my mind anyway.

I thought King Of The Hill was very ordinary at first- but that's actually the way it was intended- the characters are mundane... but in extraordinary ways. King Of The Hill joined me for dinner for many an occasion and I fostered a sort of familiarity with it - it was kind of involving because the characters all had a rather particular psyche, and you feel like you just understand them all as if you were part of the family.

 

[TheSchizoid]

The worst cartoon I've seen is probably The Super Mario Bros Super Show.

Wow! They actually had Peach's hair it's original red! I'm shocked! Um, anyone watch this clip and notice that it looked like Mario was trying not to feel up Nicole Eggert near the beginning?

 

[Illesdan]

Normally I'd say something about how Naruto, DBZ, etc. is a bad way to judge anime.

Evidently, I didn't make myself clear; I have been exposed to A LOT of anime, NO thanks to my friends. I simply don't get it. I find it boring, it has plotlines that run amok, the female characters voices (Gods, why do they have to sound like harpies getting hammered?) make me want to poke my ears out with a pickaxe, and it seems like every damned central character in these things are 'the relectant hero who has to find inner strength and love/has the support of friends/family' or some other such hackeneyed plotline device. But, in the end 'they have to do everything alone.' And, on that, I call bullshit.

I'm sorry; I tried, but this stuff just reminds me of a bad soap opera.

But King of the Hill? Really? Sure, the later episodes got a case of the stupids (the MySpace episode comes to mind), and Lucky shouldn't have stepped beyond center of a few B-plots, but the series exemplifies comparatively subtle humor in animation, not to mention probably the best use of running gags/traits in most things (translation: it's deadpan compared to, say, Family Guy, and I fucking loved Hank's obsession with propane). And a large chunk of what Dale does is gold.

To me, this is a case of where the show had just overstayed its welcome for me. After the second season, the set pieces were no longer charming or interesting and it seemed like the writers were really stretching to find new things to do with the characters.

And, I'm sorry, again; but considering where I live, I can watch amusing redneck antics whenever I pass the trailerpark on my way to work.

 

[FalloutJack]

There are too many cartoons of the 2000 era to count that are awful. Let's just go with YES and move on.

 

[A random person]

Normally I'd say something about how Naruto, DBZ, etc. is a bad way to judge anime.

Evidently, I didn't make myself clear; I have been exposed to A LOT of anime, NO thanks to my friends. I simply don't get it. I find it boring, it has plotlines that run amok, the female characters voices (Gods, why do they have to sound like harpies getting hammered?) make me want to poke my ears out with a pickaxe, and it seems like every damned central character in these things are 'the relectant hero who has to find inner strength and love/has the support of friends/family' or some other such hackeneyed plotline device. But, in the end 'they have to do everything alone.' And, on that, I call bullshit.

I'm sorry; I tried, but this stuff just reminds me of a bad soap opera.

Again, like Naruto or DBZ. What you described fits firmly within the confines of shonen (which, due to certain factors, drags itself out and resembles a soap opera for the same reasons soap operas are like that). I won't ask for more, I've been down this road before, but I'll mention that I typically prefer things more along the lines of Kino's Journey or Darker Than Black (I liked Bleach until Soul Society went on too long).

As for why many shonen things have reluctant heroes rising to a challenge and facing it alone, I could spew some crap about Joseph Campbell, the hero's journey, and the dramatic motifs that go along with all that, but I'll cut it short and say lots of things are cliche (and a good bit of anime fans stay within certain genre confines, sadly).

But King of the Hill? Really? Sure, the later episodes got a case of the stupids (the MySpace episode comes to mind), and Lucky shouldn't have stepped beyond center of a few B-plots, but the series exemplifies comparatively subtle humor in animation, not to mention probably the best use of running gags/traits in most things (translation: it's deadpan compared to, say, Family Guy, and I fucking loved Hank's obsession with propane). And a large chunk of what Dale does is gold.

To me, this is a case of where the show had just overstayed its welcome for me. After the second season, the set pieces were no longer charming or interesting and it seemed like the writers were really stretching to find new things to do with the characters.

And, I'm sorry, again; but considering where I live, I can watch amusing redneck antics whenever I pass the trailerpark on my way to work.

The four main characters aren't actually rednecks, Kahn calling them that is just a gag about his elitism. The real rednecks seem to be relegated largely to the Lucky-centric episodes, in which case those are bad.

Also, I'd put the line well beyond the second season, but even I'll acknowledge the charm went out a good bit away from the end (even if the last few minutes of the finale made me feel legitimately fuzzy inside).

 

[Small Waves]

I think you're referring to MAD.

Yes. Yes I am. I could go on a tirade, but I already posted a review for it in the Review forums.

I hope my schedule is accurate, because otherwise there was the possibility you were referring to Regular Show, aka probably one of the 5 best non-Adult Swim things Cartoon Network did within the past few years.

Regular Show is cool, but it's relying too much on surreal twists. I mean, the first episodes are surreal, but they're really using it as a crutch, and what is supposed to make no sense now makes sense. It's as if Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff was made into a TV Show, and it finally fucked your mind so hard that it cannot be fucked ever again.

Pokemon (in fact, all anime is shite), Spongebob, Powerpuff girls...I could go on.

When it comes down to it, no modern cartoon can hold a candle to the classics: Top Cat, Roadrunner, Foghorn Leghorn, Whacky Races and so on.

Wardy

I used to think Top Cat was great, until I watched it again.

LOL NOSTALGIA SUCKS

Adventure Time.
That show and others like it must make the Japanese say, "WTF America?"

The content of Adventure Time might have been weird 15 years ago if we were still baffled by inanimate objects being sentient beings. MIGHT. It's a modern-day example of a cartoon being wildly creative instead of lolrandumb, and it's a damn shame that so many think it's the latter. It's a shame that imagination has now become synonymous with "making shit up off the fly".

Anime is even more sober. The most fucked up and imaginative stuff to come out of Japan today is their amazing experimental music scene and their game shows.