Kids Programs were so much better in the 80’s & 90’s

What was your favourite TV show as a kid? The subject of many a joyful, usually drunken, discussion around a pub table. You’d be waxing lyrical about He-Man, when someone would yell “Thunder Cats, Ho!!!” and you’d all fall around laughing. They were great. Here’s a list of some of my favourite cartoons, and why I loved them:

Awesome 80’s Cartoons

Trap Door

I have a lot of time for any stop motion plasticine films – the effort and dedication that must go in to them! Berk, the central character, was brilliant – and you always wondered how scary the next monster out of the trap door would be. I still, on occasion, will say to anyone cooking for me “Berk! Where’s my dinner?” Trap Door also had an amazing theme tune – who can forget:

Don’t you open that trapdoor, You’re a fool if you dare!… Stay away from that trapdoor, ‘Cos there’s something down there….

Duckula

Count, Duckula. I mean come on, a vegetarian Vampire duck, voiced by David Jason. I would like to meet the person who came up with that concept and shake them firmly by the hand. The long suffering Igor and Nanny were excellent side kicks. I was in a science class when I was about 16, and we had a rather large, cardigan wearing supply teacher one day. All of us were giving her surreptitious looks because she reminded us all of someone. About half way through the lesson one of the boys shouted “Nanny!” and all of us immediately fell about laughing, because despite the lack of a sling, she was a dead ringer.

Thundercats

This was the one I remember playing at school when I was about 6. I was always Cheetarah. Man she was cool, super quick and flipping about all over the place with her magic staff thing she had. I’ve always had a secret hankering to dress up as her for Halloween, but I never did, because even in my slimmer days I wouldn’t have looked like Cheetarah, I would have looked like a slightly porky orange ninja.

 Dungeons and Dragons

Oh, I loved! The idea of children setting off on a ride and then being thrown into an amazing world full of terrifying monsters and the evil Venger – surely one of the scariest cartoon villians? Always trying to find a way home. I loved all their magic weapons – I coveted Shiela’s invisibility cape and Hank’s magic bow. I did always find Bobby deeply irritating though – and his stupid unicorn Uni just couldn’t keep itself out of trouble! I actually bought myself this series on DVD – I must introduce it to Rian!

Woof

Classic! A boy who suddenly starts turning into a dog, and then gets into all sorts of various scrapes – and keeps turning up with no clothes on in various embarrassing situations. I bloody loved Woof.

I briefly wondered in a post I wrote recently about that accursed Paw Patrol; will the kids of today reminisce about the stuff they watch on TV? I really can’t see it. Seeing as you’ve had a round up of my favourites, here’s a round up of Rian’s – and why I hate them, with one notable exception!

Crappy Now Kid’s TV

Justin’s House

I wasn’t going to include this one, as Rian hasn’t watched it for ages – but it just happens to be on right this minute and OMG it’s utter drivel. It’s just stupid slapstick. There’s nothing memorable about it at all. Is Rian going to be in a pub in 20 years time saying “Do you remember how Robert The Robot always tricked Justin into opening the door? LOL” No. No he isn’t. It’s crap. And Justin just winked at me *vomit*

Tree-Fu Tom

Tree. Fu. Really? A bunch of incompetent bugs who run around being twats, waiting to be saved by Tom (some sort of shrunken real life boy) – but wait, you have to help do the magic! C’mon everyone let’s do Tree Fu! No, lets not. It’s stupid. And this is yet another awful CGI cartoon – why are they all CGI? It looks awful, all bland and fluffy, I hate them.

Postman Pat – Special Delivery Service

Since Pat got all up his own arse and joined the SDS (and went CGI, the traitor) and deserted Royal Mail it’s just unbearable. Why does a postal service need a helicopter pray tell? Excessive. I wouldn’t mind if he was delivering organs for transplant or something but it’s usually some spoilt brats birthday present – which Pat will no doubt for some spurious reason have already opened/played with/lost. He’ll still get it there on time though, it will just have taken him all day to deliver that one thing, in a village of about 10 families. Pat, you’re a fool.

Paw Patrol

You can read precisely what I think of that here – I abhor it so much I dedicated an entire post to it.

Phineas & Ferb

And here is the exception. I LOVE Phineas and Ferb, and could happily watch it all day. Two step brothers who build all sorts of mad machines and have brilliantly wacky adventures, much to the annoyance of their sister, who is DESPERATE to dob them in, but never can because the mother is oblivious. There’s also Perry, the pet platypus who is actually a secret agent charged with foiling the evil genius Doofenschmirtz. Just watch it.

What cartoons do you love, or love to hate?