If there’s one thing that peaked in the 90s it’s the medium of animated television. With iconic shows like Rugrats, Batman: The Animated Series, and of course, The Simpsons, there was no wanting for good cartoon content in the final decade of the millennium. For every classic show from the 90s there’s a hidden gem or a total misfire that’s faded away from our collective consciousness. If it was overshadowed by a more popular series or straight up just didn’t last more than a season, we’ve collected it here.
The Tick remains a hilarious superhero sendup that follows the adventures of the titular Tick, a dum-dum but well meaning hero who causes more trouble than he stops in his pursuit of justice. With his sidekick Arthur, an accountant dressed like a (checks notes) Moth, The Tick faces over the top baddies like Chariface Chippendale and The Evil Midnight Bomber What Bombs At Midnight. The show achieved a near instant cult following, but it never really cracked the mainstream. If you haven’t seen The Tick, this is genuinely one of the most unique cartoons of the 90s.
From the creators of The Anamaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures, Freakazoid! is an off the wall show about a teenage computer geek with the power to transform into a manic superhero. With rapid fire comic timing as pop culture references and non-sequitur jokes more suited to Gen X, the show was way ahead of its time.
For about a year in the early 90s, Mighty Max followed the adventures of a young boy with a magic cap that gives him the power to travel through time and space. Along with a talking chicken named Virgil and a Viking warrior named Norman, Max faces off with his arch nemesis, Skullmaster, in a bid to save the world. Kid friendly, but with extremely dark themes, Mighty Max only aired for two seasons.
Possibly the most successful TMNT rip-off, Street Sharks took the extreme animal trend of the 90s to the max. The series follows four brothers who are transformed into a group of half-man, half-shark hybrids by a mad scientist (natch). Rather than fall into despair, the brothers band together to fight crime and keep their city safe from less kind mutants. The series didn’t reach the mainstream success of TMNT, but it did spawn a super popular toy line that 90s kids will definitely remember.
The Pirates of Dark Water is a super ambitious fantasy series that takes place in the world of Mer, where a young man named Ren is tasked with keeping the evil Dark Water from completely taking over the planet. In order to save Mer, Ren has to put together a rag tag crew of pirates to hunt down the Thirteen Treasures of Rule, a magical maguffin that can save the planet. The thing that sets The Pirates of Dark Water apart from other shows at the time is its intricate storyline and the dark tone that was absent from other shows at the time. The series was canceled before the plot could be resolved,
Do you like bikers? What about mice? And how do you feel about Mars? Well you’re going to love Biker Mice from Mars. This high octane series about a three anthropomorphic mice from Mars named Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie, follows their adventures as they defend the planet from an evil corporation. Based in Chicago of all places, this show goes heavy on the X-TREME sports craze of the era but it never reached a large audience.
Out of all the shows we’re looking at today, ReBoot actually lasted for the long haul. Running from 1994 to 2001, this groundbreaking series was the first fully computer animated TV show. Set inside of a computer system called the Mainframe, the series revolves around Guardian Bob, Dot Matrix, and Enzo as they fight off viruses and other digital googas. ReBoot definitely looks dated now, but at the time the series pushed the boundaries of what animation could do.
Based on the groundbreaking Image Comic series, The Savage Dragon revolves around a superhuman police officer with green skin and a large fin on his head as he faces off with bizarre baddies in a gritty, crime filled world. The Savage Dragon is one of many comic book adaptations of the early 90s that never hit the same level of success as Batman: The Animated Series. Violent, and honestly a little mature for a young audience, the Savage Dragon never had a chance to crack the mainstream.
SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron is your classic play for action figure dominance. The series followed T-Bone and Razor, a couple of cool cats who fight to save their city from various villains after they’re kicked off of the police force. The series had a strong fan base but it only ran for two seasons due to the incredible high production cost.
Duckman is indicative of the forgotten animated sitcom of the 90s. Aimed at adults and following the misadventures of a private detective duck with a penchant for giving sass. Voiced by Jason Alexander, Duckman is full of absurd antics and biting social commentary that leans into the dark humor of the 90s. A critical hit, the series was overshadowed by other adult animation at the time like The SImpsons and The Critic.