Cartoons, especially those made for kids, struggle to maintain relevancy. Children's cartoons in general aren't really made to maintain relevancy, since a cartoon is only as relevant as the kids who watch it, and when those children grow up into their teens, there's a chance that the audience starts to drop off. However, there are a select few shows out there who withstand the test of time either because those older audiences hold nostalgia for these shows, or the shows can be just as entertaining to older audiences as children.
Most of the shows on this list and most cartoons released over the past decade (especially those made with an adult audience in mind) do not fit those criteria.
10 Fans Ruined Rick & Morty
Upon first hitting the airwaves, Rick & Morty felt like a refreshing homage to sci-fi that quickly spawned a cult following. Unfortunately, much of that cult following has been an embarrassment to the show's own fans.
In the years since its premiere, Rick & Morty has spawned a fanbase that has been accused of being - at best obnoxious and at worst outright toxic. Writers like GQ's Stuart McGurk admit to being ashamed of being a part of fandom that has protested for McDonald's not having enough tie-in dipping sauces to the point that police were called. Even creator Dan Harmon has criticized the fandom's entitlement. Knowing what the fandom has been up to, it's hard to enjoy the show itself nowadays.
9 Beware The Batman's CGI Is Outdated
Before it even hit the airwaves, Beware the Batman was polarizing to audiences, either because of its unique look, unique interpretation of Alfred Pennyworth, or even the fact that Katana was Batman's sidekick instead of a more traditional Robin. But love it or hate it, the biggest selling point behind the show was the animation, which doesn't look great with modern eyes.
The animation is not exactly bad, per se, but eight years after its release, it is more than apparent that the 2021 CGI animation has advanced long past how it looked in 2013. Some modern fans may struggle to look past the sheer look of the show.
8 Adventure Time's Influence Works Against Itself
To its credit, Adventure Time showcased itself as innovative upon its first release. Incredibly imaginative - perhaps to a fault, due to its occasionally surreal imagery - and unlike most cartoons airing during its initial run. Episodes weave into each other while other shows were more episodic, while Adventure Time also covered themes that both children and adults could enjoy.
Its influence can be seen in many newer cartoons today, all of whom in different ways have perfected the formula originated by Adventure Time to better effect. By comparison, the new imitators make the original feel out of date.
7 The Missy Problem In Big Mouth
This is not a kids' show like most of the shows on this list, but it is one of the more popular cartoons these days nonetheless, as critics praise it for accurately capturing the awkward puberty stage of youth. However, last year it exposed its own "controversy."
It's hard to call it a controversy when so few - if anyone - were criticizing them for this, but in the wake of that summer's social justice movement, Jenny Slate opted to step down from the role of Missy because she suddenly felt guilty about voicing a black character. She has since been replaced by Ayo Edebiri, but the so-called controversy leaves a stain on earlier seasons with Slate in the role.
6 Phineas And Ferb Got Real Repetitive Real Fast
As a child, most of us adored the episodic style of television that Phineas and Ferb provided. It's why so many adults grew up to call it a classic. But if those same adults were to take another glance at the show whilst leaving their nostalgia at the door, they would notice how repetitive every episode really is to the point of redundancy.
Every episode starts with the two title characters coming up with some wild adventure, their sister ready to tell on them, only for the parents to arrive just as everything's cleaned up. Meanwhile, their pet platypus fights crime against an evil scientist's nefarious schemes.
5 Magical Girl Friendship Squad Already Feels Dated
Magical Girl Friendship Squad is Syfy's latest animated series, following two millennial women who are suddenly thrust into the duty of protecting the Earth, adding to their already complicated real-life shenanigans. This lady-driven, inclusive, LGBTQ+ friendly comedy should work on paper, but the way it's executed makes it hard to invest in.
The show can't tell if it wants to embrace old-school 80s-90s references for jokes or more trendy jokes with a heavy emphasis on stuff like Starbucks and technology. It's simply struggling to find its identity.
4 Little Einsteins Became A TikTok Meme
Anyone reading this who has not seen Little Einsteins has most likely at least heard the theme song by now — albeit, one of the many variations remixed on the internet. The show's theme song has received rap parodies, remixes, and other genre variants that have gone viral on both TikTok and Vine when the latter was still active.
The theme has become a bonafide meme, which makes it harder for new viewers to digest the actual show for what it is when their opinion is possibly skewered by the meme. Especially for viewers who found the meme to be annoying.
3 Our Cartoon President Covers A Bygone Political Era
Political cartoons - and political parody shows in general - are always tricky to craft because the political climate is constantly changing to the point that by the time the show takes a joke into production, it already feels dated.
This is the case with Our Cartoon President, but beyond that, those who oppose the subject of the show may find it difficult to laugh at his antics nowadays. After all, the former president has been widely criticized and his antics aren't so funny anymore to millions of people.
2 Thundercats Roar Was Hated Before It Released
When Cartoon Network first released the trailer for Thundercats Roar, the latest reboot in the Thundercats franchise, it received immediate backlash from fans of the original 80s classic and even fans of the short-lived 2011 reboot.
Keep in mind that these were all older fans who complained rather than the child audience the network intended the show for. They were all turned off by the kid-friendly tone and chibi art style, so much so that it received overwhelming dislikes on YouTube. By the time that it finally released, the network was incredibly quiet about promoting it. All because older fans refused to give it a chance.
1 Pickle And Peanut Failed To Live Up To Hype
To say that Pickle and Peanut was eagerly anticipated worldwide may be a stretch, but it's not hard to imagine kids being excited to see this one. After all, the show received loads of promotional adverts alongside fan-favorite Gravity Falls. Certainly, if Disney aimed for this to be a show that both kids and adults could love, then Pickle and Peanutmust be pretty great, right?
The reception of this newer show was not great, to say the least. It fell under the radar fast enough to be canceled after just two seasons.