So same thing I did on the previous list only there are far less cartoons, same rules as before, the list has no order to it and all these shows premiered in 2015 so sit back relax and enjoy the list.
Miraculous Ladybug
An intriguing look at a French made Magical Girl series co wrote by South Korean and Japanese companies. It may look like another attempt to try and use anime style shows in Western Cartoons but this show is certainly original in plot and design and is worth a watch.
The Clangers
A British stop motion show about pink moon mice who communicate through whistles. The original show aired over 40 years ago but this updated version uses the exact same stop motion animation but runs a lot smoother. You see it is possible to reboot a show and not change anything bar the voice acting.
Danger Mouse
And Danger Mouse did exactly the same thing in it's reboot, no CGI nonsense just a secret agent mouse with all the best comedy writing you can offer a show and just run with it. British Cartoons at it's best.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel cartoons have been a bit lacking in impact lately and Guardians of the Galaxy is made for cartoons and well welcomed into Disney's growing library.
Harvey Beaks
Harvey Beaks is a reminder that Nickelodeon hasn't completely lost the plot yet, from the creators of Chowder if the character designs and humor isn't completely obvious, Harvey Beaks is starting to restore some trust back in Nickelodeon.
Star vs the Forces of Evil
It sucks that Gravity Falls has been cancelled but with this Magical Girl spoof in it's place, I'm not too worried about Disney's future in 2D animation. Funny and very clever about it's morals, Star will certainly make Disney shine again.
The Lion Guard
I'm cheating a bit as this is a pre-school show but as someone who watched the Lion King back in 1995, I welcome the Lion King world back onto Disney screens. Badly needed to balance out Disney's range that lately looks to be just Star Wars, Marvel and Disney Princess starring Frozen.
Moonbeam City
This is kinda what I imagined Regular Show being like if it were just 80s jokes. The show scratches the nostalgia trip I enjoy so much and I hope it becomes more mainstream to give older shows like Simpsons a reminder that it can be replaced.
Be Cool Scooby Doo
I didn't think this would work, the designs looked like a Family Guy sketch and it was going to be more geared towards crazy fun over serious plots. You know what after so many reboots of this, this being the 12th one, I actually kind of like it. I think it's hit it's last possible reboot, "Making Fun of Yourself" which is all it can do and it works surprisingly well, much like Pup Named Scooby Doo did in the late 80s.
We Bare Bears
At this point Cartoon Network is heading for a sorry state. Adventure Time and Regular Show will probably end soon and it's current shows, well except for Amazing World of Gumball and possibly Steven Universe aren't enough for the channel to live on. Thankfully We Bare Bears fills the gap quite nicely and manages to spoof today's culture without it being forced, and it even has some very emotional moments, which is surprising for a show of it's kind.
Cartoons have gone through a surprise renaissance in recent years and we have these ten creators to thank for it. Give some applause to these individuals. (Updated with Honorable Mentions)
Honorable Mentions
Daniel Chong
Creator of We Bare Bears
A simple premise of three bears trying to function in normal society is one of the better attempts at incorporating modern day humor into cartoons. Hope to see more from this one.
Daron Nefcy
Creator of Star vs the Forces of Evil
I really wanted Amethyst Princess of Gemworld to become a series but I'll settle for Star vs the Forces of Evil, living proof that you can make a female lead interesting without the need for vomits of pink.
Disqualified: Skyler Page
Creator of Clarence
Skyler Page Disgraced himself by committing an act of Sexual Assault on another employee and has since been sacked by Cartoon Network.
10. Kyle A. Carrozza
Creator of Mighty Magiswords
This show only came out last week and already I'm hooked, this guy is a refugee from Nickelodeon's failed Random Cartoons project that came from the same stable as Adventure Time. While Mighty Magiswords is only a web cartoon at the moment there is hope of more to come from this show.
9. Sean Szeles
Creator of Long Live the Royals
A prominent writer of Regular Show, Sean Szeles has graduated into making his own show that hopes to carry on the same humor that Regular Show produced.
8. Rebecca Sugar
Creator of Steven Universe
A prominent writer of Adventure Time, Rebecca Sugar's show about a boy inheriting gem powers has all the dimensions found from her time working on Adventure Time and is one of the best female cartoon creators since Lauren Faust.
7. Peter Browngardt
Creator of Uncle Grandpa
A major writer on Flapjack, and creator of Secret Mountain Fort Awesome, Peter Browngardt took out what didn't work in Fort Awesome and made Uncle Grandpa which did work.
6. Patrick McHale
Creator of Over the Garden Wall
Another writer from Flapjack and a contributor to Adventure Time, Patrick McHale created the biggest surprise of last year, the dark and mysterious Over the Garden Wall which set a new standard in story writing and atmosphere.
5. Benjamin Bocquelet
Creator of Amazing World of Gumball
A French born British animator who used to work in advertisement and the only one on this list without previous cartoon history. Ben's ability to blend his unique creations into an impressive and hilarious show makes him Europe's finest cartoon maker to date and one to watch for the future.
4. Pendleton Ward
Creator of Adventure Time
This guy put Cartoon Network back on the map along with the number 3 entry. A talented writer that Nickelodeon was stupid enough to ignore, is now regarded as the creator of Cartoon Network's most successful show.
3. J.G. Quintel
Creator of Regular Show
J.G. Quintel is a man who I can relate to, he successfully crafted a cartoon suitable for people of my Generation, basically anyone born in the 80s and made sure that the old Cartoon Network fan wasn't ignored.
2. Alex Hirsch
Creator of Gravity Falls
Alex Hirsch is a reminder that Disney haven't completely abandoned cartoons and can still create classics. Gravity Falls is the cleverest show on TV in all forms, not just cartoons, here's hoping he creates more.
1. Thurop Van Orman
Creator of The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack
But over half this list owe their pay checks to Thurop Van Orman who gave them their big break. Sean Szeles, Peter Browngardt, Alex Hirsch, J.G. Quintel, Pendleton Ward and Patrick McHale were all credited writers of Flapjack, the show wasn't the most fondly remembered in Cartoon Network's history but you all had to start somewhere and Flapjack is the Forefather of the Modern Cartoon Network.
Note: Nothing from Nickelodeon?
Kind of says a lot about their shows at the moment.
Next we review Cartoon Network's only Gameshow, Skatoony
First a little history, the characters Chudd Chudders and The Earl were created as animated presenters alongside Johnny Bravo on UK Cartoon Network, they also set competitions in between shows. In mid 2000s they made a proper quiz show but with two different versions. The North American version had characters from Total Drama Island and Jimmy Two Shoes filling in the positions of the animated contestants while the UK Version used original character designs more in tune with the UK audience, since I am from the UK, this is the version I'm more familiar with, plus I get the bonus of The Earl being a caricature of legendary singer Tom Jones, of whom I can do a mean impression of.
The format of the show stays the same through out, none of the toons ever beat the human contestants so the differences everywhere else are relatively minor between episodes not to mention not a lot of differences between quiz rounds, being honest compared to Nickelodeon's quiz shows Skatoony is better with it's questions and general presentation and Chudd Chudders and The Earl make really good hosts and even now in the UK, the show still reruns, more so than the classic Cartoon Network shows and even the likes of Ben 10 and I kind of wish they returned as hosts rather than the Welsh guy voiceover we currently have.
Now the second review, this time it's Clarence.
Clarence is about an optimistic kid of the same name who loves fun and each episode is basically whatever fun scenario that can be created from a basic plot. That's about it really, there's nothing much to talk about in that regards.
So having just finished Uncle Grandpa and not really hating it, do I feel the same about this show?
Well yes, the difference is it takes from another classic medium of a group of kids with the central character being the class clown and it really doesn't do a lot wrong. My only issue is that I'm not a fan of the art style and it doesn't do anything I would consider great but again there's no real reason to hate it either.
This kind of enigma that seems to plague shows like Clarence in this era is rather jarring and makes it difficult to find a strong definitive opinion for, even more jarring when the creator of the show was fired by Cartoon Network for sexual assault. But I will say it again this era still surprises me and even a normal cartoon can't be considered bad anymore.
Next time a top ten list.
There are a few shows that I want to get out of my system particularly from the Cartoon Network stable. So expect the second review to follow immediately after this one as we start with Uncle Grandpa.
Uncle Grandpa began as a spin off show to the forgettable Secret Mountain Fort Awesome about a magical old man who is everyone's uncle and grandpa, how that works is baffling but not the weirdest thing the show offers.
A typical episode would have someone having problems and Uncle Grandpa solving it in his own eccentric way, he does this with a magical belly bag, a disgruntled Green Dinosaur named Mr Gus, a sentient Pizza named Pizza Steve and a Giant Realistic Flying Tiger who is propelled by rainbow farts.
Yeah the weirdness in this show is unbelievable at times especially when they perform an Animaniacs style sketch in between commercial breaks and episodes, the recipe for this show sounds like the worst possible cartoon, yet I don't actually hate it.
I've been fortunate enough to have seen a large enough library of cartoons that whenever a modern show goes back to the basics of slapstick and weirdness that early Disney, Tex Avery and Looney Tunes gave us, it actually makes me smile more than it makes me groan.
Yes, Uncle Grandpa isn't perfect and it's nowhere near the standard of Cartoon Network's current big three but at the very least it isn't terrible, and still gives us hope that cartoons haven't completely lost the plot, no pun intended.
