Cartoons that you think are overrated

[Berithil]

I'm just going to jump on the bandwagon and say anything modern by Seth McFarlane. I've tried watching some of his stuff, mainly Family Guy, and I just found it stupid. It seemed to revolve way too much around shock humor. Probably the same reason I don't like South Park either.

Now, I'm going to throw you all a curveball:

MLP:FIM.

Now, just wait a minute. Yes, I love that show, but "overrated" does not mean bad. It just means that it gets far too much attention. Overall, I don't think it is overrated, it's just some of the more vocal fans tend to push it so much, that it makes me think if I just heard about the show from some of those fans today, I would be sorely disappointed when I finally watched the show.

That's what "overrated" should be, not just talking about something you don't like.

 

[LobsterFeng]

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I'll admit I've only watched a few Adventure Time episodes, so my opinion on the show is pretty first-impression. I had no idea AT parallels a post-apocalyptic earth, which is pretty interesting. Could be I just missed some of the deeper elements at a first glance.

Perhaps I'll give the show another shot sometime soon.

It's usually just hinted at in the background, and the fact that they sometimes use modern technology (and futuristic technology) frequently despite the medieval like universe. It actually is directly referenced in 1 or 2 episodes so it's not just something the fans made up either. But yeah even in the intro you can see a couple of undetonated warheads if you pause right at the beginning:

 

[SlaveNumber23]

The Pokémon anime. Holy crap. There's some moments that I still like, but for every one of those, there's at least five that make me want to bang my head against a wall. So many broken aesops, so many lessons learned that were quickly forgotten. It could have developed into something good if they had hired some competent writers, but the show's potential died long ago.

Aw come on how could you hate this?


In all seriousness the Pokemon anime is pretty shitty.


I'm going to say Family Guy, I did enjoy watching the show but it quickly becomes very stale. I can't quite put my finger on why but that show really festered for me and now I absolutely hate it and can't stand watching it.

I'm also going to say My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It might be a good show but a lot of people treat it as if its God in TV show form. I'm not saying its a bad show but it is most certainly given more credit than it deserves.


I can see why a lot of people don't like South Park and that's fine but its definitely deserving of the high praise it gets, the show is brilliant, Parker and Stone are very talented and clever. Even if you don't like the tone of the show or just don't like it for some other reason, surely you can respect that there is a lot of talent behind it.

 

[Adeptus Aspartem]

Hm.. in these threads is always get the feeling people only talk about what they like and do not like. But for me "overrated" means, that cartoon X is very well known and highly praised by people but is acutally crap.

Teen Titans got mentioned by a few people, but i've never met any person on the interwebz who tried to sell it to me as the holy grail of cartoons or anything.

I'd say, without givin' my 0.02: Spongebob, everything Seth McFarlane related, Simpsons, Futurama, InvaderZim, 90's Batman, Darkwing Duck and/or TMNT would be contender for such an adjective.
Maybe be totally heretic and call Bugs, Tom & Jerry or the Roadrunner overrated - but if you dare, trust me i'll find you and then may god have mercy with you, but i won't.

For me personally, i could never really enjoy the following cartoons: The Mask, Ben10, Scooby Doo (I hated him, always took the screen time of my favs), The wild thornberrys, The Flintstones / Jetsons - basically i dislike Hannabarberra, Futurama, American Dad and Inspector Gadget.

Jep, people like them, i've some friends nearly worshipping the classics like Inspector Gadget or Scooby Doo, but i just never liked them.
I didn't find them funny at all and the characters were annyoing as hell to me as a child.

 

[Ldude893]

I only just recently became a fan of MLP. It was inevitable, being all over the internet I'm one of those people that if something is shoved in my face enough I'll go check it out. What I found astounded me on quite a few levels. I enjoy the art and some music provided by the fanbase so i'd say its a cool thing. But as for the more obsessive part of the fandom, I probably land on the same side of the fence as you folks. Its a great show, it really is, but few things in cartoons warrant the amount of praise MLP gets.

I find that with cartoons, you either like them or you don't, and if you don't you go find one that you do enjoy. For me, MLP hit a bunch of buttons and really impressed me. In summary, the main reason I watch the show is its way of operating and sense of humor. It can be funny without being sarcastic, cynical, and snarky. Something other modern shows cannot (or more likely, will not) do. This is of course specific to me, but I hate put downs and constant sarcasm and making fun of people. The idea that the only way I can feel good is to make sure someone else isn't. Its probably got something to do with me being raised and only child and thus not having the brother/sister to indoctrinate me to accepting that behavior simply because it would have been a constant in my life. This is not to say I'm a delicate daffodil who can't take jokes or dish them back out. I get it, its just the way things are now, but I still don't like it, and when I'm out with friends it gets really old, really fast. That is why the dude-bro aspect of Regular Show and others turn me off. The fact that MLP barely has that sort of thing is refreshing and 90% of the reason I watch it. The other 10% being good characters, catchy songs, colorful animation, tons of D&D/Tolkein fantasy stuff thrown in, and story board staff that sneaks in random cool stuff all the time.

Same thought here. As a fan of the show myself, I think it's a stretch to call it the greatest show in the world, especially when most of the storylines of each episode have been done before, and when there were numerous higher-quality animated shows Animaniacs and Samurai Jack, and current shows like Legend of Korra and Futurama.

Apparently, the easiest way to develop humor in a TV show these days is to have characters exchange snark and act horrible to teach other (at least generally). It's not that it doesn't work when done correctly like in Futurama, Regular Show and none of the Seth Macfarlane shows, but the fact that so many animated shows use that formula does get tiring.
Of course, it's difficult to produce an animated show set in a world of such optimism WITHOUT being vomit-inducing, diabetes-choked torture material, which is why most shows like that are associated with young children.
And that's what makes My Little Pony: FiM special. It's not because it's the greatest show in the world, it's because it's a show that brings up something unique from the others. Not only does it show that humor doesn't always require heavy cynicism, but also presents an optimistic world that's acceptable to both a younger and older viewership, thanks to everything you listed.

The quality of the show doesn't beat some other shows, but unless I know of another animated show that pulls off a similar formula with effort put in, I've yet to see anything like My Little Pony: FiM. And even then, I'll continue loving it.

[sub]By the way, why is the ad bar on the top of the Escapist crying? Seriously, it's a side-ways frowny face.[/sub]

 

[ninjaRiv]

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I'll admit I've only watched a few Adventure Time episodes, so my opinion on the show is pretty first-impression. I had no idea AT parallels a post-apocalyptic earth, which is pretty interesting. Could be I just missed some of the deeper elements at a first glance.

Perhaps I'll give the show another shot sometime soon.

It's usually just hinted at in the background, and the fact that they sometimes use modern technology (and futuristic technology) frequently despite the medieval like universe. It actually is directly referenced in 1 or 2 episodes so it's not just something the fans made up either. But yeah even in the intro you can see a couple of undetonated warheads if you pause right at the beginning:

This is actually what made me a fan of Adventure Time. So much so, I say totes now...

I'm totes gonna go watch some re-runs of it now, actually...

 

[Vault101]

I dont like the term overated but I actually saw some adventure time for the first time ever this christmas..and yeah it was kind of funny but a bit random for my tastes

I also saw some "regular show" and that was actually pretty hilarious...I dont know it seems a little more clever than say family guy

that and world of gumball was great

 

[Newtonyd]

I never really thought Spongebob Squarepants or the Simpsons were either very good. Not even back in their supposed heydays. I watched them, and thought they were okay, but their relative popularity is still pretty surprising. That's not to say they don't deserve all the attention they get, just their style doesn't suit my tastes.

 

[II2none]

The countless scooby doo reboots/ spinoffs. Seriously it's the same shit with a different aesthetic everytime. I doubt scooby is overrated but I'm sorry I just really never liked scooby doo not as a child ,not ever.

MLP: FIM I think the art style is why people are all over this shows nuts. I saw the pilot and a few other episodes afterward and started thinking "Why the hell am I still watching this?"It's okay -ish but the atmosphere is far to childish and perky for me.

Adventure Time. obnoxious nonsense

Ben 10 (before the omniverse reboot): horrible dialogue always repelled me from enjoying the show.

 

[Zyxx]

(usual disclaimer about opinions, live and let live etc. Also note that if I didn't care for a show after one or two episodes, I probably stopped watching it, so if it got better or if it's something I would enjoy with my older taste, I wouldn't know.)

Seth McFarlane's stuff is just 'eh' to me. When I do have them on, it's usually for background noise while I do something else.

Ed, Edd & Eddie. It always struck me as being stupid for stupidity's sake, and if I wanted to see that I have a door that will take me outside. I have the same complaint about Spongebob. When I've been forced to watch Spongebob, I felt as though my intellect were being aggressively and purposefully attacked.
I never quite saw the appeal of Rocko's Modern Life or the Angry Beavers, but I might be willing to give them another shot.

If anime's allowed, I need to mention Trigun, which I did watch in its entirety. It just never did anything for me, and I hated how it would change from somber life-and-death pontificating to slapstick goofiness in the space of a single frame. I'm not saying a show can't or shouldn't have both, but I couldn't enjoy either mood with that whiplash.

 

[verdant monkai]

Tom and Jerry.

Being a lover of cats I hate it when tom dies/gets mutilated. Tom is a better character than Jerry as he has an actual purpose (to eat mice) Jerry doesn't he is pointless. I find all of the jokes annoying because Jerry is just such a self satisfied little git.

I could go on but hey at the end of the day I just don't like seeing a cute cat hurt.

 

[Shock and Awe]

Pretty much any of the old 80s cartoons people constantly rave about. He-Man, Transformers, ect. I wasn't born then so I like to think I can look at it objectively and they kind of sucked. Though I may be biased(probably am) I think the golden age of cartoons was when Cartoon Network put out "Ed, Edd, and Eddy", Dexters Lab, and the like.

 

[Ishal]

All the Seth MacFarlane cartoons (post-Dexter's Lab): All the shows are the same with slight differences and are trying way too hard to be sitcoms rather than y'know FUCKING CARTOONS.

I ALWAYS forget he was involved with Dexter. My word *looking up wiki* Tartakovsky, McCracken, Renzetti and Hartman! Damn, Dexters lab was really a cesspool of talent.

Wait WHAT?!

Tartakovsky, McCracken/Faust, and Seth MacFarlane all worked on Dexter's Lab?

 

[scorptatious]

I don't understand how anybody liked Catdog. I also don't understand how people liked Jimmy Neutron and what really baffles my mind is how Jimmy's friend Sheen got his own freaking show! Seriously though: Catdog is probably the one that really, really confuses me. I don't get how anybody could like a show so mean spirited and downright bleak.

Seconded. I always kinda felt bad for CatDog. Cat in particular. When I was little, I would often project myself on the main character in most shows. If that makes any sense. So, it kinda sucked seeing them fail and get shit on.

Also, fuck Rancid Rabbit. Fucking asshole with his dozens of clones taking up nearly every business in Nearburg.

That being said, I do like the theme song.

OT: Honestly, probably most of the 90's Cartoon Network shows. Like Dexter's Lab, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Courage the Cowardly Dog. Not saying they were bad, but looking back on them I really couldn't really figure out why I regularly watched those shows. Stuff like Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry I still kinda like though.

Also, I liked Teen Titans. Although I do remember Robin being a hard ass most of the time. :/

 

[Risingblade]

I've never been fond of Avatar it's just so bleh, the characters are bleh the story is bleh, the humor is bleh.

 

[Blaze the Dragon]

I think that most of the reason for MLP's "overrated-ness" is that when most people actually watch it and find out it's good, they tend to over-inflate their perception of how good it is due to their initial expectations for it. For example, if you go into a show expecting it to be good, and it's amazing, then you'll think it's good. Meanwhile if you go into a show expecting it to be bad, and it's good, then you might perceive it as amazing because of the greater difference between expectation and reality. I think that this logic also explains why something tends to be perceived as bad when it's actually still good, because of a crazy amount of hype behind it building it up as amazing.

Also, I think that the whole deal with MLP is finally starting to calm down. I know I at least haven't seen nearly as much from the annoying side of the fandom as there used to be, and a lot of the random memes and whatnot are being posted less frequently. I think it's still good, and probably will go on for as long as hasbro is willing to produce it, but I agree that it's not exactly the best show in the universe.

The only shows off the top of my head that are popular and I've seen and really not liked were Invader Zim and South Park. I think it's just their style of humor. Yeah invader zim is supposed to be a commentary on humans or something like that, but it's not exactly original with what it says (whoo people saying that the human race is crap, never heard that one before). When I was young it was just gross, and as an adult it's boring, and gross. Meanwhile with South Park, I'll admit to a laugh here and there, even an occasional episode that I like, but far more often than not it just leaves me with a bad feeling.

 

[The Ditz]

...this may be abit hippocritical, but "my little pony: friendship is magic" fits my discription of overrated, don't get me wrong, I like it alot, but the fan base turned a good show into a lifestyle choice.

 

[Angie7F]

I used to love Sailor Moon. However I find it quite boring when i watch it now. Other anime are still very enjoyable now. I dont know why. I look forward to the remake coming out in 2013

 

[DeltaEdge]

I think that by the incredibly vague way that we define overrated, pretty much any cartoon with a solid fanbase automatically qualifies as overrated. While I like Adventure Time and Regular Show a lot (at least from the last time I'd seen them, as I do not have T.V since moving into my dorm considering that the tv is too far away from the cable outlet), I wouldn't defend them to the death as the best T.V shows ever as they have their flaws, and I can't help but think that, especially in Regular Show's case, I probably wouldn't like them nearly as much if they had appeared on a channel that allows for mature content, since being on cartoon network, much of my enjoyment of them came from the shock value of what they were able to get away with on the channel. I still like them now that I have grown accustomed to them, but there is no doubt that the environment with which they were presented to me had a major impact on how I enjoyed them, that the show's content alone might not have been able to bring about.

I also can say right off the bat that I like Pen Ward's new series, The Bravest Warriors, a lot, and probably more than Adventure Time. It seems more like what Adventure Time should be, and I don't think Adventure Time will ever be able to be quite as good as long as it is confined to time slots, and channel restrictions. It, and Regular Show IMO as well, would probably be much better off in terms of content as web series like The Bravest Warriors, although there probably is not much money in an online series sadly , especially with more and more people (Myself included) getting adblock.