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Shows you loved as a kid that STILL hold up

PureCrimson

Commander
Red Shirt
I've noticed a lot of channels have been showing a lot of shows from 20+ years ago, shows I haven't thought about in so long as of late.

What are some shows aimed at a younger audience that you've re-watched as an adult and find them not only just as good, but perhaps even better?

In my experience, very very few remain tolerable, but there are a select few that really surprised me.

A few of my favorite cartoons as a kid that still hold up today are:

-Garfield and Friends. The old 80s-90 cartoon that cemented Lorenzo Music's voice as Garfield. Oh man, rewatching this show as an adult, it's very clear where my sense of humor came from. Sarcastic prods at the 4th wall and the like, it's this show. I don't much like the US Acres segments anymore, but the Garfield parts are pretty great.

-Rocko's Modern Life. Easily a cartoon far far better as an adult. There are so many crude jokes in it, it's almost laughable that the censors didn't pick them up; all in a show aimed at kids. A very cynical view of the real world, and a show that's fun for both kids and adults. But I think works better for adults.

-Hey Arnold. This show honestly hasn't changed much for me since I was a kid. Everything I like about it, I liked the same way as a kid. But that's why it's so good; the fact it maintains its quality of both characters and writing to both kids and adults. I can't think of any way to really do that myself. Pretty special.
I don't much care for the new stuff though.

Anyway, those are my top 3, share some of yours. (I don't think Trek counts either; as I wouldn't classify it initially as a 'kid's show')
 
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I'm not sure if it truly "holds up" in every way, but I went back and watched old episodes of "Land of the Lost", and it was better than I remembered it to be. I loved it as a kid, but thought would "look" terrible through an adult's eyes, but it did not turn out that way for me.
 
Yeah, I agree with Hey Arnold. I could also probably still watch Saved by the Bell.
 
Besides Star Trek I'm not sure there are any. I watched a lot of crappy sitcoms as a kid and the ones I consider good now I didn't like back then.

I agree about Garfield and Friends. Almost unheard of today are children's shows with any real countercultural elements, much less things that directly make fun of the prosocial messages children are bombarded with.

Oh, we are the buddy bears, we always get along!
 
I love Garfield and Friends!!! The second theme song is wonderful.
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And one of the best songs ever in the history of TV, and I think it won an Emmy. My dad's favorite episodes.
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And my favorite episode.
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If we're talking Saturday morning cartoons:

Space Ghost
Groovy Ghoulies


Have no idea if they still hold up.
 
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Muppet Babies
The Real Ghostbusters
You Can't Do That On Television

Surprisingly, I checked out He-Man on Netflix, assuming I'd still love it, but, alas, it has not aged well at all :(
 
I've noticed a lot of channels have been showing a lot of shows from 20+ years ago, shows I haven't thought about in so long as of late.

What are some shows aimed at a younger audience that you've re-watched as an adult and find them not only just as good, but perhaps even better?

In my experience, very very few remain tolerable, but there are a select few that really surprised me.

A few of my favorite cartoons as a kid that still hold up today are:

-Garfield and Friends. The old 80s-90 cartoon that cemented Lorenzo Music's voice as Garfield. Oh man, rewatching this show as an adult, it's very clear where my sense of humor came from. Sarcastic prods at the 4th wall and the like, it's this show. I don't much like the US Acres segments anymore, but the Garfield parts are pretty great.

-Rocko's Modern Life. Easily a cartoon far far better as an adult. There are so many crude jokes in it, it's almost laughable that the censors didn't pick them up; all in a show aimed at kids. A very cynical view of the real world, and a show that's fun for both kids and adults. But I think works better for adults.

-Hey Arnold. This show honestly hasn't changed much for me since I was a kid. Everything I like about it, I liked the same way as a kid. But that's why it's so good; the fact it maintains its quality of both characters and writing to both kids and adults. I can't think of any way to really do that myself. Pretty special.
I don't much care for the new stuff though.

Anyway, those are my top 3, share some of yours. (I don't think Trek counts either; as I wouldn't classify it initially as a 'kid's show')
Heck yea. I remember Garfield and Friends. I loved him and I loved US Acres as well. Especially Sheldon. I still remember the bit where he was microwaving something in his shell. Or the time he hatched and came out as another egg. I also remember Rocko! Man that show was fun.

Loved the Animaniacs. Show still holds up pretty well and I loved Good Idea/Bad Idea.


Muppet Babies
The Real Ghostbusters
You Can't Do That On Television

Surprisingly, I checked out He-Man on Netflix, assuming I'd still love it, but, alas, it has not aged well at all :(
OMG. I remember those ones, especially the latter two.

Anyone remember Are You Afraid of the Dark? I saw one of the eps recently and it held up pretty well.
 
Some of these were already in repeats by the time I saw them, but...The Munsters, Monkey, The Goodies, Astroboy ('80s version) Uh, let me think some more.
 
I've been rewatching 3rd Rock From the Sun. It holds up so well! I've litterally laughed out loud at least once per episode. The interesting thing is that it feels mostly like it could work today. There's nothing that dates it...except that everyone is not glued to a smart phone.
 
The Mysterious Cities of Gold. I was so thrilled when they finally released the show on DVD back in 2009 and even more thrilled that show held up so well as I remembered (aside from the two token comedic doofus villains). I still need to watch the recent new seasons.
 
The Muppet Show - I've been re-watching it with my niece and nephew. Back when I was their age, I got the jokes that were aimed at children.
Now that I'm an adult, I get the jokes that went over my head the first time.
Also, I recently checked out WKRP in Cincinnati from my local library.
I was surprised at how many episodes I remembered and how well it stood up.
Turkey's Away might be the one that's most remembered, but to me the one where Venus explains the atom in two minutes is the highlight.
Why Howard Hessman or Tim Reid, or any of the cast didn't receive an Emmy nomination is a shame.
 
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