Top Ten Shows From Your Childhood? (1 Viewer)

I'm working on an article for an online publication that counts down the top 20 childhood shows.

These will mostly be from the late 80's to the mid 90's, so it would help if you were born in the late 70's or early to mid 80's.

But I'd love to know what people's top ten (or even 20) childhood shows were so I can get a gauge of what people liked, and what shows seem to repeat on everyone's lists.

Thanks.

**NOTE***: I'm looking for more shows that were geared towards children specifically. Meaning, I'm not so much looking for "The Cosby Show" as I am, say, a Nickelodeon show such as "Are You Afraid of the Dark" or "Smurfs."

I'm a child of the early-mid 90s so hopefully this is a help...this is without any of the more broad-audience shows of course and doesn't really go in a specific order.

1. The Adventures of Pete and Pete
2. Are You Afraid of the Dark?
3. The Secret World of Alex Mack
4. All That (when it first started)
5. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo
6. Hey Dude
7. Salute Your Shorts
8. Clarissa Explains it All
9. Legends of the Hidden Temple
10. You Can't Do That on Television

Thanks very much.

Could you explain a bit why you chose what you chose, especially the top 5? What did you like about Pete and Pete over, say, Salute Your Shorts?

born in 84, so I'm probably right on the edge.

No particular order...

Power Rangers (first three seasons, at least)
Spider-Man
X-Men
Fantastic Four
Batman
Superman
Ninja Turtles
Saved by the Bell
Tiny Toons
Animaniacs (especially the Pinky and the Brain segments)

Yeah, I geared more for the super-hero stuff. X-Men got me into comics, which got me into the other comic shows. By the time I got to the age that I can remember stuff, most of the cartoons disappeared off of the networks except for Fox and WB. So, I remember bits of cartoons from NBC, but not enough to feel nostalgic for them other than missing cartoons in general on the networks. I didn't have cable until 1996, and even then, all that did for me was give me access to a WB channel. So I never got much into Nickelodeon.

And I know FF and Iron Man were back to back in the Marvel Action Hour, but Iron Man usually came on too early for me to get up for.

While technically not a show, any cartoon staring Mickey or his Disney friends would probably get my attention.

In general, I preferred the shows with animation that actually looked artistic. Many new shows now, the characters are blobs or the people don't look like people.

I was going to list shows from my childhood, but then realized you probably aren't interested in shows from the 1960s. Let me know if you are, however.

Born in 77

Top shows in no particular order

Transformers
GI Joe
Thundercats
Smurfs
Saved by the Bell
Fraggle Rock
Punky Brewster
He Man
Charles in Charge
The Wonder Years
Webster
Cartoon Express---used to come on USA, had Yogi Bear, Snagglepuss, Grape Ape, and the Laffalympics
Captain Caveman
Flintstones
Jetsons



And then shows that I think were primetime but as a kid I watched.

MacGuyver
Doogie Howser MD
ALF
Head of the Class

This thread is making me feel old.

Yea, same here. Hell i feel old! Lets see, my daughter was born in 91, a kid of the 90s...and she is still a kid, as she is only 16!

I was born in the 60s, but i watched Thundercats in the 80s, that one was good.
Oh, and of course Robotech. I am sure if i told you what i liked to watch in the 60s and 70s you would say, "what's that?", so um, yea, let us know.

Tell me about it. They're not only talking about shows I've mostly never heard of, but many of said shows ran on networks that didn't exist when I was a kid. (And which were delivered by technology - cable and satellite - that either didn't exist or existed in such a different and crude form that they might as well not have.) A bit after my time. (Hint: I still know the tune and most of the words to "The Merry Marvel Marching Society" song. )

Regards,

Joe

Tell me about it, Greg! I was born 19 days after the "true" debut of TV in the US on July 1, 1942 (not the "demo debut" at the 1939 World's Fair.)

Not even my kids would qualify for this "poll!" In fact some of my grandkids would.



Just for laughs (and in no particular order) if this question were asked of me:

Hopalong Cassidy
Howdy Doody
Captain Video
Captain Midnight
Winky Dink and You
Mr. I.magination
Rootie Kazootie
Magic Cottage
Junior Frolics
Andy Devine and the Gang

Off the top of my head, I can't even remember more than 10 children's shows (I'm sure there were more, but I was always looking in on the more grown up fare). Come to think of it, we didn't even have anything even close to 10 TV channels!

No problem...can't believe I forgot Power Rangers btw. Used to be obsessed with it.

1. The Adventures of Pete and Pete: I actually enjoy it more nowadays since it definitely went over my head as a kid a few times. But I remember always loving Little Pete's antics.

2. Are You Afraid of the Dark? Just great memories of watching it with my dad--it never really scared me but I just loved the stories and the anthology aspect. I probably wasn't the only kid who actually wrote his own 'episodes' for it.

3. The Secret World of Alex Mack: Huge crush on the girl who played Annie probably played a part. I just liked the continuing storyline even though it was admittedly a bit repetitive.

4. All That (when it first started): First off, I loved the Kenan and Kel show too, but this was like SNL Jr. for me without worrying about staying up so late...

5. A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: I actually prefer it to the original; way more fun and comical.

6. Hey Dude: I'd love to see this again because I think I'd appreciate it more and I barely remember it. But the theme song has always stuck with me.

7. Salute Your Shorts: Speaking of memorable theme songs, this is one of my top 5 of all time. The show itself was kind of the same from episode to episode but the characters were fun.

8. Clarissa Explains it All: Huge crush on Melissa Joan Hart of course, and I had no problems relating to the pesky sibling thing.

9. Legends of the Hidden Temple: Did any kid not want to be a contestant? Silver Snakes forever!

10. You Can't Do That on Television: Didn't see the original run but it was sort of like an earlier (and probably better) All That. But I really only remember a few of the Alanis Morisette episodes that they showed after Jagged Little Pill. This is another where I really think 85% of it went over my head and would appeal to me more if I watched nowadays.

Born in '73, not a big television watcher growing up. Some I can think of (and some of which are not strictly kids' shows):

Shows I would watch when I got home from school:

Buck Rogers
Diff'rent Strokes
GIJoe
Transformers
Little House on the Prairie

Saturday morning shows:

Land of the Lost
Dungeons and Dragons
Battle of the Planets
Jason of Star Command

Shows to watch when getting ready for school:

The Three Stooges
Rocky and Bullwinkle
The Flintstones
Bozo the Clown

I think it's a shame that kids aren't seeing the Stooges before school. At least, I don't think they air.

Born in 1974.

Saturday Mornings.. come on, who didn't remember when, prior to the school year, every network would put on a show, on a Friday night, promoting their new saturday morning cartoon lineup? It was a BIG deal. Now, kids don't get that. I feel kind of sad for my own kids that way.

Anyway.. back to shows!

1. Thundarr, The Barbarian - Please, name me a show that was this awesome, ever, aimed at kids? A huge apocolypse believed to be from an asteroid strike on the moon, causes a huge die off in the world; the rise of mutants, rebel scientists, wizardry and magic - as Thundarr, the Barbarian, travels the world to free captured slaves, right wrongs, and hope to find the truth and answers to how to rebuild the world. Come on! This was fantastic SciFi stuff!



2. Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids. Seriously, for all the drive for "educational" cartoons, I can't think of any show I learned more things from then "Fat Albert" a simple lesson show in each one, funny.. and amazingly adult in how it dealt with really complex issues. As a kid, I really liked this. I watch a lot of the kid cartoons they pitch out now, and I don't see anything this good.. all of them "baby" too much; this was a show that reached me as a kid like I was an adult and I got it.

3. To go along with #2, this is the only PBS show really on my list: 3-2-1 Contact. I really got into this as a kid. An experiment daily, some decent thoughts, and hell, the Bloodhound Gang.

4. Kwicky Koala - I was young when this was on, and oddly, it seemed to be the show I watched right before Thundarr. I always thought it was ridiculous slapstick. But fun. Plus, I preferred it to "Shirt Tales" (not on my list)

5. Transformers. Though give me Season 1 and Season 2 (prior to the movie) as the episodes past the film are still not that great to watch. Though "Return of Optimus Prime" is good.

6. GI Joe. So many super complex world domination schemes. So many bullets and battlefights. And yet, no one got hurt. Hell, in Thundarr people were getting killed or enslaved weekly it seemed. I always wondered that about GI Joe. But still thought it was fun. And hell, Porkchop Sandwiches! (some here will get that)

7. Duck Tales - I was an older kid, but even as an older kid (middle-school) I appreciated Duck Tales as lighthearted fun. Still do. The stories were (and still are) interesting adventure stuff with some decent jokes.

8. Schoolhouse Rock - I loved these segments.

9. A-Team. Come on, what kid didn't sit down with their dad and watch A-Team?

10. Land of the Lost. I actually got into this, thought it was pretty interesting.

"You tell me do things I don't runnin!"

"My God did that smell good!"

Darn. I was born in 1966 so Ultraman, Speed Racer, Underdog, most Krofft stuff will be nowhere to be found. But I can still guess since I watched a lot of kids shows in the 80s and 90s.

Pee Wee's Playhouse-which I just bought. Heh heh! 22 emmys!! That weird little guy did good with this show.
Fraggle Rock
Muppet Show
Fat Albert
Dungeons & Dragons
Jason of Star Command
Salute Your Shorts
Adventures of Pete & Pete
You Can't Do That on Television
Land of the Lost
Power Rangers
Mutant Ninja Turtles
Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Show
Thundarr (ditto, great cartoon)
Tarzan. The Filmation Cartoon was also top notch
Star Trek cartoon
Flintstones
Jetsons
Mr. Wizard's World (Don't forget your science fun)
Beakman's World

I was born in 1959, so I guess I am not eligible for this survey. But I did enjoy Underdog, Bullwinkle, Secret Squirrel and Atom Ant...

Well Stephen, I have to admit I just bought a bunch of Gerry "Thunderbirds" Anderson stuff (so much, boxes are still arriving). But most of those were 60s and 70s. TerraHawks is the exception. But I don't how popular that one was. I don't think his stuff reached the 80s kids. Clutch Cargo is another. Stuff like Ark II, an awesome kids show that I still dearly love to watch, doesn't quite get there either.

Born in 1983, I watched so much TV I can't narrow it down to 10, but here's what I remember watching on TV fairly regularly as a kid (the order is arbitrary, and some of them are obviously reruns):

Animated:
DuckTales
The Gummi Bears
Garfield And Friends
Looney Tunes
The Smurfs
Tiny Toon Adventures
Animaniacs
The Simpsons (remember them? )
classic Disney cartoons and movies on the Disney Channel
Woody Woodpecker
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Alvin and the Chipmunks
The Jetsons
The Flintstones
Yogi Bear

Live Action:
ALF
Pee-Wee's Playhouse
Family Ties
The Facts of Life
Diff'rent Strokes
227
Gimme a Break
Golden Girls
Punky Brewster
Webster
Silver Spoons
What's Happening
Good Times
Sanford and Son
One Day at a Time
Laverne & Shirley
Bewitched
I Love Lucy
Gomer Pyle, USMC
Road to Avonlea

Born in '82. My list, in no particular order because I always have a hard time numerically ranking favorite things:

Double Dare
Today's Special (early 80s Canadian show that Nickelodeon aired)
You Can't Do That on Television (why is this still not on DVD?)
Jetsons (used to watch it every morning before school)
Smurfs
Punky Brewster (my 5-year-old niece is now into the show, thanks to the DVDs)
Saved by the Bell
ALF (I was obsessed with this show - if there was a piece of ALF merchandise, I owned it)
Muppet Babies
Bobby's World

And an honorable mention to the Captain Planet theme song. I didn't particularly like the show, but I enjoyed the theme.

Mike, are you going to post a link to the article when it's finished? I'd like to read it.

Thanks very much, guys. I appreciate the help.

Steve, sure I can post a link if you'd like.

Also to everyone: If you had to pick a top 3 or top 5 live action shows that aired on Nickelodeon from the late 80's to 90's, what would they be?