After a misleading 2023 New Yorker article claimed he had fabricated stories about racism in his previous stand-up specials, Hasan Minhaj took a beat before responding with a video corroborating his side of the story — complete with graphics.

In 2024, he returned to the stage with new stand-up material to defend his honor as a storyteller. “I got caught embellishing for dramatic effect,” he explains to the audience. “Same crime your aunt is guilty of over Thanksgiving.”

Minhaj is sharply intelligent, yet he exudes warmth and good humor as he tackles race, class and politics. He even defines a new sub-culture of Americans: “There’s white America. There’s Black America. Then there’s Beige-istan. That’s just everybody. Indians, Latinos, Filipinos, wherever the f*** Bruno Mars is from. Beige-istan.” Minhaj holds nothing back, skewering both the left and the right with scathing, yet undeniably accurate, observations.

Hasan Minhaj: Off With His Head is streaming on Netflix.

Whether you knew him from the movies as a soldier or television as an eccentric bachelor, Charlie Sheen has had a lasting presence. He’s been acting so long that you’ll find a few roles from movies you’ve dug. With such a wide range, spotting some of his lesser works is easy.

With the recent Netflix documentary about the actor’s life, aka Charlie Sheen, recently released, it’s worth checking out Sheen’s filmography for all his hits and flops—why not have a bit of a Sheen-a-thon? Getting a complete picture of the actor in his best and worst films can give you a full picture of his rocky and fascinating legacy in acting. From action to comedy, let’s shed some light on Charlie Sheen’s most notable and lesser roles.

Best: Platoon

While some young men tried to find a way to escape being drafted into the Vietnam War, Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) dove straight into the conflict. Although approaching war with great aspirations, his vigor erodes when he experiences the inhumanity of war. Soldiers on the same side will fight each other as they debate who to trust in this warzone of uncertainty and cruelty, where every moment is one of dehumanizing terror.

Writer and director Oliver Stone conceived of Platoon based on his experience in the military, intending to present a more accurate depiction of war that doesn’t celebrate it. Following in the footsteps of his father, Martin, who was filming Apocalypse Now when Charlie was just a kid, Charlie nabbed the lead role in Platoon thanks to a recommendation by co-star Willem Dafoe, and he fit perfectly into a role that required great contemplation amid the horrors of the Vietnam War. He gives a brilliantly nuanced performance alongside a strong cast that includes the talents of Tom Berenger, Keith David, and Forest Whitaker, making this one of the greatest war films for being so critical of its morality and mortality.

Best: Wall Street

According to Wall Street corporate expert Gordon Gecko (Michael Douglas), greed is good. The younger stockbroker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) hopes to learn from this master of deals how to be greedy enough to rise into the upper echelon of wealthy businessmen. While Bud’s tutelage yields results, his corrupt tactics could threaten his life as the schemes for cash spiral out of control.

Oliver Stone directed Wall Street, a film perfectly timed for the excessive nature of capitalism in the 1980s. While several young actors were considered for the role of Bud, Stone was impressed by Sheen’s stern presentation, which made the character’s naive nature easier to buy. Adding some more authenticity to the film is Bud’s father, played by Charlie’s dad, Martin. It was genius casting and even made for a great joke in Hot Shots Part Deux, where Charlie and Martin pass each other in the film, shouting to each other, “I loved you in Wall Street!”

Best: Major League

Rachel Phelps (Margaret Whitton) has taken ownership of the Cleveland Indians baseball team, and the only way to ensure that she can move the team to Miami is for ticket sales to fall. Desiring failure, she employs an incompetent ensemble of players, ranging from the visually impaired Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) to the fragile catcher Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger). She doesn’t count on the fact that the team might become winners and draw in a bigger crowd for being underdogs.

Major League was equally absurd and charming for posing an underdog comedy around baseball, based on writer/director David S. Ward’s desire for the Cleveland Indians to win something for once. Given his history of being a pitcher in high school, Sheen was a natural choice for the role. He’s fun in the film, but the picture is also worth noting for launching the acting careers of Rene Russo and Wesley Snipes and brilliantly using sportscaster Bob Uecker.

Best: Young Guns

When the rancher John Tunstall (Terence Stamp) is gunned down by Lawrence G. Murphy (Jack Palance), it’s up to his young employees to avenge his death. The young men, dubbed Regulators, are led by Billy the Kid (Charlie’s real-life brother, Emilio Estevez) and are not afraid to embrace the life of outlaws for the sake of their mentor. Gun battles and standoffs coat this stylized depiction of Western revenge and violence.

Young Guns is most notable for its iconic ensemble, which boasts Sheen, Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Dermot Mulroney. Sheen was notable for his role as Richard “Dick” Brewer, the original leader of the Regulators, who still holds a key role in the quest for vengeance and meshes well with the stunning cast. While the film does have issues in how it takes plenty of liberties with history, it’s still a unique film for posing what felt like the Brat Pack of Westerns.

Young Guns

Release Date

August 12, 1988

Runtime

107 Minutes

Director

Christopher Cain

Best: Hot Shots! (and Part Deux)

It’s not easy to follow Leslie Nielsen’s tongue-in-cheek performance in the spoof series The Naked Gun, but Sheen met the call with Hot Shots. Called in for a Top Gun parody, Sheen plays Topper Harley, a cocky aircraft pilot trying to prove himself. While trying to assert himself in the air, he must also deal with his attraction to the seductive Ramada Thompson (Valeria Golino) and taking orders from the absent-minded Rear Admiral Benson (Lloyd Bridges).

Sheen was so perfect for the role that he would return for the sequel, Hot Shots Part Deux. Although the sequel switched to being a parody of Rambo, Sheen was so good at delivering silly lines straight that he could easily mesh into any role. The actor was at his comedic best with such parody roles, making him an easy choice for his roles in Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 5.

Worst: The Rookie

Nick Pulovski (Clint Eastwood) is a police detective who isn’t happy that his newest partner is the young and inexperienced David Ackerman (Charlie Sheen). Pulovski has a history of his partners turning up dead in the line of duty, with his latest case on busting some car thieves carrying a personal vendetta for the men who killed his previous partner. To apprehend this gang of criminals, the old gun and the young upstart must put their differences aside if they hope to uphold justice.

Teaming Sheen with Eastwood sounds like a solid buddy cop action movie. But The Rookie just doesn’t work for feeling so tiresome with the buddy-cop tropes and highly questionable choices in casting, hiring a Puerto Rican and a Brazilian to play Germans. It wastes Sheen’s potential as an actor and Eastwood’s directorial skill, highlighting one of his rare missteps.

Worst: Terminal Velocity

Sheen plays Ditch, a skydiving instructor who goes from teaching skills in the skies to working as a spy. A death under his watch leads to his school shutting down, and something about this doesn’t seem right to Ditch. He investigates with special agent Krista Moldova (Nastassja Kinski) and uncovers a conspiracy involving Russians.

Terminal Velocity doesn’t work because it tries too hard to make Sheen seem like a gritty action hero, which was hard to buy after recently seeing him play a parody of that archetype in Hot Shots. It doesn’t help that the action premise is also absurd in how it tries to wrap a skydiving school in with a coup d’état against the Russian government. The only good thing about the film is the unintentionally comedic line where Ditch insists he is more of a flying phallus than a walking one.

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Terminal Velocity finds Charlie Sheen playing a skydiving instructor who becomes entangled in a conspiracy involving Russians.

Worst: Navy SEALS

The Navy SEALS Lt. James Curran (Michael Biehn) and Lt. Dale Hawkins (Charlie Sheen) must face off against the terrorist Ben Shaheed (Nicholas Kadi). Having killed hostages and acquired missiles, the terrorist is in a position to turn the Middle East upside down with attacks that could threaten treaties. It’s up to SEALS and an informed reporter to figure out Shaheed’s tactics and save the world from destruction.

Sheen was a long way away from Platoon, considering that Navy SEALS is less critical of the military. Sheen and Biehn are wasted in thankless roles of generic action heroes who add little to a film that just screams generic. It was such a tiresomely bad movie that it became a punchline of Kevin Smith’s Clerks, where Randall’s comment about video store customers renting the dumbest films cuts to a customer spouting, “Ooo, Navy SEALS!”

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Navy SEALS features Charlie Sheen as part of a SEAL team assigned to stop a terrorist threat.

Worst: All Dogs Go To Heaven 2

As the sequel to the Don Bluth animated comedy, All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 lacks a presence, from the diminished animation budget to Don Bluth’s not returning. Burt Reynolds, who played the lead dog Charlie, also did not return to the film. Charlie finds heaven boring, so he returns to Earth with his pal, Itchy (Dom DeLuise), for another adventure to defeat the evil Carface (Ernest Borgnine).

Released years after the original movie, this tiresome sequel went to theaters instead of ending up on home video like most animated sequels of the 1990s. The animation was dull, the story uninspired, and Sheen isn’t much of an upgrade from Reynolds’s smooth performance. This sequel made a case for why the dogs should’ve stayed in heaven, especially for the lackluster franchise projects that followed with All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series and An All Dogs Christmas Carol.

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All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 features the dog Charlie returning to Earth to once again stop an evil dog’s intentions when it escapes from the afterlife.

Charlie Sheen has a certain energy about him as an actor. He never feels as though he can try too hard for drama or laughs. He’s far more than just the weird guy who got fired from Two and a Half Men, and hopefully, he’ll be remembered beyond his TV sitcom role.

After a hard day, week, or even a year, sometimes all you need to do is stick your eyes into your laptop screen and spend the entire night laughing, snorting, and crying over a comforting TV series or a feel-good film and teleport yourself into the fictional world where your everyday worries and issues don’t exist or matter.

Thankfully, Netflix is filled to the brim with heartwarming TV shows that envelop you like a hug whenever you want to abandon all your duties and tasks and just binge a show with ice cream, popcorn, or takeout to keep you company. There’s no shortage of these comforting shows that viewers can choose from at any given time.

25

‘My Life with the Walter Boys’ (2023–)

Image via Netflix

Based on Ali Novak’s eponymous novel, My Life with the Walter Boys centers on the recently orphaned 15-year-old Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), who loses her entire family in a tragic accident and is forced to leave Manhattan and relocate to Colorado to live on a ranch with her mother’s best friend, Katherine Walter (Sarah Rafferty), her husband George (Marc Blucas), and their ten children. While she processes her loss and grieving, Jackie also develops a strong friendship with two of the Walter brothers, the reliable, nerdy Alex (Ashby Gentry) and the troubled Cole (Noah Lalonde).

With themes of grief, loss, and resilience, My Life with the Walter Boys makes for a wholesome, feel-good show about self-discovery and finding comfort and hope in friendships. As Jackie learns to fit herself within her new family and adapt to their charming community, the narrative also emphasizes her emotional challenges and the joys of newfound friendships.

24

‘XO Kitty’ (2023–)

Image via Netflix

A spin-off of the To All the Boys film series, created by Jenny Han, who also penned the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before novel trilogy, XO Kitty marks the first Netflix series based on a Netflix original film. XO Kitty follows the titular protagonist, Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart), the youngest of the Covey sisters (from the films), who leaves her home in Portland, Oregon, and sets off to attend the Korean Independent School of Seoul, reuniting with her long-distance boyfriend, Dae (Minyeong Choi).

A hearty mix of fun characters and a sweet underlying plot, XO Kitty is an adorable yet underrated coming-of-age series where Kitty embarks on a quest to find true love and find herself in a new place among new friends. Like the films, the spin-off series also offers comforting, feel-good moments, nicely balancing a fairytale-like love story with plot twists and turns and adolescent drama.

23

‘Virgin River’ (2019–)

Image via Netflix

Adapted from Robyn Carr’s novel of the same name, Virgin River follows the journey of Melinda “Mel” Monroe (Alexandra Breckenridge), a nurse who moves from Los Angeles to the titular town in Northern California to leave her past behind and start afresh. As Mel begins a new life in Virgin River, among new people, she realizes that the new town is different than what she had imagined and holds many surprises in store for her. Treading through the good, bad, and emotional, Mel learns to rediscover herself, and her stance on love and life, carving her own niche within the close-knit community of the river town.

A romantic drama from the creator of Good Witch, every season of Virgin River is similarly comforting, exploring interesting characters in a quaint small town. The Netflix original romance drama has been critically acclaimed for its emotionally and visually gratifying narrative, scenic settings, and the romanticism of life that would instantly lift your spirits.

22

‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000–2007)

Image via The WB

Regarded as one of the best TV dramas of all time, Gilmore Girls follows the journeys of single mother, Lorelai Gilmore, and her intellectual teen daughter, Rory, who steer through the ups and downs of family, love life, and ambitions, in the charming town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. Starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as the titular protagonists, the series explores the mother-daughter relationship from a unique and heartfelt perspective.

Gilmore Girls was widely acclaimed and became one of the most popular comedy shows of the 2000s, evolving as a cult classic in the genre. The comedy-drama has been praised for its distinct narrative style and compelling cast performances, especially that of Graham. Even though the series depicts a romanticized view of the classic small-town life, Gilmore Girls never loses its depth when dealing with strong themes like family, single motherhood, teenage pregnancy, and the complexities of teenage romance.

21

‘Survival of the Thickest’ (2023 –)

Image via Netflix

Based on actor-comedian-producer Michelle Buteau’s autobiographical essay of the same name, Survival of the Thickest narrates the story of a 38-year-old plus-size fashion stylist, Mavis (Buteau), whose life turns upside down after a breakup. When she discovers her supportive, long-term fashion photographer boyfriend and business partner, Jacques, is cheating on her, Mavis sets out on her own to fulfill her dream of becoming a lead stylist, with the help of her friends and family, a little bit of lip gloss, and a big body-positive attitude.

From Buteau’s charming on-screen persona and incredible comedy delivery to a highly inspiring narrative on body positivity, Survival of the Thickest is a cozy slice-of-life comedy with relatable characters. While humorous, the series never forgets where its true essence lies. Mavis’s struggles as she sets out to build her life on her own terms can make you emotional, and her outlook on life can make you laugh in the same breath.

20

‘Kim’s Convenience’ (2016–2021)

Image via CBC Television

It’s TV’s favorite Korean-Canadian family in Kim’s Convenience. Set in the urban landscape of Toronto’s Moss Park neighborhood, Mr. Sang-il Kim (Paul Sun-Hyung Lee) and Mrs. Yong-mi Kim (Jean Yoon), a.k.a. “Appa” and “Umma”, run a quaint little convenience store by the corner of a busy street, where they greet customers from all walks of life. As first-generation immigrants, their endearing lack of generational/cross-cultural knowledge sometimes puts them in hilariously awkward situations. From giving the memorable “gay discount” to not offering tips to service workers, despite having settled in Canada for quite a while, the two still have a lot to learn.

A show that strives for Asian-American representation, Kim’s Convenience injects Korean cultural references while keeping it fun and fresh, such as Appa demonstrating Hapkido and certain superstitions in Korean culture (e.g. writing your name in red ink is only for the deceased). But what makes Kim’s Convenience endearing is how, like most people of older generations, Appa and Umma genuinely want to keep up with the modern times. With two Canadian-born children, the estranged son Jung Kim (Simu Liu) and artsy photography student Janet Kim (Andrea Bang), there are bound to be clashes along the way. But at the end of the day, they all learn to forgive each other and are willing to learn from their mistakes. – Dyah Ayu Larasati

19

‘Dash & Lily’ (2020)

Image via Netflix

As bright and cheery as Christmas lights, Dash & Lily is a holiday teen rom-com based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn‘s book Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares. The Netflix series follows the budding romance between two New York teens, Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lily (Midori Francis). Although they’ve never met, they keep fortuitously trading a notebook back and forth, sending each other on dares around the city during Christmastime.

The holiday season doubles the magic of this whimsical tale of two teenagers discovering themselves and their love for each other, though it’s still fun to watch during any other time of the year. With the power to lighten up the grumpiest Grinch with the coldest and smallest of hearts, Dash & Lily is the secret to feel-good shows on Netflix.

18

‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ (2015–2020)

After being freed from being held captive by a doomsday cult leader for 15 years, Kimmy Schmidt (Ellie Kemper) is left with a large sum of money and her entire life to figure out. Instead of going back to her Bunker Memories in Indiana, she decides to stay in New York City. When a penny-pinching, in-need-of-a-roommate Broadway actor, Titus Andromedon (Tituss Burgess), takes her in and teaches her necessary life skills, the sky’s the limit for Kimmy.

Produced by Robert Carlock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt clings to 30 Rock‘s goofy sense of humor and drops the cynicism. Kimmy emerges as one of television’s most likable characters yet, as she goes through each day with infectious optimism and a unique curiosity that inspires viewers to embrace similar traits in themselves.

17

‘Firefly Lane’ (2021–2023)

Image via Netflix

Based on the eponymous novel by Kristin Hannah, Firefly Lane, follows two childhood friends and their lifelong friendship. Starring Katherine Heigl and Sarah Chalk, Firefly Lane focuses on Tully Hart (Heigl) and Kate Mularkey (Chalke), and their friendship for over three decades as they navigate the ups and downs in various aspects of their lives. A series focuses on the two women and their friendship, which progresses and evolves through college life, marriage, parenthood, and midlife crisis, joining the list of similar shows about female friendships that will warm your heart.

The drama series has been well-received by fans and critics alike and has been praised for touching upon important issues like addiction, ageism, and sexual abuse. Firefly Lane is a touching, emotional, and understated portrayal of female friendships, and addresses several realistic topics. With only two seasons, it is a short and sweet series with strong narrative and powerful characterizations, portrayed brilliantly by Heigl and Chalke.

Jerry Seinfeld developed, directed, and hosted the online series and wholly unique talk show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Each episode shows Seinfeld driving about in a different classic car, picking up a fellow comedian, and then going out for coffee and chatting. What do they talk about? Everything and nothing. It all depends on who the lucky guest is.

With its innovative premise and engaging and hilarious host, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee is a wonderful gem of a show. From Tina Fey to Barack Obama, the show has featured a number of the industry’s funniest and most intriguing personalities. The series, now streaming on Netflix, will have viewers laughing out loud and enjoying Seinfeld’s interaction with his guests. What’s not to love about a great combination of comedy, cars, and coffee?

Looney Tunes‘ search for a streaming home has reached a happy ending—and some consolation after being prominently featured on HBO Max initially and then being wiped from the platform. The series has settled on Tubi, where fans can now find over 700 episodes.

After being removed from the HBO Max media library back in March, the majority of the classic Looney Tunes cartoons were in limbo, but thankfully, Tubi swept in to save them. The rescue all but mirrors the prophetic algorithms-are-evil plot of Space Jam 2, where the Tunes’ franchise world was being threatened with deletion off the fictional Warner 3000 streaming service. Like Jordan and LeBron, Tubi is the real MVP here!

It’s really neat to see the Looney Tunes be widely available on a free platform and not a paywalled streaming service; it reminds me of the accessibility of watching them for free when I was little. Looney Tunes cartoons were how I discovered classical music, slapstick heroics, and a love for animation. I’m delighted a new generation has such readily available access now too.

The HBO Max original Looney Tunes Cartoons series, which began in 2020, as well as recent spin-offs such as Bugs Bunny Builders and Tiny Toons: Looniversity, are all that remain on the WB Discovery streaming service. It is also the streaming home of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which enjoyed a theatrical run—pulling in $15 million at the box office—after Ketchup Entertainment stepped in to give it a big-screen showcase. (Ketchup is also giving the upcoming Coyote vs. Acme its theatrical release.)

This Tubi news is a win for animation and free access to the formative classics in pop culture. Truly you can never underestimate the Looney Tunes characters making a cartoony Hail Mary comeback, no matter which corporation tosses an anvil at them.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

The 2010s might have been the end of Saturday morning network cartoons, but it was also the dawn of a new age. Cartoons of the 2010s turned to cable and streaming. With fewer restraints, it was a chance to make cartoons capable of far more than selling some toys and cramming in a moral lesson.

Cartoons of this era could tell better stories, feature better animation, and provide better representation for marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. They were also genuinely entertaining for adults as much as kids. These are the cartoons that defined the 2010s and blazed a trail for the next generation.

10

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Released when Hasbro was retooling all their popular properties, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic exploded unexpectedly. Developed by Lauren Faust, who was one of the minds behind The Powerpuff Girls, the remake finds the curious Twilight Sparkle investigating the land of Ponyville. While trying to learn more about the world, she makes several charming friends, ranging from the athletic Rainbow Dash to the eccentric party girl Pinky Pie.

Friendship is Magic had snappy writing, colorful animation, and charming songs that transcended its kid demographic. An entire movement of adults clamored for the show, even holding a convention just for My Little Pony. The series lasted over 200 episodes and had a theatrical movie, extending beyond Hasbro’s Transformers and G.I. Joe cartoon revivals (two 1980 cartoon classics). With its dazzling depiction of moral lessons with ponies that can fly and shoot magical energy beams, it’s easy to see why it was so popular.

9

The Amazing World of Gumball

Watching The Amazing World of Gumball is like watching a collective of animators digging through a toy box of different techniques. While the adolescent anthropomorphic cat Gumball is animated as a 2D vector, he lives in a world of characters composed of CGI, puppets, and live-action mediums. Gumball and his fish brother Darwin get into some wacky adventures that often break the fourth wall as much as his world breaks dimensional limitations.

As one of the first Cartoon Network productions to come straight out of Britain, Gumball is a show exploding with colorful animation techniques and wild humor. The witty commentary on everything from gaming streamers to knock-off cartoons lifts the cartoon far beyond its typical suburban family setting, especially for one with the old trope of the doltish dad and straight-woman mother. Sure, it still has some DNA from shows like The Simpsons, but this is a suburban setting where the usual characters include ghosts, bananas, balloons, monkeys, and a T-Rex.

8

Tron: Uprising

Taking place between the two TRON movies, Uprising focuses on the digital world of the Grid being overtaken by the sinister forces of Clu. Seeking to rebel against this aggressive rule, the mechanic program Beck fights back against the invading General Tesler’s army. Aiding Beck’s fight is the injured hero Tron, who passes the torch (or disc) of heroism onto the next generation for the next revolution.

Coming out a few years after the sequel TRON: Legacy, this side-story cartoon retains much of the same sci-fi action tone, not merely because it features music from the same composer, Joseph Trapanese. The slick CGI contrasting deep blacks with crisp blues and heated reds looks eye-popping for TV animation. The story is also rather brutal, depicting digital casualties and fast-paced action. It is made all the more exciting with a voice cast that includes Elijah Wood, Mandy Moore, and Bruce Boxleitner reprising his role as Tron.

7

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

As a reboot of the classic 1980s cartoon, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power follows the adventures of Adora, wielder of the magic sword on the planet of Eternia. After escaping from the sinister armies of Hordak, known as the Horde, she makes new friends in her battle against evil. But she’ll also have to save her childhood friend Catra from being brainwashed by the Horde.

Developed by cartoonist ND Stevenson, this version of She-Ra presented a more engrossing and updated depiction of this fantasy hero. This goes beyond the anime-inspired influence and more intricate exploration of Eternia’s fantasy elements and politics. The series featured more earnest depictions of trauma and romance, where same-sex relationships were more of a common occurrence than a shocking reveal. This cartoon went the extra mile to inspire the next generation to be more honest and brave in more ways than one.

6

DuckTales

Although a reboot of DuckTales seems like another returning-to-the-well production for Disney, plenty of water is left to warrant a return. The show retains the same format of the 1980s cartoon, with the cantankerous mogul Scrooge (now voiced by David Tennant) still whisking his nephews away on globe-trotting adventures. But there’s more to explore this time in this ongoing story’s family drama, alien invasions, and criminal organizations, lifting plenty of material from the long-running comic book series.

Watching the new DuckTales feels like being a kid again with the classic sense of adventure and treasure hunting. What makes the show even more nostalgically engrossing is the many crossovers it shares with shows like TaleSpin, Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, Darkwing Duck, and Goof Troop. But even if you don’t have nostalgia for the Disney Afternoon block, the show is still fun and intriguing with its own unique blend of angular animation and clever humor, especially for the hilarious reveal of Donald Duck’s non-sputtering voice (you’ll never guess who voices him).

Related

10 Nostalgia-Inducing ’90s Cartoons You Should Stream

They reshaped how animation on television was defined.

5

Regular Show

Akin to Rocko’s Modern Life, J. G. Quintel’s Regular Show found the absurdity in the lifestyle of twenty-something adults. The show centers around the blue jay Moredcai and raccoon Rigby working at a local park. Working under the direction of Benson, the easily-angered gumball machine, the two slackers would have been given typical jobs around the park, but end up in the oddest situations, like being transported to the moon or sucked into a video game dimension.

Cartoon Network clearly had a big focus on the prime-time slot, with Regular Show’s relatable vibe amid weird situations making for the perfect mix. It featured subversive sexual gags, weird and surreal realms, and an abundance of references only millennials would grasp, but it was also genuinely hilarious. Although rated just TV-PG, Regular Show has more in common with many adult animated shows, so it’s no wonder Quintel went on to create the TV-MA-rated Close Enough, a more adult cartoon about thirty-somethings.

4

Steven Universe

Created by Rebecca Sugar of Adventure Time fame, Steven Universe follows the adventures of the boy Steven after he learns he’s a half-breed of the Earth-defending Crystal Gems team. Working alongside the magical crystal guardians, Steven uses the gem powers within his belly button to save the world from mystical threats. As an underdog, Steven works relies on his earnest and thoughtful nature to prove himself to the more intelligent Crystal Gems.

Steven Universe became just as much of a Cartoon Network staple as Adventure Time because it was more daring in its emotional storytelling. Complex topics of family, friendship, and romance were addressed in a surprisingly nuanced manner. In addition, the cartoon was also a huge trailblazer for being more open with LGBTQ representation, showcasing one of the first same-sex weddings in a cartoon for kids. For its meaningful storytelling, the show continued for five seasons and an epilogue movie, and also won a prestigious Peabody Award.

3

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

Scooby-Doo reboots have been a constant for decades, but Mystery Incorporated is far and away one of the best iterations of the long-running cartoon franchise. Set during the early days of the mystery-solving group, the teenagers and their dog Scooby solve mysteries in their hometown of Crystal Cove. The constant spooky schemes, however, reveal a greater conspiracy as the show continues.

Mystery Incorporated was a refreshing change of pace from the usual Scooby-Doo formula. In addition to the serialized story, there was also great character drama with Velma and Shaggy being a couple. While the show played with many of the conventions of Scooby-Doo (it’s hilarious how they treat Scrappy-Doo as a dark part of their past), it also had clever references to H. P. Lovecraft and Twin Peaks. There’s also a stellar voice cast, especially with Matthew Lillard taking on the role of Shaggy, who has previously played the character in live-action movies.

2

Gravity Falls

Perhaps the easiest way to describe Gravity Falls is that it’s Twin Peaks for kids. Siblings Dipper and Mabel spend the summer helping out at their great-uncle Stan’s tourist trap, The Mystery Shack. While Stan might peddle tall tales to make money, there are plenty of strange creatures and dark secrets that lurk in the woods of this small community. Dipper aims to learn all about them through a mysterious journal.

Gravity Falls combines sci-fi, horror, and coming-of-age elements into a clever animated adventure saga. The mystery of the woods was just as entertaining as the wry and absurd comedy, posed in familiar summer situations of county fairs and going fishing. Despite the long delay in the finale, the show has become revered for its writing, which won it multiple Emmy and Annie awards, garnering it a fandom following.

1

Adventure Time

If there’s one show that changed the entire landscape of cartoons in the 2010s, it has to be Adventure Time, a show that Nickelodeon likely kicked itself over passing on. Developed by Pendleton Ward, the Emmy-winning show features the heroic boy Finn and his stretchy dog Jake battling the evil Ice King and in a fantastical landscape as they try to rescue the Princess Bubblegum. The show has a charming sense of wonder but also features a great sense of world-building in how it continuously peels back the layers of what turns out to be a world formed after an apocalypse.

Adventure Time embraced the sweet and surreal with its cute character designs and thoughtful storytelling. The show was inspired by the geeky pillars of Dungeons & Dragons, retro video games, and anime. It was also responsible for inspiring many of the cartoons that followed, with Rebecca Sugar’s LGBTQ+ focus carrying over more overtly with Steven Universe and Pete Browngardt’s penchant for surreal comedy in Uncle Grandpa. The show lasted for 10 seasons and spawned a sequel and spin-off series.

The cartoons of the 2010s had undeniable freedom of expression. The levels of representation, animation quality, and mature writing seem almost alien when compared to the restrictions of the 1980s. With so many trails blazed, seeing what cartoons the next decade will bring will be exciting.