Cartoons that made the cliche work

T

The Bobster

New member
What are some cartoons you can think of that had cliche concepts but had really good executions? Maybe some you thought in the beginning weren't going to work, but after watching the full episode you were utterly convinced? What made them work? I'll share one:

The Weekenders: A bunch of preteen friends hanging out outside of school. The concept has been done a lot, but these four kids made it work. They were accurate portrayals of middle school students and had the best brand of sarcasm I've ever seen at the time. Their running gags were entertaining and it not only appealed to kids but young adults too. The writing was simply awesome and intelligent considering they were just a bunch of 12-13 year olds, and each character had a perfect blend of flaws and honorable moments. I also think that the cartoon has a bit of timelessness, so that if it were shown ten years ago or ten years from now, kids would still understand and enjoy it.
 
Making a cliche work isn't so hard if it's a good cliche to use. I mean, take the "little kid befriends a nonhuman monster/alien thing and ends up having to run away from the government" cliche.

I think several movies pulled that one off well, the best of which being Iron Giant.
 
Iron Man: Armored Adventures is pretty much the only teenage superhero show that actually got it right and didn't delve into the standard high-school drama that executives think high-school life is like.
 
That and:

1. The main cast aside from Carver didn't have this constant need to be popular.

2. Unlike most comedy toons, the show didn't do the whole "mom is smart, dad is dumb". Whether it was one character's dad or father figure, you actually find that person to be a suitable parent.
 
ok heres one i can think of:

Rocket Power.

Basically the same idea (buncha preteen friends hanging out) except this show threw in a couple extra stuff that made the whole thing (in my eyes) really great.

1. The kids were basically sports stars. Well except for the fat white kid lol. Whether it was surfing, (inline)skating, skateboarding, or even snowboarding these kids could shred. And the show actually did a great job of showcasing these talents! How often do you see a kids show where the focus is on extreme sports? Few if any. Sure they may show SOME semblance of that, but its not the focus.

2. The animation of the show really made the location stand out more than most others that take place in a similar (read California) areas.

3. The characters themselves: Everyone on this show had a distinct and noticeable personality.
 
"Yogi Bear".

The "adjunct love interest" has been done many times over, but at least in this cartoon the girlfriend (Cindy) DIDN'T LOOK EXACTLY like the main character (she somewhat did in her first blue form, but at least she was a completely different color).
 
generator rex a rebelous teen who still works for the system
yes he give provence attatude but thats only when they try something like wipe out an entire city or control him
 
Avatar (the movie with the blue furless furries, not the series with the bald kid) is the first thing that springs to my mind because... well, i don't think any explanation is necessary.

But oh wait, this is suposed to be about cartoons, and Avatar isn't a cartoon. No, wait, yes it is. But then again... oh forget the whole thing.
 
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