It’s always fun to look back on the shows that we grew up on to see how well they hold up today. Many shows from decades past still hold up well thanks to their strong character and story writing. A fair number of them also weren’t afraid to delve into subject material that would be considered dark.
Dark themes are seen as anything that would be more suited for a mature audience. With that in mind, many of these episodes ended with uplifting messages regarding their subject, and at the very least were memorable enough to stick in the minds of their audience for years.
10 “The One That Got Away!” – ‘The Raccoons’
Due to a lack of budget, cartoons in the 1980s made up for their stiff animation style with strong writing. A great example of this is The Raccoons, which followed a group of anthropomorphic raccoons and their friends living their lives in their forest community. It also had a strong environmentally friendly message, which was best seen in its penultimate episode.
The gang’s plan to introduce Bently Racoon (Noam Zylberan and Stuart Stone) to their favorite fishing hole is cut short when it gets polluted by toxic waste. Though the villain responsible is arrested, it’s made clear that the fishing pond may never recover. It ends with a bittersweet message about the fragility of nature and how its loss hurts the next generation most of all.
9 “Heart of Ice” – ‘Batman: The Animated Series’
There are few shows that changed popular culture like Batman: The Animated Series. With its unique art style, dark tone, and stellar writing, this show changed how superhero shows were written and paved the way for an expanded universe of DC animated shows. It was also praised for humanizing its antagonists, and nowhere was that clearer than, “Heart of Ice.”
This episode sees Batman (Kevin Conroy) face off against Mr. Freeze (Michael Ansara), a scientist doomed to live in sub-zero temperatures following an accident. While his comic-book counterpart was a gimmick villain, this version was a Shakespearian tragedy. Once concerned with saving his terminally ill wife, the accident robbed him of his emotions and left him with a cold desire for vengeance against those responsible.
8 “Deadly Force” – ‘Gargoyles’
In 1994, Disney created their own action series helmed by Greg Weisman. It followed six ancient gargoyles who awaken in New York City thanks to a magic spell and contained some of the strongest character writing in any 90s cartoon. It also boasts the best gun safety PSA with the episode “Deadly Force.”
This episode saw the movie-loving gargoyle, Broadway (Bill Fagerbakke), accidentally shoot his police friend, Elisa (Salli Richardson) with her own gun. It pulls no punches when it comes to the imagery, which includes showing Elisa’s blood and hearing the doctor describe in detail how the bullet damaged her. Yet it ends on a nuanced stance for gun safety when Elisa admits that she was at fault for not storing her weapon properly.
7 “Transmutate” – ‘Beast Wars’
From the creators of the first CGI television series, ReBoot, Transformers: Beast Wars presented a new conflict between the Maximals and Predacons, descendants of the Autobots and Deceptions. It entertained old and new fans with memorable characters and a story that built upon the original Transformers cartoon. Several episodes tackled mature themes regarding war.
“Transmutate,” sees a conflict over a child-like robot who cannot transform but possesses tremendous power. Some want to destroy Transmutate, while others like the sadistic Rampage (Campbell Lane) and the noble Silverbolt (Scott McNeill) want to protect them. It’s a tragedy that touches on themes of disability and the loss of innocence while showing that even enemies can be united by compassion.
6 “Chocolate Boy” – ‘Hey Arnold!’
One of Nickelodeon’s more grounded series, Hey Arnold! followed a football-headed kid as he navigated city life. It equally showed the good and the bad of this environment and presented everything in a down-to-earth style. Yet it wasn’t afraid to tackle themes of depression, loss, or addiction.
“Chocolate Boy” sees the titular character (Jordan Warkol) ask Arnold (Spencer Klein) to help him break his habit after he literally dances for some chocolate. After some trial and error, they conclude that his addiction is linked to the loss of Chocolate Boy’s nanny, who left him when he was young. It’s a smart presentation of unhealthy coping mechanisms for children without getting too heavy-handed.
5 “Perfect” – ‘Courage the Cowardly Dog’
Like many cartoons of the 90s and 2000s Courage the Cowardly Dog was defined by surreal visuals and over-the-top expressions. It found a unique idenitty by playing into a monster of the week formula, where Courage (Marty Grabstein) has to protect his adopted family from all sorts of horrors. It also wasn’t afraid to touch on serious subjects, including the cycle of abuse or, for the series finale, inadequacy.
After Eustace (Arthur Anderson) says Courage can’t do anything right, a woman named the Perfectionist (Laura Berger) forces Courage to be perfect to the point of burnout. Of course, nobody else can see her because she represents Courage’s doubt and insecurities. This leads to a series of intense dream sequences before ending with a poignant message about self-acceptance.
4 “Haunted” – ‘Teen Titans’
Before Teen Titans Go, the original Teen Titans delighted audiences with its unique take on superheroes. Taking inspiration from anime, it was more lighthearted than Batman while still addressing teen issues and darker themes. One of these was the danger of obsession, which was frequently explored with the team’s leader, Robin (Scott Menville).
“Haunted” sees the return of his deceased rival, Slade (Ron Pearlman), which sets Robin on an obsession-fueled crusade. However, Slade isn’t there: it’s a phantom made from dust in Slade’s mask that is threatening to kill Robin from stress. This offers a chilling look at PTSD and the dangers of being driven mad by one’s obsessions.
3 “The Southern Raiders” – ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’
Avatar: The Last Airbender is often regarded as one of the best children’s shows. Alongside a dynamic world full of multifaceted characters, the writers seamlessly explained Eastern philosophy in a way all audiences could enjoy. It also wasn’t afraid to dip into dark themes, such as when Katara (Mae Whitman) tracked down the man who took her mother.
It’s chilling to see the normally nurturing Katara become a force of vengeance who is willing to use blood bending, a technique that puppets someone else’s body, on her enemies. It’s a clear example of the cycle of vengeance and how easy it is to become the very monster you hate. In its climax, the episode takes an interesting turn which highlights the power of self-restraint.
2 “I Remember You” – ‘Adventure Time’
The show that saved Cartoon Network, Adventure Time followed the adventures of Finn the human (Jeremy Shada) and Jake the dog (John DiMaggio) in the land of Ooo. Over time, it delved into existential topics concerning the meaning of life and one’s place in the universe. Yet sometimes its themes were more grounded, such as in “I Remember You.”
The Ice King (Tom Kenny), wants to write a song with the vampire queen, Marceline (Olivia Olsen), who remembers him as her friend and former caretaker, Simon. Marceline struggles to accept what Simon has turned into, which parallels people who watch a loved one succumb to memory loss. Its ending is one of the series’ most tragic, bolstered by a beautiful song by Steve Universe creator, Rebecca Sugar.
1 “Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?” – ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic was a surprise hit in the 2010s. Thanks to a mix of impressive animation, stellar voice work, and fun writing, this reboot of the My Little Pony franchise was a hit with audiences of all ages. Though its themes and messages were primarily written for young children, it occasionally touched on deeper topics.
“Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?” sees Princess Luna (Tabitha St. Germain) enlist the help of the main six to stop a nightmare-inducing creature. As it grows stronger from Luna’s insecurities, she reveals that she created it to give her nightmares, so she wouldn’t forget her past as the villain Nightmare Moon. This explores themes of the dangers of holding onto guilt, and how the first step to acceptance is letting others in.
