Step right up and come on in; here’s where the fun begins. From 1990 to 1997, the House of Mouse brought together some of its most popular animated shows in a two-hour block called The Disney Afternoon. All the shows had unique flavors while staying classically Disney with a mixture of old characters, new adventures, and exciting original creations.
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These cartoons ranged from serialized comedies with laughs, hijinks, and slapstick to long-term stories of adventure, romance, and drama. They’re the shows that helped usher in the 90s, set the stage for more cartoon shows to advance afterward, and are still fondly remembered by many to this day.
'Bonkers'
For many, this show was just about the closest thing Disney had to a Roger Rabbit TV show. Former cartoon star Bonkers D. Bobcat has become a partner to Detective Lucky Piquel. Together they solve crimes in the greater Los Angeles area, often involving cartoon slapstick and zaniness that constantly gets under Lucky’s skin.
Many episodes involved dealing with Lucky and Bonkers’ personal lives and featured occasional appearances from characters such as the Mad Hatter, Darkwing Duck, Dumbo, and even Mickey Mouse. While the show was never as great as Roger Rabbit, it had its unique charm that placed it in Disney Afternoon history.
'Timon and Pumbaa'
While somewhat overlooked by many, this was still a pretty fun series. The Lion King’s two most popular characters go on misadventures worldwide, taking them to ancient Rome, France, Canada, and other, more populated areas than their African Savannah home.
To be sure, it’s a radical departure from the original film, but the Timon and Pumbaa series uses it to their advantage. Simply allowing these great characters to have some fun and not be bogged down by complicated, epic stories. These two just set out to have a fun time, and they certainly deliver.
'Aladdin'
Undoubtedly, this series could get creative with source material based on 1001 Arabian Nights. After defeating Jafar once and for all, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Abu, and even Iago face sorcerers, bandits, and monsters from Agrabah and far broad. All the while, Aladdin begins to learn of his responsibilities as the future Sultan of the city.
While it was great to see these characters return in epic adventures, this series gave audiences a plentiful helping of new characters like Mirage, Abis Mal, and fan favorite, Mozenrath. Great characters and exciting adventures made this movie’s spin-off a cut above the rest.
'Adventures of the Gummi Bears'
The first Saturday morning cartoon to be created for Disney, this series walked so everything that followed could run. In an ancient, medieval land, young squire Cavin discovers a secret group of magic, talking bears in the forest.
They hold the secret of a drink called Gummiberry Juice, which can make the bears super bouncy but make humans temporarily invincible, making them targets of the evil Duke Sigmund. The duke plots to dethrone the king to take over the land, and only Cavin, Princess Calla, and the Gummi Bears can stop him.
Talespin
This series had something of an odd set-up, with Baloo from The Jungle Book now working as a taco-loving aviator bush pilot with a penchant for getting into trouble. However, his business soon gets upgraded thanks to his no-nonsense new boss Rebecca Cunningham and his navigator and young sidekick, Kit Cloudkicker.
They manage their business with an adventurous flair, have fun with Baloo’s best friend, King Louie, and frequently battle flamboyant air pirate Don Karnage. Much of their exploits combined Jungle Book characters and classic screwball comedies in an odd but fun premise.
'Chip N’ Dale Rescue Rangers'
These two gumshoes just made a comeback with their new movie on Disney+, but the original series made them a household name. Chip N’ Dale are two chipmunks who have started a group dedicated to solving crimes and rescuing animals and humans alike. They operate with their new teammates, adventurous Aussie mouse Monterey Jack, eccentric inventor mouse Gadget, and cute little fly Zipper.
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They face danger and problems from all kinds of creatures, most notably their arch-nemesis Fat Cat and his goons. But, either way, somehow whatever’s wrong gets solved, and the rangers win to save another day.
'Goof Troop'
This series can be seen as a cartoon equivalent to Home Improvement as Goofy and his son Max have moved into suburbia. They navigate this new life with their next-door neighbor Pete and his own family – neurotic and stress-prone son PJ, half-kind, half-threatening wife Peg, and psychotic baby daughter Pistol.
Max himself is a pretty normal kid just wanting to have fun in the world, which of course gets complicated when his dad is, well, Goofy. This version of the Goof family proved so popular that their story would be continued in A Goofy Movie and it's direct to DVD sequel.
'Gargoyles'
One of the most epic shows Disney ever did, with a darker tone, more intense and realistic designs, and some of the most complex characters and storylines of the time. A clan of gargoyles guards a castle in Scotland until a misunderstanding causes them to be frozen in time until “the castle rises above the clouds.”
A thousand years later, a duplicitous billionaire raises it above his skyscraper in New York City, and the gargoyles live again. Under the guidance of their leader Goliath, they now protect the city from monsters, demons, and even a former clan member turned evil, Demona.
'DuckTales'
Life is like a hurricane in Duckberg, as Scrooge McDuck and his nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie travel the globe, solving mysteries and re-writing history. This classic series brought along characters that hadn’t been in much media apart from comic books, notably written by Carl Barks and Don Rosa.
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Among these were famous villains like Magica De Spell, the Beagle Boys, and Flintheart Glumgold, to allies like Gyro Gearloose and Glittering Goldie. Of course, the show also created beloved partners like Launchpad McQuack, Gizmoduck, and Webby, who all brought fun and adventure to this Disney classic.
'Darkwing Duck'
He is the terror that flaps in the night. He is the jar that’s impossible to open. He is the protector of St. Canard, balancing his life (and his ego) fighting crime and being a good father to his adopted daughter Gosalyn Mallard. This unlikely father-daughter team and DuckTales alum Launchpad fights criminal masterminds like Taurus Bulba and Steelbeak and supervillains like Megavolt and Nega Duck.
DW himself was an egotistical hero who did what he did for the fame and glory, but he never lost his heart in the job, making him a funny but still sympathetic character.
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