9 Forgotten Animated Sitcoms That Deserve A Second Look

However, as happens with shows from all genres, some animated sitcoms have become forgotten as time has gone by. This isn’t always a reflection of a show’s quality, as many great animated sitcoms have faded into obscurity, mostly due to a lack of marketing during their initial run, other shows overshadowing them, limited streaming availability, no reruns, and more. Some of these shows have actually gotten better with time, making them even more worth rewatching.

Time Squad

Two Seasons

Time Squad was created by Dave Wasson and aired on Cartoon Network from 2001 to 2003, for just two seasons. Time Squad follows dimwitted officer of the law Buck, stern robot Larry, and eight-year-old history buff Otto as they travel together back in time to set right the course of history. As it happens, some historical figures have gone down the wrong path, so it’s up to them to fix these and ensure a better future.

Time Squad arrived at a time of transition in Cartoon Network, which, along with its short run and some elements that haven’t aged well, has led to it becoming forgotten. Still, Time Squad is worth watching or revisiting due to its concept, take on historical figures, humor, and characters.

Clone High

Three Seasons

Clone High is a teen-adult animated sci-fi sitcom created by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Bill Lawrence. Clone High takes viewers into the fictional town of Exclamation and into a high school that is secretly a military experiment. Because of this, the school is populated by clones of historical figures, such as Joan of Arc, John F. Kennedy, Cleopatra, and Gandhi, with the intention of one day creating a clone-themed amusement park.

Clone High has been praised for its originality and humor, but this also put the show into trouble, most notably with its portrayal of Gandhi. Still, Clone High has become a cult classic, though one that has been forgotten by most due to its abrupt cancellation and lack of promotion. Clone High was revived in 2023 and ran for two seasons, ending on a cliffhanger.

Fish Hooks

Three Seasons

Fish Hooks was created by Noah Z. Jones and aired on Disney Channel from 2010 to 2014 for three seasons. Fish Hooks follows fish Milo, his brother Oscar, and their best friend Bea, whom Oscar has a crush on. The show follows their daily lives at an aquarium in a pet store, including their adventures at Freshwater High alongside other aquatic animals, such as a loud clam, an awkward shrimp, and a pregnant seahorse.

Fish Hooks is one of the most creative animated sitcoms out there, with fast-paced comedy, visual gags, relatable characters and storylines, and fun animation. However, Fish Hooks didn’t get enough marketing support from Disney, which, along with its abrupt ending, mixed initial reactions from critics, and other animated shows overshadowing it, has led to it becoming forgotten.

Braceface

Three Seasons

Braceface is a Canadian coming-of-age teen sitcom created by Melissa Clark. Braceface introduces viewers to Sharon Spitz, a junior high student who just got braces – and if the social pressure and mockery weren’t enough, she often finds herself in awkward situations caused by her braces, such as when they tap into wireless communication channels. All this happens while Sharon does her best to navigate school and being a teenager, alongside her best friends Maria and Connor, and her crush Alden.

Braceface has one of the most relatable main characters of the decade, along with fun and relatable stories, despite its fantasy elements with Sharon’s braces. Braceface didn’t reach a mainstream audience due to its inconsistent scheduling, changes in its voice cast, and some themes that were deemed “controversial” back then (such as Sharon wearing a padded bra), which have led to it fading into obscurity through the years.

The Proud Family

Two Seasons

The Proud Family was created by Bruce W. Smith and aired on Disney Channel from 2001 to 2005 for two seasons. The Proud Family follows Penny Proud, a 14-year-old Black girl, and her daily adventures as she navigates adolescence, school, friendships, and her family life. Penny’s family is quite peculiar, and they are one of the show’s biggest sources of comedy, but also some valuable life lessons.

Despite its positive critical reception, The Proud Family was canceled after just two seasons, stopping it from reaching a wider audience. The show was revived in 2022 as The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on Disney+, taking attention away from the main show and further pushing it into obscurity.

The Weekenders

Four Seasons

The Weekenders was created by Doug Langdale and ran for four seasons between 2000 and 2004. The Weekenders follows best friends Tino, Lor, Carver, and Tish with every episode set over the course of a weekend. The format of The Weekenders is that Friday sets up their upcoming adventure, Saturday develops it, and it peaks on Sunday.

The Weekenders is light, fun, and led by relatable characters, with each episode offering a life lesson, so there’s value in each story. Unfortunately, The Weekenders arrived during a time of transition over at Disney, and its absence from Disney+ has further led to it being forgotten or completely unknown to younger generations.

The Replacements

Two Seasons

The Replacements was created by Dan Santat and aired on Disney Channel for two seasons from 2006 to 2009. The Replacements centers on orphaned siblings Todd and Riley, who are adopted by British secret agent K and professional daredevil Dick Daring. In addition to that, the siblings purchase a Fleemco phone that allows them to replace any person or animal they desire, and so the show sees them go through different misadventures as a result of those replacements.

The Replacements is one of the most creative, fun, and action-packed animated sitcoms from Disney, but it was unfortunately overshadowed by live-action shows like. The show also had bad scheduling, poor marketing support, and only half of it is available to stream, which has further stopped it from being better known.

Daria

Five Seasons

Daria was created by Glenn Eichler and aired on MTV from 1997 to 2002 for five seasons. Daria follows Daria Morgendorffer, a smart but cynical teenager who has just moved to the town of Lawndale with her family. Daria begins to attend Lawndale High, where she meets aspiring artist Jane, who becomes her best friend. The show, then, follows Daria’s daily life and the struggles she goes through as a teenager, as well as her clashes with a world with opposite views.

Daria has been praised for its sense of humor, characters, satire, and the way it addresses a variety of themes, as well as for its fun and relatable characters. Despite becoming a cult classic, Daria has gradually faded into obscurity due to MTV stopping producing animated content, and for its 1990s feel, which, to many, feels outdated, while to others is one of the show’s strengths and biggest charms.

Doug

Four Seasons on Nickelodeon, Three Seasons On ABC

Doug was created by Jim Jinkins, and it originally aired on Nickelodeon before moving to ABC. Doug follows the daily life of Doug Funnie, a young boy with a big imagination, who narrates each episode through entries in his journal, aided by some sequences of the many things he imagines. Accompanying Doug are his best friend Skeeter and his crush Patti Mayonnaise, who has no idea Doug has feelings for her.

Doug has a lighter tone than other Nickelodeon animated shows from the 1990s, with a more grounded approach (despite Doug’s many fantasies), relatable characters and stories, and the themes it covers. Doug has become a forgotten animated sitcom due to production changes and its move to another network, which also impacted its quality, tone, and animation, the confusion between its different eras, its lack of streaming availability, and being overshadowed by other animated shows by Nickelodeon.