Top 21 Most Forgotten Animated Series of Each Year (2000 - 2020)
#2000: “God, The Devil And Bob” (2000)
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When God looks down upon Earth one day and figures it’s time to flick the off switch, the Devil gets excited. However, the Almighty decides to put the end times on hold if Bob, who’s admittedly not God’s best work, can prove that humanity is worth saving. With 13 episodes and only four airing in the States, “God, The Devil And Bob” came and went in a flash. But it’s irreverent humor and unique premise make it quite timeless. Boasting clever writing, weirdly likable characters, and tons of laugh-out-loud humor, “God, The Devil And Bob” deserves to be remembered and watched.
#2001: “The Oblongs” (2001-02)
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As Western animation has advanced, creators have experimented more and more with unorthodox character designs. One show that thoroughly incorporated a big stylistic risk into its premise was "The Oblongs." Soaked in social commentary and packed with creative designs, "The Oblongs" follows a family who lives within a poor part of town that’s directly and negatively impacted by the rich. While most of the humor is relatively typical for this type of animated early-2000s sitcom, "The Oblongs" takes risks that most shows avoid. Between this and “Undergrads," 2001 was a good year for forgotten cartoons.
#2002: “Fillmore!” (2002-04)
When there's a case to be solved at X Middle School, the Safety Patrol are the ones to call. "Fillmore!" is just an awesome cop procedural, one that manages to parody the genre while still weaving together genuinely interesting mysteries. At the heart of the series are the duo of the badass Cornelius Fillmore and the typically calm and collected Ingrid Third. Both characters bounce off each other extremely well. "Fillmore!" lasted for two consistently great seasons, and the episodes are still an easy sit nearly two decades after their release. It’s a shame this funny gem doesn’t get more attention.
#2003: “Evil Con Carne” (2003-04)
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Originally starting as one half of "Grim & Evil", "Evil Con Carne" eventually split off to do its own thing. However, the cartoon was completely overshadowed by "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy". Although it doesn’t quite reach the heights of its legendary sibling, "Evil Con Carne" delivers much of the same type of humor that defines "Billy & Mandy." "Evil Con Carne" takes supervillainy and quests for world domination and makes them hilarious. It’s packed with quirky and over-the-top characters like Hector, Dr. Ghastly, and General Skarr. Although it didn't last long, any "Billy & Mandy" fans should consider "Evil Con Carne" a must-watch.
#2004: “Maya & Miguel” (2004-09)
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Despite lasting for five seasons, this PBS and Nickelodeon series has become rather forgotten over the years. Ahead of its time in many ways, "Maya & Miguel" focuses on delivering an educational and entertaining look into multiculturalism and diversity, with its two Hispanic leads. Touching upon important themes like family and harassment from peers, "Maya & Miguel" seldom speaks down to its young audience. It also can help its viewers learn a little bit of Spanish. Featuring relatable characters, smart writing, and good life lessons, "Maya & Miguel" is a relatively mature show for children that has great value.
#2005: “The X's” (2005-06)
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This spy family didn't grace Nickelodeon for long, but they had some mighty fine adventures while they could. "The X's" is a spy spoof that pokes fun at the likes of James Bond while also throwing in a relatively familiar family dynamic. Its cast features a very solid cast of voice actors, including Patrick Warburton as the patriarch Tucker X. "The X's" mixed an eye-catching art style with plenty of slapstick humor and action. Since the cartoon does mine a topic that has been well covered by plenty of other comedies, it may have been lost in the shuffle. But "The X's" brings just enough new things to the plate to justify its existence.
#2006: “The Replacements” (2006-09)
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What if you could replace anyone with just a call? And now imagine that type of power in the hands of children. "The Replacements" delivers exactly what it promises in the title. Todd and Riley call in replacements for people that are not meeting their standards. Then they usually watch as that decision goes sideways. If that premise wasn't out there enough, Todd and Riley's mom is a superspy, their dad is inspired by Evil Knievel, and the family car talks. "The Replacements" does at times stick a bit too close to its formula, but the show's goofy concept is reliably entertaining.
#2007: “Friday: The Animated Series” (2007)
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1995's "Friday" was such a massive success that it inspired a few sequels and even an animated series that feels like it has been erased from history. Lasting only 8 episodes, "Friday: The Animated Series" includes many of the beloved characters from the original movie. Craig, Smokey, and Pops are all there. While the animated series doesn’t capture the magic of the original film, the characters are mostly on point, if a bit exaggerated to complement the medium. "Friday: The Animated Series" might not be a classic, but fans of the franchise should try out a few episodes the next time they binge-watch the series.
#2008: “The Life & Times Of Tim” (2008-12)
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HBO isn’t really known for getting animated, but when it does, the network often delivers quality content. "The Life & Times of Tim" is about a directionless 20-something living in New York who has a natural talent for turning any situation, no matter how mundane, into a disaster. A cringe comedy through and through, "The Life & Times of Tim" benefits greatly from a likable lead, even if Tim is directly responsible for most of the awful things that happen to him. While enjoyable from the start, seasons 2 and 3 are especially great, with most episodes delivering belly laughs by the dozen. And did we mention this forgotten series features the hilarious Nick Kroll?
#2009: “Have a Laugh!” (2009-13)
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Now, for one of Disney's more...baffling projects. "Have a Laugh" takes some of Mickey Mouse's iconic cartoons and edits them down to roughly 3 minutes, turning shorts into super-shorts. The DVD sets of this series include both the normal and short versions, with the latter changing up the voice actors and even touching up some of the music. These are definitely classic cartoons that deserve to be experienced by younger generations. But maybe "Have a Laugh" was overlooked because Disney fans prefer the full experience. The "Blam!" shorts in particular fall short. But if you’re looking to get a taste of classic Disney toons, this bizarre experiment won’t take too much of your time.
#2010: “Mary Shelley's Frankenhole” (2010-12)
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“Mary Shelley's Frankenhole" feels like the show you stumble across in the middle of the night and spend the next morning wondering if it was a fever dream. On the show, Victor Frankenstein is apparently immortal and created time travel. This opens the door for plenty of historical figures to show up and ask for anything from surgery to a pair of socks. Some of the good doctor's clients include Mother Teresa, Thomas Jefferson, Ron Howard, and Jesus. Apparently, nothing and no one is completely off-limits in his infamous workshop. Considering its irreverent humor and wild places it goes to, it's amazing this relatively unknown stop-motion show lasted 20 episodes.
#2011: “Detentionaire” (2011-14)
It turns out that a prank, frame job, and cyborg principal can make 10th grade pretty weird. "Detentionaire" follows Lee, a high schooler who gets a year's worth of detention for a prank he didn't commit. The student escapes his sentence to try and figure out who was really behind it. From the same network responsible for the "Total Drama" franchise, "Detentionaire" starts as a straightforward situation-of-the-week type show. But it eventually blossoms into something far more ambitious and intricate. With four seasons, "Detentionaire" offers a solid amount of binge-worthy episodes worth your attention.
#2012: “Robot and Monster” (2012-15)
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In this friendship-driven comedy, a Robot and a Monster work at a factory, share an apartment, have many hilarious exchanges, and learn a few life lessons. Their fun stories ran on Nickelodeon. Considering that the network has created some of the most iconic cartoons of the 21st century, it's only natural that some shows like "Robot and Monster" were lost in the shuffle. While the show is certainly directed towards a younger audience, the charming characters, interesting designs, and mostly slapstick humor make this an easy sit for all ages. With only 26 episodes, "Robot and Monster" disappeared from TV a bit too quickly.
#2013: “The Awesomes” (2013-15)
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Marvel and DC are not the only universes with superheroes. Seth Meyers and Mike Shoemaker's largely forgotten "The Awesomes” streamed on Hulu for three seasons. During its run, it garnered a bit of a mixed reception. The show was criticized for less than stellar animation and its tendency to buckle under the weight of its big roster of characters. But "The Awesomes" still provides wit, imaginative settings, and memorable one-off roles by the bucketload. Part superhero-spoof, part genuine article, "The Awesomes" doesn’t always live up to its name. But it's constantly entertaining and frequently surprising, even if on a purely visceral level.
#2014: “Over the Garden Wall” (2014)
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Patrick McHale's miniseries is not exactly unknown, as critics loved it and it's generally held in high regard by many people. However, "Over the Garden Wall's "short-run means the show is still relatively unknown when compared to the likes of "Adventure Time" or "Gravity Falls". "Over the Garden Wall" follows two children as they traverse the Unknown, a forest seemingly ripped right out of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales. Endearingly strange and brimming with dark whimsy, this miniseries takes almost everything great about the animation boom of the 2010s and condenses it into an easy-to-consume 10 episodes.
#2015: “Moonbeam City” (2015)
On the treacherous streets of Moonbeam City, Dazzle Novak stands as the number one cop, and he has the mug to prove it. Despite featuring an impressive roster of actors, including Rob Lowe, Kate Mara, and Elizabeth Banks, this '80s cop parody didn't leave much of an impression. It only spawned 10 episodes before getting canceled. Although "Moonbeam City" faced fierce competition with shows like “Archer” there’s still plenty to enjoy here. The art style is stylish, Lowe delivers a fun performance as the arrogant Dazzle, and each episode does have a few good gags. 2015 also produced "SuperMansion", another fun but overlooked parody cartoon.
#2016: “Bunnicula” (2016-18)
Over the course of just a couple of years, "Bunnicula" produced roughly a hundred episodes, and a lot of them are pretty darn fun. Following the supernatural-themed misadventures of a vampire rabbit, a terrified cat, and a lovably dumb dog, "Bunnicula" makes the most of its Halloween-esque premise. Viking spirits, evil portraits, and Knight Owls are just some of the quirky figures that populate this show. The episodes' short lengths mean stories seldom overstay their welcome. "Bunnicula" was not talked about too much during its run, but it has a lot to offer.
#2017: “Hotel Transylvania: The Series” (2017-)
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If an animated movie is successful enough to spawn a sequel or two, then it's a safe bet that a series won't be far behind. While never a critical darling, the "Hotel Transylvania" series has proven it has a dedicated audience. But the franchise’s animated prequel series is still underrated. Premiering on the Disney Channel in 2017, "Hotel Transylvania" delivers fast-paced humor, frantic animation, and a solid lead in Mavis. The show is a respectable companion piece to the films, even if it doesn’t have Genndy Tartakovsky's direction from the movies.
#2018: “Mega Man: Fully Charged” (2018-19)
After a frustrating period of inactivity, Mega Man made his big video game comeback in 2018 with the 11th entry in the main series. However, "Mega Man 11" was not the franchise's only stab at modern relevance during that year. But the "Fully Charged" series didn’t receive as warm of a reception as the game. The 3D animated series changes plenty of things from its source material, including introducing a new protagonist in the form of Aki Light. "Mega Man: Fully Charged" produced more than 50 episodes. But that didn’t stop it from being wiped from everyone's collective memory.
#2019: “Tuca & Bertie” (2019-)
A Netflix comedy set in a world populated by animals, "Tuca & Bertie" shares many visual similarities with "Bojack Horseman." But the shows are quite different thematically and tonally. Following two friends that complement each other perfectly as they set out to navigate their early 30s, "Tuca & Bertie" is hilarious, insightful, and packed with fantastic world-building. The show received a great reception and found plenty of fans. However, it wasn't enough to stop Netflix from canceling "Tuca & Bertie" following one season. Thankfully, Adult Swim swept in to save the day. Hopefully, more people will discover this brilliant cartoon in the future.
#2020: “Cleopatra in Space” (2020-)
Debuting on Peacock, this DreamWorks Animation series unsurprisingly flew under the radar. As implied by the show's name, "Cleopatra in Space" follows the titular teenager as she's magically teleported to another planet, one that happens to have talking cats and an Egyptian aesthetic. Seldom taking itself seriously, "Cleopatra in Space" just aims to be a lighthearted romp with fun characters, amusing humor, and vibrant backdrops. A show for children that can still be enjoyed by adults, "Cleopatra in Space" has more than enough going for it to be worth more recognition.
