History SpiritualSuccessor / WesternAnimation

* Speaking of Creator/CraigBartlett, he's gone on record saying he intended ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' to be like a [[UsefulNotes/TheNineties '90s]] version of ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}''.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' was inspired by a short film that Creator/DanHarmon made spoofing ''Franchise/BackToTheFuture'', and while the show removes the direct references, it still makes for a great unofficial AnimatedAdaptation, albeit with far more R-rated humor and sensibilities.

* ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' is one to the first ''WesternAnimation/BenTen'' series--both are {{Animesque}} action-adventure series from Creator/ManOfAction featuring sci-fi themes, secret societies, BodyHorror, a hero with limited shapeshifting powers, and a [[VillainOfTheWeek Villain]]/MonsterOfTheWeek episode format.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Llanargollen}}'' (2013) is this to ''WesternAnimation/BluesClues'' (1996). Both shows feature a live-action man solving mysteries with their animated female dog (a la the RogerRabbitEffect). The former show would have done a great job filling the gap that was left by the latter if it weren't for [[NoExportForYou the non-existant distribution of the show]], and for the fact that ''Blue's Clues'' would receive [[WesternAnimation/BluesCluesAndYou a reboot]] years later.
** ''Llan-ar-goll-en'' also isn't without its comparisons to ''Series/LazyTown'', as both are [[CultClassic cult classics]] from relatively obscure countries (Iceland and Wales) with a similar style of MediumBlending (one uses puppets while the other uses animated animals, both interacting with humans), and a great usage of EccentricTownsfolk.

%%* During the 1950s and 1960s, Hanna-Barbera deliberately inspired its works on popular media of the time, the most famous being ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'' to ''Series/TheHoneymooners'', and ''WesternAnimation/TopCat'' to ''Sgt. Bilko[=/=]The Phil Silvers Show''. Less evident were ''WesternAnimation/TheJetsons'' to ''ComicStrip/{{Blondie}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooWhereAreYou'' to ''The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis''.

* Among Creator/{{Teletoon}}'s works, we have ''WesternAnimation/{{Freaktown}}'' to ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'' to ''WesternAnimation/TheBaskervilles''. The former two share the idea of ThreeAmigos (a fun-loving NiceGuy, a dope, and a smart girl) in a town populated by monsters under the tyranny of a cruel ruler (and some lesser similarities) while the latter two revolve around upbeat humans in a Hell-like town ruled by a not-Satan trying to make everyone unhappy.

* ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' was inspired by a short film that Creator/DanHarmon made spoofing ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', and while the show removes the direct references, it still makes for a great unofficial AnimatedAdaptation, albeit with far more R-rated humor and sensibilities.

* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'' said ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' could be seen as a successor to ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}''. Both shows have similar themes and a similar name.

* Like ''Voltron: Legendary Defender'', ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'' has been considered to be one to ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. The fact that the show features ''Avatar'' alumni--Aaron Ehasz and Giancarlo Volpe on the production staff and Jack De Sena with a leading voice role (Sokka and Callum)--certainly helps.

* ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' to the first ''WesternAnimation/BenTen'' series, both action-adventure {{Animesque}} series with sci-fi themes, secret societies, BodyHorror, a hero with limited shapeshifting powers, and monsters aplenty, by the "Man of Action" team.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' started as a parody of ''Series/{{Survivor}}''. However, its cast with premade relationships prior to eacy season, the focus on challenges, and the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Drama]] actually makes it pretty closer to an animated adaptation of ''Series/TheChallenge''.

* ''WesternAnimation/TotallySpies''

** Especially considering the [[BestKnownForTheFanservice ahem, pandering aspect]], the series is a more "PG" family-friendly version of ''WesternAnimation/{{Stripperella}}''.
** The show's campy premise of three girls kicking butt and taking down villains in Los Angeles while working for an old man makes it more or less an animated adaptation of ''Series/CharliesAngels'' albeit with a spy agency instead of the LAPD. Even an ad for it on Cartoon Network where the cartoon was airing on parodied the opening to the latter show.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMarvelousMisadventuresOfFlapjack'' is one to ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' As Cartoon Network's BlackComedy shows.

* While ''WesternAnimation/{{Mad}}''

* The post-sequel episodes of ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', primarily the ones starting from Season 10 onwards, can easily be seen as a modern revival of ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', having much more DerangedAnimation that utilizes squash-and-stretch and grotesque imagery more often, as well as amplifying the sense of SurrealHumor found within the writing. The fact that Bob Camp, who became the showrunner for ''Ren & Stimpy'' following Creator/JohnKricfalusi's departure, became a head storyboard artist for the show starting with ''WesternAnimation/TheSpongeBobMovieSpongeOutOfWater'' only adds to the adaptiveness.

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' bears many similarities to an animated version of ''{{Series/Firefly}}''...[[RecycledInSpace only set in the]] ''Franchise/StarWars'' universe.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' is the spiritual successor of ''WesternAnimation/TheSpectacularSpiderman'', helped by the fact that Greg Weisman was involved in both shows.

* ''WesternAnimation/CowAndChicken'', ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' and ''WesternAnimation/SpaceGoofs'' to ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow''. Aside from the slapstick tone, the [[Creator/TexAvery Avery]]/[[Creator/BobClampett Clampett]]/[[Creator/FleischerStudios Fleischer]] influences and [[{{demographically inappropriate humour}} adult humour]], ''C&C'' shared most of of the crew on ''R&S'', while most of the creatives on ''E-E-E'' had worked at Carbunkle Studios[[note]]Had the show been picked by Nickelodeon, it would have had the ''R&S'' crewmembers that did not join ''C&C''[[/note]], and ''SG'''s English dub featured Charlie Adler (Cow and Chicken) and Billy West (Ren and Stimpy) among its voice cast.

%%* ''WesternAnimation/LloydInSpace'' and the 2010 reboot of ''[[WesternAnimation/PoundPuppies2010 Pound Puppies]]'' to ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}''.

** While the show is more of a spinoff to ''Series/{{MADtv}}'', it's somewhat of this trope to ''WesternAnimation/KaBlam'', featuring many of the same staff (mainly a different cast as well, save for June).

** It also makes for a good cartoon adaptation of ''WebComic/{{Nedroid}}'', a web comic about the surreal adventures of a tall blue bird and his short brown animal friend, with a cast of other weird anthropomorphic animals and objects.

** The show can be compared to to ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls'' and (to a degree) ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans''. All three are acclaimed superhero-type Cartoon Network shows with some anime inspirations. ''Steven Universe'' is also seen as a western ''Anime/DragonBallZ''.

* ''WesternAnimation/WeBareBears'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Clarence}}'' could be compared to ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' and by extension ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'', as all four are [[SliceOfLife (mostly) down-to-earth shows]] featuring the misadventures of [[ComicTrio three "misfit" protagonists with different personalities]] (the silly/fun-loving one, the serious/abrasive one and the dorky/neurotic one) dealing with the world around them, the main differences being that two of them have pre-teens operating in the suburbs with [[MinimalistCast relatively small, well-defined casts]], while the two others have young adult FunnyAnimals living in the 'burbs but having most of their pursuits in the city featuring a wide collection of characters, as well as the fact ''Bears'' and ''Clarence'' are quite idealistic and light-hearted while ''Ed...'' and ''RML'' often border on SadistShow grounds and are renowned for subtle [[{{parental bonus}} adult humour]].

* The talkie season of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' is the closest we'll come to a faithful dramatic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'', with its OrderVersusChaos plot, NegativeContinuity, sexual perversity, social satire, philosophical depth and just plain weirdness. Æon and Trevor are very similar in concept and characterisation to {{Gender Flip}}ped equivalents of Jerry Cornelius and Miss Brunner (free-wheeling, sexy anarchist terrorist versus or occasionally allied to apparently buttoned-up but actually kinky mad scientist with fascist tendencies).

* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama'' started as a parody of ''Series/{{Survivor}}''. However, its consistent cast and all-stars season (Prior to "Phakitew Island" and the upcoming SoftReboot) as well as focus on challenges and, well, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Drama]] actually makes it pretty closer to an animated adaptation of ''Series/TheChallenge''.

* The talkie season of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' is the closest we'll come to a faithful dramatic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'', with its OrderVersusChaos plot, NegativeContinuity, sexual perversity, social satire, philosophical depth and just plain weirdness. Æon and Trevor are very similar in concept and characterisation to {{Gender Flip}}ped equivalents of Jerry Cornelius and Miss Brunner (free-wheeling, sexy anarchist terrorist versus or occasionally allied to apparently buttoned-up but actually kinky mad scientist with fascist tendencies).

* The talkie season of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' is the closest we'll come to a faithful dramatic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'', with its OrderVersusChaos plot, NegativeContinuity, sexual perversity, social satire, philosophical depth and just plain weirdness. Æon and Trevor are very similar in concept and characterisation to {{Gender Flip}}ped equivalents of Jerry Cornelius and Miss Brunner (free-wheeling, sexy anarchist terrorist versus apparently buttoned-up but actually kinky mad scientist with fascist tendencies).

* The talkie season of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' is the closest we'll come to a faithful dramatic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'', with its OrderVersusChaos plot, NegativeContinuity, sexual perversity, social satire, philosophical depth and just plain weirdness. Æon and Trevor are very similar in concept and characterisation to {{Gender Flip}}ped equivalents of Jerry Cornelius and Miss Brunner (free-wheeling, sexy anarchist terrorist versus apparently buttoned-up but actually kinky mad scientist with fascist tendencies).

* The talkie season of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' is the closest we'll come to a faithful dramatic adaptation of ''Literature/TheCorneliusChronicles'', with its OrderVersusChaos plot, NegativeContinuity, sexual perversity, social satire, philosophical depth and just plain weirdness. Æon and Trevor are very similar in concept and characterisation to {{GenderFlip}}ped equivalents of Jerry Cornelius and Miss Brunner (free-wheeling, sexy anarchist terrorist versus apparently buttoned-up but actually kinky mad scientist with fascist tendencies).