Disney TV Animation: The jewels in the crown.

So. Given the long history of Disney TV animation, what shows would you say are the most important? Which ones are "the canon"?

Me, I'd say... Ducktales, Gargoyles, Aladdin, and Kim Possible.

Ducktales because, while Disney tested the TV waters with Adventures of the Gummibears and The Wuzzles, Ducktales was their first runaway success. I'd go as far as to say it was responsible for the rest of the shows Disney ever produced.

Gargoyles because it was one of the earliest and most successful original properties the studio did, as well as the general notability of tone and continuity in a Western animated series.

Aladdin because, for better or for worse, its success was directly responsible for the DTV sequels that the studio pumped out for over ten years.

Kim Possible because it gave the department a much needed shot in the arm, leading it into the modern age and, arguably, allowing Phineas And Ferb to come into existence.

edited 22nd Dec '10 5:53:04 PM by punchy

Darkwing Duck and Chip And Dale Rescue Rangers should count, right?

Phineas And Ferb should count too, judging by the ammount of merchandise it has.

Also, the animated series of The Little Mermaid. It was pretty good from what I remember.

I do agree that Ducktales was the show which makes disney realise they had a pretty neat market in TV animation. Darkwing Duck, Gargoyles and Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers were also pretty good shows....

I also agree Kim Possible was also a very important show in the line-up, considering it was a show which was revived by fans, something very weird coming from such a megacorp as Disney. It probably showed them that they can approach and check their fanbase, kidna like with Phineas & Ferb.

I just wish they could return some of that ol' glory, now that most of their TV lineup (if not all) are live action sitcoms. heck, I haven't watched Fish Hooks yet, but I know that and P&F are the ONLY cartoons in Disney Channel, and it doesen't seem they are planning any new ones anytime soon...

edited 22nd Dec '10 8:19:54 PM by Viku

Timon And Pumbaa and Dave The Barbarian for me

In addition to most of the above, there's Fillmore! and The Weekenders.

Oh yes, Fillmore. I was afraid I'd have to add that one.

Seconding Kim Possible and saying perhaps Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command. Oh, and Recess.

What, no love for Tale Spin?

Seconding Buzz.

Pretty much everything except Mighty Ducks and Bonkers. Aladdin was good, but... did they really have to pick THAT as the source material?

Bonkers was good in concept, but in execution I don't think it worked out quite so well. First off it's trying to tell the audience that it's using the Roger Rabbit Effect when obviously everything is animated...

Are we forgetting Recess? That show was pretty awesome.

It doesn't help that the sole existence of Bonkers came about directly because of them unable to use the rights to Roger Rabbit instead! "Oh we'll just create a new Expy and sidestep around the similarities!" BULL.

Recess had its moments. :)

Most important? Or favorite?

The most important would likely have to be:

• Chip And Dale Rescue Rangers for truly starting Disney television animation - I suppose it shares that with Gummi Bears
• Ducktales for cementing it and being the most stable and successful of the shows
• Aladdin for being the first of Disney's long running habit of making television adventure adaptations of their movies (Talespin doesn't count, as it's actually a dolled up spinoff to Ducktales)
• Darkwing Duck for firstly cementing Jim Cummings' role as Disney's go-to prolific actor and less iconically being the first time Disney really went for edgily off the wall lampshade heavy humor
• Gargoyles for being Disney animation's first attempt at something more story-centric.
• Kim Possible for really revitalizing Disney television animation (there were other shows around that time, of course, but none were so widely effective.
• Phineas And Ferb nowadays for doing the same and pretty much sustaining Disney television completely.

My favorite, however, is Talespin.

edited 15th Apr '12 11:04:49 PM by KnownUnknown

this

Ducktales: For being the first series giving a role of protagonist to Scrooge Mc. Duck

Chip & Dale Rescue Rangers: For creating Gadget Hackwrench.

Gargoyles: For having a storyline more complex than the usual american cartoons.

Adventures of the Gummi Bears: First major Disney animated TV series, gave confidence to them

Ducktales: Cemented Disney's worth in TV animation, also reutilized classic characters

Darkwing Duck: First series with completely original cast, also had a slightly darker storyline

Gargoyles: One of the darkest and most complex shows to come out of Disney(hell, it's one of the most complex shows period), original cast, story arc based

Kim Possible: Arguably Disney's best millenium animated series. Great characters, amusing yet threatening villains

Phineas and Ferb: Need I say more?(Alright fine, it's an innovative show, one of the few Disney shows now that are well-liked).

Hey, which of the disney shows do you think could be considered "Greatest animated series"(not just one of many, or best disney cartoon). of all time? Most of the time, either Ducktales, Darkwing Duck, or Gargoyles comes to mind.

I liked everything in the Disney Afternoon before the abomination that is Bonkers. Gummi Bears, Duck Tales, Rescue Rangers, Tale Spin, Darkwing Duck, and my favorite, Goof Troop. I began abandoning the block once Bonkers started (although I tried to give it a chance). This turned out to be blessing in disguise however, because that's when I discovered Animaniacs.

I really wish that they would have come up with more original series instead of the movie adaptations later on.

Isn't Max actually considered part of the canon now?

edited 5th Jul '12 9:42:53 AM by redhed311

Mostly, yeah. He has shown up in House Of Mouse and a couple of the Mickey Christmas specials. He didn't exist in the Three Musketeers movie, but that was an Alternate Universe.

Heh, one of the reasons I got into Bonkers(yeah, it's okay) is because I found out it had the title Animaniacs was originally gonna use. Still waiting to see if Disney can make a show like that(closest one I can think of is Raw Toonage).

Can we use this thread to list our favorite Disney cartoons(since we've mainly discussed the important ones so far).