History ValuesResonance / WesternAnimation

** Bill Cosby's closing monologue in ''Double Cross'' cautions viewers to take racists seriously before they get powerful and influential enough to become a serious threat, and to not be fooled by racists and bigots who target another group but seem to leave yours alone. This is probably an indirect reference to Martin Niemöller's famous passage "[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_... First they came...]]" Very relevant in the modern day, thanks to the rise of white supremacist groups (who often rely on TokenMinority grifters excusing their behavior to gaslight people into thinking they're not racist), and the Black Lives Matter movement exposing systemic racism in multiple fields.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' had an infamous ''Sonic Sez'' segment about someone touching you in a place that you feel is uncomfortable. As memed as it is, gets a lot of admiration today for telling kids what to do if they're harassed, especially when sexual harassment and child exploitation have become a more discussed issue over the years, [[ARareSentence even if it is mind-bending to see Sonic, of all people, teach about sexual harassment]].

** "One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock" has a SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome when Slappy suffers a nervous breakdown; Skippy is forced to commit her to a nursing home and take over the household chores. The short emphasizes that this situation is not okay, and the adults in Skippy's life interfere when his teacher notices that he's AsleepInClass and stressed. She calls a social worker, who takes the time to assess if Slappy is at home and waits to get Skippy's side of the story before taking him to foster care. It's quite poignant that all of the adults in the short are legitimately concerned for Skippy's well-being and telling him he doesn't have to take on such a burden.
** The "Please Please Please Get a Life Foundation" sketch, where the Warners mock fans who argue over the insignificant details of their show, became even more relevant as the Internet and social media became more accessible, leading to increased fandom visibility and online {{Caustic Critic}}s being more prevalent. It's become a common meme nowadays to link a screenshot from the bit as a response to heated fandom drama or nitpicking.
** The Hip Hippos, for what they're worth, can be considered quite progressive. Despite being a married couple in a comedy show, they never play any of the [[AwfulWeddedLife obvious]] [[HenpeckedHusband comedy]] [[ParentingTheHusband marriage]] [[LazyHusband tropes]] and instead portray them both as being mutually loving and respectful towards each other. They are also both equally as flawed as each other as well. Special mention goes towards their first episode "La Behemoth" in which their housekeeper quits due to lack of respect from the Hippos. Whilst most shows at the time would either have the wife doing the work whilst her husband lazes around or have the wife nag the husband into doing the housework, instead it's Flavio (the husband) who volunteers to do the housework with no hint from his wife, whilst Marita (the wife) pitches in later, and they both fail due to their pampered lifestyle.
* ''WesternAnimation/AsToldByGinger'' is an early 2000s SliceOfLife cartoon aimed at middle school girls. Its messages resonate especially well with today's youths. It covered many mature topics for a Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} cartoon, such as SlutShaming, depression, bullying, and puberty. It features several AmbiguouslyGay and AmbiguouslyBi characters as well.

** Part of Two-Face's origin story here was his being blackmailed by Rupert Thorne over his mental illness, as having it publicly revealed could ruin any political aspirations he had as well as get him fired from his current position as DA. How society treats mental illness has become a very big issue, to say the least.
** The Riddler's origin story as a video game developer and his desire for revenge after being mistreated by his boss feel very justified if you've ever read about how AAA game development forces their staff to crunch to complete massive amounts of underpaid work within small time constraints to this very day.
** The episode "Lock-Up" had as its antagonist an Arkham security guard who brutalized the Arkham inmates, believing it was for the good of society. The debate over the treatment of guilty people has become more relevant as "tough on crime" has gained more scrutiny.
* ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'': JFK's foster fathers were created at a time when gay people were often the butt of jokes. While Carl and Wally have somewhat stereotypical designs, and Wally is blatantly CampGay, they also happen to be the most loving foster parents in the series, with the two being nothing but supportive of JFK's goals and desires. JFK himself also has no issue with [[HappilyAdopted referring to them as his parents]], with him being embarrassed by how much they [[DotingParent dote on him]] rather than the fact that they're gay.
* While most of the show's plots rely on blowing childhood fears and prejudices out of proportion (and thus seem sillier and sillier as the viewer gets older), the ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' episode ''[[Recap/CodenameKidsNextDoorS1E6AOperationOFFICE Operation OFFICE]]'' envolves the EvilPlan is about exploiting other ''adults'', with the kids as only means to an end. Sure, blasting them all off to Pluto is cartoonishly over-the-top, but the basic idea of a CorruptCorporateExecutive screwing around with his employees' family time so they'll work even ''longer'' hours seems more and more plausible in light of all the horror stories about how corporations like Amazon treat their workers.

** It might be a stretch to call this show "queer positive," as any and all gender-bending references (PronounTrouble, cross-dressing, {{gonky femme}}s -- including women with five o'clock shadows -- and inverted gender roles) are played for [[QueerPeopleAreFunny inherent absurdity]]. However, because the show depicts these [[LikeRealityUnlessNoted so matter-of-factly]] and none of the characters InUniverse [[ShowDontTell react to them with disgust]] or treat them as abnormal, it retroactively comes off as a reasonably tactful depiction of gender nonconformity, which is not something you can say for most pre-[[TheNewTens 2010s]] works which rely almost entirely on gay jokes. It helps that [[EqualOpportunityOffender both masculine and feminine stereotypes are equally played for comedy]], regardless of which gender is displaying them, and everyone is already so ugly that the show is clearly not playing favorites.

** The RousingSpeech from Jay about not going to bad movies, sequels past the second, TV-to-theater movies and remakes, has seen a lot of people praising the concept, as many people feel Hollywood relies too much on remakes, franchises, and has very little in quality original material.
** Compounding the ValuesDissonance about political correctness jokes as listed above, the joke from "Uneasy Rider" of a wealthy father bemoaning how his private school student son doesn't say "he or she" instead of just "he" still works as a satire of [[BourgeoisBohemian wealthy alleged liberals who are woefully out of touch with the values they claim to support]]. It's even funnier now that "they" is the more accepted gender-neutral pronoun.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Daria}}'': Jodie's struggles and discussions on race relations were relevant during the TurnOfTheMillennium, but have obviously become a '''lot''' more relevant now, so much so in fact that a new series is in the works with Jodie herself as the main character.
* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' episodes "Doug Tips the Scales" and "Doug’s Chubby Buddy" that feature deal with some form of body dysphoria are still relevant today. The former deals with Doug becoming insecure about his body shape after overindulging at his grandma's. This episode, interestingly enough, although it's brief, presents the idea of being ''too thin'', as Skeeter attempts to gain weight due to believing he is too thin for his bathing suit. Which is not something you see much in modern media.

** Similar to [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E9HomerBadman Homer Badman]], Papa Oom M.O.W. M.O.W. focuses on media sensationalism, although in this case Duckman really did commit sexual assault, unlike Homer. He also comes to ''enjoy'' the attention, which is theorized to be one of the reasons people commit certain atrocities: to make a name for themselves, even for all the wrong reasons.
* The ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales1987'' episode ''[[Recap/DuckTalesBlueCollarScrooge Blue Collar Scrooge]]'' dealt with themes of respecting workers' rights and the relationship between bosses and employees. Needless to say, still ''very'' relevant as of today.
* The ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' episode ''[[Recap/EdEddNEddyS1E17ItsWayEd It's Way Ed]]'' has been more relevant today due to modern age cultural trends such as emojis and fidget spinners becoming dated rather quickly.
* The 1943 WartimeCartoon ''WesternAnimation/EducationForDeath'' has aged remarkably well because it realistically depicts how innocent children of the time were indoctrinated by the Nazi regime (along with sympathetic parents afraid of it all) without resorting to stereotypes, and paints an unfortunate picture that shows not just how Germany truly was at the time, but also how bad it could have been. It also resonates with modern audiences who are painfully aware of the dangers of present-day hate groups that follow the Nazi party's example, as well as the consequences of politically motivated information and upbringings. Finally, the important virtues mentioned in the cartoon are "laughter, hope, tolerance, [and] mercy", things that will always be important to have.
* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode [[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E8IAmPeterHearMeRoar I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar]]" has Peter telling a sexist joke at work and admitting to videotaping a female coworker without her consent and knowledge would still very much get him in trouble has been more relevant today due to workplace sexual harassment becoming a hot-button topic. Also Lois and Gloria's verbal confrontation (right before their [[CatFight physical confrontation]]) was made in part for the writers to voice their pro-feminist sentiment: in the face of [[StrawFeminist Gloria]] self-righteously [[RealWomenDontWearDresses demeaning Lois for being "just a housewife" with no career of her own]], Lois makes it clear that "feminism is about choice; I choose to be a wife and mother." The sentiment has been more relevant today since the episode originally aired in 2000.

** "The Tomboy" shows an athletic girl named Penny showing off her skills in various sports, while Albert impresses everyone with his ability to bake, even beating Penny in a head-to-head contest. Showing that boys and girls can enjoy whatever activity they choose and not fall into gender roles because of peer pressure is always important.
** In "How the West Was Lost," the Junkyard Gang meets a new indigenous student named Johnny and immediately assumes that he'll be a MagicalNativeAmerican who can do all manner of tricks since they've only ever seen native peoples depicted in Western movies and TV shows. Johnny is firmly ''not'' a stereotype, though, and the kids decide (after a little help from Mudfoot) to actually learn about indigenous peoples and treat Johnny with respect. Seeing a non-stereotypical Native American was groundbreaking in the 1970s and still relevant in the 2020s.
** "Junk Food" features an early example of AWeightyAesop that surprisingly ''isn't'' about weight loss. Albert and his friend Slim eat too much junk food and go to a dentist, who tells them about the importance of a balanced diet. Albert decides to try it out, but instead of losing weight, he finds himself having more energy and doing better in sports, while Slim, who sticks with sweets, suffers from sugar crashes and digestive problems. The morals "Eating a variety of foods will keep you healthy" and the related "The goal of health is not to be thin, but perform as best you can" are just as vital in the twenty-first century as they were in the '70s, especially as new information about the dangers of restrictive dieting (especially for children) becomes available.
** Bill Cosby's closing monologue in ''Double Cross'' cautions viewers to take racists seriously before they get powerful and influential enough to become a serious threat. And not be fooled by racists and bigots who are targeting some other group but seem to be leaving yours alone. He was probably referring indirectly to the famous passage by Martin Niemöller that begins with '''"First they came..."'''. Very relevant now due to movements such as the rising proliferation of White Supremacist groups (who often rely on TokenMinority grifters excusing their behavior to gaslight people into thinking they're not racist) and the attempts by the Black Lives Matter movement to expose systemic racism.
** ''Teen Mom'' revolves around the gang trying to help a friend with her newly found motherhood after she becomes pregnant. What makes this effective is that she goes through real issues that all new mothers face. Plus, the gang and her mother don't give up on her. In today’s day and age, when teen parents or people who have kids out of wedlock are slut-shamed, exploited, disowned by their own parents, and are prejudged for it, this episode is way ahead of its time.

** In a similiar vein, there's the sexual harassment Luanne faces as a drink girl from a group of male golfers in "Jon Vitti Presents: Return to La Grunta", and the aftermath of Hank being humped by a dolphin at the resort. Luanne starts blaming herself for being harassed, saying it was her fault for 'taking the putt in the first place' (and subsequently groped). Hank tries to convince her to report the men, but him refusing to talk about the dolphin incident makes her believe she should just ignore her harassment as well. She then goes to work wearing baggy clothing and large glasses, as 'looking pretty in public is asking for trouble'. Both Luanne and Hank are also triggered by various things regarding their trauma, and Hank eventually admits to Peggy what happened, saying, "I thought ignoring it would make it better but it just made it worse... for everyone. You know, I've never said this about anything before... but it feels good to talk about it." Afterwards, as he tells the guys about it ("I don't know what I'm going to do but it starts with not lying about what happened. It's the dolphin who ought to be ashamed of himself."), they laugh at him... until Bill starts sobbing and admits it happened to him too-- ''twice''. At the end of the episode, when Hank witnesses Luanne ''still'' being harassed (despite dressing 'unattractively'), he grabs the ring leader by the ass (as he had spanked Luanne) and drags him to the dolphin tank, before dumping him in the water with the 'frisky' dolphin Hank was attacked by previously. Luanne then regains her confidence and sheds the baggy clothing, saying that she wasn't afraid anymore, and she's going to dress how she wants no matter what. While some of Hank's side is PlayedForLaughs, it's still a very relevant commentary on rape culture and its consequences, especially post the #[=MeToo=] movement gaining traction.

** Even when it's been off the air for twenty years, the show has been praised for its handling of [[https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/ywewq7/pepper-ann-was-the-most-underrated-feminist-cartoon-of-the-90s feminist issues]] that are still relevant today. Much like everything groundbreaking from the 90s, everything that was new in this show has been copied and improved upon.

** In ''The Missing Bus'' Fred becomes a schoolbus driver, and has to deal with helicopter parents who put an absurd amount of pressure on their children. Some of the lines wouldn't sound out of place in a modern Reddit thread.

* While most of the show's plots rely on blowing childhood fears and prejudices out of proportion (and thus seem sillier and sillier as the viewer gets older), the ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' episode ''[[Recap/CodenameKidsNextDoorS1E6AOperationOFFICE Operation OFFICE]]'' is one of the very few where the EvilPlan is about exploiting other ''adults'', with the kids as only means to an end. Sure, blasting them all off to Pluto is cartoonishly over-the-top, but the basic idea of a CorruptCorporateExecutive screwing around with his employees' family time so they'll work even ''longer'' hours seems more and more plausible in light of all the horror stories about how corporations like Amazon treat their workers.

* The ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode [[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E8IAmPeterHearMeRoar I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar]]" has Peter telling a sexist joke at work and admitting to videotaping a female coworker without her consent and knowledge would still very much get him in trouble has been more relevant due to workplace sexual harassment becoming a hot-button topic. Also Lois and Gloria's verbal confrontation (right before their [[CatFight physical confrontation]]) was made in part for the writers to voice their pro-feminist sentiment: in the face of [[StrawFeminist Gloria]] self-righteously [[RealWomenDontWearDresses demeaning Lois for being "just a housewife" with no career of her own]], Lois makes it clear that "feminism is about choice; I choose to be a wife and mother." The sentiment has been more relevant today since the episode originally aired in 2000.

* The * ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode [[Recap/FamilyGuyS2E8IAmPeterHearMeRoar I Am Peter, Hear Me Roar]]" has Peter telling a sexist joke at work and admitting to videotaping a female coworker without her consent and knowledge would still very much get him in trouble has been more relevant due to workplace sexual harassment becoming a hot-button topic. Also Lois and Gloria's verbal confrontation (right before their [[CatFight physical confrontation]]) was made in part for the writers to voice their pro-feminist sentiment: in the face of [[StrawFeminist Gloria]] self-righteously [[RealWomenDontWearDresses demeaning Lois for being "just a housewife" with no career of her own]], Lois makes it clear that "feminism is about choice; I choose to be a wife and mother." The sentiment has been more relevant today since the episode originally aired in 2000.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'':

** The titular character launches into a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knIroVvPZU4 rant against super-sanitized comedy]], something that is more relevant today than when it originally aired in 1994.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'', the titular character launches into a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knIroVvPZU4 rant against super-sanitized comedy]], something that is more relevant today than when it originally aired in 1994.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'' had infamous ''Sonic Says'' segment about someone touching you in a place that you feel is uncomfortable, as memed as it is, gets a lot of admiration today for telling kids what to do if they're harassed, especially when sexual harassment and child explotation have become a more discussed issue over the years, [[ARareSentence even if it is mind-bending to see Sonic, of all people, teach about sexual harassment]].

** "One Flew Over the Cuckoo Clock" has some SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome when Slappy suffers a nervous breakdown; Skippy is forced to commit her to a nursing home and take over the household chores. The short emphasizes that this situation is not okay, and the adults in Skippy's life interfere when his teacher notices that he's AsleepInClass and stressed. She calls a social worker, who takes the time to assess if Slappy is at home and waits to get Skippy's side of the story before taking him to foster care. It's quite poignant that all of the adults in the short are legitimately concerned for Skippy's well-being and telling him he doesn't have to take on such a burden.

** The Hip Hippos, for what they're worth, can be considered quite progressive. Despite being a married couple in a comedy show, they never play any of the [[AwfulWeddedLife obvious]] [[HenpeckedHusband comedy]] [[ParentingTheHusband marriage]] [[LazyHusband tropes]] and instead portray them both as being mutually loving and respectful towards each other. They are also both equally as flawed as each other as well. Special mention goes towards their first episode "La Behemoth" in which their housekeeper quits due to lack of respect from the Hippos. Whilst most shows at the time would either have the wife doing to work whilst her husband lazes around or have the wife nag the husband into doing the housework, instead it's Flavio (the husband) who volunteers to do the housework with no hint from his wife, whilst Marita (the wife) pitches in later, and they both fail due to their pampered lifestyle.

* ''WesternAnimation/CloneHigh'': JFK's foster fathers were created at a time where gay people were often the butt of jokes. While Carl and Wally have somewhat stereotypical designs, and Wally is blatantly CampGay, they also happen to be the most loving foster parents in the series, with the two being nothing but supportive to JFK's goals and desires. JFK himself also has no issue with [[HappilyAdopted referring to them as his parents]], with him being embarrassed by how much they [[DotingParent dote on him]] rather than the fact that they're gay.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Doug}}'' episodes "Doug Tips the Scales" and "Doug’s Chubby Buddy" that feature deal with some form of body dysphoria are still relevant today. The former deals with Doug becoming insecure about his body shape after overindulging at his grandma's. This episode, interestingly enough, although it's brief, presents the idea of being TOO THIN, as Skeeter attempts to actually gain weight due to believing he is too thin for his bathing suit. Which is not something you see much in modern media.

* The ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' episode ''[[Recap/EdEddNEddyS1E17ItsWayEd It's Way Ed]]'' has been more relevant today due to modern age of cultural trends such as emojis and fidget spinners becoming dated rather quickly.
* The 1943 WartimeCartoon, ''WesternAnimation/EducationForDeath'' has aged remarkably well because realistically depicts how innocent children of the time were indoctrinated by the Nazi regime (along with sympathetic parents afraid of it all) without resorting to stereotypes, and paints an unfortunate picture that shows not just how Germany truly was at the time, but also how bad it could have been. It also resonates with modern audiences who are painfully aware of the dangers of present day hate groups that follow the Nazi party's example, as well as the consequences of politically motivated information and upbringings. Finally, the important virtues mentioned in the cartoon are "laughter, hope, tolerance, [and] mercy", things that will always be important to have.

** ''Teen Mom'' revolves around the gang trying to help a friend with her newly found motherhood after she becomes pregnant. What makes this effective is that she goes through real issues that all new mothers face. Plus, the gang and her mother don't give up on her. In today’s day and age, when teen parents or people that have kids out of wedlock are slut-shamed, exploited, disowned by their own parents, and are prejudged for it, this episode is way ahead of its time.

** The lesson Fillmore teaches Wayne in "North of Friendship, South of Honor" about how looking the other way when you see harm being done turns you into someone you can neither like or respect is even more relevant in modern times where people who do what Wayne was doing in the face of abuse of power are coming under just as much fire as those who are actually committing the abuse.

** ''I Yabba Dabba Do'' and ''Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby'' were surprisingly progressive for two movies made in the early 90s and did good jobs at modernizing the franchise than previous subsequent ''Flintstones'' media. Not only do they add prehistoric versions of then-modern conveniences (such as [=VCRs=], microwaves, and frozen dinners) both manage to show Fred and Wilma (who have always been a 1960s) how much times have changed since the original ended.

*** In ''Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby'', Fred is in a rut because he misses Wilma cooking his dinner for him, now that she’s working and Wilma says that she doesn’t want to go back to being a housewife and he should stop living in the past. Later, Wilma says that Pebbles shouldn’t have a career and a be a mother at the same time, since the former never worked during Pebbles’ childhood. In the end, Pebbles does have the job she wants while being an attentive mother to her and Bamm-Bamm's twins. And Bamm-Bamm never once tries to make Pebbles quit her dreams or have her do all the work in caring for their kids; he's as present as Pebbles, even being a stay-at-home dad because his job allowed him to ''and'' fully supports her decisions when it comes to her career. And while Wilma still doesn’t approve of Pebbles' decisions, she ultimately respects them. In other words, this animated movie aimed primarily towards children showed a HappilyMarried couple with jobs they both enjoy, each one being respectful of the other, and ''still'' being {{good parents}}.

** In the episode "I Dated a Robot" uses a company that kidnaps celebrities and sells robots in their likeness to the public as a metaphor for digital piracy, specifically music piracy via Napster. While the Napster parody is pretty dated to 2001, the sci-fi premise actually aged very well with the AI boom of the late 2010s and early 2020s. The episode can be retroactively viewed as a critique of people making deepfakes of actors and even studios profiting off actors' artificial likeness without said actors' consent.
* The 1950 ''WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}'' cartoon ''Motor Mania'' has been more relevant today due to the fact there are still many drivers who tend to let their emotions and ego override the wellbeing of the other people on the road.

** Mr. Simmons alternates between this and FairForItsDay. He is a fourth grade teacher, yet in-universe nobody questions this - and he's shown to be a very good teacher, too.

** "Leanne's saga" is one of the earliest episodes in television that portrays Female on Male Domestic Abuse seriously. Even though the issue has more people calling it out and spreading awareness, there's still stigma of male abuse victims.
** "That's What She Said", an episode from 2004, depicts the effects of sexual-innuendo laden jokes and treats them as sexual harassment. It even showcases the stigma that existed in 2004 about male on male sexual harassment. Almost ''20 years later'', the message is ''still'' relevant - that not only are these jokes inappropriate, but that even ''men'' can be sexually harassed and it's ''not'' funny.

-->"When anybody preaches disunity, tries to pit one of us against the other through class warfare, race hatred or religious intolerance, you know that person seeks to rob us of our freedom and destroy our very lives."

** The episode "Economics of Recess" focuses on the lead character TJ using cheap labor from younger kids in order to eventually obtain all of the playground's monster sticker currency and own everything, which makes it impossible for any of the other kids to enjoy anything. At the end of the episode, TJ is persuaded to sign a contract that prevents monopolies in the schoolyard. The episode feels even cleverer today, with the 2016 and 2020 Bernie Sanders campaigns calling for change as higher-income citizens amass more power and aren't taxed fairly, while corporations such as Apple and Amazon pay their employees poorly and give little despite being insanely lucrative.

** One of reasons of the show's lasting appeal is how it's the first cartoon to discuss [[FirstWorldProblems the struggles of "adulting"]] (i.e., being self-reliant in your early twenties), a universal concept among young adults in UsefulNotes/TheNewTens and The New Twenties.

** The second episode of the series (6th in production order) "Leap Frogs" deals with Bev Bighead feeling neglected by Ed, her needs aren’t met anymore. So she decides to release that pent-up sorrow by seducing Rocko. The topic of sexual harassment is handled very well here, even in a cartoonishly exaggerated way. At the time it was rare to show a man being harassed by a woman in scenarios not played for comedy, and while comedy still exists? The point is this all makes Rocko very uncomfortable, with Bev being forced to explain her feelings to Ed when they're caught in a compromising position.

** The episode [[Recap/RockosModernLifeS2E5BoobTubedCommutedSentence "Commuted Sentence"]] makes a very strong point about American cars-as-default cutlure -- Rocko ends up having his car towed, and when he tries alternative methods of commuting like the subway, they are all much slower and end up making him late to work, much to the ire of his boss Mr. Smitty who [[LackOfEmpathy doesn't care why he's late]] and ultimately fires him. In many parts of the U.S., suddenly losing your car or ability to drive can indeed also mean you can't get to work to make your wages, or even get fired.

** Lil, the most prominent girl of the babies, is quite unconventional for a female character in the 90s. She enjoys doing gross boyish things like playing in the mud with her brother, but also happily playing with dolls and having other girly past times. At an age where pink frills and saccharine cuteness are often foisted on young girls, it's very refreshing to see Lil have a mixture of masculine and feminine traits without affecting her friendship with the others. Susie and Kimi have their own positive character traits as well (intelligence and maturity for Susie, imagination and bravery for Kimi) to create a nice collection of diverse young girls with their own interests.

** The pleas for conserving natural resources in "The Energy Blues" are as relevant now in The New Twenties as they were in the 1970s (possibly because the need to do so hasn't faded from the public consciousness).

** "Fools in April", shows the fine divide between good, harmless pranks like [=SpongeBob=]'s and nasty, hurtful ones like Squidward's. As such, pranking videos (which moreso lean towards the latter's pranks) are notoriously seen as annoying, unpopular and even dangerous as people have been injured and ''killed'' for doing "harmless" pranks. Furthermore in-universe, whereas the customers find Sponge's pranks to be in good fun, they are so disgusted with Squidward's prank that they all leave the restaurant and call him out on it.
** The episode "Squirrel Jokes" especially rings true in the late 2010s and the 2020s, with people complaining about how some jokes, especially by comedians, have been recently subjected to cries of Political Correctness, ignoring that the jokes in question are being criticized for being hurtful, particularly towards minorities. Additionally, it addresses how these depictions ''can'' affect how people see reality and thus takes a shot at the "fiction doesn't affect reality" argument, with people thinking squirrels are as smelly and stupid as [=SpongeBob=] claims. It also tackles the idea that if you make fun of one group, you have to be willing to make fun of everyone including yourself. By the end of the episode [=SpongeBob=] still does squirrel jokes, but he also mocks himself along with the other fishes. Being able to poke fun at everyone (while maybe slightly toning it down) is the difference between good nature jabbing comedy and being hateful.

** [[BlackAndWhiteMorality While the war between the Autobots and Decepticons is portrayed as a war that is necessary, with the Decepticons portrayed as irredeemably evil]], the war between Xattaxiss and Lanarq in "The Quintesson Journal" is portrayed as a war that is a senseless waste of life, [[SillyReasonForWar simply because the two don't like each other]], and the Quintessons are the only winners (in this episode, they are basically {{arms dealer}}s - [[PlayingBothSides for]] ''[[PlayingBothSides both]]'' [[PlayingBothSides sides]]''). It hammers home a message that [[WarIsHell war is truly horrible]] and should only occur if absolutely necessary. It also portrays hatred as an emotion that destroys simply everyone who engages in it and shows the cost of what it can do.
* ''WesternAnimation/WaitTillYourFatherGetsHome'', while FairForItsDay in many ways, touched upon subjects that most animated shows at the time wouldn't even ''dream'' of. It handled issues such as feminism, pretty privilege, population control, far right extremism, consumer advocacy, diversity hires, and more.

** There is a [[https://theflyingredrobot.tumblr.com/post/98346594770/murkymuckymuzzymarie-dontnuketheducks-gender surprising]] amount of gender-non conforming behaviour amongst the main four characters.