18 Cartoons from the ’90s That Would Be Considered Problematic Today
A wild ride through the nostalgic cartoons of the '90s reveals how many childhood favorites are now cringeworthy relics of outdated humor, stereotypes, and shock value that wouldn't fly today.
- Alyana Aguja
- 6 min read
The 1990s provided a goldmine of cartoons that were outrageous, offbeat, and incredibly influential — but many of them have not aged particularly well. Underneath the physical humor and wild antics are disturbing representations of race, gender, mental illness, and violence that mirror the blind spots of the era. Watching these cartoons now provides a fascinating window into how far we’ve traveled and how much we used to laugh at things we now question.
1. Johnny Bravo (1997–2004)
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Johnny’s constant woman-courting and constant objectification of women were courted for jokes in the ’90s but would be eyebrow-raising today. His actions reflect actual toxic masculinity, even though he was usually the joke. Nonetheless, numerous people now criticize how normalized his harassment seemed to younger viewers.
2. Cow and Chicken (1997–1999)
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This offbeat cartoon included a segment named “Buffalo Gals” that was banned on the grounds of being homophobic stereotypes that included women wearing leather jackets who burst into houses to munch on carpets. That alone caused huge controversy. The show regularly teased gross-out and adult innuendos while still looking family-friendly.
3. The Powerpuff Girls (1998–2005)
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Aside from its feminist facade, the series relied on problematic stereotypes such as the exaggeratedly flamboyant evil figure HIM, which many interpreted as a queer-coded evil caricature. The rampant invocation of violence as an answer also raised eyebrows. There were some episodes that played along racial or ethnic stereotypes without more thoughtful consideration.
4. Ren & Stimpy (1991–1996)
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This cult favorite set the bar higher with its sickening sense of humor, sex jokes, and non-stop brutality. It included moments such as Ren menacing Stimpy with extreme, sadistic glee. Its co-creator, John Kricfalusi, was subsequently charged with sexual abuse, giving this show a darker legacy.
5. Animaniacs (1993–1998)
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Though loved for its humor, the show sometimes fell into ethnic stereotypes and old-fashioned comedy. The “Goodfeathers” caricatured Italian-American mobsters. Some jokes that went over children’s heads at the time would probably be yanked nowadays for being racially or sexually suggestive.
6. Tiny Toon Adventures (1990–1992)
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A single episode banned from TV featured Buster, Plucky, and Hampton drunk on beer, and then killed in a drunk-driving accident. The episode’s attempt at moralizing shocked parents. Racial and gender stereotypes were occasionally used in the show that could not hold water today.
7. Beavis and Butt-Head (1993–1997)
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These teen delinquents idealized stupidity, mayhem, and arson, resulting in on-life imitation and controversy. One segment was connected to a fatal fire set by a five-year-old. MTV later included disclaimers, but the nihilistic idealization of the show is still contested.
8. Dexter’s Laboratory (1996–2003)
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Though having its scientific brilliance premise, there were jokes in Dexter’s universe that entertained gender stereotypes — Dee Dee as the emotional messy girl shattering her brother’s logic. A short banned, “Rude Removal,” featured Dexter and Dee Dee swearing with bleeped-out curse words. The repressed misogyny in Dexter’s demeanor may not cut it today.
9. The Critic (1994–1995)
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Jay Sherman’s satire sometimes crossed into jokes about weight, race, and sexuality that would be called out today. The show mocked all of us but sometimes reinforced the very things it was satirizing. Its humor aged unequally in the age of more socially aware critique.
10. Pinky and the Brain (1995–1998)
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Though overall smart, the show had accents and depictions (such as Brain’s over-the-top Orson Welles-mad scientist personality) that border on Jewish and Eastern European stereotypes. The “evil genius” with heavy accent trope can come off as heavy-handed now. International caricatures were employed in some plots for a quick laugh as well.
11. 2 Stupid Dogs (1993–1995)
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The humor of the show was stupidity and cruel joke-based, with body shaming and sexual innuendos. The show even had very minimal dialogue and sometimes used coarse visuals. A notorious episode had exploitative shots of a woman’s rear end, subtly covered in a joking fashion.
12. Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990–1996)
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Although admirable in its ecological message, the series employed painfully reductionist racial stereotypes — each Planeteer was a continent, usually stereotypically so (e.g., Kwame of Africa as “Earth,” Ma-Ti of South America as “Heart”). Most villains were cartoonishly malevolent pollutants. Contemporary audiences may be uncomfortable with its cultural depiction as clumsy and condescending.
13. The Mask: Animated Series (1995–1997)
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This cartoon sanitized Jim Carrey’s antics but retained crude humor and over-the-top violence. It presented mental instability as entertainment and frequently used slapstick that bordered on the repulsive. A number of villains represented racial or ethnic stereotypes played for humor.
14. Batman: The Animated Series (1992–1995)
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While admired for sophisticated storytelling, certain episodes treated mental illness with cruelty — Arkham prisoners more often than not portrayed themselves as caricatures, not people. The use of the femme fatale theme applied to Catwoman and Poison Ivy is a now-criticized portrayal of powerful women. There’s also criticism regarding racial diversity or the lack thereof within Gotham.
15. All That (1994–2005)
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Although technically a sketch comedy series, it frequently employed passé, ethnic stereotypes and accents in repeated bits. A few of its characters, such as Repairman and Miss Piddlin, overdid speech and behavior in ways that would not be tolerated today. Its comedy, although revolutionary at the time, frequently punched down.
16. Bobby’s World (1990–1998)
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This program featured a Midwestern white family with jokes at other cultures and groups played for clueless humor. Bobby’s mom, with her over-the-top “Don’tcha know?” accent, contributed to the caricatured image of working-class individuals. While nice-hearted, the show frequently promoted stereotypes regarding intellect and social class.
17. The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993)
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This wacky Sonic series included slapstick and cartoon violence aimed frequently at dumb or “ugly” supporting characters. It fostered body-shaming and employed surreal dialects for humor. Minions of Dr. Robotnik were particularly subject to belittling depictions of ineptitude and ugliness.
18. The Brothers Grunt (1994)
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Short-lived MTV series notorious for its grotesque body horror and dreamlike gross-out humor. Its creepy imagery involved mangled characters, bodily secretions, and overemphasized bodily functions hurled for “comedy.” It was off-putting even by its era, and would never make it past a pitch meeting in the present day.