From the day Disney introduced to us a new medium of entertainment called “animation”, the world has witnessed a surge of different cartoon films that contains a diverse cast of characters. From Mickey Mouse to Bugs Bunny the animation industry has found its stability as a new medium of entertainment. Several cartoons and cartoon characters alike have won the hearts of kids and kids at heart worldwide.
The technology in creating these animations became more advanced during the seventies and we definitely witnessed these cartoons flood the TV during this decade. That is why we can easily consider that the seventies is the golden age of cartoons. Here is the list of the top 70s cartoon TV shows that we still love until now.
1. Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines
This show was inspired by the British comedy films “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines”. This animated series was a slapstick cartoon that is much like the “Roadrunner Show”. Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines is about men trying to catch a pigeon from delivering messages and Dastardly always plans different methods to cheat and catch the pigeon and ultimately failing miserably all the time. The tension between Muttely and Dastardly is what made the show interesting to watch especially when Muttley delivers his signature wheezing laugh.
2. Speed Buggy
Before Herbie of Lightning McQueen became famous, there was a TV show back in the seventies entitled Speed Buggy who is about an anthropomorphic race car named Buggy who solves crime and lit the race car track on fire. This show was created and produced by Hanna-Barbera and the show tells the story of a race car and its teenage friends who travel around together for racing events where they encounter accidental confrontations with mad villains and crime committing swindlers. The show first aired in 1973 and received positive critic feedback.
3. The Flintstones
Following the original series that aired from 1960 to 1966, the Flintstones returned to TV screens featuring more characters and cultural references that are presented into the stone age narrative. This revival of the Flintstones included several crossover episodes where the Flintstones met other cartoon characters from other TV shows. Even if this show was set during the stone age, it carefully crafted a plot of how the modern day was. Critics said that the Flintstones paved the way for a new genre of social satire for shows like “Family Guy” and “The Simpsons”.
4. The New Fantastic Four
What many viewers did not notice about this installment of Fantastic Four is the absence of one of their members, the Human Torch. In this series, the Human Torch was replaced by a robot named Herbie who came in and helped completed the Fantastic Four. Producers said that the reason why they did not include the Human Torch in this series is because of a proposed solo film (which never happened).
5. Josie and the Pussycats
This show is about a girl pop group named Josie and the Pussycats. It tells their story as they travel around to do some gigs but they always run into lunatic villains and criminals. Although they are originally made to complement the Archie series, Josie and the Pussy Cats was thematically different and music is always a part of the show’s every episode.
6. Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo
Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo still follow the story of Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo as they try to solve mysteries. But this time, there is an addition to the gang, Scoobys nephew, Scrappy-Doo. But on this series, Fred, Daphne, and Vilma became less relevant to the plot and the main focus of the show was turned into Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy.
7. Sabrina the Teenage Witch
This 1970s version of Sabrina the Teenage Witch was also known as Sabrina and the Groovie Goulies or The Sabrina Comedy Hour. It is about the adventures of Sabrina along with the Groovie Goolies. The teenage witch likes to hang out and fights her enemies using magical powers without letting her friends find out that she has magical powers.
8. The Pink Panther Show
The Pink Panther Show is a series of cartoon shorts that features The Inspector and Pink Panther. The show runs for thirty minutes long and it was connected by bumper sequenced that features the Pink Panther and The Inspector together. And on 1976, the thirty-minute show was revamped into a 90-minute format and this version included a live-action segment where comedian Lenny Schultz reads jokes and letters from the viewers.
9. Jabberjaw
Jabberjaw is about a 15-foot great white shark who plays drums in a band and lives in a futuristic sea-world. The show follows the story of Jabberjaw and his band as they go to different underwater cities to perform. Along the way, they encounter villains. The show is always remembered by Jabberjaw’s famous catchphrase “I don’t get no respect!”.
10. Super Friends
Super Friends was produced by Hanna-Barbera in 1973. The show brought all the DC superheroes together and it told their stories as the apostles of good deeds and self-righteousness. Super Friends had almost a hundred episodes featuring Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Robin, and Superman as they fought villains who try to take over the world.
These are the top cartoons of the 70s, which one is your favorite?