“Born of necessity, the little fellow [Mickey Mouse] literally freed us of immediate worry.”
– Walt Disney
I have briefly touched on this before, but let’s expound a bit because, to quote Vodka, “My children will not be watching Nickelodeon crap!”
In my humble opinion, you cannot beat the classics when it comes to cartoons. The Chuck Jones and Tex Avery cartoons represent the best of Looney Tunes, and some of my favorites: What’s Opera, Doc?, Duck Amuck, Rabbit of Seville, Duck Dodgers and the 24 1/2 Century, Rabbit Seasoning, etc.
No, I’m not a collector, obsessive, specialist, or creepy fan. Just a girl who really loved her morning cartoons. I loved watching the Coyote come up with increasingly improbably schemes to catch that cheeky Road Runner and Pepe LePew try to seduce unwilling and unfortunately painted house cats in “Franglais.” The animation was impeccable and music specially composed (or blatantly taken from classical favorites – which I also love). However, there are other cartoons that I think kids need to see.
Pinky and The Brain.
This is required viewing. Two lab mice who want to take over the world. How could that not be great? The levels of humor are what give this 90’s cartoon its edge: I enjoyed Pinky’s blithe, optimistic idiocy and Brain’s retentive obsession, while I’m sure my parents (who actually watched it with me) loved the social and cultural humor and commentary. Most of the latter would probably go over my future spawn’s heads, I don’t think the enjoyment would be any less for them. Along these same lines, my friend Hilarious is working on her own collection of the Animaniacs cartoons.
Any suggestions to add to the list?
Pinky and the Brain, Vol. 1-3
Animaniacs, Vol. 1-3
Looney Tunes – Golden Collection
Looney Tunes – Golden Collection, Volume Two
Looney Tunes – Golden Collection, Volume Three
Looney Tunes – Golden Collection, Volume Four
Looney Tunes – Golden Collection, Volume Five
Looney Tunes: Golden Collection, Vol. 6
Small Dog Syndrome 
Forgive me in advance, but Pinky and the Brain IS a no brainer. You have fabulous taste in what your spawn should learn.
I think that you should also include back issues of the Weekly World News, just to keep things lively. Everyone should know about Bat Boy and where Elvis’s current where abouts are.
Amazing coincidence: today’s Isaac Asimov Super Quiz was on the subject of cartoons and their memorable catch phrases… http://superquiz.king-online.com/client_temps/startribune.php
I wasn’t much of a cartoon watcher as a kid. However, if I could make a case for non-cartoon Ghost Writer…it was one of my favorite shows as a kid. I used to pray for rainy-day recess just to watch it!
Well, we already discussed this and I’m not entirely sure you can even get these in collections, but pretty much anything PBS. I mean, that will automatically give your kids class, refinement, and intelligence.
Also, I was a fan of LambChops as a child. I may or may not have had an imaginary friend named such. The only downfall – exposing your posterity (and thus own, poor defenseless self) to “The Song that Never Ends.”
Along the same lines, my children will also have access to good comic books…starting with Calvin and Hobbes
Three words for you future spawn: The Muppet Show!
Pinky and the Brain was one of the greatest (if not actually the best one) cartoons of 90s. Great adventures, cool characters, catchy music, smart humour fulfilled with numerous allusions to history, literature, film and 90’s pop culture, and marvellous voiceovers – all these things guarantee great fun for everyone. And calling this cartoon a “no brainer” (especially 2010’s when modern cartoons are actually piece if mindless crap) is just silly.
I’ll totally infect my future spawn with love towards this one.