Everyone on the internet talks about it all the time. Now I thought covering an few console wars was hard. No nothing can get you ready for something this hard. Considering how crazy some of these shows get that's to be expected.
I won't be comparing every cartoon on both channels because I haven't seen most of the newer ones. Plus it simply would take way too long to compare all of them in one or several blog entries. So I decided to choose my six favorites from both sides to directly compare them together. In order to determine which cartoons I actually like more overall.
I do have an few guide lines to help with my take on which is better out of these two as followed below...
1. I'm covering from early 90s to early 2000s shows
2. I must have seen a couple of episodes to consider it
3. Must be well received shows
4. Obviously has to be an cartoon
5. Other cartoons not originally on either channels like Looney Tunes won't count
6. If shows are still on TV making newer episodes won't count like Spongebob Squarepants
Cartoon Network Cartoons
1. Dexter's Laboratory
2. The Powerpuff Girls (original)
3. Ed, Edd n Eddy
4. Courage the Cowardly Dog
5. Samurai Jack
6. Cow & Chicken
Nickelodeon Nick Toons
1. Rugrats
2. The Ren & Stimpy Show
3. Rocko's Modern Life
4. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
5. The Angry Beavers
6. CatDog
Round 1: Cow & Chicken vs. The Ren & Stimpy Show
These two cartoons are very similar in many ways. Both involve two unlikely animals living together involved in all kind of situations. A lot of their show's logic is considered crazy to making no sense at all. Both has their ups & lows but only one can take the win to their channel.
Winner: The Ren & Stimpy Show
Overall Ren & Stimpy has better written episodes. Both Ren & Stimpy are more entertaining, interesting & unpredictable. These two really know how to give an great time when it counts. To be fair Boneless Chicken was the best character from Cow & Chicken that rivals both of them. They went the extra mile in some of their stories.
Round 2: Samurai Jack vs. Rugrats
Yes this stands out like an sore thumb for having little to nothing in common. I mostly chosen these two shows together because how their stories pulls you in. Rugrats involves an bunch of babies with a lot of kid stories. Samurai Jack actually comes more off like many action animes. Yet both tells their stories in an interesting way. In an way both shows are the creators reliving fantasies many people have.
Winner: Samurai Jack
There is just something about everything in Samurai Jack. His past was intense as he grew up kept getting trained in many fighting styles. The hell Aku puts Jack in is easily beyond words. Yet somehow on several occasions Jack almost stopped Aku. Yes Rugrats does have imagination like most kids can relate to. But Samurai Jack is something that stands out in most people's minds. This even aired in Japan for an short time. A lot of great characters with very interesting stories & situations. Honestly Samurai Jack still is one of my favorite cartoons of all time.
Round 3: Ed, Edd n Eddy vs. CatDog
These two shows are very similar in many ways. Ed, Edd n Eddy involves three boys trying to rip off kids to get jawbreakers. Usually using dirty tricks & horrible schemes. CatDog is about an creature half cat & half dog living together. These two act like brothers similar to another Nick Toon classic. Cat is very similar to Eddy as both are greedy & selfish. Edd, Ed & Dog are not too bright but kind that gets along with people. All kind of situations with an interesting story telling.
Winner: CatDog
CatDog stands mostly great in it's entire run. The same can't be said for Ed, Edd n Eddy. As soon as they made newer episodes in school with that movie. All of it went down hill from there. Also having an cat & dog living together is more interesting. In real life most dogs & cats don't like each other. Now throw in they're connected together you got comedy gold.
Round 4: Courage the Cowardly Dog vs. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
This is obviously Courage was like the next gen Scooby-Doo. Most stories involves an elderly couple is in danger from all kind of things. Their pet dog usually finds an way to keep them safe. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters deals more about student monsters that have trouble fitting in their world. They lack a lot of knowledge about the human world that makes watching them more interesting. Yet the common theme of both shows is people get scared all the time. In fact watching both of them on Halloween is doing the holiday justice.
Winner: Courage the Cowardly Dog
Not an easy decision because both shows has different way of telling their stories. A lot of creative & some of which could actually scare children back in the day. End of the day I must give this to Courage the Cowardly Dog. Don't get me wrong both had original concepts for scary cartoons. What gives the edge to Courage is we have an little dog solving all kind of situations. Sometimes he does it on his own. Some of these episodes are weird for their time. Despite the last season being the weakest, it didn't hold majority of episodes down.
Round 5: The Powerpuff Girls vs. The Angry Beavers
Another strange choice but there are some similarities between these two. The Powerpuff Girls involves three super powered little girls created by an scientist. Very quickly they take on all kind of enemies to keep their city safe. The Angry Beavers deals more about brothers living on their own. Both talks about how it's like living with your siblings. Also all kind of stories happens on both shows.
Winner: The Angry Beavers
Yes The Powerpuff Girls is like a lot of super hero shows & movies today. But having two brother beavers living together gets crazy at times. Especially their first episode explains how they ended up in their new home. I usually prefer more in your face, slap stick comedy. Although I will confess some PPG episodes are very well written. The Angry Beavers is more like many real life families. Both shows has all kind of situations. Mostly because the beavers are more unbelievable in some ways & act more like real people.
Round 6: Dexter's Laboratory vs. Rocko's Modern Life
Very different shows I know but these two were great cartoons for their time. Dexter's Laboratory involves an little boy genius hiding his lab from his parents. Dexter created all kind of inventions including an time machine. Rocko's Modern Life deals more about how the real life is like. Which by itself is unusual for an cartoon to go into that direction. Like other Nick Toons has all kind of stories including an Ghostbusters parody episode. Both shows are really creative with some of the best written characters.
Winner: Rocko's Modern Life
Very difficult decision because I grew up really loving both these shows. Like most classic Nick Toons, Rocko's Modern Life stayed great in it's entire run. Again the same can't be said for Dexter's Laboratory. They decided to make big changes to the show directly affecting stuff I liked about it. Honestly it's difficult to explain but I prefer every episode before that change. Basically both have great stories, very well written characters and some of the craziest situations. Rocko's Modern Life as stated before is very different from most cartoons from it's time. It plays more on being serious with some clever jokes kinda like Beavis & Butt-Head & King of the Hill. Now Dexter's Lab can be funny to an degree but Rocko's show is much funnier. It's amazing an cartoon like this had such an huge impact on me as well as other people. Rocko's Modern Life is an cartoon that changed cartoons forever. They got some surprisingly dirty jokes that I'm amazed didn't canceled the show over. Regardless I do recommend both these classic cartoons. Obviously I do prefer Rocko's Modern Life as I felt more people could relate to it & understand it's clever humor more.
4-2 Nickelodeon Nick Toons takes home the victory. Each cartoons they put out during those years had an huge impact. Even rewatching them now compared to some of Cartoon Network Cartoons. For the most part they stand the test of time better with very creative writing & interesting characters. Honestly Cartoon Network Cartoons isn't bad but Nick Toons are legendary among cartoon fans.
I hope this brought a lot of fond memories as it did for me. For me watching all these cartoons in those few years was one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. Words can't truly describe how much both means to so many people out there. Easily this could go either way even if you were new to all these amazing cartoons. Until next time I'm Jack Red & I'll see all of you later.
No comments:
Post a Comment