Set your dial to pure Saturday morning nostalgia as we tune in to twelve real cartoon misfires that vanished after a season or two.
Back in the glorious golden era of network television, Saturday morning cartoons were king, but not every bizarre concept managed to reign supreme. From flying puzzle toys to hip-hop superheroes, television networks broadcast plenty of weird animated experiments that were pulled off the air before kids even finished their cereal.
Macaulay Culkin voiced young Nick McClary, a kid who owned a magic baseball glove capable of granting one temporary wish per week when punched three times. NBC broadcast this star-powered comedy in the fall of 1991, but the magic quickly faded after just 13 episodes. Planned future seasons were scrapped before any more wishes could come true.
Sources: Wikipedia
Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, and Wayne Gretzky joined forces as gadget-wielding crime fighters operating out of a secret gym headquarters. NBC aired this celebrity-packed series on Saturday mornings starting in September 1991. The network canceled the show after a single 13-episode run when it revamped its weekend lineup.
Sources: Wikipedia
Youth center worker Stanley Burrell put on a pair of magical talking sneakers to transform into a hip-hop superhero fighting crime with dance moves. ABC aired 13 episodes of this musical adventure during the fall of 1991. The show was canceled after one season, sending the magical dancing shoes into early retirement.
Sources: Wikipedia
A sentient flying Rubik's Cube with magical powers helped a group of kids outsmart villains, but he could only awaken when fully solved. ABC broadcast the colorful puzzle adventure on Saturday mornings during the 1983 season. The network pulled the plug after just 13 episodes, leaving the magical cube permanently scrambled.
Sources: Wikipedia
Building a bamboo space rocket landed the famous castaways on a distant alien planet where they befriended a reptilian alien named Bumper. CBS aired this outer space sitcom spin-off during its Saturday morning schedule for one season of 13 episodes. The castaways never made it back to Earth before the series was grounded for good.
Sources: Wikipedia
Rick Moranis voiced human teacher Max Schneider, who unwittingly accepted a job teaching a classroom full of teenage ghouls and classic monsters. NBC broadcast this Hanna-Barbera production on Saturday mornings during the autumn of 1990. School was officially dismissed after a brief 13-episode semester.
Sources: Wikipedia
Created by ALF puppeteer Paul Fusco, this oddball series combined live action puppet segments with animated missions led by feline secret agents. NBC broadcast the cosmic feline comedy on Saturday mornings in late 1991. The network canceled the show after 13 episodes during a broader overhaul of its animation block.
Sources: Wikipedia
Teenager Seymour Krelborn cared for Junior, a giant talking prehistoric plant with a massive appetite and hypnotic powers. Fox Kids broadcast this toned-down, family-friendly animated adaptation of the classic musical horror film on Saturday mornings in 1991. The series wrapped up after a brief 13-episode harvest.
Sources: Wikipedia
On the distant world of Luminaire, Prince Lightstar led the Legion of Light against Baron Dark and his army of skeletal ghouls. CBS broadcast this dark action-adventure series on Saturday mornings in the autumn of 1994. The network canceled the cartoon after just 13 episodes, leaving the battle for the Lightstar Crystal unfinished.
Sources: Wikipedia
Set in a post-apocalyptic future where prehistoric beasts roamed the Earth, mechanic Jack Tenrec drove restored classic cars while protecting the ecosystem. CBS aired this comic book adaptation on Saturday mornings during the 1993-1994 broadcast season. The network cancelled the show after 13 episodes despite its popular action figure tie-ins.
Sources: Wikipedia
Toxie and his grotesque band of mutated superheroes fought eco-villains to clean up pollution in the fictional town of Tromaville. Based on the R-rated cult film franchise, this kid-friendly spin-off aired in first-run syndication during 1991. The eco-heroic cartoon was canceled after a single 13-episode run.
Sources: Wikipedia
A radioactive meteor mutated bovine farm animals into heroic lawmen who defended the Code of the West against corrupt officials. ABC aired this western action cartoon on Saturday mornings across two seasons from 1992 to 1993. The show hung up its spurs after 26 episodes when corporate network shifts altered the broadcast schedule.
Sources: Wikipedia
We now return you to your regularly scheduled adulthood, but not before you drop a comment letting us know which of these bizarre fever dreams you actually remember. Broadcast this list to your favorite Saturday morning cereal buddy and see if their brain unlocks any lost memories.
The Common Clickbait crew who watch too much so you do not have to. Fueled by nostalgia, cheap snacks, and an unhealthy need to be right about the ending.
Which forgotten cartoon do YOU still remember? Prove us wrong in the comments.
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