Whenever my students think somebody is lying, they'll say, "Cap." For example: I asked Steffany out. "Cap." I found $100 on the street. "Cap." I have an A in Mr. Knight's class. "Cap."
Well, I'm about to say something, and you're welcome to say "Cap" if you want, but I swear it's true: I think the stable of Hanna-Barbera characters are better than the Looney Tunes and Disney characters (that's including Disney princesses) combined. Wanna know why? Well, just check out this list below if you don't believe me.
And mind you, this is just the top ten best characters! Shout out to Dick Dastardly and Muttley (who made the cut in 2020's Scoob!), Josie and the Pussycats, Space Ghost, and the SWAT Kats, who just missed the list.
10. Captain Planet And The Planeteers
Sing it with me. "Captain Planet, he's our hero. Gonna take pollution down to zero." It's really bizarre that a character (with a green mullet, no less) who fought pollution was meant to be cool, but daggum, he was!
It wasn't just him, either. The show was called Captain Planet and the Planeteers, and the five Planeteers — Kwami ("Earth!"), Wheeler ("Fire!") Linka ("Wind!"), Gi ("Water!") and Ma-Ti ("Heart!") — were all awesome. Together, they fought off dastardly villains, like Duke Nukem (Not to be confused with the video game character), Hoggish Greedly, Looten Plunder (subtle), Dr. Blight, and Captain Planet's greatest nemesis, Captain Pollution.
This is one of the greatest Hanna-Barbera shows because it brought genuine awareness to children that adults were destroying our planet, and we, as kids, needed to do something about it. Now, if only that Captain Planet movie would ever come out.
9. Dexter And Dee Dee
Debuting back in 1996, Dexter’s Laboratory was about a boy genius named Dexter, who has a hidden laboratory that his folks don’t know about, and his somewhat dimwitted sister, Dee Dee, who often messed up his plans (though, he messed up his own plans a lot).
Dexter is such a great character because he has such a big head, and Dee Dee is always knocking him off his pedestal. But, not in a mean way. In a lot of ways, the show was a lot more colorful (and sillier) version of Pinky and the Brain, but with some adult jokes mixed in for good measure. What’s not to love?
8. Blossom, Bubbles, And Buttercup
The Powerpuff Girls — Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup — were superheroes created by the “extra ingredient” Chemical X, and we’re all the better for it. The show consisted of their adventures in Townsville, as they fought crime and were often called upon by the mayor, because honestly, who else are you going to call besides super-powered Kindergarteners?
Even though Cartoon Network — which was a subdivision of Hanna-Barbera — debited in 1994, I really consider The Powerpuff Girls, who were popular in the early 2000s, as the group that built the channel. It’s because the trio, who have vastly different personalities, were incredible.
The characters are just so interesting with their abilities and internal bickering that they became an instant success. I’m not sure if I should feel bad that the live-action show was scrapped, but I think they would have been hard pressed to recreate the magic.
7. Jonny Quest, Hadji, Dr. Benton C. Quest, And Roger “Race” Bannon
Jonny Quest, with his best friend and sidekick, Hadji, his father, government scientist, Benton C. Quest, and the special agent, Roger “Race” Bannon were pretty much the coolest team on the planet for kids. They went on adventures together against all manner of villains and creatures (Lizard people, mummies, treasure hunters, you name it!), and always came out victorious.
I knew that the version I grew up with (The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest) was not the original, but I didn’t know that the first show, which I’d seen bits and pieces of, only lasted one season. Production costs were apparently too high back in 1964, and it makes sense, since Jonny Quest, even back then, was just too awesome to be cheap.
It's all about adventure and danger, and it’s one of Hanna-Barbera’s top tier shows since any generation can watch it (though, there might be some questionable content today in regards to different races), and all of the characters are still just as exciting as ever. It’s like James Bond for kids. What could be better?
6. The Smurfs
Do you like the dwarves from Snow White, but wish there were more of them? Well, then I have the show for you, because The Smurfs was essentially just that. In the show, the titular Smurfs, who have names like Clumsy Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, and Smurfette, have little adventures in their community, as they run away from the evil wizard, Gargamel, and his cat. It’s a whole vibe.
I’ll be honest with you. I really hate The Smurfs (which started as a comic, but were really popularized by the Hanna-Barbera cartoon). I find them annoying, and their adventures limited. But, I know that a lot of people really love them, and they’ve lasted for all this time (with multiple movies that my kids like), so I guess I have to put them pretty high on this list. I mean, come on. Who doesn’t know The Smurfs?
5. Yogi Bear And Boo-Boo Bear
Did you know that Yogi Bear is actually a spin-off from The Huckleberry Hound Show? Probably not, since Yogi Bear (and his buddy, Boo-Boo) is infinitely more popular. On the cartoon, Yogi, who lives in JELLYSTONE (I still find that funny) Park, is smarter than the average bear, and is also lazy and likes to steal picnic (or, pic-i-nic) baskets, and annoy Ranger Smith. This happens for pretty much every single episode.
And, it’s great. Yogi is kind of like a more active Garfield, or like a less jerky Foghorn Leghorn, and Boo-Boo is the voice of reason. The two of them make a legendary pairing, and they’re definitely one of the faces of Hanna-Barbera. I wouldn’t quite put them on the Mount Rushmore of H-B characters, but they’re close.
4. The Jetsons
Back in 2015, we wrote about how a Jetsons movie was "back on." In 2023, we still don't have said movie. And you know what? I think that's just fine.
Because the Jetsons family (George, Jane, Judy, Elroy, dog Astro, and robot maid, Rosie) need to be treated with the utmost of care. The show was basically just a normal family, with the jokes centered around what people in the ‘60s thought life would be like in the year 2062. Instead of making it look like the hellscape we're living in today, it looked futuristic, but also a little mundane, which was its charm. Jane, stop this crazy thing!
The Jetsons is one of those shows that everybody of a certain age knows about. They were pretty much the polar opposite of The Flintstones, but they were also able to stand out and not just be a knock off like The Snorks were to The Smurfs. For that, they're legendary.
3. The Flintstones Family And The Rubbles
The Flintstones really will go down in history. It was the first cartoon to ever be shown in primetime. (Take that, The Simpsons!) It wasn’t the first show to ever have a husband and wife sleeping together in the same bed (that honor goes to the first American sitcom, Mary Kay and Johnny), it was still pretty revolutionary to have Fred and Wilma having conversations about their day together in bed in 1960. The Flintstones, like The Jetsons, shows its characters (in the Stone Age) just going through their daily lives, and having funny misadventures with each other.
Honestly, they’re a relatable family (Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles), with their neighborhood friends (Barney, Betty, and Bamm-Bamm), in a sitcom setting, and it just works, both for kids, and adults. As a kid, I probably associated them more with their vitamins and cereal more than their cartoon.
There were two live-action movies (One of which starred John Goodman, though I think it’s pretty bad), but The Flintstones are cartoon royalty, and I’d put them WAY above Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny. I just would.
2. Tom And Jerry
Tom and Jerry are not just a cat and mouse team. They’re THE cat and mouse team. Originally run before movies, Jerry has been annoying Tom, and Tom has been chasing Jerry since 1940. And that’s pretty much all they do.
It’s also all they need to do. These cartoons were funny before I was born, and they’ll still be funny after I die. For two characters who have been doing the same schtick for decades, they sure are timeless. But, I don’t think they’re the best Hanna-Barbera characters. That honor would go to…
1. The Scooby Gang
Scooby-Doo! Where Are You? Is more than just a show. It’s a formula, and, it’s one of the greatest formulas of all time. In it, the Scooby gang ride around in their mystery machine and solve mysteries, and…that’s about it.
But, the characters! In my opinion, the Scooby gang (Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and of course, Scooby-Doo), are just the most iconic characters to ever come out of Hanna-Barbera. They’re all so unique, and, while they could each get their own show, like Velma, they still ultimately need to be together. I think there’s a reason why Scoob! was the first real major movie featuring Hanna-Barbera characters in a long time, and it’s because the Scooby gang are just the best!
What do you think? For more news on all things animation, be sure to swing by here often!
