ABC's Saturday morning shows don't share a story, so this nostalgia marathon runs in premiere order, from Schoolhouse Rock! and Super Friends (1973) through The Real Ghostbusters and Pirates of Dark Water to Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997 to 2002): Recess, Pepper Ann, Doug and The Weekenders.
- Titles
- 22
- Series
- 22
- Watch time
- 572 hours
- Avg IMDb
- 7.3
ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows in release order
Here is every ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon title in the order it came out, 1973 to 2002: 0 films and 22 series.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schoolhouse Rock! | 1973 | Series | 3h 18m | 8.2 |
| 2 | Super Friends | 1973 | Series | 99h 57m | 7.2 |
| 3 | The Scooby-Doo Show | 1976 | Series | 15h 46m | 7.7 |
| 4 | The Real Ghostbusters | 1986 | Series | 58h 40m | 7.6 |
| 5 | Pound Puppies | 1986 | Series | 18h | 6.4 |
| 6 | The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh | 1988 | Series | 18h 38m | 7.6 |
| 7 | Beetlejuice | 1989 | Series | 34h 28m | 7.3 |
| 8 | The Pirates of Dark Water | 1991 | Series | 10h 30m | 8.2 |
| 9 | Sonic the Hedgehog | 1993 | Series | 9h 32m | 6.8 |
| 10 | Bump in the Night | 1994 | Series | 32h 18m | 8 |
| 11 | ReBoot | 1994 | Series | 23h 30m | 7.9 |
| 12 | Mighty Ducks | 1996 | Series | 10h 50m | 6.5 |
| 13 | Brand Spanking New! Doug | 1996 | Series | 46h 48m | 6.6 |
| 14 | Recess | 1997 | Series | 23h 50m | 7.8 |
| 15 | Pepper Ann | 1997 | Series | 23h 50m | 7.1 |
| 16 | 101 Dalmatians: The Series | 1997 | Series | 38h 30m | 6.1 |
| 17 | Hercules | 1998 | Series | 24h 55m | 6.6 |
| 18 | The Weekenders | 2000 | Series | 14h 18m | 8 |
| 19 | Teacher's Pet | 2000 | Series | 14h 49m | 6.2 |
| 20 | Lloyd in Space | 2001 | Series | 14h 18m | 6.7 |
| 21 | House of Mouse | 2001 | Series | 26h | 7.5 |
| 22 | Fillmore! | 2002 | Series | 9h 32m | 7.6 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For ABC Saturday Morning Cartoons, release order and story order are the same thing: every series picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Schoolhouse Rock! and go in release order.
The whole thing is 572 hours. At two hours a night that is about 287 evenings.
The three highest rated: Schoolhouse Rock! (8.2), The Pirates of Dark Water (8.2), and Bump in the Night (8).
Every ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon title, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1973 · Series · 3h 18m
Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock! is an American interstitial programming series of animated musical educational short films that aired during the Saturday morning children's programming on the U.S. television network ABC. The topics covered included grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and civics. The series' original run lasted from 1973 to 1985, and was later revived with both old and new episodes airing from 1993 to 1999. Additional episodes were produced as recently as 2009 for direct-to-video release.
Why it matters: Three-minute animated songs teaching grammar, math, civics and science between cartoons.
- Starring
- Grady Tate, Essra Mohawk, and Lynn Ahrens
- Scores
- IMDb 8.2
- Episodes
- 65 across 7 seasons
No. 02 · 1973 · Series · 99h 57m
Super Friends
The most powerful heroes ever--Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Batman and Robin--join forces with teenagers Wendy and Marvin and their dog, Marvel the Wonderdog, to defend justice and guard the innocent.
Why it matters: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman at the Hall of Justice.
- Starring
- Danny Dark, Casey Kasem, and Shannon Farnon
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2
- Episodes
- 109 across 9 seasons
No. 03 · 1976 · Series · 15h 46m
The Scooby-Doo Show
Join Scooby-Doo and the gang in their various adventures in this compilation series including episodes from the Scooby-Doo Where Are You.
Why it matters: More classic-style mysteries, with Scooby's cousins along for some.
- Starring
- Bob Holt, Allan Melvin, and Micky Dolenz
- Creator
- Joe Ruby, Ken Spears, and Joseph Barbera
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7
- Episodes
- 40 across 3 seasons
No. 04 · 1986 · Series · 58h 40m
The Real Ghostbusters
The continuing adventures of paranormal investigators Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Egon Spengler, Dr. Ray Stantz, Winston Zeddemore, their secretary Janine Melnitz and their mascot ghost Slimer.
Why it matters: The cartoon continuation; optional.
- Starring
- Maurice LaMarche, Frank Welker, and Arsenio Hall
- Creator
- Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6
- Episodes
- 140 across 7 seasons
No. 05 · 1986 · Series · 18h
Pound Puppies
Five puppies living at a dog pound help other canines find good homes while posing as normal dogs.
Why it matters: A girl named Holly and a pack of talking dogs outwit her dog-hating aunt at the pound.
- Starring
- Adrienne Alexander, Ruth Buzzi, and Nancy Cartwright
- Scores
- IMDb 6.4
- Episodes
- 36 across 2 seasons
No. 06 · 1988 · Series · 18h 38m
The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
An American animated children's television series inspired by A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories.
Why it matters: Pooh, Piglet, Tigger and Christopher Robin share everyday adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood.
- Starring
- John Fiedler, Ken Sansom, and Jim Cummings
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6
- Episodes
- 82 across 4 seasons
No. 07 · 1989 · Series · 34h 28m
Beetlejuice
The adventures of preteen goth Lydia Deetz and her undead friend Beetlejuice as they explore The Neitherworld, a wacky afterlife realm inhabited by monsters, ghosts, ghouls and zombies.
Why it matters: Goth girl Lydia Deetz and her ghost friend Beetlejuice cause chaos in the Neitherworld.
- Starring
- Stephen Ouimette, Alyson Court, and Tabitha St. Germain
- Creator
- Tim Burton and David Geffen
- Scores
- IMDb 7.3
- Episodes
- 109 across 4 seasons
No. 08 · 1991 · Series · 10h 30m
The Pirates of Dark Water
When Ren, a young son of a lighthouse keeper, rescues a stranger foundering in the rocks near his home, he learns the man was an aide to his true father, a great King. Ren is given a magic compass crystal that guides him to a dragon who shows him that the only way to claim his heritage is to find the Thirteen Treasures of Rule. Unfortunately, a pirate ship captained by the evil Bloth is also aware of this treasure and is relentlessly pursuing Ren for it. On his side, Ren soon acquires companions like Ioz the Pirate, Tula the Eco-Mage, and Niddler the Monkey-Bird, who help him in his quest. That quest becomes all the more urgent when Ren learns that the Dark Water, a carnivorous form of water that consumes anything it snares, threatens to envelope and destroy his world and only the treasures he seeks can stop it.
Why it matters: Ren searches for the Thirteen Treasures of Rule to stop the Dark Water.
- Starring
- George Newbern, Brock Peters, and Héctor Elizondo
- Creator
- David Kirschner
- Scores
- IMDb 8.2
- Episodes
- 21 across 2 seasons
No. 09 · 1993 · Series · 9h 32m
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic, Tails, Princess Sally, and a band of freedom fighters battle to overthrow Dr. Robotnik, a despotic dictator who conquered their home planet Mobius years ago, and rules it as a polluted industrial dystopia.
Why it matters: Sonic and the Freedom Fighters against Robotnik; darker than the games.
- Starring
- Jaleel White, Kath Soucie, and Bradley Pierce
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8
- Episodes
- 26 across 2 seasons
No. 10 · 1994 · Series · 32h 18m
Bump in the Night
Bumpy, an energetic sock-eating monster who lives under a boy's bed, is constantly getting into mischief, with his friends Squishington and Molly Coddle.
Why it matters: A sock-eating monster under a boy's bed and his friends get into trouble at night.
- Starring
- Jim Cummings, Gail Matthius, and Rob Paulsen
- Creator
- Ken Pontac and David Bleiman Ichioka
- Scores
- IMDb 8
- Episodes
- 65 across 2 seasons
No. 11 · 1994 · Series · 23h 30m
ReBoot
Bob, a guardian from the Super Computer, helped by his friends Dot, Enzo, and dog Frisket, defend the digital city of Mainframe from evil computer viruses that seek to dominate the city and infect the entire net.
Why it matters: Guardian Bob protects Mainframe from viruses inside a computer; early CGI.
- Starring
- Kathleen Barr, Michael Donovan, and Shirley Milliner
- Creator
- John Grace, Philip Mitchell, Gavin Blair, and Ian Pearson
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 47 across 4 seasons
No. 12 · 1996 · Series · 10h 50m
Mighty Ducks
Puckworld is home to a race of hockey-loving humanoid ducks. When the sinister Dragaunus takes over the planet, a band of determined rebels, The Mighty Ducks, manage to chase him from the planet. During the fight, they are caught in a dimensional portal and end up stranded in Anaheim, CA. The Ducks form a hockey team and build a secret base under the Anaheim Pond so they can continue to fight Dragaunus and hopefully find a way home.
Why it matters: Alien hockey-playing ducks defend Anaheim from the reptilian Saurians.
- Starring
- Jeff Bennett, Brad Garrett, and Jennifer Hale
- Creator
- Marty Isenberg, Robert N. Skir, and David Wise
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5
- Episodes
- 26
No. 13 · 1996 · Series · 46h 48m
Brand Spanking New! Doug
Doug Funnie experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington, Virginia.
Why it matters: Doug Funnie starts seventh grade in Bluffington in Disney's continuation of Doug.
- Starring
- Constance Shulman, Doug Preis, and Alice Playten
- Creator
- Jim Jinkins
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6
- Episodes
- 166 across 7 seasons
No. 14 · 1997 · Series · 23h 50m
Recess
Join a group of six fourth-grade best friends at Third Street Elementary School on their fun-filled adventures in their school playground. Through the ups-and-downs of adolescence, they must wrestle with authority, avoid the school snitch, and try their best to win at kick-ball.
Why it matters: TJ Detweiler and friends rule the playground at Third Street School.
- Starring
- Rickey D'Shon Collins, Pamela Adlon, and Ashley Johnson
- Creator
- Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8
- Episodes
- 127 across 6 seasons
No. 15 · 1997 · Series · 23h 50m
Pepper Ann
The quirky adventures of Pepper Ann, a 12-year-old girl trying to get through life with her family and friends.
Why it matters: A 12-year-old's seventh-grade life, mostly in her imagination.
- Starring
- Kathleen Wilhoite, Danny Cooksey, and Clea Lewis
- Creator
- Sue Rose
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1
- Episodes
- 113 across 5 seasons
No. 16 · 1997 · Series · 38h 30m
101 Dalmatians: The Series
After foiling Cruella DeVil's plot to make a fur coat with the puppies' skins, the Dearly Family (Roger and Anita Dearly, Nanny, Pongo, Perdita, their 15 birth puppies and 84 adopted puppies) move to a new farm home in the country. Join Pongo and Perdy's pups, brave Lucky, tubby Rolly and Cadpig the runt, together with their chicken friend Spot, as they defend their new home from Cruella DeVil (Anita's boss and now new neighbor), continually get in and out of trouble, sneak into Grutely, and have all sorts of crazy adventures around the farm. Also along for the fun is Tripod, Patch, Two-Tone, Wizzer, Dipstick, Mooch, and the rest of their barnyard friends.
Why it matters: Lucky, Rolly and Cadpig grow up on the Dearly Farm while Cruella plots to take it.
- Starring
- Kath Soucie, Tara Strong, and Jeff Bennett
- Creator
- Jim Jinkins
- Scores
- IMDb 6.1
- Episodes
- 105 across 2 seasons
No. 17 · 1998 · Series · 24h 55m
Hercules
Follow Herc's many labors during the years he spent training on how to be a hero under the tutelage of satyr Phil. Many of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses pay visit to the young hero-to-be and help or hinder him in his new adventures.
Why it matters: Teenage Hercules trains to be a hero at the Prometheus Academy before the film.
- Starring
- Tate Donovan, French Stewart, and Sandra Bernhard
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6
- Episodes
- 65
No. 18 · 2000 · Series · 14h 18m
The Weekenders
Four friends, Tino, Carver, Lor, and Tish, spend each weekend discovering and creating new levels of fun, while negotiating the obligatory obstacles of adolescence.
Why it matters: Four seventh graders make the most of every weekend in Bahia Bay.
- Starring
- Jason Marsden, Grey DeLisle, and Phil LaMarr
- Creator
- Doug Langdale
- Scores
- IMDb 8
- Episodes
- 73 across 4 seasons
No. 19 · 2000 · Series · 14h 49m
Teacher's Pet
Tired of being a dog, Spot the Dog disguises himself as a boy named Scott and goes to school! With the help of his owner, Leonard, the duo try to keep his deception a secret.
Why it matters: A dog disguises himself as a boy and joins his owner's fourth-grade class.
- Starring
- Nathan Lane, Cree Summer, and David Ogden Stiers
- Creator
- Gary Baseman, Bill Steinkellner, and Cherie Steinkellner
- Scores
- IMDb 6.2
- Episodes
- 47 across 2 seasons
No. 20 · 2001 · Series · 14h 18m
Lloyd in Space
Lloyd in Space is an animated television series, created by Joe Ansolabehere and Paul Germain, and released in 2001 on ABC-TV on Saturday mornings. The pilot was written by Ansolabehere, Germain and Mark Drop. The characters were designed by Eric Keyes.
Why it matters: A 13-year-old alien navigates middle school on a space station his mother runs.
- Starring
- Courtland Mead, Nicolette Little, and April Winchell
- Creator
- Paul Germain and Joe Ansolabehere
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7
- Episodes
- 39 across 4 seasons
No. 21 · 2001 · Series · 26h
House of Mouse
A very-recognizable audience of Disney animated characters gather into the House of Mouse nightclub to enjoy musical guests, cartoon shorts and Master of Ceremonies Mickey Mouse's comical introductions from the stage.
Why it matters: Mickey runs a nightclub where Disney's animated characters come to watch cartoons.
- Starring
- Wayne Allwine, Bill Farmer, and Russi Taylor
- Creator
- Peter Montgomery
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5
- Episodes
- 52 across 3 seasons
No. 22 · 2002 · Series · 9h 32m
Fillmore!
Former delinquent Cornelius Fillmore saw the light, and now fights on the side of justice at X Middle School. Joining him is Ingrid Third, who has a photographic memory. Together, Fillmore and Third fight all those who attempt to break the rules at X, all while keeping Jr. Commissioner Vallejo off their backs and trying to please the school's overly-image-conscious Principal Folsom. Fillmore! is an American animated television series which was produced by Walt Disney Television Animation. The series was created by Scott M. Gimple and directed by Christian Roman. It was the last series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation alone, without association with Disney Channel.
Why it matters: A reformed delinquent cracks cases on his middle school's safety patrol.
- Starring
- Orlando Brown, Tara Strong, and Horatio Sanz
- Creator
- Scott M. Gimple
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6
- Episodes
- 26 across 2 seasons
The best and worst rated ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows
Across 22 rated titles, ABC Saturday Morning Cartoons averages 7.3 on IMDb. The top of the list is Schoolhouse Rock! at 8.2, then The Pirates of Dark Water (8.2) and Bump in the Night (8). At the bottom: 101 Dalmatians: The Series (6.1) and Teacher's Pet (6.2).
- Schoolhouse Rock!8.2
- The Pirates of Dark Water8.2
- Bump in the Night8
- The Weekenders8
- ReBoot7.9
- Recess7.8
- The Scooby-Doo Show7.7
- The Real Ghostbusters7.6
- The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh7.6
- Fillmore!7.6
Who appears in the most ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows
Frank Welker leads with 6 appearances as Toyman and Ray Stantz, ahead of April Winchell (6) and Kath Soucie (5). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Welker | Toyman / Ray Stantz | 6 | Super Friends (1973) to Hercules (1998) |
| April Winchell | The Princess / Tanya | 6 | Bump in the Night (1994) to Lloyd in Space (2001) |
| Kath Soucie | Janine Melnitz / Sally Acorn | 5 | The Real Ghostbusters (1986) to The Weekenders (2000) |
| Cree Summer | Dulcy / Tessa and Vanessa James | 5 | Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) to Teacher's Pet (2000) |
| Jeff Bennett | Gloog / Duke | 5 | Bump in the Night (1994) to The Weekenders (2000) |
| Tara Strong | Claire Brewster / Spot | 4 | Beetlejuice (1989) to Fillmore! (2002) |
| Jim Cummings | Winnie-the-Pooh / Robotnik | 3 | The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1988) to Bump in the Night (1994) |
| Rob Paulsen | Antoine / Squishington | 3 | Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) to Teacher's Pet (2000) |
| Anndi McAfee | Little Sis / Ashley 'Ashley A' Armbruster | 3 | Bump in the Night (1994) to Lloyd in Space (2001) |
| Pamela Adlon | Ashley Spinelli / Moose | 3 | Recess (1997) to 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997) |
| Charlie Adler | Osiris / Snively | 2 | The Real Ghostbusters (1986) to Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) |
| B.J. Ward | Kate / Motorcycle Ghost | 2 | The Real Ghostbusters (1986) to Pound Puppies (1986) |
ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon directors and creators
27 filmmakers have directed or created ABC Saturday Morning Cartoons; Jim Jinkins has the most, with 2.
- Jim JinkinsBrand Spanking New! Doug (1996) and 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997)
- Paul GermainRecess (1997) and Lloyd in Space (2001)
- Joe AnsolabehereRecess (1997) and Lloyd in Space (2001)
- Joe RubyThe Scooby-Doo Show (1976)
- Ken SpearsThe Scooby-Doo Show (1976)
- Joseph BarberaThe Scooby-Doo Show (1976)
- Dan AykroydThe Real Ghostbusters (1986)
- Harold RamisThe Real Ghostbusters (1986)
- Tim BurtonBeetlejuice (1989)
- David GeffenBeetlejuice (1989)
- David KirschnerThe Pirates of Dark Water (1991)
- Ken PontacBump in the Night (1994)
- David Bleiman IchiokaBump in the Night (1994)
- John GraceReBoot (1994)
- Philip MitchellReBoot (1994)
- Gavin BlairReBoot (1994)
How long it takes to watch every ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon show
All 22 titles add up to 572 hours. That is about 287 two-hour evenings, or 58 days of ten-hour binges.
Start the first series and see if it hooks you.
Everything takes about 19 months.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows in?
ABC's Saturday morning shows don't share a story, so this nostalgia marathon runs in premiere order, from Schoolhouse Rock! and Super Friends (1973) through The Real Ghostbusters and Pirates of Dark Water to Disney's One Saturday Morning (1997 to 2002): Recess, Pepper Ann, Doug and The Weekenders.
How many ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon movies and shows are there?
There are 22 titles in the ABC Saturday Morning Cartoons franchise: 0 films and 22 series, released from 1973 to 2002.
How long does it take to watch all the ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows?
About 572 hours for all 22 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon title in chronological order?
Schoolhouse Rock!, set in Three-minute songs. In release order the first is Schoolhouse Rock! (1973).
What is the best ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon title?
By IMDb score, Schoolhouse Rock! (1973) at 8.2, followed by The Pirates of Dark Water at 8.2.
Who has appeared in the most ABC Saturday Morning Cartoon shows?
Frank Welker, in 6 of them as Toyman.
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