Top 10 Best Nickelodeon Cartoons and Animated Series

The Top Ten
1 SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series created by marine biologist and animator the late Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. SpongeBob is currently the most popular show on Nickelodeon, as well as the longest running show, running for 23 years, and is beginning its 13th season... read more

To me, it was either The Fairly OddParents or SpongeBob SquarePants. It was a tough choice. I really do like The Fairly OddParents' humor more than SpongeBob's, but SpongeBob has significantly improved its humor compared to seasons 6 to 8. It's improved a lot while The Fairly OddParents has gone way downhill. SpongeBob was funny, had really good plots, and was really creative. But I do kind of miss its inappropriate comedy. (Goodness, I'm spelling words wrong.) SpongeBob was my show throughout my childhood. Sadly, I was born at the end of season 5, so I didn't watch the best episodes. But I still loved them.

2 Avatar: The Last Airbender Avatar: The Last Airbender is an American animated television series that aired for three seasons on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2008. Avatar: The Last Airbender is set in an Asiatic-like world in which some people are able to manipulate the classical elements by use of psychokinetic variants of Chinese... read more

This show is a masterpiece and is more well-rounded, balanced, and developed than most cartoons and live-action shows I've ever seen. I simply cannot express how this show has challenged my way of thinking about our world issues today, including war, violence, racial issues, vengeance, forgiveness, mercy, and many others. The messages this show displays serve not only as a teaching point for children's cartoons but are also incorporated into the plot and character development. For example, one of our heroes, a vegetarian born into a culture of peace and non-violence, faces his own moral dilemma of whether it is right to take another's life. Unlike most other children's cartoons, which would simply use the message as a device to teach children, this show expresses the message through our characters and makes it vital to the plot.

The characters, including the protagonists, antagonists, and even the secondary/minor characters, all undergo development from beginning to end. One antagonist, for instance, starts out as perfect, calculating, and a critical thinker, but eventually dissolves into a psychotic person with trust issues. This perfectly contrasts with her sibling, who begins as an angry, hot-headed antagonist and develops into an honorable man. The characters are not one-dimensional. They make mistakes, learn, re-evaluate their actions, and question themselves and their peers – much like in the real world.

There are so many more elements of this show done exceptionally well. The animation is fluid, the world believable and relatable, and the soundtrack is excellent and epic. What this show gets right is its balance: it's funny when it needs to be, dramatic when necessary, and action-packed at the right moments. There is even an element of romance, which isn't included just for the sake of it, but is vital to the plot once again (last chakra, anyone?). As someone who has seen and loved a show as popular as Game of Thrones, I rate Avatar: The Last... more

3 The Fairly OddParents The Fairly OddParents is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon.

My favorite Nickelodeon show and probably my all-time favorite show. This show practically has everything: Time Travel, physically surfing the internet and TV channels, good moral lessons. The humor never wears off and any age group would enjoy it. The main characters (Cosmo, Wanda, and Timmy) are some of the best main characters in any story. They are extremely humorous and they help you feel better when you're feeling down because they're so emotionally moving.

This show is cool. I started watching it in August of last year and thought it was great. However, I think it should have ended after its 8th season because after that, Sparky the dog came along, and then Chloe arrived. I also think that if the live-action movie was better, it would have made a great series finale.

4 Rugrats Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon.

One of the very first Nickelodeon original shows on the channel, Rugrats is a literal classic. It ran for nine seasons and is filled with great humor, showcasing how babies might understand the world around them, what their parents are talking about, and just their own imaginations, embarking on their own adventures. I can honestly say that, unlike SpongeBob and Fairly Odd Parents, which also had very long runs on Nickelodeon, Rugrats never seemed to lose its quality over its runtime through the years. It stayed fresh with good new characters introduced in the show, and they were likable as well. Moreover, it was the first show to have a spinoff series on Nickelodeon. Just done really well and is another favorite. Voted up.

5 Hey Arnold! Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett that aired on Nickelodeon from October 7, 1996 to June 8, 2004. The show centers on a fourth grader named Arnold, who lives with his grandparents in an inner-city boarding house.

This show is the best Nickelodeon show ever! I was so devastated when it ended, and when The Jungle Movie and The Patakis were cancelled. Nickelodeon needs to bring back this show because it would be good for their channel, and many people will love it! I recently bought the complete series on DVD, and it's amazing! I love it so much! I just hope one day they bring the show back and continue it where they left off, or make the characters older and create a show about it! But I hope if they do it, that Arnold does not move away because that would suck, as he is one of the best characters along with Helga. But this show definitely deserves more love and a continuation.

6 Invader Zim Invader Zim is an American animated television series created by Jhonen Vasquez for Nickelodeon. The series centers on an extraterrestrial named Zim from the planet Irk, and his mission to conquer Earth and enslave the human race along with his malfunctioning robot servant GIR.

Invader ZIM is by far the best cartoon I have ever seen on any channel. It has always made me laugh. The characters are so memorable, and the show itself is just so creative and humorous. Dib has always been my favorite character, but I also love Zim, the Tallests (they are just too funny), and Gir. The animation is beautiful.

All the other shows on Nickelodeon are terrible, and even SpongeBob is losing its spark. The first 1-3 seasons of SpongeBob were great, and the movie was amazing, but after the movie, it all went slowly downhill. Invader Zim never loses its spark.

7 The Loud House The Loud House is an American animated television series created by Chris Savino for Nickelodeon. The series revolves around the chaotic suburban everyday life of a boy named Lincoln Loud and his ten sisters, to which he survives as the middle child and only son in a large family of eleven children... read more

I love The Loud House! It's easily one of the best cartoons currently airing on Nickelodeon. I mean, it actually beat SpongeBob SquarePants in the ratings! Is that enough proof for you? (I have nothing against SpongeBob SquarePants, though.) The setup is good, the voice acting is great, the animation is just fantastic (I love how it's in the style of old 80's comic strips), and the characters are both fun and lovable. My personal favorites are Leni, Luna, Lincoln, Lily, Lana, Lynn, and Lori. The music is awesome too.

It should certainly replace Fairly Odd Parents in the Top 10 part of the list, since that show has obviously lost its charm and likability after its fifth season. I mean, even the newest episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants (post-Sponge Out of Water) are doing better than the modern episodes of Fairly Odd Parents.

8 Danny Phantom Danny Phantom is an American animated series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon. It was produced by Billionfold Studios and distributed in Canada by Nelvana, a Canadian animation company. The series follows a teenage boy who, after an accident with an unpredictable portal between the human world... read more

Awesome show, my personal favorite, but in all honesty, I hope it doesn't return for a fourth season. Don't get me wrong, I would love to see what happens next. For instance, how does Danny and Sam's relationship work out? Is it possible for Vlad to return? Does Dani Phantom get adopted by Danny's family? The list goes on.

However, we all need to take a good look at what Nickelodeon has become. The new art styles are horrendous, and the writers couldn't write a good episode if they tried. In fact, it seems like they don't try to write good episodes at all. Bringing shows back hasn't been a good idea for a long time. Look at what they did to Jimmy Neutron, or the Rugrats (not All Grown Up, I mean the preschool days thing). They turned them into terrible "shows" that barely lasted a full season. I love Jimmy Neutron and the Rugrats, and when they remade those shows, they lost so many fans.

They might have a chance to bring the show back, but they are most likely going to screw it up. Personally, I love this show just the way it is.

9 The Ren & Stimpy Show The Ren & Stimpy Show, often simply referred to as Ren & Stimpy, is an American animated television series created by John Kricfalusi for Nickelodeon.

What?! This deserves to be in the top five! Predictably, SpongeBob is number 1. Man, some people need to watch the 90's. I know it's the past, but Nickelodeon was great back then, much better than it is now. Ren and Stimpy was AWESOME! Much better than Sanjay and Craig, or The Fairly OddParents. I know when John left, it went WAY downhill, but still. Give it SOME credit for the first two years. This show never failed to make me laugh.

If only the new SpongeBob was as merciful...

I love Ren and Stimpy. It's easily one of the most interesting cartoons ever, with lots of gross-out humor, hilarious facial expressions, and the wild and psychopathic Ren, along with his pal the lovable dunderhead Stimpy. Ren and Stimpy are a fun duo that go on so many wacky adventures, and it just never seems to end well for them. Also, gotta love the show for being the inspiration for SpongeBob.

10 CatDog CatDog is an American animated television series created by Peter Hannan for Nickelodeon. The series depicts the life of conjoined brothers, with one half being a cat and the other a dog.

This cartoon is decent. There's nothing exceptionally good about it, and there's nothing exceptionally bad. The comedy sometimes works. And to be honest, the characters in this show have been seen in many other shows, sometimes being done better. On top of that, most of the characters are somewhat forgettable. Does it deserve a top ten spot? Certainly not.

I love CatDog. The concept of this show is cool, yet kind of disturbing at the same time. Nevertheless, this is one of the most fun cartoons Nick has to offer, in my opinion.

The Contenders
11 Rocko's Modern Life Rocko's Modern Life is an American animated television series created by Joe Murray for Nickelodeon. The series centers on the surreal life of an anthropomorphic Australian-immigrant wallaby named Rocko as well as his friends: the gluttonous steer Heffer, the neurotic turtle Filburt, and Rocko's faithful... read more

I remember watching this show as a kid, and many years later, I still think it holds up. The animation is great, the jokes are funny, the characters are both memorable and hilarious, and the music is awesome. Honestly, it's my number one favorite Nicktoon. However, I really wish people would stop talking about how it's not a kids' show, possibly due to innuendos. So what? It's still enjoyable to watch!

I also still find it amazing that some of the writers for this show were the same people behind SpongeBob SquarePants and Phineas and Ferb. It's no wonder why I like those two shows!

12 The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius is an American computer animated television series created by John A. Davis. It is the first spin-off to the 2001 film Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

My favorite cartoon of all time is The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. I just rewatched the first episode in years, and it was so good that I binged the entire series in a couple of weeks. I am heartbroken that it only lasted three seasons.

One of the only shows that actually got better as the series progressed, it's also one of the few that have plot points continuing throughout the series. Too many shows nowadays don't follow a storyline and just make random episodes that have nothing to do with the previous ones. Please bring back Jimmy Neutron.

13 The Legend of Korra The Legend of Korra is an American animated television series that aired on the Nickelodeon television network from 2012 to 2014. It was created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino as a sequel to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

I loved this show almost as much as Avatar: The Last Airbender. It had themes that ran deeper than most shows on the network. It was awesome! It is such a shame that Nickelodeon mistreated a show that had so much potential.

I like this show as much as I liked Avatar: The Last Airbender. Everything that made that show awesome is in here, only this show has a lot more bending action, which makes this show more fun to watch.

I love The Legend of Korra, but I still think The Last Airbender is better! I recommend this show. To fully understand it, I think people should watch The Last Airbender first and then The Legend of Korra. This show is amazing!

14 My Life As a Teenage Robot My Life as a Teenage Robot is an American animated science fantasy television series created by Rob Renzetti for Nickelodeon.

This show must be in the top tens, not 25. It is one of the most unique series that I have seen. It is one of the first Nicktoons to add some action. It has beautiful animation, likable characters, good morals, and plenty of action. Without My Life as a Teenage Robot, there would not be Danny Phantom or Avatar. It deserves more credit for being one of the first action cartoons and girl power series on Nickelodeon.

This needs to be in the top ten. My Life As a Teenage Robot is amazing. The adventures are zany and exciting, the villains always set up interesting situations, and the characters are hilarious. Overall, it is one of the most clever cartoons I've ever seen in my life.

15 The Angry Beavers The Angry Beavers is an American animated television series created by Mitch Schauer for the Nickelodeon Channel The series revolves around Daggett and Norbert Beaver, two young beaver brothers who have left their home to become bachelors in the forest near the fictional Wayouttatown, Oregon.

I love this show. These two brothers are a funny duo.

This should be number 1. Why wasn't it in the top 10?

This is one of the funniest shows. It should be in the top 5, but unfortunately, Nick cancelled it.

16 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American 3D rendered computer animated television series based on the fictional superhero team. It aired on Nickelodeon in the United States from September 29, 2012 to November 12, 2017.

TMNT is the best show ever, and I am a giant fan. I have always loved those turtles and always will! It deserves to be number one because of its amazing story, animation, and voice cast. I am a girl, and I love it! Also, I love Mikey. He is my favorite character ever, and I think he is the cutest! TMNT forever!

This show is amazing! It should be number 1. My brother, cousins, and I love it, and I'm a girl. We have watched every episode so far, up to the most recent one. I like Raph, my brother likes Mikey, my oldest cousin loves Leo, and my younger cousin loves Donnie.

17 As Told By Ginger As Told by Ginger is an American animated television series aimed at teenagers, produced by Klasky-Csupo and aired on Nickelodeon.

Always enjoyed shows like this, Daria, and Pelswick.

I really can't believe that "As Told By Ginger" (ATBG) is only in 20th place. This proves to me again that this "cartoon" (personally, I prefer "animated series" because I feel like this one deserves more than just the word "cartoon") is way too underrated. The storylines are something that teenagers can actually relate to. Even I, as a 17-year-old, can still relate to some of the problems Ginger and her friends face. For example, drinking too much coffee in order to stay up to study, but then falling asleep at school.

The animation itself is amazing: characters actually have five fingers, instead of four, which is common for cartoon characters. Characters have an entire wardrobe instead of just one outfit for the entire series. The mood in some of the scenes gives me goosebumps, such as the scene where Ginger reads her "And She Was Gone" poem.

Conclusion: Vote ATBG up, people! It deserves way better than 20th place and only 0.06% of your votes!

18 Doug Doug is an American animated sitcom created by Jim Jinkins. The show focuses on the early adolescent life of its title character, Douglas "Doug" Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington. Doug narrates each story in his journal, and the show... read more

This show should be in the top 2. The problem is, the majority of the people voting on this grew up in the 2000s and have no idea what a good cartoon is. Shows from the '90s wipe the floor with later cartoons.

How shows like Fanboy and Chum Chum and T.U.F.F. Puppy are above Doug is a complete blasphemy. How Doug is rated at number 33 is even worse.

This should be in the top 5 at the very least! It was one of many great shows growing up. The '90s cartoons, what an era!

19 Rocket Power Rocket Power is an American animated television series. The series debuted on Nickelodeon on August 16, 1999. The series ended on July 30, 2004 after four seasons.

If you think this show is bad, you're dreaming. The theme is good, the animation is good, and I had no idea why it got cancelled. Also, play the Rocket Power video games on GameCube and GameBoy.

Absolute best cartoon of all time. I love watching it with my kids. Can't wait for a new one. So sad to see it go off the air!

Good cartoon, but it needs more Patrice to become the best. Please give a response. Thank you very much.

From all cartoons fan

20 T.U.F.F. Puppy T.U.F.F. Puppy is a cartoon created by Butch Hartman. It ran on Nickelodeon from October 2, 2010 until April 4, 2015. It focused on Dudley Puppy and his partner Kitty Katswell as they protected Petropolis under the Turbo Undercover Fighting Force, or T.U.F.F.

I love this show. It's Butch Hartman's work I most love. The universe, which consists of anthropomorphic animals, action, and adventure, resembles Zootopia and Sly Cooper. The characters are very well-made, and the bad guys are funny. The show was successful without needing magic (like The Fairly OddParents) or superpowers (like Danny Phantom), relying only on crime-fighting and science fiction. The show is decent and suitable for children, not to mention it has beautiful parts in some of the episodes involving the emotions of the characters. It deserves more seasons.

21 Aaahh!!! Real Monsters Aaahh!!! Real Monsters is an American animated television series developed by Klasky Csupo for Nickelodeon.

I love this show so much! In my opinion, it's funnier than Monsters Inc.

22 The Wild Thornberrys The Wild Thornberrys is an American animated television series that aired on Nickelodeon. It was rerun in the United States on Nickelodeon and occasionally Nicktoons until November 1, 2007. The show returned to The '90s Are All That for one night, and aired on March 21, 2013. The show aired on Nicktoonsters... read more

The Wild Thornberrys are cool! It's based on a comedian named Marvin, his son Nigel, and their crew, which includes a camerawoman named Lorraine, a grunge cartoonist named Deborah, a nature and myth geek named Elizabeth, a strange boy named Donnie, and a clever ape named Darwin.

This cartoon was fun to watch since Eliza is an adventurous girl who likes to get herself into dangerous situations. The show also has the bonus of being pretty educational. And you just gotta love Nigel Thornberry. He is such a lovable dude.

23 Harvey Beaks Harvey Beaks is an American animated television series created by C.H. Greenblatt for Nickelodeon. Originally announced to premiere on March 29, 2015, the series instead premiered on March 28, 2015 following the 2015 Kids' Choice Awards.

Harvey Beaks was a beautiful, fun cartoon. This and Loud House show that Nickelodeon is rising up to rival Cartoon Network again. So, Harvey Beaks!

I really liked this show, but I feel sorry for it being screwed by Nickelodeon's "corporate" employees.

It's a very charming show with a cool art style and lovable characters.

24 The Casagrandes

It's one of the spinoffs that were actually good.

25 Catscratch Catscratch is an American animated television series created by Doug TenNapel (also known for creating Earthworm Jim). It was aired on both Nickelodeon and Nicktoons on July 9, 2005 and ended February 10, 2007. It is an adaptation of TenNapel's graphic novel, Gear, which is also the name of the cats'... read more

Another really underrated cartoon that was never given the chance it deserved. The three main characters are fun to watch, as they all have such great personalities and work well off each other. The episodes were so incredibly creative.

I've loved Catscratch my whole life. I was so sad when it ended. Every character is funny, especially Waffle. This should be higher!

I really love this show. The plot is perfect, the jokes are funny, the theme song is so catchy, and the characters are cute! Why didn't it get a DVD release?

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