Top 10 Cartoons That Went Downhill But Still Remained Good

The Top Ten
1 Phineas and Ferb Phineas and Ferb is an American animated comedy-musical television series. Originally broadcast as a one-episode preview on August 17, 2007 and again previewed on September 28, 2007, the series officially premiered on February 1, 2008 and ended on June 12, 2015 on Disney Channel, and follows Phineas Flynn and his British stepbrother Ferb Fletcher on summer vacation.

Several episodes of season 4 either stuck too close to the formula or tried too hard to be bizarre. However, it was still funny overall and didn't overstay it's welcome like certain other shows. You will be missed, Phineas and Ferb!

Phineas and Ferb set a good example that should be followed by other cartoons: end the show before it gets bad, keep it good, fresh, and fun!

I guess it was still good when the formula was wearing thin. Season 4 did manage to balance it out a bit from what I saw.

This cartoon was good from the beginning to the end

2 Regular Show Regular Show is an American animated television series created by J. G. Quintel for Cartoon Network that premiered on September 6, 2010. The series revolves around the lives of two friends, a blue jay named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby—both employed as groundskeepers at a local park.

There's some good episodes but the repetitive plots (like the one the writers need to recycled such as Mordecai and Rigby breaking something and must fix it) and the romance dominate the show a lot for a bit and it hurts my perfect score. The last season will manage to make it up, though.

I like the romance in the show but it began consuming the show in later seasons. I want to watch Regular Show not Degrassi! Luckily, the show has gone back to it's routs in season 7 while still developing the characters.

This show REALLY overstayed its welcome. It has WAY too many episodes for a Cartoon Network show. Yes, not as much as Adventure Time, but still!

It changed because when they went to Space it got boring Season 1-5: Alright Season 6-8: Really boring. It just got less funny.

3 My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic is an animated children's television series based on the fourth incarnation of Hasbro's My Little Pony franchise. The show follows a studious unicorn (later an alicorn) pony named Twilight Sparkle (Tara Strong) and her friends Applejack (Ashleigh Ball), Rarity (Tabitha ...read more.

I know several people will disagree but I found season 5 underwhelming compared to the previous seasons. Sure, there were some AMAZING episodes (such as "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" and "Amending Fences"). However, there was too much fan pandering (even though I like Slice of Life), too many predictable plots, flanderization, lazier character designs, too many pop culture references, weaker humor, and rehashed ideas. It's good but it feels like a different show to me. We'll see how Season 6 plays out.

Personally, I think MLP continues to put of great episodes even in season 7, 150 episodes in. At the same time, I don't like how Starlight has replaced Twilight as the show's prominent character. She just isn't interesting in the slightest.

The first 5-6 seasons are good, but season 8 was atrocious and season 9 might be the worst season of any cartoon in history. MLP definitely did not remain good.

Season 6 was incredibly underwhelming, but Season 7 is mostly a return to form.

4 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. The show revolves around a sea sponge called SpongeBob SquarePants and his adventures under the sea. The show is considered to be one of the best Nickelodeon and cartoon shows of all time.

Some of the newer episodes were pretty bad, and I haven't seen the last season, but I heard it was better.

I'll pick SpongeBob, only because it did went downhill and got better again. Hope it stays that way.

It may have gone downhill-I personally don't believe that-but it never became BAD.

Well, it's better now than it was back when One Coarse Meal and A Pal For Gary aired.

5 Dexter's Laboratory Dexter's Laboratory is an American comic science fiction animated television series created by Genndy Tartakovsky for Cartoon Network, and the first of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. The show is about a kid scientist named Dexter that has a sister named Dee Dee that keeps breaking into his lab.

While some episodes were bad, I think the later episodes also have a lot of really interesting and funny episodes.

While more meh than actually good, the Chris Savino-era wasn't as bad as people make it out to be. Dexter's Wacky Races was awesome!

At least Chris Savino tried to stay true to the Genndy Tartakovsky era compared to what Elliot Blake did to Space Ghost Coast to Coast.

Only the animation went bad. The show itself was still good.

6 The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening that originally started on April 19, 1987 as shorts on The Tracey Ullman Show. It got its own series on December 17, 1989 and is still running as of 2023, making it the longest running animated sitcom. It is about a man named Homer Simpson and his family (wife Marge and children Bart, Lisa and Maggie and pets, Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper) going through a long series of misadventures.

I know a LOT of people would disagree with me on this one. While the modern episodes are nowhere near as good as the older ones, I think the show is still usually funny. To be fair, I didn't really grow with the Simpsons like most people.

The Al Jean-era has its share of bad episodes ("Please Homer, Don't Hammer Em" comes to mind), but most of them are still decent at minimum.

Agreed. It's not what it used to be, but it's still watchable.

7 Total Drama Total Drama is a Canadian animated comedy television series which is a homage and parody to the conventions commonly found in reality television.

Sigh. If only the producers would make another world tour. I think I can speak for a lot of total drama fans when I say it would make us so happy. INSTEAD THEY MADE ALL OF THEM INTO TODDLERS AND DITCHED ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE! I love this show, but WHAT KIND OF IDIOTS WOULD DO THAT?

I still don't understand why some of the seasons are hated so much. Besides, "Ridonculous Race" was one of the best seasons in years (even though it technically a spin-off).

The show's been really up and down since Island ended. For good seasons, watch World Tour or Revenge of the Island.

I loved all of the seasons, but my favorite was All Stars.

8 Johnny Bravo Johnny Bravo is an American animated television series created by Van Partible for Cartoon Network, and the second of the network's Cartoon Cartoons.

The last season was interesting to say the least. However, I still think it was really funny and felt more like the first season.

I'd actually say it got better as it went on.

The first season is funnier

9 South Park South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. The show is about four boys, who are Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick, and their adventures in South Park, Colorado.
10 The Powerpuff Girls The Powerpuff Girls is an American animated television series created by animator Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network. The main characters of this show are Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup. The show is about the Professor Utonium creating three little superhero girls that save the day from villains. This show has an anime spinoff made in Japan, three specials, a movie in theatres, and a reboot. The show aired from 1998 to 2005.

The later seasons of the original Powerpuff Girls aren't as good as the earlier seasons, but I would still take them any day over the crappy new reboot.

The later episodes are even more funnier than the older episodes. But I like the old episodes better for the action.

Lots of people don't like the later episodes but I think most of them were still really funny.

At least Chris Savino put more energy and effort into this show than Nick Jennings and Bob Boyle did.

The Contenders
11 Adventure Time

This abomination has over stayed it's welcome, and constantly tries shoving it's themes down our throats. While many other Cartoon Network shows are being cancelled as of 2016, this one stubbornly clings on.

12 Steven Universe Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. The show's based around a young boy by the name of Steven Universe, who is a hybrid of a gem and a human. He lives with his gem friends, Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl.

Again, this is going to be a VERY controversial thing to add. I actually prefer the earlier episodes. I feel like the show now focuses too much on the drama and isn't very fun anymore. However, it's still very good.

Um... EXCUSE ME?!?!?!? The episodes are better than ever now, and the plot is VERY developed!

13 American Dad!

Many people seem to dislike the newer seasons but I think the show is usually still hilarious. As much as I like Stan, I actually like how the show has started focusing on some of the other characters.

It's nowhere near as good now as it was when it was on FOX, but it's still better than what Family Guy has put out in the 2010s.

14 Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends is an American animated television series created by Craig McCracken for Cartoon Network Studios.
15 King Of The Hill King of the Hill is an American animated sitcom created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels that ran from January 12, 1997 to May 6, 2010 on Fox.

It got worse from Season 9 onwards, but it was still a solid show to the end.

16 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 dog Spunky.

Season 4 felt a bit sloppy in the writing department at times, but it was still enjoyable.

Season 4 isn't as good as the other seasons, but it's still great.

17 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. Originally set to premier on January 2016, the series instead premiered on May 2, 2016, with the episodes Left in the Dark and Get the Message.

Seems a little bit early to put this on the list. Season 2 may have a few bumps, but it still has some great episodes so far.

We'll just see and wait.

This went downhill?

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

This is the exception to this. Honestly, it started to suck more in the current season. Season 10 had so many problems, like the overuse of Crocker, the jokes being predictable and stupid, and the plots not being original.

Get this off the list the show is the downfall of nick

19 Braceface Braceface is a Canadian/American animated series that aired on Teletoon in Canada, and on Disney Channel and ABC Family in the United States, as well as Fox Kids and then Pop Girl in the United Kingdom.

I hate this show...

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

I personally like the newer seasons even though they're not as good as the first three. Dil and Kimi are cute.

The post-cancellation episodes aren't as good as the ones from 1991-1994, but they're still watchable.

22 Skunk Fu! Skunk Fu! is an Irish animated television series that originally aired in 2007. The show centers on a skunk named Skunk who trains under a Kung Fu master, Panda, to protect their valley from the evil Dragon. The series blends humor with elements of action and has a unique animation style inspired by traditional Chinese art. Skunk Fu! has been appreciated for its imaginative concept and entertaining characters.
23 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.
24 Hanazuki: Full Of Treasures
25 Family Guy Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a family consisting of parents Peter (Fat, Idiotic Dad) and Lois (Nagging Bitchy Wife), their children Meg (Socially Awkward Daughter) Chris (Fat, Idiotic Son), and Stewie (Sociopathic and Genuine Infant); and lastly Brian (Anthromorphic Pet Dog). The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog, Rhode Island, and exhibits much of its humor in the form of cutaway gags that often American culture. ...read more.

Not really. The later seasons have their share of gems (like "Extra Large Medium" or "And Then There Were Fewer"), but overall were still bad.

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