Since the debut of "Sinkin' in the Bathtub" in 1930, Looney Tunes has been a staple of Saturday morning cartoons. With iconic characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig and so many others, the series is one of the most recognizable cartoon properties of all time. Looney Tunes' wacky humor set the precedent for other cartoons that followed.

Looney Tunes were ubiquitous throughout the golden age of animation, which lasted from 1928to 1960. with many shows mirroring the animation style, energy, and creativity of Looney Tunes. These shows are still referenced in pop culture today, and while many of them may not be as popular or memorable as Looney Tunes, they're still essential to childhood nostalgia.

Known for their high-pitched singing voices and various shenanigans they get into, Alvin, Simon and Theodore are three characters American audiences can't forget. which aired from 1961 to 1962, familiarizing animation fans with the iconic chipmunk brothers. Each chipmunk has a distinctive personality, with Alvin often being the center of attention, Simon being the intelligent one and Theodore being shy and sweet.

A live-action film series based on the chipmunks began in the 2000s, featuring the voices of Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney as Alvin, Simon and Theodore. With multiple iterations of the chipmunk characters, every generation has the opportunity to get to know these charming characters. , making it a great kickoff to this list.

Transformers has evolved into a major franchise, with the most recent, Transformers One, coming out in 2024, some fans calling it a modern masterpiece. The Transformers animated series immediately captured interest with its engaging narrative revolving around giant alien robots that can transform into vehicles. The show followed an '80s trend of creating a coinciding TV series with a line of popular toys to better sell products. While some of these shows didn't foster the most audience engagement, .

Following characters that are now entwined with pop culture like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, that would determine the fate of the Earth. Transformers obviously significantly differs from Looney Tunes in its presentation. Still, its incessant inclusion of heart-racing fight sequences and battles earns the show a reputation for being a Saturday morning cartoon that would energize viewers for the day.

These pizza-loving turtle brothers may be most known today for their Nickelodeon series, the 2014 live-action movie, or their latest animated film, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, but they first started protecting their city from crime in the late '80s. Comedian and one of the writers and producers for Mutant Mayhem, Seth Rogen, has talked about his love of this classic series as a child, prompting his dad to buy him nunchucks like his favorite character, Michaelangelo.

The original series, like its predecessors, revolves around four mutant turtle brothers fighting crime in New York City under the guidance of their adoptive father, a wise rat named Splinter. Like many other series on this list, TMNT started as a comic book series and expanded into an adored series whose influence is seen in every other rendition of the franchise. Like Looney Tunes, the show cultivates an impenetrable energy that keeps viewers of all ages glued to the screen.

Airing as part of the Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup, The series was extremely well-animated and showcased the differing powers and the personalities of classic mutant characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, Gambit and Rogue.

The series also predates any of the X-Men movies that started in 2000 and continued into the 2020s, proving early on that the X-Men were a valued part of the Marvel community. The series was so beloved by fans that a continuation was released on Disney+ on March 20, 2024, entitled X-Men '97, which has received even more critical praise than the original series, earning 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and winning the 2025 Critics' Choice Award for Best Animated Series.

First appearing in 1958, created by Belgian artist Peyo, The Smurfs have amassed cultural acclaim and recognition throughout the years. Though an earlier series started in 1961, it was only available to European audiences, first airing in its creator's homeland of Belgium. In 1981, .

The series exists in the forested Smurf Village, where the little blue creatures dwell in mushroom houses and go about their days trying to evade capture by the evil wizard Gargamel and his cat Azrael. Though the 1980s series is probably the most notable version of The Smurfs, film series have been developed around the titular characters, with a new film, Smurfs, being released this summer with pop star Rihanna as Smurfette.

Looney Tunes and many other Saturday morning cartoons are guided by their characters over their premise, but . Each episode follows a sitcom-esque format as the main Jetson family, consisting of husband George, wife Jane, and kids Judy and Elroy, deal with everyday problems.

Of course, the conveniences of the future make life a little bit easier, but that doesn't stop them from getting into silly situations that mirror the same issues audience members are dealing with. The Jetsons initially ran from 1962 to 1963, coinciding with neighboring series, The Flintstones. In 1985, . The show's memorability as a fun-filled start to the morning, with its insightful yet traditional depiction of the future, makes it a perfect middle spot for this list.

As seen in Looney Tunes and other old-school classics, talking animals with personalities and desires that are more human were often central in animated series. While many of these anthropomorphic characters pushed the boundaries of slapstick comedy and strange situations, .

The trio is also the nephew of the famous Donald Duck, who sometimes appears in the series. With a finger-snapping, catchy theme song and classic Disney-style hand-drawn animation, . In 2017, a reboot of the series was launched on Disney XD featuring the original characters with an updated animation style.

The Scooby-Doo gang is equally recognizable as the Looney Tunes characters, though they're severely different in tone. . Consisting of the brainy Velma, the fashionable Daphne, the sporty Fred, the slacker Shaggy and his fearful dog Scooby-Doo, there's no standing in this iconic group's way.

Like many other entries on this list, Scooby-Doo has spawned a number of spin-offs and movies, including other rebooted series such as Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated in 2010, and two live-action film series, Scooby-Doo in 2002, and Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins in 2009. , which is considered one of the best kids' cartoons of all time.

Much like The Jetsons followed life in the far-off future,. This series undoubtedly inspired The Jetsons, which was also produced by Hanna-Barbera. The two shows even had a crossover in 1987 with the made-for-television film The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones.

Though the two essentially follow the same premise despite taking place in separate time periods, The Flintstones is more creative in its execution and cultural acclaim. Of course, the characters drive the humor and heart of the story, with Fred, Wilma, Betty, Barney and their adorable children, Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, constantly getting into new and hilarious scenarios.

The perpetual plot of a cat-and-mouse chase seems like it would get old pretty quickly. However, Tom and Jerry keeps audiences consistently engaged, as they wonder how the clever, cheese-loving Jerry will outsmart the frustrated but determined Tom. What is so appealing about Tom and Jerry is its simplicity, relying entirely on its two main characters to deliver an endlessly entertaining laugh-fest.

Since then, multiple iterations of the iconic duo have been made, with the most recent film, Tom & Jerry, in 2021. Audiences will never grow tired of Tom and Jerry, which guarantees it the top spot as it's a Saturday morning cartoon that fans will always love.