Saturday mornings and after-school hours have always been prime times to watch everyone’s favorite animated series. No one knows this better than Walt Disney Studios. Disney has always been known for its groundbreaking animated movies.
But with the creation of their various television networks, Disney has also produced dozens of animated series, so many that quite a few are mostly forgotten. Only the most committed Disney fans will remember the iconic lineups of the ABC Saturday Morning and Disney Afternoon.
The Replacements (2006)
The Replacements follows the misadventures of foster kids, Todd and Riley. The siblings are given the opportunity to replace any adult in their life with a cooler grown-up. They start by substituting their parents, who are never shown. Soon the pair start swapping out any adults in their lives who get in their way. They soon discover that the replacements are more of a problem than a solution and must work to get the actual grown-ups back.
Originally, The Replacements was aired during prime time at 8 pm on Saturdays, but it was soon moved to the more competitive after-school slot at 5 pm on Mondays. The show ran for three seasons before being canceled in 2009.
Buzz Lightyear Of Star Command: The Adventure Begins (2000)
Before there was the Toy Story spinoff movie, Lightyear, there was Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins. The series follows Buzz Lightyear and his fellow Space Rangers on their missions to protect the Galactic Alliance from the evil Emporer Zurg.
With the popularity of the Toy Story franchise, the Buzz Lightyear series is often forgotten. The show premiered as part of Disney’s Saturday morning lineup before moving to the Toon Disney channel. After a 65 episode run, the series ended in 2001.
Hercules: Zero To Hero (1998)
Before realizing his demi-god potential, Hercules was a mortal. Hercules‘ best episodes extended the film’s training sequences showing how Disney’s Hercules went from “zero to hero.” Throughout the show, Hercules encounters other Greek Gods voiced by guest stars.
The series was one of many that Disney produced during the ’90s that served as midquels to their animated films. Hercules holds the record for the most guest stars in an animated series’ single season in 1999, according to AWN. With its two-season run Hercules: Zero to Hero is often forgotten, especially compared to the resurgence in popularity surrounding the film.
Timon & Pumbaa (1995)
After the popularity of The Lion King, Disney produced an animated series following the adventures of Simba’s sidekicks, Timon and Pumbaa. The show followed the dynamic duo as they travel through Africa and get themselves into sticky situations.
While most animated series aired for one to three seasons, Timon and Pumbaa ran for five seasons over four years, making it one of Disney’s longer-running animated shows. Despite its lengthy run, Timon and Pumbaa is only remembered by the truest of Disney fans since the show’s reruns were rebroadcast early in the morning before most kids are awake.
Gargoyles (1994)
Gargoyles was one of Disney’s darker animated series. The main storyline followed a century-old curse being broken and awakening the gargoyles. When they realize they are far from their home in Scotland, the gargoyles vow to protect New York City, but not all of the gargoyles have good intentions. For example, Demona, one of the show’s main villains, wants to rid the world of humanity.
The show starred Disney alumni Keith David and had appearances by Ed Asner. The series ran for two seasons before being canceled in 1996. Even the most devoted Disney fans may not remember the show, mainly because the show changed channels before its final season, moving from the prime Disney Afternoon lineup to ABC Saturday Mornings.
The Little Mermaid (1992)
In 2008, Disney released a straight-to-video prequel to The Little Mermaid, titled The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning. But 16 years prior, Disney aired the first episode of The Little Mermaid television series. The show served as a prequel to the story told in the first film. In it, audiences learned how Ariel first met Ursula and collected all her human treasures.
The voice of Ariel was provided by Jodie Benson, who played Ariel in the films. The show was a part of Disney’s Saturday morning lineup, but the show only ran for three seasons, despite the movie’s popularity. The series came out when most Disney animated films were receiving spin-offs. This was also the era of Disney’s most well-known princess films, leaving The Little Mermaid series behind.
Goof Troop (1992)
As one of Disney’s iconic Fab Five members, Goofy got his show in 1992. Goof Troop centered around Goofy as he tries to navigate life as a single dad with his son Max. The series ran for two seasons before being canceled. However, the series did not officially end there. A Goofy Movie continued the storyline, with The Extremely Goofy serving as the official end to the story of Goofy and Max.
The series was Disney’s first animated sitcom. Since the movies establish an intense backstory, fans often forget that there was a whole series dedicated to the lives of Max and Goofy before he was a teenager.
Darkwing Duck (1991)
Taking place in the Duck Tales universe, Darkwing Duck follows the title character on his superhero adventures in the city of St. Canard. Like all great superheroes, Darkwing Duck balanced a double life. When he wasn’t fighting crime, he took care of his adopted daughter. Darkwing Duck was one of Disney’s longer-running series, with three seasons airing before the show was canceled in 1992.
Darkwing Duck faced backlash after some controversial episodes were deemed to contain subject matter not suitable for children, which led to the show’s eventual cancellation. However, Darkwing Duck may be getting a reboot in 2022, according to Variety.
TaleSpin (1990)
Centered around characters from The Jungle Book, TaleSpin follows Baloo as a pilot and his crew in their attempts to save their courier company. TaleSpin was one of nine shows featured on the Disney Afternoon programming lineup. A comic book of the same name accompanied the show, often following plotlines later adapted for television.
Most people don’t remember the series because Disney distanced itself from the series until the release of Disney+. Two episodes that have since been banned featured stereotypes of Asian culture, according to CBR. The show was never officially canceled but stopped airing in 1991.
Chip N’ Dale Rescue Rangers (1989)
Disney’s classic cartoon, Chip N’ Dale Rescue Rangers, follows the two iconic chipmunks while they solve crimes. Shortly after its pilot episode, the show became a part of the Disney Afternoon lineup. Later, the show was moved to Toon Disney before Disney shut down the channel in 2008 and became Disney XD.
With the rise in popularity of live-action shows in the ’90s and early 2000s, Disney moved away from animated series, leaving Chip N’ Dale to be forgotten, for a time. Since its cancellation, the cartoon has been reworked as a full-length live-action feature film set to release on Disney+ in 2022.
