It's hella cold right now and Friday nights-in are starting to sound better and better in comparison to the idea of freezing one's butt off out on the streets. Series and movies are relatively cool, but picture this- It's a Friday evening and in an abundance of popcorn, tea and various other first year spread inducing foods- you're chilling in your dorm and watching all the amazing shows that used to make your little kid heart sing.

So this is my 'listicle'- my ode to five of the coolest throwback cartoons. Hopefully they conjure up some feelings of nostalgia, or (even better) they inspire you to get in touch with kid you and maybe look up some of them to watch. (Currently I'm switching between writing this and watching Courage the Cowardly Dog episodes on You Tube.)

Remember these??

1. Ed Edd n Eddy

If these guys didn't teach you what a jawbreaker was then you're a liar. The cul de sac gang, who all happened to have the same name, came up with some pretty amazing schemes to make cash- truly demonstrating the power of entrepreneurship and a couple of empty boxes. The other characters in this show were also mad weird. Like, remember Rolf ("hello, Ed boy!") and the kid who carried around a plank all day long? This unique series holds the title as the longest running original Cartoon Network creation and possibly the greatest influence on the way I say "butter toast".

2. As Told by Ginger

Animated soapie type television is encapsulated in this perfect show about Ginger and her not so cool mates as they try and navigate the middle-school social food chain and other pre-teen drama. Apart from the fact that this was one of the only cartoons with some semblance of a continuous story-line, I loved and hated each character like I knew them. Ginger's understanding mom, rich and naive Courtney, annoying social climber Dodie, and possibly my fave character, Miranda. Her laugh though- that soul shattering laugh...I watched all the episodes again last semester and I kinda think many of them still hold some relevance in our uni-years... think Gossip Girl meets Generations but in cartoon form and maybe you'll understand what I'm getting at... kind of. 

3. Recess

How come the American kids got a cool name for break time?? Some of you may remember this one from the early (pre-contaminated) Disney years. Some of you may even remember watching this one on Yo-TV on a Saturday morning. Absolutely loved Spinelli and TJ and the rest of the gang and their pseudo-playground-government. Recess taught me lots of things about being a good kid and doing the right thing...It also taught me about cooties, Ashleys, and not to be a snitch (like that kid Randall).

4. Courage the Cowardly Dog

Possibly the greatest cartoon ever to have existed- a cartoon today's kids will never get to see. I've never spoken to anyone one who doesn't agree that this show was hella messed up or that our generation is incredibly brave for having the guts to sit wide-eyed and cross-legged at 11pm to stare at a 2D/3D creepy demon chanting "returnnnn the slaaaab". Courage, Muriel and Eustace saw and experienced some of the weirdest stuff I've ever seen in my life and I'm eternally grateful to Cartoon Network for all my nightmares.  

5. Rocket Power

How were these guys good at every single extreme sport ever? Their lives basically consisted of surfing, snowboarding, and playing street roller hockey. Otto, Sam (Squid), Twister and Reggie were pretty much the epitome of cool for me back in the day- living their idyllic Cali lives and using words like gnarly and rad in their daily speech. Remember Reggie and Otto's dad Raymundo, and Tito with his frequent surf related pearls of wisdom? Nick Toons still plays this show late at night, so you definitely know what I was doing during the recent vac.


So yeah there you have it. Quick video of the Courage the Cowardly Dog Opening sequence is featured bellow. Watch and be amazed as your childhood flashes before your eyes.