Every kid had a tradition in their childhood, a sacred oath that they upheld every Saturday morning: cartoons. No matter what they liked to watch, parents could always find their kids glued to the screen of an animated show, typically a superhero show that captivated them throughout the morning.
However, as some superhero shows grew to fame, others either didn't age well or were used poorly, resulting in poor reception.
Best: X-Men: The Animated Series (8.4)
Most audiences believe that what makes a show is entirely dependent upon the writing, the characters, or the animation. While all of these components are key in making a good show, something that the audiences look for is an astonishing theme song that defines the show.
X-Men: The Animated Series has all of this and more. Full of amazing characters complemented with fantastic storylines that captivated young viewers, the show is made even better by its theme song.
Worst: Iron Man: The Armored Adventures (6.5)
Not every show that has poor ratings on IMDb is necessarily bad. For many, the shows have become classics, shows that they can fondly look back on and love with a passion despite all the hate or poor reviews said series received.
Iron Man: The Armored Adventures is one such series; a show many enjoyed yet received poor ratings and reviews for reasons unclear. As the years went on, though, the series' animation aged poorly mainly due to animation style.
Best: Harley Quinn (8.5)
It used to be that most everyone liked the heroes, loved to imagine what it was like to be them or have their powers. As the kids slowly grew into adults, however, they slowly began to like the villains or anti-heroes more than the heroes.
The Harley Quinn animated show for many has reignited that love for villains and anti-heroes, showcasing a much more mature yet darkly comedic style for animated shows geared heavily towards the ones who'd grown up from heroes and supers, moving onto more villainous tastes.
Worst: Spider-Man Unlimited (6.4)
For one reason or another, there are moments when studios believe they need to create shows that are based on alternate worlds. Now it can be argued that alternate worlds are always in shows but if they're done right, it simply feels like they're in an extension of reality.
Then there are the shows like Spider-Man: Unlimited shows that have alternate worlds that don't necessarily add to the story but are just there, creating weirdness that only adds to the confusion of the overall story.
Best: Young Justice (8.6)
Adapting comics to TV or films means that the filmmakers will take advantage and adapt the source as they see fit, for better or for worse. Some of the time, it ends up working in their favor, resulting in adaptations that go beyond the source material in an amazing way.
Young Justice, essentially meant to be another version of the Justice League or Teen Titans, took popular and obscure DC characters and storylines and redefined them in different lights. Thus creating a show that resonated with fans both young and old.
Worst: Marvels Spider-Man (6.1)
Despite some adaptations of the source material clicking and working, there are adaptations that fall short of the mark. The sad fact is that a lot of these kinds of adaptations don't work simply because of how the source material is handled.
When Marvel's Spider-Man came out, it was meant to be geared more towards the MCU side of Marvel, creating a world that was like the MCU. As it was, the stories that came from the show ended up falling away from the original source and simply didn't work.
Best: Justice League Unlimited (8.7)
Sometimes, an animated series can be better than a live-action film. Over the years, many audience members have constantly compared films and series to one another, whether it be favorable or unfavorable, it always shows one way or another.
For many, Justice League Unlimited is the perfect definition of the team, far more than the 2017 film that tried and failed to bring the Justice League to life. Rich with character development, amazing animation, and iconic voice actors, the show works better than most, making for a legendary show.
Worst: The Avengers: United They Stand (5.5)
Studio executives and producers depend on movies and series to bring in the bacon and make back on the media's high or low-end budget. Money can come in different forms, however, and a popular form for many producers comes in the form of toy sales.
When the toys outshine the show like with The Avengers: United They Stand, then something is being done incorrectly. This was the case with this short-lived Avengers show, which was far more interested in toys than creating a worthwhile plot or long-lasting show.
Best: Batman The Animated Series (9.0)
Usually, when one says that a show is the greatest ever made, it's usually meant to be their opinion and isn't typically based on facts. However, Batman: The Animated Series, is more than deserving of the title and it isn't just one's opinion.
The series has been hailed by both fans and critics over the years, from its phenomenal voice cast to its amazing writing to the way the series adapts Batman's rogue's gallery is a herculean feat that's rarely seen in animated shows.
Worst: Teen Titans Go! (5.2)
Reboots in Hollywood can be the bane of a series of existence. After spending years of building a fan base and growing, one would expect a show to remain immortal and untouched for years to come and yet, Hollywood simply won't let a product go.
Such is the sad case of Teen Titans Go!, a reboot of the previous Teen Titans cartoon that failed to recapture the originals themes, stories, and character development. Instead, it relies on low-brow humor and poor animation to drive a once-great cartoon into the ground.