MTVwas the channel to watch in the ‘90s. MTV didn’t follow trends; it created them, serving as a tastemaker for high schoolers and college students camped in front of their televisions. Not satisfied with anointing rock stars and boy bands into pop-music royalty,MTV began producing animation.
There were no expectations of what a cartoon short or animated series would look like or have to say, other than to uphold the gold standard of cool that MTV worked so hard to achieve.Overnight, a group of lucky artists and creatives were given the chance to have their work seen by the future generation of consumerswith no directive to color within the lines. From unique superhero adaptations to an experimental showcase of shorts, these are the best MTV animated shows from the ‘90s.
10’The Brothers Grunt' (1994)
Created by Danny Antonucci
Unsettling but original,The Brothers Gruntwas one of the more boundary-pushing cartoons of the MTV animation era. Created byDanny Autonucci, the mind behindEd, Ed, and Eddy,The Brothers Gruntfeatured five cadaver mutant-looking brotherswho went on unusual and offbeat adventures. An overarching narrative is that the five brothers are on constant search for the sixth brother, Perry. The series ran for four seasons and produced more than 40 episodes, although not all made it to air.
“The unconventional style and tone ofThe Brothers Gruntspeaks to the level of freedom MTV was giving their artists during the ‘90s.”
The Brothers Gruntis not an attractive show, not that it needs to be. The unconventional style and tone ofThe Brothers Gruntspeaks to the level of freedom MTV was giving their artists during the ‘90s. There are hints ofEd, Ed, and EddyinThe Brothers Grunt,butthe adventures of the five Grunt brothers tend to linger on gross-out visual or harsher imagery. The reviews are generally negative for the series, citing the general appearance of the show’s animation, with it sitting at a3.0 out of 10 on IMDB.
The Brothers Grunt is not currently available to stream or purchase in the U.S.
9’Station Zero’ (1999)
Created by Tramp Daly
The short-lived animated series,Station Zerofollowed four teens as they produced and starred in a public-access television show,Live from the Bronx.Episodes would see the teens watch and critique hip-hop music videosmuch likeBeavis and Butt-Headdid on their show. The similarity was not an accident, asStation Zerowas conceived to fill the same role for hip-hop thatBeavis and Butt-Headdid for rock and heavy metal.
“Station Zerohad a decent premise and could have had a longer run with more time to grow…”
Of all the animated series from the ‘90s era of MTV,Station Zerois the least preserved, with barely a mention of it alongside the other series of its time. Now bordering on being lost media,fans ofStation Zeroare unable to find full episodes in any form. Possibly an unfortunate victim of program shifting,Station Zerohad a decent premise and could have had a longer run with more time to grow. Timing was not in the series’ favor andStation Zerowas canceled after one season.
Station Zero is not currently available to stream or purchase in the U.S.
Created by Eric Fogel
A satire ofsci-fi B moviesand superhero sensibilities,The Headwas one of MTV’s more odd animated series. Soft-spoken trade school student Jim (Jason Candler) wakes up one morning to find his head enlarged to roughly twice the size of his body. Quickly, Jim learns that Roy (Candler), a purple alien, has taken residence inside his head as he needs a place to live while working to fight off an alien threat to civilization known as Ray (Eric Fogel).
“The Headreceived a fair amount of positive attention as an eye-catching example of the experimental risks MTV was prepared to take…”
The Headshowcases a style of offbeat animation that instills a feeling of unease. The background music cues a lingering sense of dread while Jim copes with his new cranial host. Adding to the bizarre is Jim’s detached reaction as he watches Roy exit his head and dispatch would-be assailants for the first time.The Headreceived a fair amount of positive attention as an eye-catching example of the experimental risks MTV was prepared to take in building its animation division.
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7’The Maxx’ (1995)
Created by Sam Keith and Bill Messner-Loebs
Based on the comic book created bySam Keith,The Maxxwas a groundbreaking animated superhero entry to join MTV’s lineup. The series followed The Maxx (Michael Haley), a large,menacing purple superhero intent on protecting the streets from violent crime. The Maxx is lost between two worlds– the city he sleeps in the alleys of and the lush fantasy world he dominates as a conquering warrior. A constant between both is his social worker Julie (Glynnis Talken), who he is determined to protect and be close to.
“…the sprawling urban decay the series is set in invites comparisons to the HBO animated series,Spawn.”
Dark and brooding, the animation has a gritty style that is reminiscent of movies likeHeavy Metal, while the sprawling urban decay the series is set in invites comparisons to the HBO animated series,Spawn.The Maxxwas notable for its approach to animation,choosing to swap styles of animation from scene-to-scene to show a shift in perspective.The Maxxonly lasted for 13 episodes, but the impact the series made on future artists and storytellers has continued for decades.
6’Aeon Flux' (1991-1995)
Created by Peter Chung
One of the more recognizable properties from MTV’s ‘90s era of animation,Aeon Fluxfeatured a dark dystopian world of totalitarianism and power struggles. A lone instrument of salvation, Aeon Flux (Denise Poirier) is an assassin working to shift the rule between warring states, Monica and Bregna.What Aeon lacks in clothes she makes up for with talents like hand-to-hand combat and acrobatics.Her skills will come in handy, as the odds are stacked against her thanks to the cunning moves of her nemesis and occasional lover, Trevor Goodchild (John Rafter Lee).
Aeon Fluxcaught the attention of viewers when it debuted, in no small part due to the overt sexuality and the unique art used for the character design.The gritty violence and serious tone made it one of the rare cartoons that was presented as a dramaand not a comedy like so many ofAeon Flux’s contemporaries. The continued interest inAeon Fluxled to a live-action film of the same name in 2005 starringCharlize Theronas Aeon.
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5’Downtown' (1999-2000)
Created by Chris Prynoski
A deeply revered cult favorite,Downtowntells the story of Alex Henson (Gregory Gilmore) as he makes his way through early adulthood living in New York City. Helping him through his days are his younger sister Chaka (Leyora Zuberman) and his best friend, Jen (Tammy Lang). Fans of directorRichard Linklater’s films, such asDazed and Confused, would enjoy the relaxed and intimate style ofDowntown’sapproach to storytelling.
“The voice acting is superb and naturalistic, like you’re overhearing a conversation and not watching a produced script.”
The writing ofDowntownis sharp and natural, finding its humor naturally within conversations without making detours for jokes. The voice acting is superb and naturalistic, like you’re overhearing a conversation and not watching a produced script. All of this paired with a stylized and beautiful art style makes it all the more heartbreaking the show had such a short life before it was canceled after one season. Even anEmmy nominationfor Outstanding Animated Program couldn’t giveDowntowna stay of execution, so only 13 episodes of the animated series exist.
Downtown is not currently available to stream or purchase in the U.S.
4’Liquid Television' (1991-1994)
Created by Japhet Asher
One of the most influential animation programs MTV ever aired,Liquid Television,was a showcase like no other. Rapid-fire and irreverent,Liquid Televisionwas a series of animated shorts that would range from hand-drawn style to stop-motion and everything in between.Liquid Televisionwas credited with giving the start to series likeBeavis and Butt-HeadandAeon Flux, demonstrating how valuable the animation variety show was to developing new voices and artists.
Liquid Televisionwas ahead of its time, with a fast-paced presentation style akin to swiping through TikTok videos at lightning speeds. Shows likeRobot Chickenhad to take at least some level of inspiration from the format, where sketches end abruptly offering no tease to the next. With shorts that would border on the comically grotesque,Liquid Televisionleft no medium or topic untouched, and would likely do well if reintroduced to modern audiences.The series did enjoy a brief revival in 2013, butLiquid Televisionis overdue for another opportunity to give new artists a platform to be discovered.
Liquid Television is not currently available to stream or purchase in the U.S.
3’Celebrity Deathmatch' (1998-2007)
Created by Eric Fogel & Gordon Barnett
When Johnny Gomez (Maurice Schlafer) and Nick Diamond (Len Maxwell) appeared on the screen, it could only mean one thing– celebrity feuds were about to be settled… to the death!Celebrity Death Matchwas a breakout hit for MTV, taking the simple formula of cartoonish mayhem and applying it to the popular celebrities often dropping by MTV Studios. A fun, satirical interpretation of wrestling and other combat sports,Celebrity Death Matchused claymation to recreate stars getting inside the ring to indulge their most violent celebrity arch-nemesis.
The first season would see fantasy battles likeArnold SchwarzeneggervsSylvester Stalloneand directorSpike Leetake onQuentin Tarantino. The popularity ofCelebrity Deathmatchwould lead to the licensing of a video game that appeared on all home consoles at the time of its release. Viewers hungry for more clay bloodshed (or is it clayshed?) carried the animated comedy to four seasons in its original run, followed by a revival a few years later that went on for two more seasons.
Celebrity Deathmatch
Created by Mike Judge
Rude, destructive, and clueless,Beavis and Butt-Headwas a game changer for MTV when the animated series came out. Created byMike Judge,Beavis and Butt-Headfollowed teen burnouts Beavis and his best friend Butt-Head (both voiced by Judge) as they found new ways to be a nuisance to the residents of Highland, Texas. Episodes would see the duo wander around their neighborhood causing trouble, interspersed with Beavis and Butt-Head talking over music videos from the comfort of their couch.
It’s not completely clear ifBeavis and Butt-Headwere the voice of the generation, or if the generation started speaking like Beavis and Butt-Head, but either way, it was impossible to walk the halls of a high school in the mid-’90s and not hear the vacant laugh the duo were known for.Beavis and Butt-Headbecame the unofficial brand mascot for MTV, becoming the most popular series on the network and eventually receiving a feature film calledBeavis and Butt-Head Do America.The series holds such a place in the heart of ‘90s kids that it was rebooted onParamount+in 2022.
Beavis and Butt-Head
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1’Daria' (1997-2002)
Created by Glenn Eichler & Susie Lewis
A spin-off of the mega-popularBeavis and Butt-Head,Dariaexamined the life of Daria Morgendorffer (Tracy Grandstaff) as shenavigated the hellof being a teenager in the quaint suburban town of Lawndale.Cynical before her time, Daria tends to opt out of high school activities, much to the chagrin of her mother, Helen (Wendy Hoopes), and to the delight of her social-climbing sister, Quinn (Hoopes). Thankfully, Daria can always rely on her best friend and partner in crime Jane (Hoopes) to keep her sane.
This is the rare occasion whena spin-off exceeds the original series, andDariais a shining example of that scenario. To be fair,DariaandBeavis and Butt-Headwere attempting different things, but the lasting appeal ofDariamakes the age of the teen cartoon barely noticeable. Trends will change, and clothes will look different, but the feeling of being a teenager who doesn’t fit into a social group they had no say in is ever-present.Dariaspoke for the teens who wouldn’t dance on the beach during MTV Spring Break, who wanted to write a short story instead of attending a pep rally, and that possibly made Daria the coolest of them all.
