Classic Cartoons as 'children'

[George3000]

A Place to discuss the many characters that involved young versions of famous characters, like, Flintstone Kids, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, :tomcat: & :jerry: Kids, Gadget Boy, the Tiny Toons, anything you name of!

First of all, here's a resourceful link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Younger_versions_of_cartoon_characters

[Kurtman]

I seriously doubt Tiny Toons counts. More like Baby Looney Tunes instead. But you are right about the Flinstone Kids and Tom & Jerry kids.

[JordanS.]

Inspector Gadget? A little kid? Oh, my god! That's something new; I never notices that. What next Samurai Jack as kid? :D :D :anime: :anime: :anime:

Jordan (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00026L7YK/ref=pd_sim_dv_1/102-0666512-1376154?v=glance&s=dvd)

[Brainatra]

I've seen that link---because I spent time editing/rewriting part of that entry myself. :-)

As noted in the article, I viewed most of these shows as apocryphal---no way most of these shows could've been about the characters as children (see: the Flintstone Kids) based on what we knew about them as adults. The only ones that could've "counted" for me were:

- Superboy: Superman's adventures as a boy before 1986 and John "I need a new toy to break" Byrne rolled around. Superboy was introduced in 1944 as the childhood/teenage adventures of Superman, but the regular Superman comics of the day didn't really acknowledge Superboy's existence completely until the mid-50's. Superboy became pretty firmly established for decades as Superman's past (with the mid-40's to mid-50's discrepancies explained eventually).

- Most,but not all, of "A Pup Named Scooby Doo". Given we never learned anything about the gang's histories before high school in the other spinoffs (how they met, what their first case even was---the first episode of the original series implied they'd been solving mysteries for awhile already, etc.), showing them as junior high schoolers doing the mystery-solving game didn't clash with the other shows. Though Freddy's personality might be cause for debate, the only things I'd ignore would be the really cartoonish aspects of the series (the wild takes, Velma having a desktop sized PC in a suitcase, etc.). The difference in ages between Shaggy's sister in this series vs. his sister in the "New Scooby Doo Mysteries" episode where she gets married might be explained away as "Peanuts Time" (the only way I can think of to reconcile the fact that Shaggy aged from 12 to 18-20 while his sister aged from 2 or 3 years old to probably at least 16-18 (the minimum ages to get married in most places in the US IIRC)).

Other shows to remark on:

- The Flintstone Kids: I liked it as a kid, even though I was disappointed (after hearing about it and finally seeing it) that it wasn't about the adventures of a 10-year-old versions of Pebbles and bamm-Bamm (the last time I'd seen them was their teenage versions in the previous Flintstones series on NBC a few years earlier). The 80's-ized gadgets were amusing enough, as was Capt. Caveman. Still, doesn't count (save for IMO the names of their parents, siblings, relatives, etc.)---no way Mr. slate can be the same age as Fred; Slate seemed older to me...

- Loved Muppet Babies as a kid. Very different from other stuff that aired back then. Favorite episodes: the Star Wars one ("Animal Vader"); the Super-Gonzo episode (with the "origin" of his home planet a riot); the "Back to the Future" parody.

- Tom and Jerry Kids: Still didn't like them even if they were kids.

- The New Archies: Was OK, even if I thought it was a bit pointless to show them as junior high school students when it'd make them only 3-5 years younger than their usual high school ages, and thus just "Archie without their driver's licenses". There is a basis for showing younger versions of these guys though---for decades, adventures of the gang as grade schoolers were published under the comic "Little Archie" (the gang would call Archie "Little Archie" in this series... guess not different than when we called my cousin "Little Maurice" since his dad's named "Maurice"). Still, seeing them as grade schoolers would've allowed a more different setting IMO. OK show otherwise (assuming one isn't a Dilton Doiley fan cheesed off at his being replaced), though short-lived (the theme song stuck in my head at the time though) and pretty dated (80's elements everywhere...).

- Like others said, I wouldn't completely count "Tiny Toons" (the best of the "younger versions" cartoons besides "Muppet Babies" and Superboy), since the characters weren't the childhood versions of Bugs and the gang (that'd be the somewhat lame "Baby Looney Tunes")...though they did have strong similarities...

- B.

[PaulNJ21]

The best two cartoon characters as kids series for me were Muppet Babies and A Pup Named Scooby Doo. Hopefully one day Muppet Babies makes it to DVD.


Paul

[sdp]

- Most,but not all, of "A Pup Named Scooby Doo". Given we never learned anything about the gang's histories before high school in the other spinoffs (how they met, what their first case even was---the first episode of the original series implied they'd been solving mysteries for awhile already, etc.), showing them as junior high schoolers doing the mystery-solving game didn't clash with the other shows. Though Freddy's personality might be cause for debate, the only things I'd ignore would be the really cartoonish aspects of the series (the wild takes, Velma having a desktop sized PC in a suitcase, etc.). The difference in ages between Shaggy's sister in this series vs. his sister in the "New Scooby Doo Mysteries" episode where she gets married might be explained away as "Peanuts Time" (the only way I can think of to reconcile the fact that Shaggy aged from 12 to 18-20 while his sister aged from 2 or 3 years old to probably at least 16-18 (the minimum ages to get married in most places in the US IIRC)).


- B.
What is IIRC? I just always picture the internet relaychatroom :b

but there are more inconsistencies with a pup named scooby doo,a s i beleive i saw as a little kid a show/movie of how the gang first met scooby-doo. Which even as a kid i would always debate with my self how to make inconsistencies like these work or atleast the best possible way.

[Joker1238]

I think Gadget boy was called Gadget boy and Heather.

Did not like the show, the main villian was not as cool as Dr Claw. and other stuff. I think most shows go down hill when they turn the main drawing cards into kids, Some times it works like Muppet babies, BUT WHEN NEARLY EVEY show does it, its loses something.

Flintstone kids. I like the grown up shows, and the teenage bam bam and pebbles shows better.

Scooby doo did it to.

Bugs and Co are doing it now.

I sure there is a lot, I relly against it.

[Elven Moon]

Muppet Babies takes the cake. I loved it then and I love it now. It's so funny and clever, and Gonzo is a riot ;) I've wondered just where everyone's parents were and why they were staying with a Nanny, though.

[Joker1238]

Elven MoonMuppet Babies takes the cake. I loved it then and I love it now. It's so funny and clever, and Gonzo is a riot ;) I've wondered just where everyone's parents were and why they were staying with a Nanny, though




MMMM

Kermit's mom and dad, were swimming, and were caught in some net, Well it turns out they were turn into frogs legs for Dinner, and so the Nanny adopted poor Kermit.

Gonzo?? Well from Muppets from Space movie, I guessing, he found his way on Earth, And Nanny adopted him(IE Superman)

Miss Piggie, was other tragic story, raise on a farm, and saw her parents turn into pork chops and ham one day, She escape from that place, and fell in loved with Kermit, who convice Nanny to take her in.

Fozzy, Well I guessing some hunters shot his father and mother, and stuff em in some hunting lodge. Fozzy was taking in by the Nanny.

Who else, I forgot. But I sure I can think of more. Thsos are my thoughs on how they ended up with Nanny.

[Stuckey]

Muppet Babies is the only "adult characters as kids" show that I really enjoyed, which is kinda odd considering I don't care for the grown up Muppets.

I liked Captain Caveman, but not enough to say that Flintstones Kids was a show that I'd enjoy revisiting.

I don't like any incarnation of the Scooby Doo characters at all. Just an all around unenjoyable set of shows.

I've never heard of Gadget Boy and didn't see enough of Baby Looney Tunes to really form an opinion.

I did enjoy Tiny Toons, but as has been stated that's not really the same thing.

I really don't like Tom & Jerry in any incarnation either, although I think the music on the adult T&J is excellent.

[Brainatra]

What is IIRC? I just always picture the internet relaychatroom :b

but there are more inconsistencies with a pup named scooby doo,a s i beleive i saw as a little kid a show/movie of how the gang first met scooby-doo. Which even as a kid i would always debate with my self how to make inconsistencies like these work or atleast the best possible way.

IIRC = "if I recall clearly".

That'd probably be 1979's "Scooby Doo Goes to Hollywood," where Scooby as a pup is shown being bought from a pet store by Fred, Daphne and Velma (didn't recall Shaggy being present). Between that oddity (since Scooby is *Shaggy*'s pet) and that the film itself assumed the Roger Rabbit "they're just actors in their TV show" approach (the plot involved Scooby wanting better parts), I assume it's an apocryphal (though OK) movie (though might count Scooby's first birthday party, as was shown in the film's flashback, as "counting", though dont' recall Shaggy in that scene either...).

[Dudley]

Of all the cartoons I've seen that has classic chracters as children, A Pup Named Scooby Doo and Muppet Babies are my favorite.

[AarHan3]

- Tom and Jerry Kids: Still didn't like them even if they were kids.
Didn't much care for 'em myself, despite Jerry wearing his "1975" red bow tie. :jerry: That grey stripe between Tom's eyes was never my fancy, even as a kitten! :tomcat:

[George3000]

Didn't much care for 'em myself, despite Jerry wearing his "1975" red bow tie. :jerry: That grey stripe between Tom's eyes was never my fancy, even as a kitten! :tomcat:"1975" red bow tie, what's that?

[Brainatra]

"1975" red bow tie, what's that?

In the mid-70's Hanna-Barbera "Tom and Jerry" series (the one where the two are best-buddies and stuff), Jerry wore a red bow tie.

[Tobias]

There was also the shortlived 'Yo, Yogi!' in the early 90's featuring Yogi, Cindy, Huck, Boo Boo and Snagglepuss as teenage mallrats/detectives.

[George3000]

And also, but under 'techincal' terms like TinyToons, there was this show:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283744/

[FredVelDaphFan]

"Pup Named SCooby-Doo" just was released on DVD on Tuesday, July 19. It was a volumed set rather than a boxed set and featured the first 4 episodes.