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We all know that 2010s animation by Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon is controversial at best (and I imagine my followers already know my opinions), but how come I never see anyone talking about how darn good Disney Junior cartoons have been for the last ten+ years?

All these shows are a lot of fun, if not downright great:

In fact, it seems to me that while Y7-rated cartoons are incredibly inconsistent, Y-rated cartoons have actually been a lot better for the most part. Since they don’t have that ridiculous expectation to be “edgy” and “cool”, there aren’t any Y-rated cartoons that have any of the usual list of problems as far as I can tell.

It makes My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic seem like an anomaly, seemingly unaffected by the surrounding phenomenons.

Somehow manages to sound like a Phil Spector Christmas song without sounding like every other pastiche of Phil Spector Christmas songs.

Also John Jagusak helped design Pops the weasel on Goldie & Bear, so that’s something

I was just looking for some stills for drawing reference, I didn’t expect to find practically the entire design process for this show

(This is a new Disney Junior show called T.O.T.S. for those curious)

All this and much more courtesy designer John Jagusak (from his website, and from his Instagram)

I’m still disappointed that the new Muppet Babies series doesn’t have the original voice cast, Rowlf, or the theme song in its original doo-wop style (or even with its original melody), but I found myself smiling and laughing when I watched the “Show & Tell” shorts despite all that.

They did actually improve on some things. Animal is less creepy/destructive than his 1980s counterpart, and they remembered that he’s a drummer. Gonzo has that stunt obsession (although I think they emphasized it a little too much, and I wish they also did the “crazy artist” thing too). And of course, having the huge backyard in addition to the playroom should make things much more expansive.

I do have one big complaint: Kermit is supposed to be left-handed! Just like Floyd Pepper and Janice!

Welp, we just got our first look at the new Muppet Babies show (yet another reboot that forces me to binge-watch the original, yay!), and two things stand out:

The new character, Summer Penguin, she’s okay. Not sure why they decided to reduce the cast so much and get rid of the previous made-up-for-the-show female character Skeeter, but eh. It’s not something I’m going to get angry about or anything. I actually like her better than that weird lamb they had in the concept art last year.

I don’t get why they got a new voice cast (see this video). Everyone from the original show is still alive except for Barbara Billingsley, so I don’t see why they couldn’t use them. Usually a new cast replacing actors who are still around is a strong indicator that it’ll turn out to be an awful “hip and edgy” overhaul, but since this is a Disney Junior show, that’s definitely not happening. It’s still weird though.

Latest Disney weasel: conman Pops from Goldie & Bear!

I would have put this up way earlier but I couldn’t find a copy I could take screencaps from so I finally just recorded it off the Disney Junior website myself. :x

Can I just sing the praises of a bunch of shows on Disney Junior?

One of the best is Doc McStuffins. Not only is the main character a positive role model for little girls, the family is black and the father is a house husband, but they don’t overemphasize it. It teaches a lot of important stuff without being preachy, including being healthy, taking good care of your pets and belongings, and the basics of being a good doctor. All the while the characters are all really cute with great personalities, lots of funny dialogue, great songs, and good quality animation.

Another really cool one is The Octonauts. I’m a sucker for cute talking animals, but what surprised me was how action-packed this show is. The characters really get into some intense danger- probably as intense as you can get in a Y-rated show this side of MLP. Another thing that impresses me is how the animators manage to get so many expressions out of such simplistic designs.

I suspect Disney wanted in on the cute animals with bulbous heads having adventures thing, and made Sheriff Callie’s Wild West as an American equivalent to Octonauts. I like westerns and country and folk music, and putting a whimsical spin on western tropes is fun. The songs are really good too.

Goldie & Bear is fun too, especially since I really like fairy tales. I love how the songs are all inspired by 1960s pop music, especially doo-wop. The character design is great, and you can tell Jim Cummings is having a blast playing the Big Bad Wolf.

P. King Duckling, while a very mild show, is often funny and surprisingly modern in the way it effortlessly integrates smartphones and the internet into its stories.

While Elena of Avalor is technically on the Disney Channel, it’s still Y-rated so that’s why I’m including it. I happen to be one quarter Mexican on my parternal grandmother’s side, and while I haven’t found the time to deeply explore Hispanic culture as much as I’d like, it’s great to see a cartoon, particularly one in the fantasy genre, so very much inspired by Latin American stuff.

I do really like Sofia the First as well, but admittedly I’m a little burnt out on it since a few too many episodes focus on mundane things like tea parties, ballet and camping.

Pleasantly surprised by Mickey and the Roadster Racers. I was pretty dubious when they first announced it- how in the world are they gonna keep up an entire series based around racing? It’s not much of a premise when you think about it. I figured the best they could do was do something similar to Speed Racer and it would at least be decent.

But I’m glad to see they’re doing more than just racing. Plus, unlike Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, it’s actually funny more than once an episode. I guess whoever decided that Minnie’s Bow Toons should have actual cartoon humor and slapstick is behind it.

And when was the last time you saw Horace Horsecollar and Clara Cluck in anything?? Having Clarabelle show up constantly without Horace was getting really distracting. Not to mention the way she kept getting paired up with Goofy, like she didn’t already have a boyfriend (I’m sure I’ve complained about this elsewhere). The new voice and the comic-book design they’re using is weird though.

Also, Clara Cluck is now a mother of twins(??). Kinda came out of nowhere. No mention of who the father is either, but she did have a brief relationship with Panchito back in the ‘40s, so that’s one possibility...

Speaking of Panchito, they brought him back along with Jose, even referencing Panchito’s full name from House of Mouse. Extremely pleased to see any kind of reference to that show, especially since I haven’t heard anything from it since Toon Disney got killed off.

My best guess is that whoever insisted on the racing thing wanted to sell toy cars. Fine by me, if we’re gonna get what they’ve given us so far.

With Phineas and Ferb, Gravity Falls, and seemingly Wander Over Yonder long gone from Disney XD, that really only leaves Star Wars Rebels and the so far underwhelming Milo Murphy’s Law for me to watch on that channel.

Meanwhile, there are rumors flying around about cancellations on Cartoon Network, where every popular show is coming to an end, including both ones I like and don’t like.

And Hasbro stopped making Pound Puppies and Littlest Pet Shop, which I’m really gonna miss.

On Nickelodeon, I only watch Harvey Beaks these days, which is ending soon.

Which leaves Disney Junior, of all things, with the majority of cartoons I like to watch. There’s getting to be a severe lack of good new cartoons to watch, and pretty soon there’s gonna be even fewer. Especially Cartoon Network- if the rumors are true, I’m not gonna be watching that channel AT ALL.

Kudos to Sheriff Callie’s Wild West for reintroducing the world to late-’50s-style country-tinged pop music in “The Ballad of Sweet Strings”. I had no idea anybody appreciated that sort of thing anymore. Johnny Strum freakin’ sounded like early Roy Orbison! And then they surprise me again by having Callie’s song at the end sound like Jeff Lynne-produced ‘80s Roy Orbison.

Whoever’s behind all this, your work has not gone unnoticed.

Does anyone else watch kids' shows that aren't on The Hub? Octonauts is pretty dang good.