Top 21 classic cartoons to watch after lighting up
The cannabis plant has the potential to enhance life in endless ways. One consumer may go on a run after a pull on the vape, another might consume edibles for creative inspiration, and, sometimes it’s nice to puff on a joint and watch some classic cartoons for stoners.
A nature documentary sometimes hits the right spot for the sesh, but others call for something silly. If it’s not a crowd for sketch comedy like I Think You Should Leave or The Astronomy Club, maybe a cartoon will hit right.
This list of cartoons covers all the vintage classics that will always be in style. Cannabis-consuming adults will often find the right time to stream on of these shows from back in the day. (Before anyone mentions a missing favorite, there will be a part two coming soon with more fan favorites that are still on the air).
Futurama
1999 – 2003 (11 seasons)
Watch on: Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes
Airtime: 22 minute episodes
A pizza delivery guy is transported into the future, where he is able to ascend to a space delivery guy in this raucous comedy from the creators of The Simpsons (which would be on this list but it is still on the air). Unforgettable characters like Zoidberg and Bender are forever in the culture thanks to this vintage treasure.
Metalocalypse
2006 – 2013 (four seasons)
Watch on: Max, Hulu, Prime Video
Airtime: 21 minutes
Follow along with the most notorious metal band in this world, DETHKLOK, in this classic Adult Swim cartoon. The band gets brutal in everyday life while managing their unbelievable popularity. This series concluded with a one-hour rock opera entitled The Doomstar Requiem.
Happy Tree Friends
1999 – 2016 (five seasons)
Watch on: Crunchyroll
Air time: 22 minutes split into seven minute bites
The cutest, most squeaky little characters get into graphically violent adventures in this animated series. Putting adorable characters in terrifying scenarios struck a chord with the early internet generation, and the love for Happy Tree Friends persists until today.
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Home Movies
1999 – 2004 (four seasons)
Watch on: Max
Airtime: 22 minutes
Brandon Small makes home movies with a video camera, and that covers the premise of each episode of this elder Adult Swim animated series. The kid acts out his child-like fantasies in front of the camera with friends and cameos from his divorced mom and foolish soccer coach.
Venture Brothers
2003 – 2018 (seven episodes)
Watch on: Max
Airtime: 22 – 24 minutes
Action, adventure, comedy, and drama all merge in Venture Brothers, an Adult Swim series following two dim-witted twins and their nepo-baby adventurer father, Dr. “Rusty” Venture. Misadventures ensue, and thankfully protected by security guard Brock Samson, who saves the day almost every episode. Lovers of Venture Bros. can look forward to the upcoming 2023 movie that will serve as the long-anticipated finale to the series.
Spongebob Squarepants
1999 – 2023 (15 seasons)
Watch on: Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount+
Airtime 11 – 44 minutes
Generations of children have grown up watching Spongebob Squarepants, and now many are adults who still love to turn it on from time-to-time. Silly voices and hilarious misadventures keep people returning to this beloved cartoon years after they’ve aged out of the target demographic.
Fairly Oddparents
2001 – 2017 (10 seasons)
Watch on: Netflix
Airtime: 11 – 135 minutes
Timmy Turner never truly knew how lucky he had it with fairy godparents Cosmo and Wanda in Fairly Oddparents. This animated treasure aired for over a decade on Nickelodeon in shorts, television series, TV movies, and full-length feature films. The beloved pink and green fairies’ popularity persists, inspiring a TikTok trend just last year.
The Cleveland Show
2009 – 2013 (four seasons)
Watch on: Hulu
Air time: 22 minutes
Cleveland, a friend of Family Guy’s Peter Griffin, first premiered with his new family in cartoon spinoff The Cleveland Show in 2009. The cartoon received mixed reviews but persisted for four seasons filled with the misadventures of Cleveland’s soft-spoken son, outspoken stepdaughter, and loving wife.
Rocco’s Modern Life
1993 – 1996 (four seasons)
Watch on: fuboTV
Airtime: 30 minutes
Most episodes of this classic Nickelodeon cartoon featured two short stories, but occasionally, the show would tell one story in two parts. Though the cartoon was meant for children, racy references (like a restaurant named the “Chokey Chicken”) make many pause before sharing it with their children. However, this makes it the perfect animated series for adults to revisit after a bong rip.
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Ren & Stimpy
1991 – 1996 (five seasons)
Watch on: Paramount+, Prime Video, YouTube
Airtime: 22 minutes
What happens when a psychotic chihuahua and a not-so-bright Manx cat are best friends? Those who watch Ren & Stimpy find out in this vintage cartoon with satirical elements. The cartoon was created to offset the mindset at that time, which was that cartoons should be made to sell toys. Because of Ren & Stimpy, shows on this list like Spongebob and Adventure Time are possible.
Phineas and Ferb
2007 – 2015 (four seasons)
Watch on: Disney+
Airtime: 11 minutes
Two brothers take on their summer vacation in each season of childhood gem Phineas and Ferb. Every episode features the pair embarking on a novel idea that will help someone in need, and most days, they end up having fun. The wholesome good times and positive outcomes make this a great watch after a lighthearted sesh.
The Cramp Twins
2001 – 2004 (two seasons)
Watch on: Amazon
This hard-to-find series is based on a graphic novel of the same name. Both were written by cartoonist Brian Wood. Two clashing twins from a fictional town called Soap City clash against each other episode after episode as viewers learn valuable life lessons.
Ed, Edd, & Eddy
1999 – 2009 (six seasons)
Watch on: Max
Airtime: 30 minutes
Three clueless boys with similar names take center stage in this kid’s cartoon that adults still get a kick out of. Ed, Edd, and Eddy are adolescents who rarely know what’s going on around them. Adventures culminate into slapstick comedy that often ends in someone getting smashed by something.
Recess
1997 – 2001 (6 seasons)
Watch on: Disney+
Airtime: 20 minutes
Travel back to the blacktop in Recess, a show that follows a group of friends who navigate the politics of the playground together every day after the recess bell. Over the years, the best friends learn about each other and, in turn, learn lessons about life in this grade school show that still hits sometimes in middle age.
Scooby Doo, Where Are You?
1969 – 1970 (three seasons)
Watch on: Max
Airtime: 30 minutes
The original Scooby-Doo show aired in 1969, but many iterations (including feature films) have been released since. However, the OG Scooby still holds its own for kids and grown-ups looking to chill out.
Bobby’s World
1990 – 1998 (seven seasons)
Watch on: Prime Video
Airtime: 30 minutes
Follow along with Bobby Generic as he navigates life as a little boy in the 1990s. The children’s comedy series was created by actor and comedian Howie Mandell. The actor also voiced two of the characters. The main character was based on writer Mitch Schaur’s son and after some cannabis, everyone wants to live in Bobby’s World.
Ducktales
1987 – 1990 (four seasons)
Watch on: Disney+, Prime Video, and Apply TV
Airtime: 22- 44 minutes
Disney lovers may know of Uncle Scrooge McDuck, a main character in the beloved cartoon Ducktales. The show also follows Uncle Scrooge’s nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie, and their close friends as they hunt for treasure to add to the family fortune. The show was rebooted in 2017 to Millenial fanfare.
The Oblongs
2001 (one partial season)
Watch on: Prime Video
Airtime: 22 minutes
This short-lived adult animation series featured a family thriving despite living in a toxic valley and having multiple deformities. The father, voiced by Will Ferrell, has no arms or legs, bopping around as a torso. Neighbors on the hill, however, are untouched by deformities. The show explores the American caste system in a way that may have been too “on the nose.”
Halfway through the season, the show was canceled with the network citing low viewership–five episodes remain unaired. Wikipedia cites “public disapproval” as the reason the show was canned. Either way, it’s a good watch.
Daria
1997 – 2002 (five seasons)
Watch on: MTV, PlutoTV, Paramount+, Prime Video, YouTube
Airtime: 20 minutes
Daria is everyone’s favorite monotone teen and the main character of this MTV series from the turn of the millennium. Outsiders flock to the coming of age cartoon featuring a character who proudly walks to the beat of her own drum in this honest satire on American teenage life.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
2000 – 2015 (11 seasons)
Watch on: Max
Airtime: 15 minutes
Three personified fast food items solve mysteries in Aqua Teen Hunger Force, also called ATHF or Aqua Teen. Frylock calls the shots for the mouth of the operation Master Shake. Most hijinks make the third member of the squad, Meatwad, miserable. The trio gets into adventures involving Mooninites, mad scientists, and their neighbor Carl.
Beavis and Butthead
1993 – 2011 (seven seasons)
Watch on: PlutoTV, YouTube, The Roku Channel
Airtime: four – 22 minutes
This classic adult cartoon follows two idiot metalheads who get bored and do things that are cool. The best friends watch music videos, provide commentary, and go on adventures. The series was turned into a feature film entitled Beavis and Butthead Do America in 1996. The series was also rebooted in 2022, viewers are excited for the season two premier.
This long list of cartoons has something for everyone and provides enough vibes to cater to any sesh. Whether the group wants something wholesome like Bobby’s World, wants to go deeper with The Oblongs, or venture into the strange unknown with Ren & Stimpy–it’s been covered here. No matter what you choose, have some laughs, kick back, and enjoy the show.