Saturday Morning Cartoons: The Rise, the 80s and 90s Peak, and the End
For decades, American kids woke early on Saturdays for hours of cartoons on the big networks. Here is how the tradition began, what made the 80s and 90s special, and why it quietly ended.
For generations of American children, Saturday morning cartoons were a weekly ritual: pajamas, a bowl of cereal and hours of animation on the major broadcast networks. The tradition ran from the 1960s into the 2000s, peaked in the 1980s and 1990s, and faded as cable and streaming took over.
How it started
In television's early years, Saturday mornings were a cheap slot with few viewers. Networks realised children were a loyal audience there, and advertisers of cereal and toys were eager to reach them. With sponsorship from cereal makers, networks expanded their Saturday schedules. Cheaper limited animation, pioneered for TV by studios such as Hanna-Barbera, made it possible to fill hours of airtime every week.
The 1980s: toys, action and Smurfs
The 1980s brought the best-remembered era. Saturday lineups mixed comedy cartoons, adventure series and shows tied to toy lines, along with live-action segments, music and educational interstitials. For many families the Saturday morning schedule was the event of the week, and networks promoted their new fall lineups with prime-time preview specials.
The 1990s: the last big decade
Saturday blocks remained popular through the 1990s, with networks competing hard for children's attention and introducing new branded blocks. At the same time, cable channels devoted to children and cartoons were growing, offering animation every day of the week instead of only on Saturday.
What happened to Saturday morning cartoons?
Several changes came together:
- Cable and later streaming. Kids no longer had to wait for Saturday; cartoons were available all week.
- Educational requirements. US rules introduced after the Children's Television Act of 1990 required broadcasters to air a set amount of "educational and informational" programming for children each week. Many networks filled Saturday mornings with these shows, often live-action, instead of traditional cartoons.
- Advertising limits on children's programming reduced how profitable the slot was.
- Changing habits: organised sports, games consoles and home video competed for weekend mornings.
Network cartoon blocks shrank through the 2000s. In 2014, when the last broadcast network block of traditional cartoons was replaced, many news outlets described it as the end of Saturday morning cartoons on broadcast television.
Saturday morning by decade
| Decade | What it was like |
|---|---|
| 1960s | Networks discover the slot; limited-animation TV cartoons and reruns of theatrical shorts |
| 1970s | Mystery-solving teens, superhero teams and Schoolhouse-style educational segments |
| 1980s | The peak: toy-driven action shows, comedy cartoons and preview specials |
| 1990s | Branded blocks, strong competition from kids' cable channels |
| 2000s–2014 | Shrinking blocks, educational programming, the end on broadcast TV |
Where to watch Saturday morning cartoons today
- Studio streaming services carry many classic series from their own libraries.
- DVD and Blu-ray box sets often include original intros and extras.
- Free ad-supported streaming channels run classic cartoon marathons.
- Libraries lend DVD collections for free.
Recreate the ritual: cereal, pajamas and a few episodes back to back. For the bigger history of animation, read our guide to old cartoons.
Questions
When did Saturday morning cartoons end?
On US broadcast networks, traditional cartoon blocks faded through the 2000s and the last one was replaced in 2014.
Why did Saturday morning cartoons end?
Cable and streaming made cartoons available every day, educational programming requirements filled broadcast schedules, and advertising became less profitable.
What time were Saturday morning cartoons on?
Schedules varied by network and time zone, but blocks typically ran from early morning until around midday.
Can I still watch old Saturday morning cartoons?
Yes, on studio streaming services, free streaming channels, DVD collections and library loans.
