What RUINED Hanna-Barbera?

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by king of comedy

Times change and so did animation.

Ya and got worse

[TMC]

[D-Dey]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

H-B tried to change with the times...

60's-Have anatomically correct animals and 1/2 hour TV Shows. (Example: Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, Top Cat, The Flinstones, and The Jetsons to name a few).
70's-Have Scooby Doo, Scooby Doo Clones, shows based on TV Shows, and superhero-like shows. Later, it was a revamp of Yogi Bear and The Flinstones.
80's-Have a variety like we did in the 70's...shows that are based on toys (Pound Puppies), video games (Pac-Man), TV Shows (Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour), Comics (Richie Rich), Greeting Cards (Shirt Tales), Foreign Cartoons (Smurfs and Snorks), and I can go on...H-B had a lot of cartoons...not as much as the 70's, but...cartoons had better quality starting by then!
90's-Have original shows on Cartoon Network (Example: Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, and Johnny Bravo to name a few).

H-B tried to change with the time...the 80's DIDN'T ruin H-B...Bill Hanna's death in 2001 did....

I have to disagree. I think the late-1970's and early-1980's was the time of the decline of Hanna-Barbera. The late-1970's when they started going disco, and much of the 1980's when they started doing half-hour toy commercials is what sent them downhill, although people have already pointed out, it wasn't just them. It got so bad that even cartoons that aren't half-hour toy commercials were mistaken for them. Up until they made "The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley," they started to improve again.

[stevea]

As revered as shows like The Flintstones are, H-B animation doesn't hold up to theatrical cartoon animation of the 30s to the 50s. I say this as a fan.

[Charles Knox]

Network censors and parent groups. Jonny Quest was under fire from parent groups complaining about violence and adult situations in Saturday morning animation. This ended up leading to very watered down shows like Superfriends in the 70's and 80's. I sort of give them a pass, because their hands was tied to what they could and couldn't do on a Saturday morning cartoon show.

You can also look at Joe Ruby and Ken Spears leaving to form their own animation studios in the late 70's.

So I am a bit more suprised by how long they were able to make it work and stay on top.

[biffbronson]

It's been said that DC Comics felt an obligation to have scripts done for SuperFriends when it debuted in 1973 that contained things related to morals and ecology, as they had a full hour of that H-B series aimed at young kids on Sat. mornings. Actually got cancelled following this first incarnation, but returned of course.

[Charles Knox]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

It's been said that DC Comics felt an obligation to have scripts done for SuperFriends when it debuted in 1973 that contained things related to morals and ecology, as they had a full hour of that H-B series aimed at young kids on Sat. mornings. Actually got cancelled following this first incarnation, but returned of course.

The no violence on Saturday morning rule even carried over into the 90's with Spider-Man the animated series. If you ever watched an episode, you will noticed he never throws a punch. Batman the Animated Series and X-Men, were the first animated shows to really pushed the envelope on what they could get away with on a Saturday morning cartoon.

[D-Dey]

Originally Posted by Charles Knox

The no violence on Saturday morning rule even carried over into the 90's with Spider-Man the animated series. If you ever watched an episode, you will noticed he never throws a punch. Batman the Animated Series and X-Men, were the first animated shows to really pushed the envelope on what they could get away with on a Saturday morning cartoon.

Keep in mind also, that these two cartoons were originally on the Fox Network, which used to pride themselves on programming that the big 3 didn't have. Combine the "dare to be different" mentality of Fox with the Bruce Timm revivalist comic book, and the Tim Burton movies, both of which tend to blend the line between good and evil, and you had the makings of something that could do nothing but break the mold.

[TMC]

15 Best Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Ranked

Hanna-Barbera Productions developed some of the most iconic 20th-century cartoons. From Scooby-Doo to Tom & Jerry, here are their best shows.

[Charles Knox]

Originally Posted by TMC

15 Best Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Ranked

Hanna-Barbera Productions developed some of the most iconic 20th-century cartoons. From Scooby-Doo to Tom & Jerry, here are their best shows.

Whoever put this list together was clueless.

[TMC]

10 Most Underrated Hanna-Barbera Shows, Ranked

Hanna-Barbera has produced an extensive amount of shows over the years, making room for a few of their best to go forgotten as time goes on.

[Charles Knox]

Originally Posted by TMC

10 Most Underrated Hanna-Barbera Shows, Ranked

Hanna-Barbera has produced an extensive amount of shows over the years, making room for a few of their best to go forgotten as time goes on.

A lot of that list is forgettable Scooby Doo clones. Their most underrated toon would probably be the Hillbilly Bears, which was part of The Atom Ant / Secret Squirrel Show.

[TMC]

For over three decades, Hanna-Barbera ruled television animation. From The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! to Yogi Bear and The Jetsons, they weren’t just making cartoons—they were defining childhood. At their peak, the studio produced nearly two-thirds of all Saturday morning animation and earned the nickname “The General Motors of Cartoons.”

But something went wrong.

How did the vibrant studio that revolutionized primetime animation become a hollowed-out brand name? Why did the studio that gave us Fred Flintstone’s “Yabba Dabba Doo!” slowly crumble under corporate ownership, cost-cutting, formula fatigue, and endless spin-offs?

This isn’t just a story about cartoons. It’s a story about art vs. commerce… and what happens when profit wins.

👇 Join the conversation in the comments:
• What was your favorite Hanna-Barbera cartoon growing up?
• Did you notice the quality shift as the years went on?
• Were you a Flintstones kid, a Scooby-Doo fan, or all about Saturday morning mystery clones?

If you love deep dives into TV history, cartoon nostalgia, and the behind-the-scenes stories that shaped your childhood, make sure to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more retrospectives like this.

Because they may have retired the studio name… but those characters? They’re forever.

[TMC]

Explore the incredible story behind one of the most influential animation studios in history. In this video, we break down the rise and fall of Hanna-Barbera, the legendary studio that created some of the most iconic cartoons ever made. From classics like Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, and The Jetsons to dominating Saturday morning television, Hanna-Barbera shaped generations of animation fans.

But what led to the studio’s decline after decades of success? Discover the business decisions, industry changes, and competition that transformed the animation landscape. If you love cartoon history, animation documentaries, and behind-the-scenes stories of classic TV shows, this deep dive into Hanna-Barbera is a must watch.