This time, dear friends, I’ve got something to really cheer you up during lockdown: funny, simple, even childish – some favourite cartoons for you to watch online for free! Not all of us can afford to subscribe to Disney Channel, but there’s a lot on YouTube that’s equally good if not better; some of the old all-time classics, and also some more recent series that were on TV not too long ago.
I’m of the firm opinion that cartoons aren’t only for kids; grown-ups need something to laugh and be merry, too! Relive childhood memories with Donald Duck and Tom & Jerry, or even watch the Muppet Babies or Sponge Bob Square Pants for the first time – why not? Especially right now, we need all the light, uncomplicated entertainment we can get…
Donald Duck
As I’ve told you, dear friends, I’m a life-long Donald Duck fan; he was my comic book hero throughout my childhood – he’s just so wonderfully grumpy, lazy, mean, and sometimes very silly. And there are whole compilations of his classic cartoons from the 1940s and 1950s on YouTube to watch, guaranteeing hours of hilarious fun!
Daffy Duck
And here’s Donald’s big rival from the Warner Brothers ‘Looney Tunes’ series: Daffy, another grumpy and stubborn duck, who always gets into fights with Bugs Bunny and is hunted by Elmer Fudd… These wonderful compilations also include, Porky Pig, Roadrunner, Wile E. Coyote, Tweety and many others, of course!
Tom & Jerry
Another one of my childhood favourites that used to be on TV almost every day back in the 70s and 80s – endless scenes of cat-and-mouse hunts and one gag after the other will have you rolling on the floor with laughter!
Superman
For those who prefer superheroes to talking ducks and bunnies: some of the original Superman series from the 1940s for fans of vintage Superman adventures! Of course, you can also find some Batman, Spiderman and other Marvel heroes on YouTube.
Betty Boop
And here’s a gal that’ll thrill you: the one and only Betty Boop! She’s one of the oldest cartoon heroines of them all – she started out in black and white in the 30s! Later on, she turned to colour, and continued with her cute and sexy ways probably longer than any other female Hollywood star…
The Flintstones
Another cartoon featuring humans rather than animals – set in the Stone Age! The adventures of the Flintstones and Rubbles families in Bedrock were hugely popular in the 60s, and by now they’ve achieved cult status… Yabba-dabba-doo!!
Alice in Wonderland
Who doesn’t love the adventures of Alice in Wonderland? And this 1980s series added loads of new ones to the ones in the original book by Lewis Carroll. It stuck pretty much to the beautiful style of the 1951 Disney movie, and it’ll take you to a land of dreams where nothing is impossible…
Muppet Babies
I literally grew up with the original Muppet Show in the late 70s; they’re probably one of the main reasons I’m so childish and nutty… I was almost ‘too old’ when the cartoon ‘prequel’ about the childhood days of our beloved heroes Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Fozzie came out in 1984, but I watched it every week nevertheless – and why not? A bit of childish fun doesn’t harm anyone!
Sponge Bob Square Pants
This recent gem of a cartoon series is literally a generation younger than the previous ones: I used to watch it with my daughter Marianna when she was small in the early 2000s… It’s the most original, beautiful and imaginative animated TV series that was made in a long time – and some of Bob’s, Patrick’s and Squidward’s adventures under the sea in Bikini Bottom are available on YouTube!
Penguins of Madagascar
And here’s the most hilariously funny cartoon series of recent years; who doesn’t adore the Penguin Task Force, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private, from New York Zoo? Mercilessly taking the mickey out of every spy movie from James Bond to Mission: Impossible, our feathered heroes will have you roaring with laughter!
So, don’t hesitate to enjoy a bit of cartoon fun, dear friends – life is serious enough, we’ve got to be a bit silly sometimes! You’ll see how much it’ll help your psychological wellbeing…
Roberta Franklin 