With hit movies and TV shows like “Avengers: Endgame” and “Stranger Things” being produced in Georgia over the past decade, it’s no wonder that the state, and Atlanta in particular, has earned the nickname the “Hollywood of the South.” So with the entertainment industry on our mind, BetGeorgia.com hit the pause button on Georgia sports betting updates, switched to our childhood, and rank the state's favorite nostalgic cartoons.
Below you’ll find the top 10 nostalgic cartoon shows from the ‘90s and early-2000s, according to Georgia residents, and GoogleTrends. To create these rankings we compared the in-state search engine interest for each series from Jan. 21 to Feb. 21, 2024. Check it out to and discover Georgia’s favorite cartoon throwbacks.
Georgia’s Favorite Childhood Cartoons
The Results Are In
According to our research, “SpongeBob SquarePants” is the Peach State’s favorite nostalgic cartoon show, with a search interest score of 67. The goofy adventures of the titular yellow sea sponge, who lives underwater alongside his goofy starfish best friend Patrick and the cantankerous Squidward, has been entertaining children (and let’s face it, adults too) since 1999. The popular children’s series is in its 14th season on Nickelodeon and is slated to cross the 300-episode mark in 2024.
Meanwhile, “Arthur” checks in at number two in our rankings with a GoogleTrends score of 55. Debuting in 1996 on PBS, “Arthur” is the longest running children’s cartoon series in the United States. Episodes follow bespectacled aardvark Arthur, along with his family and friends, and frequently approach difficult subject matter, such as bullying or mental health, in a kid-friendly way.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from “Arthur” is number three on our list of Georgia’s favorite nostalgic cartoons, “South Park.” The hit adult cartoon series stars a foul-mouthed foursome of elementary-aged kids living in snowy Colorado. “South Park” is known for its crude subject matter, gross-out humor, and no-holds-barred satire of politics, current events and celebrities.
“The Simpsons” lands at fourth on our list of the most popular cartoons among Georgia residents. The series, which debuted in 1989, may be celebrating its 35th birthday in 2024, but Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. “The Simpsons” has already been renewed through 2025, meaning it will cross the 800-episode mark next year.
Compared to the four shows ahead of it on our list, number five, “Ed, Edd n Eddy,” was relatively short lived. Premiering in 1999, the series following “the Eds” — three scheming kiddos, all named some variation of Edward — aired for five seasons on the Cartoon Network.
The rest of Georgia’s favorite cartoon series include plenty of children classics from the ‘90s and 2000s, including another Cartoon Network favorite, “The Powerpuff Girls” at number six, Disney’s “Recess” at number seven, and live-action/animation hybrid “Blue’s Clues” at number eight.
Meanwhile, Tommy Pickles and company find themselves at number nine with the Nickelodeon original “Rugrats.” And last, but not least, “The Magic School Bus,” starring Ms. Frizzle and her fourth-grade class, claim the final spot on our list of Georgia’s favorite nostalgic cartoons.
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Author
Jeff Parker is an entertainment writer for BetGeorgia.com. A writer for film, television and the internet, Jeff is a life long movie buff, with a Masters Degree in Popular Culture. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he works full time as documentary filmmaker and producer.
