When I was a young girl you could buy things cheap, had to walk miles to school in the snow with bare feet - no wait, that was my grandparents - in the 80s we had quirky fashion, big hair and fantastic kids’ TV shows.
Here are some of the best...
Sing along with… The Snorks! Who could forget the cute little underwater creatures whose snorkel made a, well… ‘snork’ sound whenever they got excited?! With episode names like A Snork on the Wild Side and All that Glitters is Not Goldfish, hero Allstar Seaworthy, and notorious villains Bigweed and Lil’ Seaweed (Lil’ Kim soooo copied) how could this not make the list?! Check it out here.
Les Schtroumpfs… try saying that The Smurfs, as they were known here, were very… blue (and oh so cute!). Always replacing words with ‘smurf’, it was often smurfing hard to know what they were smurfing saying, but we love’m still. An episode originally entitled The Black Smurfs was changed to purple for the American audience. And some people are positive that the Smurfs have links to Communism. Despite the suspicious shortage of girls, the Smurfs made compelling viewing. My personal favourites? The devious villain Gargamel, his ever-loyal cat Azrael, and his creation Sassette who called him ‘pappy Gargamel’. Now that’s smurftastic! Watch it here.
Fraggleicious There was something about Fraggle Rock that was just cool… maybe it was their ability to share dreams by touching their heads together, it could have been their diet of radishes, or the ‘real’ characters like depressive Boober and indecisive Wembley (and his job as the fire department’s siren!). Whatever the appeal, we’re still into it - the Jim Henson Company plans to release a movie based on the series in 2009. Until then, don’t get eaten by the Plant of the Cave of Boredom or squashed by The Blob. Watch it here.
Showtime, synergy! What other cartoon includes a one minute video clip? And what other kids show has such a blend of action, drama and fashion? We loved how Jem could touch her earrings and become an instant superstar (and we tried and were secretly sad when it didn’t work…), and that the band members were adopted from different backgrounds (it’s been done, Angelina). And then there were The Misfits… they were bitchy, tough and full of attitude… given the choice, I think I’d prefer to join their band. It sounds like fun! And truly, truly, truly outrageous. Click here to check it out.
Al-Vinnnnnn!!! Three chipmunks and a man. What more could you want? Bossy, chaotic Alvin, geeky Simon and shy wee Theodore and his never-ending food supply. How single dad Dave Seville ever raised the three mischievous boys on his own is a mystery. When it was being made, a copycat show named the Nutty Squirrels was released, but it was nothing compared to the real stretchy-topped buck-toothed original. The chipper trio are releasing a movie this year with all sorts of gadgets, gismos and animation effects… I have a feeling it just won’t be the same. View it here.
The Smurfs, as they were known here, were very… blue 
Fraggleicious
What other cartoon includes a one minute video clip? And what other kids show has such a blend of action, drama and fashion? We loved how Jem could touch her earrings and become an instant superstar (and we tried and were secretly sad when it didn’t work…), and that the band members were adopted from different backgrounds (it’s been done, Angelina). And then there were The Misfits… they were bitchy, tough and full of attitude… given the choice, I think I’d prefer to join their band. It sounds like fun! And truly, truly, truly outrageous. Click 
Three chipmunks and a man. What more could you want? Bossy, chaotic Alvin, geeky Simon and shy wee Theodore and his never-ending food supply. How single dad Dave Seville ever raised the three mischievous boys on his own is a mystery. When it was being made, a copycat show named the Nutty Squirrels was released, but it was nothing compared to the real stretchy-topped buck-toothed original. The chipper trio are releasing a movie this year with all sorts of gadgets, gismos and animation effects… I have a feeling it just won’t be the same. View it