Shaturday Morning Cartoons

In the inaugural episode of this soon-to-be classic series, Joe, Nick, George and guest curator, Caitlin McGurk eat toxically sugary cereal, wear pajamas and watch cartoons that time forgot all before they've even brushed their teeth.

Let's do the Mario in this rap-tastic episode, where we watch an all hip-hop episode of the Super Mario Bros Super Show (1989) with Caitlin McGurk of the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Plus, rapping chicken McNuggets, a Little Monsters movie rap, and Captain N!

“Talking Simpsons" co-host and cartoon aficionado, Henry Gilbert joins Joe, Nick and George to watch a thrilling episode of Hulk Hogan's Rock N Wrestling and eat cereal that's part of a complete breakfast. Plus wrestling toy commercials and a guaranteed copyright claim.

Grab some Cookie Crisp and your favorite cube-based puzzle and settle in for an episode of the 1983 cartoon, Rubik: The Amazing Cube, with a theme song by Menudo. Joe, Nick and George are joined by Denver's Sie FilmCenter artistic director Keith Garcia for this colorful, magical, lovable episode! Plus, George imparts a life lesson in his signature segment, "The More You Battle Is Twice The Knowing."

Cartoon aficionado and Fruity Pebbles enthusiast, Caitlin McGurk puts on her finest pajamas and joins the fellas to watch Rambo: The Force Of Freedom. Plus bootleg toys, a slideshow of cartoons spawned by rated-R movies and lots of Rambo, a hero who rarely wears a shirt.

Join Joe, Nick, George, cartoon expert Caitlin McGurk, and their magical leprechaun gopher Glomer as they cue up a punk rockin' episode of the Punky Brewster cartoon. Plus, Nick tries the new Pop Tarts cereal, George pours himself a "suicide," and Joe asks for "pap pics."

It's Shaturday morning and we're gearing up for Halloween with an episode of the 1982 Pac-Man cartoon called "Trick-or-Chomp." Mike Drucker (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee) joins us to eat cereal out of his childhood Ninja Turtles bowl and make a stunning observation about Pac anatomy! Plus, a TV news report about Pacmania, the surprising voice talent behind some of your favorite cartoons, and another disturbing lesson from George. CHOMP!

It's Halloween and the Shaturday crew is joined by Laura Wimbels, co-host of the Big Bad B-Movie Show in Cleveland, to watch Fonz and the Gang face off against vampires, werewolves and way too many trap doors. Plus pap pics, low-effort costumes, scary commercials and a Bullwinkle shirt purchased with tacos.

The Shaturday crew crams onto the couch to watch “The Brady Kids,” a “Brady Bunch” animated spin-off, and is joined by Joe’s brother, Alex Pickett, who happens to be a Brady Bunch expert (he read Barry Williams’ book 25 years ago). George curates some gross commercials and Nick graphically details why he dislikes sleeping naked.

Hail and well met, weary viewers! The Shaturday Boyz are joined by Charlie Sanders (Key & Peele) to watch a terrifying episode of the 1983 Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Plus, stories about Gary Gygax, Dungeon Master-pattern baldness, D&D toys, and role playing in Sofia Vergara's basement. How do you say, "great episode?"

It's the Shaturday before Thanksgiving and we're celebrating the traditional way: with animated Q-Bert! Nick's sister joins the gang to talk about growing up as "latchkey kids" and watching a ton of terrible cartoons. Plus, commercials that ruined songs, The Newlyshat Game, George's wisdom, and Joe dares Nick and his sister to swear in front of each other for the first time.

No, not that Ghostbusters. The Shaturday crew is joined by Craig Rowin (Search Party) to watch the worse 1986 Ghostbusters cartoon that confused us all as kids. Plus, a game called Name the Worse Version, Ghostbusters toys vs. The Real Ghostbusters toys, George's lesson, and a kid named either Gorky or Corky. Alright, enough about hiccups, enjoy!

The good ol' boys (Joe, Nick, and George), never meaning no harm, and yet they can't help but force Caitlin McGurk from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library to watch this Christmas episode of The Dukes of Hazzard cartoon from 1983. Plus, Nick's trip to a Dukes mini golf course called Cooter's, George's wisdom, and at least one reference to the song, "Dazzey Dukes." Have a bitch of a Christmas!

Slow Joe, Sick Nick, Furious George and Colonoscopy Caitlin pour some Christmas colored cereal and watch the never-actually-aired Garbage Pail Kids: The Series. George curates a block of Christmas cereal commercials paired with incongruous news teases and Joe unveils an extremely rare Garbage Pail Kid he found on the dark web. [insert cartoon SPLAT sound effect here]

Hang tough with Joe, Nick, George, and special guest Julie Houts as we watch the New Kids on the Block animated Christmas special! This aired in prime time on ABC in 1990 and contains a genuinely shocking ending. Plus, pics of Nick's NKOTB teen birthday party, vintage New Kids trivia, the NKOTB 1-900 number, and George's very special lesson. Word.

Still want more Christmas shoved down your gullet? You came to the right place. Joe, Nick, George and their pal, Kendall McKenzie watch the Christmas episode of Beverly Hills Teens and everyone learns the true meaning of Christmas or whatever.

Joe, Nick and George welcome actor Jason Griffith, the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog in cartoons in the 2000s, to watch a New Year's Eve-themed episode of "Street Sharks" from 1995. Plus, failed toy lines from the 80s, Vin Diesel shilling toys in the 90s, more blatant Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-offs, and Jason reveals the secrets of being a cartoon voice actor! And his kimono comes fully open at least once. Here's to a jawsome New Year!

Put on your brain boxes and join us for a 1988 cartoon 65 million years in the making, "Dino-Riders!" Artist Rebecca Dart (My Little Pony) is with us to provide animation insights and dinosaur party facts, George serves up some dino commercials, Joe marvels at the magical dinosaur butthole, and we survey the history of Tyco toys. Plus, Nick debuts the soon-to-be-hit game show, "Dino or Dino!"

On this very special Shaturday, film archivist and Sugar Bear expert, Skip Elsheimer from AV Geeks, educates the fellas about the history of cereal's most notorious cool guy, Sugar Bear, and everyone ends up with a mouth full of cavities.

Join George, Nick, Joe and supposed collegiate quarterback, Steve Lawrence as they watch PROstars, a 1991 one-season wonder featuring crime-fighting athletes who encounter some STIFF (wink, wink) competition on the basketball court.

Grab your lover and the sexiest bowl of cereal you can find for this Valentine's Day episode of the 1974 cartoon, Partridge Family 2200 A.D. Join Nick, Joe, George, Caitlin McGurk from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library, and a relentless animation laugh track for this romantic romp involving robot cruelty and a prominent front butt. Plus, play along in the new hit game show, Partridge or Cartridge!

Pour yourself a stiff bowl of cereal for this alcohol-themed episode of Shaturday Morning Cartoons with Joe, Nick, George and Caitlin McGurk from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library. We watch an episode of The Littles called "A Little Drunk," where our tiny heroes meet an alcoholic but cool movie star named Kurt Corwin. Plus, commercials for little versions of things, a sobering lesson from Nick, and a surprise cameo from cartoon royalty!

Joe, Nick and George FINALLY get around to watching Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos and joining them on this dangerous ride is author, Jason Waguespack who actually wrote the book on Saturday morning cartoons. Plus George debuts his InvesTOONgation series, Joe analyzes cartoon facial hair and we all learn a valuable lesson that will make us a better ninja.

It's a productive morning for the Shaturday crew as they welcome illustrator Don Sparrow to watch Galaxy High (1986) and to play George's Frank Welker-related game show, "Who's Welker?" Then they all get very serious and tap their toes to a Melinda Mix about animated alcoholism. Earth stinks!

Hello, Welkerinos! It's a St. Patrick's Day celebration as Joe, Nick, George and Caitlin from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library gear up for an episode of James Bond Jr., in which our hero battles an evil leprechaun. Plus, commercials for "Irish" products, a history of cartoons featuring the young versions of other cartoons, and Caitlin's dog Rambo eats a whole bowl of Lucky Charms.

This week, Caitlin from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library picks "Life with Louie," the 1995-97 cartoon about little Louie Anderson, and Nick selects an episode about the Green Bay Packers. Plus, we match cartoons to the real life comedians behind them, George curates commercials featuring the name "Louie," Caitlin reveals her secret tailgating shame, and Nick gives the finger to the real Simpsons house in Nevada. Hey good lookin' Welkers, we'll be back to pick you up later!

The fellaz welcome on animation writer Albertina Rizzo (and also Joe's wife) to watch the infamous anti-drug Jem episode "Alone Again," full of important messages, inspiring music and trippy anti-drug animation. Grab your drugs (or sugary cereal) and just say no!

Join Joe, Nick, George and Caitlin as they cue up 1982's "A Family Circus Easter" on VHS. Plus, exasperated dads in TV commercials, Dizzy Gillespie mispronunciations, and Caitlin's Easter bunny nightmare. Then, Family Circus writer/artist Jeff Keane joins us to talk about wild cartoonist awards weekends and to play a game called "Who Said It?"

George worked his magic and somehow tracked down Jimmy Keegan, the guy who, as a kid, voiced Henry Bigg from The Littles and a handful of characters from the GI Joe PSAs (he was also in "Over The Top"). And thus it was decided we should bro with Jimmy and watch every single GI Joe PSA with him. And so we bro'ed. And bro'ing is half the battle. Sorry.

Join Joe, Nick, George and Reverend Jen Miller of the Troll Museum for a "cataclysmic" rewatch of 1993's Stone Protectors, a cartoon inspired by troll dolls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and general 90s extreme-ness. Then, Rev. Jen takes us on a deep dive into her troll collection and the troll doll phenomenon that's been red hot since 1959. It's a rollerblading, guitar shredding, grenade tossing, LSD-case-studying, superfluous good time!

It's comic strip day this Shaturday! And the gang will see how well they translate to cartoons by watching a short Ziggy special and a weird Snuffy Smith cartoon. Plus George assembles a block of commercials featuring pantsless cartoon characters. This episode couldn't be fudgier!

The Shaturday gang celebrates Canada with 1982's "The Raccoons on Ice" and Brennan Tilley of the Calgary Underground Film Festival. Plus, stories of smuggling cereal over the Canadian border, meeting Neil Peart of Rush, and the debut of the VHS-based game, "Religious or Canadian." It's un-pree-cedented Shaturday fun!

The Shaturday boyz are joined by Bob Mackey of the Retronauts and Talking Simpsons podcasts to watch a Mother's Day episode of The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3. Meet Princess Exposition, find out what's in the "mummy case," fire up your TurboGrafx-16, and play a round of the new game show, Super Mario Threes.

Buckle up for arguably the most ridiculous Shaturday morning of your life. Hands will turn to tires, eyes will become headlights and mouths will hit the floor in this wonderfully awful one-season wonder. Plus George tracks down an actual Turbo Teen and Joe cobbles together another low-effort game.

When the cat's away, the ALFs with play, and with Joe out of town, Nick and George cue up an episode of 1988's ALF Tales with David Steven Cohen, the co-writer and executive producer of the series. Plus, Nick blows the lid off an ALF cartoon theme song controversy, George curates a fine selection of ALF commercials, David performs an original song about Gordon Shumway's home planet, and the boys meet a Melmacian Ronald Reagan. HA!

It's NBA basketball playoff time and what better way to celebrate than to watch a team of cartoon basketball players turn into spaghetti and water! We say this a lot but this time we mean it: Super Globetrotters might be the most batshit cartoon of them all. For real this time. Get your canned laughter ready, studio audience, for Super Globetrotters!

This week, the Shaturday crew welcomes KJ from Night Flight to watch an episode of the particularly shatty Problem Child animated series from 1993. Plus, stories of Joe's youth as a real life problem child, clown-based commercials, LL Cool J rapping with Dr. Ruth, and a new game called "Red Head Redemption." And stay tuned, because you'll never forget where you were when Nick makes a stunning admission.