Disney’s Gargoyles debuted in 1994, and while it was absolutely made for kids, it never really talked down to them. The show had monsters, action and cool character designs, but it also dealt with loyalty, betrayal, identity, racism, revenge and all kinds of heavier themes that gave older kids and teens plenty to latch onto.

It felt darker, smarter and more serious than a lot of cartoons at the time, which is probably why so many of us kept watching long after we were supposedly “too old” for Saturday morning cartoons.