animation Most unexpectantly dark episodes of kid shows?

[Theautisticrebel 304]

What are some unexpectedly dark episodes of kid shows you can think of?

I have some

Static Shock:

Jimmy

Frozen Out

Sons of the Fathers

The Powerpuff Girls:

Speed Demon

Knock it off

Twisted Sister

Spongebob Squarepants:

Nasty Patty

Are you Happy now?

Alot of the mid season episodes that show how flandarized the show had gotten (Demolition Doofus and One Course Meal for example) however these episodes are mostly considered bad rather than dark

Doug:

Doug's Christmas Story

Doug's Chubby Buddy

Phineas & Ferb:

Phineas & Ferb get busted

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by Theautisticrebel

[Megas 27,630]

The Static Shock episodes with the School Shooting and Richie’s racist dad

Proud Family where a Middle Eastern family moves in and their house gets vandalized with racist comments 

That’s So Raven where Raven finds out she was rejected from a job because she was Black

As Told By Ginger where that old lady straight up dies at the dinner table

Wild Thornberrys where we find out Donny’s parents were murdered by poachers while trying to save orangutans 

Hey Arnold when ever they talked about scary stories like that Cabbie getting decapitated or the Ghost Bride murdering her sister and former groom

[zerox 1,119]

Scooby-Doo on Zombie island? Didn't sleep well that night after watching it.

[Splashee 28,564]

Some of the Disney classic cartoons, especially a Donald Duck one from the WWII era.

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

The Sweet Stench Of Success (Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends).

Kip Snip is surprisingly similar to real-life abusers and human-traffickers.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Castle Bleck

[ZiggWheelsManning 10,311]

On 2022-12-30 at 1:15 PM, Megas said:

The Static Shock episodes with the School Shooting and Richie’s racist dad

Proud Family where a Middle Eastern family moves in and their house gets vandalized with racist comments 

That’s So Raven where Raven finds out she was rejected from a job because she was Black

As Told By Ginger where that old lady straight up dies at the dinner table

Wild Thornberrys where we find out Donny’s parents were murdered by poachers while trying to save orangutans 

Hey Arnold when ever they talked about scary stories like that Cabbie getting decapitated or the Ghost Bride murdering her sister and former groom

The Wild Thornberrys one was heart aching and sad  

Can never get past the Hey Arnold! scary story themed episodes  

[Theautisticrebel 304]

Unrelated but I marked this "animation" even though it should be movies/television so you can mention live-action tv episodes as well as animated ones my mistake on my part.

[Castle Bleck 19,361]

The Saffron-Lavender arc (the Pokemon anime).

This Sabrina is pretty-much the Pokemon version of Alma Wade (F.E.A.R.). Plus, Ash and Pikachu die and become spirits for a while.

Edited January 2, 2023 by Castle Bleck

[Minterwute 60]

the Redwall TV series dealt with some surprisingly dark themes

slavery, murder, assassination, torture, on-screen death, etc.

and just generally darker themes like in this scene:

(timestamped to 14:04)

[Jeric 46,851]

I actually want to use episodes from when I was a kid, during the 80’s, from three IP’s that were built around buying merch not really the stories. 

 

 

World’s Without End - GI Joe ARAH two parter that actually delves into what would happen if Cobra won, because they legit do in a really wonderfully paced and dark arc. There are some legit permanent changes to the series because of this episode. 
 

 

 

Cookie Chomper III - Alvin & the Chipmunks famous episode that starts off with your typical goofy fare and story about the kids finding a kitten and hiding it from an allergic Dave. Then, when you think you got to the payoff, you realize that … oh … oh … no. Screw you show! You were supposed to be safe! 
 

 

 

 

Dark Awakening - Transformers decided that after they killed off Prime and before they resurrected him, they would give us all nightmares and an existential crisis. 
 

 

 

 

All of those are considered to be the most emotional shows of their respective series within their respective fandoms. I could definitely go darker in series that were meant to be dark and such, but these shows were not meant to tackle concepts like these. 

[Jeric 46,851]

Also. @Wingnut may have his own. Some 80’s cartoons would occasionally traumatize us and TF has some pretty dark ones in season 2. Poor Devastator

[Megas 27,630]

11 minutes ago, Jeric said:

I actually want to use episodes from when I was a kid, during the 80’s, from three IP’s that were built around buying merch not really the stories. 

 

 

World’s Without End - GI Joe ARAH two parter that actually delves into what would happen if Cobra won, because they legit do in a really wonderfully paced and dark arc. There are some legit permanent changes to the series because of this episode. 

 

Cookie Chomper III - Alvin & the Chipmunks famous episode that starts off with your typical goofy fare and story about the kids finding a kitten and hiding it from an allergic Dave. Then, when you think you got to the payoff, you realize that … oh … oh … no. Screw you show! You were supposed to be safe! 
 

 

Dark Awakening - Transformers decided that after they killed off Prime and before they resurrected him, they would give us all nightmares and an existential crisis. 
 

 

 

 

All of those are considered to be the most emotional shows of their respective series within their respective fandoms. I could definitely go darker in series that were meant to be dark and such, but these were not meant to tackle concepts like these. 

Actually now that you bring up G1 Transformers, there was also "The Golden Lagoon" which ends with a typical Autobot victory after the Decepticons destroying the titular lagoon but what really made it stand out was the ending with the destroyed wildlife along with a dejected and disappointed Beachcomber looking at it all saying "We won....." in the most defeated tone

 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Megas

[Megas 27,630]

On the subject of Transformers, Transformers Animated had an episode early on, “Thrill of the Hunt”, surrounding Ratchet’s PTSD(especially him and Arcee getting captured and wiping Arcee’s memories) as well as dealing with an antagonist who harvests parts of other Transformers either for himself or to sell on the Black Market.

I’m surprised I forgot about this one because it was the episode that sold me on the show 

[Patty Thundersnow 4,164]

The main one for me (of recent shows i've watched) is "Thanks to Them", season 3 episode 1 of The Owl House. The episode got very dark right at the end of the episode.