March Madness Cartoon Bracket Third Round Breakdown

Here we are, the Sweet Sixteen.  There were a couple upsets here which we’ll get to more in a moment, but the lack of one cartoon really running away with the voting proves to me that this will be a close race right to the finish.  For example, the cartoon I expected to come out of the 60s/70s bracket barely squeaked by this week, needing one vote to escape.  Keep those votes coming, we’re closing in on the championship!

Pre-1960 Region:

Looney Tunes (1) vs. Yogi Bear (5)

Matt:  Bugs and company dispatched Mr. Magoo pretty cleanly last round, but don’t worry, he didn’t see it coming (I’ll be here all week, tip your waitress).  I think that this vote will be closer but I still see Looney Tunes coming out on top.

Nik:  We’re at a point where it’s getting really difficult to write a concise, different opinion in contrast to Matt’s predictions, because they just make too much sense. But, we have been surprised with a couple wins so far, so there’s a chance for another upset here and there. That being said, Looney Tunes takes this one.

Tom & Jerry (6) vs. Rocky & Bullwinkle (10)

Matt:  Moose and Squirrel all the way.  In fact, with the momentum of the last few weeks, they may give Looney Tunes a run for their money next week if everything keeps going as expected.

Nik:  Frankly, I’m a little surprised to see Tom & Jerry having gotten this far, but I don’t think they have what it takes to overthrow Rocky & Bullwinkle, so their run must end here.

1960s/1970s Region:

The Flintstones (1) vs. The Chipmunks (5)

Matt:  As expected, the Cosby kids didn’t stand a chance against Alvin and the rest of the helium-voiced Chipmunks.  I think this is where their reign of terror will end, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go the other way.

Nik:  I really would’ve liked to have seen Fat Albert push past the last round, but I hope that the Chipmunks lose this round. ‘Cause who doesn’t like the cartoon version of the Honeymooners? (I’m pretty sure that’s what the Flintstones was based on, right?) But, that being said, I think this may be the first big shocker of this week’s round, I certainly would not be overly surprised to see the Chipmunks squeak by on this one. (terrible pun actually not intended, but now that I see it, I’m leaving it in)

Matt:  You are correct.  Fred is Jackie Gleason all the way.  Terrible pun acknowledged and accepted.

Scooby Doo (2) vs. Pink Panther (6)

Matt:  Scooby barely escaped Underdog last round, and Pink Panther surprised the hell out of me by pulling out a victory against The Jetsons, but I have a feeling Scooby prevails this time. 

Nik:  I’m also surprised to see the Jetsons downed by the Pink Panther. Could it be a fondness for insulation? What about the awesome opening song? Or the shitty Steve Martin attempt at a remake of Peter Sellers’ classics? Regardless, I’m not sure, whatever the reason, there is enough support in order to take down Scooby Doo. I think Scoob’s in it for the long run at this point.

Matt:  I’m not as confident in Scooby’s chances against the winner of the 1-5 matchup in this bracket as I once was, but I agree, it’s hard to imagine a cartoon of Scooby’s relevance being ousted by the Pink Panther.

1980’s Region:

Transformers (1) vs. Inspector Gadget (13)

Matt:  Transformers handled the onslaught of cute that was Muppet Babies as we expected last round.  The surprise here is Inspector Gadget, currently the lowest seed left in the tournament.  I see Gadget going home this time around, but his run so far has been remarkable.

Nik:  Agreed. Inspector Gadget’s had a nice, surprisingly long career here in the bracket, but I’m not sure he can top Transformers at this point. Granted, he has fought well so far, but Transformers has had a helluva lot of staying power for what has to be going on three generations now. Transformers ftw.

Matt:  It’s been just about three full decades of the robots in disguise, which makes me feel really old.

The Simpsons (2) vs. Real Ghostbusters (11)

Matt:  Ghostbusters has also been a bit of a surprise with how easily they have dispatched their competition.  I think they run into a yellow-skinned wall here and they bow out after this round, but again, the run itself is nice to see.

Nik:  I enjoy the Simpsons for the vast amount of talent there. But, that being said, I think it is over-rated at some times. Therefore, with the avalanche that Ghostbusters has given us so far, I think it’s entirely possible that they could take the Simpsons on this one. It’ll be super close. Really hard to tell. If I have to choose, I regrettably say Simpsons by one or two.

Matt:  It’s not as good as it once was, but I still laugh at it, even the new ones.  The fact that it can still stay relevant and culturally conscious even without doing the one week episode turnaround that South Park excels at (which in its own right is remarkable) speaks volume for me.  This is still my pick to come out of the 80s region, even with the easy path so far for The Transformers.

1990’s – Current Region:

South Park (1) vs. Animaniacs (5)

Matt:  As expected, it’s South Park vs. Animaniacs.  I think Animaniacs makes it close here but the fact that South Park is still fairly relevant convinces me that they take the matchup.

Nik:  Agreed. Southpark moves on, despite the brilliance of Animaniacs.

King of the Hill (2) vs. Darkwing Duck (11)

Matt:  Darkwing Duck is another pleasant surprise but Hank Hill and company get it done here.  I recently watched some old episodes on Cartoon Network early in the morning, and they were hilarious.  While Darkwing Duck may hit you with a sense of nostalgia, King of the Hill can still be enjoyed today, which means victory in my book.

Nik: Hard to argue here. Darkwing Duck has had a pleasant run thus far, but King of the Hill’s presence on Adult Swim gives it a lot more support. I think it’s moving in for the kill here, if for no other reason than Darkwing Duck is kinda out of our minds except for our having fond memories of it.