Of all the fantastical things TV brings into our lives, nothing indulges the imagination quite like cartoons. Whether timely (South Park) or timeless (Looney Tunes), animation can truly take us anywhere. The rules — and the budgets — of conventional television don't apply. In short, we just can't help being drawn to them. So let's take a walk down memory lane to look back on classics like The Simpsons, The Jetsons, and Scooby-Doo. And if you feel like contesting the top ten, be sure to let us know what your favorite old school cartoon actually is!

In honor of TV Guide Magazine's 60th anniversary, we present our list of the best and, often quite literally, the brightest:

1. The Simpsons (1989--present)

We're still not exactly sure where Springfield is, but we feel right at home at 742 Evergreen Terrace. Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie and their friends and relatives have balanced cheeky humor and sharp social satire for more than 500 episodes, making this TV's longest-running scripted primetime series and as American as apple pie. Mmm, pie...

2. The Flintstones (1960--66)

Seemingly modeled on The Honeymooners, this prehistoric comedy from animation kingpins William Hanna and Joseph Barbera proved that cartoons could succeed in primetime. The exploits of modern Stone Age families the Flintstones and the Rubbles lasted six seasons, inspiring dozens of remakes, spinoffs and specials — and even a pair of live-action films — providing several generations with a yabba dabba do time.

3. Looney Tunes (1960--present)

They started at the movies way back in the 1930s, but Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Co. have an enduring appeal that has made their slapstick antics pop-culture mainstays. Countless TV incarnations and an extensive cast of beloved characters — Tweety and Sylvester, Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, and Yosemite Sam, among many others — ensures it'll be a long time before Looney fans will be saying, "That's all, folks!"

4. Peanuts(1965--present)

Springing from Charles M. Schulz's endearing comic strip, the Peanuts gang has become a TV fixture, thanks to the ongoing (and much-cherished) replays of holiday specials like A Charlie Brown Christmas and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The snark-free adventures of long-suffering Chuck, joyful beagle Snoopy and their friends define what happiness is.

5. Scooby-Doo (1969--present)

Zoinks! Who would've guessed that an animated comedy about a crew of paranormal investigators (four eclectic humans and one frequently cowardly and constantly hungry canine) would still be sniffing out new fans in its fifth decade. Beginning with the original Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! adventures and morphing into multiple series and movies, the Scooby gang has solved the mystery of longevity.

6. Rocky and His Friends/The Bullwinkle Show (1959--64)

Moose and squirrel, such unlikely heroes — and such a hoot. Jay Ward's pun-filled send-up of movie serials may have been primitive in technique, but it compensated with sophisticated and wacky satire. With Fractured Fairy Tales, Dudley Do-Right and time-traveling Mr. Peabody in the mix, each intricate episode was a dizzying delight.

7. Batman: The Animated Series (1992--95)

Holy transformation! With moody film-noir art direction, emotional storytelling and mature casting (led by the brawny voice of Kevin Conroy as Batman and Bruce Wayne), BTAS was the definitive incarnation of the Dark Knight and set the standard for superhero cartoons.

8. SpongeBob SquarePants (1999--present)

With his optimistic outlook and colorful cohorts — including a gleeful starfish, a narcissistic octopus and a deep-sea-diving squirrel — SpongeBob is the unpretentious antidote to today's cynicism. You'd have to be seriously Krusty not to smile when visiting Bikini Bottom.

9. Family Guy (1999--2002; 2005--present)

Seth MacFarlane built his animation empire on the stinging (some would say crass) comedy of the Griffin family of Quahog, Rhode Island. The show came back from cancellation in 2005 with the same irreverence and deadpan cutaways and has remained freak-in' sweet to its fans--not to -mention the television academy, which in 2009 gave the cartoon a rare Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series alongside live-action heavyweights like 30 Rock.

10. South Park (1997--present)

Nothing has ever been off-limits to South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who have spent 16 years going to outrageous extremes to slaughter pop culture's most sacred cows. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny have seen Tom Cruise, Michael Jackson and Barbra Streisand pilloried in their tiny Colorado town. Because of its simple animation style, South Park has been able to churn out instantly topical episodes, demanding that we respect its authori-tay.

The Other 50 (listed alphabetically):

Adventure Time

Animaniacs

Archer

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Batman Beyond

Batman: The Brave and the Bold

Battle of the Planets

Beavis and Butt-Head

Bob's Burgers

Daria

Dexter's Laboratory

Dora the Explorer

Drawn Together

The Fairly OddParents

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Futurama

George of the Jungle

Gravity Falls

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

The Huckleberry Hound Show

Iron Man: Armored Adventures

Jem and the Holograms

The Jetsons

Jonny Quest

Josie and the Pussycats

Justice League/Justice League Unlimited

Kim Possible

King of the Hill

The Magilla Gorilla Show

Mighty Mouse

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic

Phineas and Ferb

The Pink Panther Show

Pinky and the Brain

Popeye the Sailor

The Powerpuff Girls

Ren & Stimpy

Rugrats

Samurai Jack

The Smurfs

The Spectacular Spider-Man

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Super Friends

Superman: The Animated Series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Tom and Jerry

ThunderCats

Underdog

Woody Woodpecker

The Yogi Bear Show

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