The 1990s saw a renaissance in US television animation, which offered audiences of all ages a slew of iconic shows. These were always marketed and targeted to specific demographics, but one series was an outlier because it aired despite Disney’s rules for family-friendly programming. The Disney Afternoon block featured lighter fare like DuckTales, TaleSpin, and Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers until October 1994, when one show pushed the boundaries of wholesome storytelling. That series is reportedly being revived for modern audiences, 29 years after it ended. Those who grew up in the 1990s may still remember having to choose between Fox Kids’ Tom and Jerry Kids or Disney’s Gummi Bears — for seven years, Fox and Disney fiercely competed for the coveted after-school afternoon block, when both networks aired their own slate of family-friendly shows. However, Fox Kids also tested the waters at the jump with Peter Pan & the Pirates, a mature action-adventure that aired opposite Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, a lighthearted comedy adventure. The networks’ rivalry really ramped up in 1992, when Fox Kids debuted Batman: The Animated Series opposite Disney’s Goof Troop. Fox Kids shook the playing field with Batman: The Animated Series, which was unlike any of the shows in Disney’s afternoon slate. Disney recognized an impending cultural shift, and promptly greenlit Gargoyles to compete. Gargoyles follows a clan of ancient stone warriors that are awakened from their thousand-year curse, only to find themselves transported from Scotland to New York. By day, they are lifeless statues, but by night, they re-emerge as the city’s protectors. Disney really went all-in with its replacement for Goof Troop.

Gargoyles aired in syndication for two seasons, from 1994 to 1996, and then it jumped to ABC in 1997 for the third and final season, rebranded as Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles. The show had suffered a significant drop in viewership at that point, and in Season 3 it had also shed the darker themes that earned its core following, alienating the fan base. Fox Kids’ Mighty Morphin Power Rangers also debuted in 1995 and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, hastening Gargoyles’ downfall. During their podcast Dropping Names with Brent and Jonny last Jul. 30, Brent Spiner, who provided the voice of Puck in Gargoyles, dropped the news that Disney has greenlit development for a Gargoyles revival. He confirmed it would be an animated series, and not the live-action adaptation that was announced in 2023. Disney has yet to make an official announcement about the project.

So it looks like Gargoyles will soon be resurrected — the series was groundbreaking for its time, and for Fox Kids, a huge gamble that ultimately did not pay off. Gargoyles amassed a cult following, which could turn up to support the revival. The landscape has completely changed since the 1990s, however, and appointment TV has given way to binge-watch streaming. Still, it’s only fitting that Gargoyles gets a second chance, considering the breakout success of X-Men ’97.

Release Date

1994 – 1997-00-00

Network

ABC, Syndication

Directors

Dennis Woodyard, Frank Paur, Charles E. Bastien, Takamitsu Kawamura, Butch Lukic

Writers

Michael Reaves, Brynne Chandler Reaves, Gary Sperling, Adam Gilad, Marty Isenberg, Robert N. Skir, Steve Perry, Diane Duane, Cary Bates, Julia Jane Lewald, Len Uhley, Len Wein

Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Elisa Maza (voice)