Choose your favourite CN Original Show Trio (Part 1)

[Mr HooPoe]

Feel free to share your thoughts on the trios and if I did a correct list. There is not enough space for any more entries.

 

[Anonymoususer2004]

Aaah, I can't choose. If I had to choose, I would probably pick either the Eds, Billy, Mandy, and Grim, or the PPGs

 

[Spacething7474]

I choosed Lazlo, Raj, and Clam, though if more options were available, I would also pick Ed, Edd, and Eddy + Otto, Buck, and Larry + Space Ghost, Moltar, and Zorak + Ben, Gwen, and Max.

 

[RandomMe]

I picked the Eds because they mean a lot to my childhood.

 

[jaylop97]

The Eds, and Timesquad, they make an interesting bunch.

 

[AdrenalineRush1996]

Ed, Edd n Eddy. Nuff said.

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk

 

[Asa]

I voted for The Eds.

 

[EdCNPowerpuffDrama]

I also voted for the Eds because they are my favorite trio. The most iconic trio howere are the Powerpuff Girls.

 

[Neo Ultra Mike]

In order of Least Favorite to Favorite I would go

10. Ben, Gwen and Max of Original Ben 10: I admit of all these shows, Ben 10 isn't the worst and honestly though some of the trio can be rather grating, individually some characters in other trios can be more obnoxious. But I'm listing these guys as the worst since in all the episodes I've seen of Ben 10, I have never really seen any moment of them connecting as a trio. Yeah there's growing closer as a family and helping one another but... that always seems to come from two members of the team forming a stronger connection, not all three at once. You have moments of Ben and Gwen growing closer but Max not being around or Ben learning something about his grandpa and forming a bond but Gwen being away, or Ben being on his own as Gwen and Max are doing something to support him. I mean yeah they travel together and obviously in some sense work as a team but it never really feels like the three are overall to me ever on the same page. Like two thirds of the team have a connection at points but never all three at once. And this isn't even a case where you have one member introduced to the other two at the start of the series since yeah the three aren't close at all at the start but they still know one another yet I never feel a bond grow. That probably does come from the act due to the major age difference and skewing of priorities between Max and the kids there isn't as much space to maybe make that connection but it does seem like a weak team dynamic. Then again the name of the show unlike others specifically refers to one character not three though even in other show's case there at least feels like you get a good feeling of how these three interact with one another in some form. And I get it from lines here but not the whole triangle. Oddly enough other Ben 10 series especially Alien Force that focuses on Ben, Gwen and Kevin feel much more like a team then the three we got here. Which is why I have to place them on the bottom rung despite again not being from the worst series. Though the worst series of all of these listed do have the second to worst team, which would be...

9. Mike Lu And Og of Mike Lu And Og: Again even though Mike is more of an outsider due to being more new to the island, there is still a dynamic the three have as they're the three kids hanging out trying to entertain themselves and coming up with all these ways to pass the time. That's not to say it's a real interesting dynamic. I've gone on record as saying I really do not like Lu as a character and find her princess whining and complaining really tiresome especially when it is not called out or punished as much as it really should be, but the other two aren't really much better characters. Mike seems like someone who oddly enough would probably work more if she did have more agency or more general attitude even if it was more positive then the bratty princess, and Og being the mostly silent inventor type doesn't give him much room to shine and pushes him much more to the background. Which oddly enough is where it feels the characters hang out half the time anyway as the show seems only half interested in them and then to whatever actions the grown ups or outsiders are getting into on the island. Again at least there are moments where the three feel like a trio and maybe even friends (especially weird to say when Lu and Og are supposed to be siblings but that barely if ever earnestly comes across) or at least people who would go together but you have two personalities that don't feel strong enough on their own to carry much and one that is really grating and obnoxious to get through so as a result, not really that great a trio.

8. Lazlo, Raj and Clam of Camp Lazlo: It's pretty obvious Joe Murray was trying to get a mix of his original trio of Rocko, Heffer and Filbert in Rocko's Modern Life in how they are in a sense outsiders and more child like then the environment/antagonistic, generally mean spirited forces around them, but with a much more upbeat and positive nature that we would see from Spongebob and Patrick from Spongebob Squarepants (which yeah Joe Murray didn't work on but former RML writer/director Stephen Hillenburg did and some of Hillenburg's team did go over to work on Camp Lazlo after Spongebob's original end). Honestly these factors don't really gel together that well though since honestly it makes the trio rather boring to see operate. Occasionally you will see Raj's more frantic or obsessive nature shine through to at least cause some sense of conflict between the three but Lazlo's more upbeat and happy attitude and Clam being the more silent "just says what someone else did" follower personality usually means the three are exactly on the same page which... really doesn't work for a trio of characters. For a duo sure but in SB Squarepants you had Squidward to balance out Spongebob and Patrick and even in Rocko, Heffer and Filbert felt not only fairly different from each other but really different from main character Rocko so you could have those conflicts of interest. These guys being on the same side and getting along so well though making them feel like a trio also doesn't make them terribly interesting. Also in something like Rocko and Spongebob you really did get why these guys were more outsiders or considered weird but with how the rest of the camp works and interacts I never got the feeling here. Really sans stick in the mud grump Edward who is usually mostly ignored anyway or Lumpus who should be more a break out character but isn't usually given enough funny material to bounce back with, they get along too well with most anyone else to cause a lot of interesting conflict. Thus though no one member is intolerable or that annoying (Raj has his moments but not nearly as much as Lu) they don't really come along as much of a memorable trio. Thus why Camp Lazlo is also one of the least memorable shows in Cartoon Network history and again IMHO the perfect example of just an overall mediocre cartoon.

7. Coop, Jamie and Kiva of Megas XLR: Like I said before, some of these trios are actual characters where two actually do have a dynamic that changes when a third is brought along which would be the case for both this and the next entry. As Coop and Jamie were weirdly enough kind of the first real example of the more chilled out/relaxed bros you would see more from a 2010's era CN series then a 2000's one. However that changed up by introducing Kiva to the group as part of the overall series to make a different dynamic: the much more serious minded and focused warrior having to deal with the actions and oddities of these more simple yet also more positive guys. And in a weird way the three actually rubbing off on one another actually making Coop have much more agency and drive and making Jamie actually try to be more competent while on the same time actually mellowing out Kiva some showing some actual character development over the two seasons. Granted due to the more episode of the week plotting those personality shifts could quickly bounce back to the status quo if need be but there was an actual feeling of growth and of earnest a sense of commradery. I actual remember a moment in season 2 seeing Kiva relaxing more with Coop and Jamie not worried about a mission or the fate of the future going "well that seems weird for her but... I guess it makes sense if you spend so much time with everyone else." And you know the personalities and attitudes do make for an interesting team and this is one of only three groups here that is populated by all adults which makes them stand out much more. Problem is that this is a case when the writing of the series really does let down the characters and they're dynamics if you have to keep hearing them sprout such lame obvious set up lines or terrible jokes. Seriously the best gags in Megas were all the visual gags as honestly those people were more clever in the buttons you'd see Coop press or ads on "Pop TV" then what the characters actually speak. Plus there is still a separation at points as a good perctenage of the time the group is separated or one, usually Kiva, is just put as the exposition source. And it's not as noticable or as much of a downgrade for the group dyanmic as Ben 10 but it is there and does hurt the three's dynamic as a trio. Also this may be one of the few trios that was never advertised as such. A lot of the promo material was mostly Jamie and Coop focused and even the few on Kiva were... just on her so I think even the advertisement knew these three didn't click the most as a trio.

6. Otto, Tuddrussel and Larry 3000 of Time Squad: What edges out these guys over the trio from Megas XLR is not only do we have some stronger writing in how the three are presented and more examples of them in down time, but there is also never a total wet blanket character or someone who constantly bungles up the mission. Granted usually that person isn't Otto as it's either Larry 3000's ecentricity or Tuddrussel muscle headed might makes right attitude but the fact you can't always predict the dynamic does actually raise it a few points. Plus I think having more characters to explain the new differing world to one hero then having one to explain everything to a larger percentage of the trio actually does allow for more story possibilities and interactions. IMHO though this is a case where no one really does stand out on they're own that much which you do honestly still need somewhat in a trio as you do have to spend time with other characters or people to bounce off of then just the one grouping. But I honestly just can't get any interest seeing just one of these guys on they're own for any extended amount of time. They're also a bit hurt buy since they're usually the outsider to whatever historical figure they need to help, it's usually the guest character from Benjamin Franklin to Napelon and Conficus and the Wright Brothers who has the stronger personality and drive and these three having to figure out a way to convince them to act how they're supposed to. Again this isn't a bad trio at all as they have they're moments together and actually do work well as a trio but not one that have a lot of special stand out moments.

5. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup of Original Powerpuff Girls: Now you do have to separate the Original Powerpuff Girls from the new powerpuff girls since even if you actually like Powerpuff 2016, the old cast acts vastly different from the new cast. However unlike Teen Titans Go that steadily turned the cast into children and goofs to further appease the young audience watching them, the goal in the new series was to give the girls more a sense of personality and attitude so they could honestly spend a lot more of the episode just interacting off one another. Which I have to admit even if it makes the show worse overall as it takes away the focus from the action and fighting which really shouldn't be the case especially for a series that is still suppose to be about actual super heroes still saving the day, it does make they're interactions and dynamics stand out more. Though to say the Girls in the original show didn't have any between themselves or that they weren't a strong team in not only strength but in characters is a lie. Though there is a stronger sense of unity there are still distinct lines where you could see why Blossom and Bubbles would be against Buttercup for wanting to push a battle more or Buttercup pairing off to do something with Bubbles and have Blossom off dictating by herself or Blossom and Buttercup not getting into Bubbles super more hopeful and simple world view. There are a lot of moments or agument and of comedic exchanges that really do work well from arguing about using they're powers to check on who got coal at Christmas to trying to claim credit for saving the day or arguing what is the best way to take out a monster. i mean yeah people did come to PPG for a lot of the villains but honestly to call the girls more vanilla and plain does do a bit of discredit for them as they still did honestly stand out as characters quite well. But I can still see the argument and the fact that honestly the dynamic in the new series taken on it's own between them is more entertaining does lean that team working more then the one we got in the original series.

4. Hector Con Carne, Major Doctor Ghastly and General Skaar of Evil Con Carne: I admit I'm kind of surprised myself by placing these guys so high on the list. Not only due to them having the least examples of a team dynamic due to having the shortest run of the Cartoon Network shows listed (yeah even Mike Lu and Og had more episodes then Evil Con Carne) but taking honestly the longest to really even felt like they gelled as a team. Probably because of Hector's arrogance yet ignorance of what his subodrinates were feeling or Ghastly's seemingly one sided crush on him and Skaar's duplictious nature which I admit actually do give much more differing attitudes to bounce off of then we get with most of these three already. However what sold it for me were episodes like "Gridlocked and Loaded" that were pretty much those three plus a one shot toady henchmen stuck in traffic for like 11 minutes and is not only probably my favorite episode of ECC but honestly one of the funnier Cartoon Network episodes in general. Just the dynamic from Hector trying to get Skaar to move the car when they're obvious stuck and him not getting it to everyone ragging on the toady to Ghastly eventually getting fed up with Hector and shooting at him and the shots constantly missing is just all really funny stuff. And honestly shows me what these three could of been at they're best: these three really messed up hoenstly pretty terrible people having they're own shortcomings and biting attitude stop them from accomplsihing they're goal of taking over the world. Honestly if this is more what the show was about then just silly jokes about Hector not being able to control Boscov or Ghastly's one sided crush or rivarlies with other evil parties or battles against Cod Commando, this show might of had a stronger chance. Since honestly having that dynamic and getting a chance to bounce off each other showed these characters really at they're best and honestly even in just 11 minutes I felt we really had something with them as a group more then most listed already. Of course even if that had been more the dynamic the entire time we may not of gotten something. See Evil Con Carne was only a show because of how much Maxwell Atoms tried pushing it on Cartoon Network who clearly only had interest in his other Cartoon Network series which to be fair is the one the people demanded and honestly due to having more time to focus on the group actually did make for a better trio...

3. Grim, Billy and Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy: I always pictured The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy as "what if that episodes of Anianiacs where the Warners waged a contest with Death and Death found himself stuck with these guys annoying him actually did have Death stick with the Warners instead of just abandoining them to not have to deal with they're shennigans?" However even in the first pilot it was clear how different these two factors were and what kind of series this would be. Since with something like the Warners you do have the three on such the same page and general attitude that even if they having differing aspects of they're personalities, it makes sense why they're so close. However Billy is pretty much the polar opposite of Mandy and honestly Grim is kind of very far between them so it actually does make for a lot of distinct not only internal conflicts, but humrous situation when you've got the derranged cynic, the over enthuastic nitwit, and the bitter put upon sort of butt monkey who you think should be the biggest oddball in this group, but oddly enough isn't. And though I do feel Grim is a bit too picked on and trashed around in the series it's not nearly as much of a "Megward the Wizard" as some other series plus at least a decent amount of the time he sort of has it coming to him. They really should of balanced out Mandy being too overly in control and aware of how to situation though with her being in as much potential danger which they got a better grasp on as the series went along but still sometimes slipped into "she controls the universe and actions of everyone just deal with it" which I could see as a turn off. And honestly Billy though kind of like other super morons in CN toons at the time had a kind of angry or even a bit of a mean streak that actually did make him stand out as a character then just the token fool of the group. And honestly having such personalities clash and go on all of these insane adventures did make the three bond and actually feel like a trio. Oddly enough I did feel more a connection between either Billy and Grim or Mandy and Grim then Billy and Mandy throughout the episodes as it felt the two kids when together would just defer to they're standard state and evolve more just off of Grim but it was still a very entertaining trio. Especially when the show moved away from just picking on Grim to actually having the characters have a reason to be on the same side or again Grim teaming up with one of the two when the other needed to be "taught a lesson" or was overly upset about something. Plus any trio that has the interaction "It's Hoss Delgado" "It's Hoss Delgado" "It's Pat the Baker!" in it is a winner in my book.

2. Space Ghost, Moltar and Zorak from Space Ghost Coast To Coast: Oddly enough though in a lot of ways it was much more limited and restricted as a series, I honestly think the trio in Cartoon Planet of Space Ghost, Brak and Zorak honestly worked a lot more for comedy. Since yeah Moltar does have a distinct feel to him (though one that's harder to get a hold of then the other main charactes in either shows) but I think it's a lot more amusing and entertaining when you have this oversized goofy super ego capturing two criminals but one is so moronic and in his own world he doesn't mind being there while the other is a jerky trouble maker who gets off on causing problems for his "jailer". Then having it be both of the prisoners hating the other guy and wanting to take him down. That's not to say that these three in SGC2C don't work as a trio: far from it as otherwise I wouldn't of placed them so high in the ranking just noting of the two shows starring recycled footage of Space Ghost and two other villains from his 60's series made in the 90's hanging out which one works more as a team. As I still really value and love Space Ghost Coast To Coast and it's cast. Granted in the first couple of seasons there wasn't really much of a feeling as a trio as the focus was more on Space Ghost interacting with the guest then when his producer or band leader but again as this at least in years had the longest regular run of any of the other series (counting mini episodes only available online) it was something that could be built up and when we got there it was a lot of fun. Honestly any episode that just opens with the three shooting the breeze in comminsary you know it's going to be good and as the show develoepd we actually did get to see Moltar as more the sort of dorky fan boy of certain actors and ideas and how that actually did make a good clash with Zorak as well as with Space Ghost. And not just in fights (though yeah the "battles" there are some of the comedic highlights of the series seen in "Unttiled" and "Whipping Post") but just in banter as well. There's so much SGC2C lines and bits I can easily quote from memories from these guys ("back off man I'm not your slave" "Yes you are" "Oh... what was I supposed to do again?" or "Moltar's out here smoking" (Going by smoking) "No I'm not!" and even "Give me some teeth so I can get into the club" "you don't go to clubs" "that's because I don't have any teeth!") that is just so delightful and again dialogue and experimental shows like this show even without plots or heck a lot of fluid animation you can still be enjoyable if you have good characters and do entertaining things with them. Though yeah even as much as I love these guys in terms of a trio it really does have to go to...

1. Ed, Edd n Eddy from Ed, Edd n Eddy: Honestly to me this trio works on pretty much every level that others couldn't captalized as well on. You have three very distinct yet solid personalities who can not only stand out well on their own but work incredibly well together; you have a lot of examples of differing dynamics between just pairs in the trio as well as the trio itself; you have them as sort outsiders who exist perfectly within the world and you can understand why they are separated in such a fashion, and you get to spend a lot of time with this group to really showcase them in about every possible way imaginable. And I admit there are issues I do have with EEE from how sometimes it's plot structure can be repetitive or how it does overly abuse it's titular characters to some times the side characters coming off as grating and obnoxious (if we had "worst side trios from a CN series" The Kankers would easily hover near the top of the list there) but it's not really with the trio or they're dynamic together which is honestly pitch perfect. You have the loveable simple minded happy goof Edd; the neurotic, intelligent kind hearted shy but eventually blossoming to be more sardonic and bitter Edd; and of course the loudmouth, opportunistic, schemer jerky "leader" Eddy also motivating the trio in they're scams to try to trick the other kids of the Cul-De-Sac into giving them jawbreakers. Honestly I've seen this dynamic being compared to stuff the zany Looney Tunes schemes of a Wile E. Coyote or Daffy Duck to the hijinks of the three Stooges but still with they're own distinct and honestly very timeless feel. Some shows are an obvious product of they're time but EEE to me is something that can easily work as much now as it did when it aired and that's in large part thanks to how well the Eds work together. Not to mention that unlike most every other trio here you're bound to at least get one solid amusing moment of interaction from them in every episode as sometimes the title characters won't all appear in an episode or won't have a line or what not but here even in episodes more Cul De Sac kids centric (the few there are ) you still get something from the Eds and most of it is gold. So yeah just a trio that work for me on every level and granted we don't see much of a dynamic grow due to this being a more pure comedy show then one that has proper development but it's also one that never grows too stale or boring and always felt fresh at least when all three were on screen so yeah, top marks have to go to the Eds. Whether trying to be cool parading around in speedos, dressing up as super villains or even imitating one another, just the all around best "classic trio".

And that's my long rambly countdown that I hope someone besides me read and enjoyed.