‘Toons and Beyond

Not long ago, kiddie programming was basically limited to the Saturday morning cartoon offerings on three networks.

Today’s young viewers can find programming, animated and otherwise, every day of the week, thanks to Fox, cable and syndication.

New this fall on NBC is a live-action lineup as the network moves out of the animation business. At the other end of the spectrum is nonstop animation: Come Oct. 1, Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Network will air ‘toons from the studios of Hanna-Barbera, MGM, Warner Bros. and Paramount 24 hours a day.

Back in the world of regular series, feature films continue to be grist for the kiddie mill, as “Back to the Future” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” are joined by animated shows based on “An American Tale,” “The Little Mermaid,” “The Addams Family” and “Batman: The Animated Series.”

New programming also includes “Dog City,” created by the late Jim Henson and featuring the animated hero Ace Hart and Shag, the Muppet who creates and controls him.

For those who like their children’s programming with a punctuating purpose, KCET offers three shows designed to encourage creativity, reading and writing--with entertaining premises, of course: “Behind the Scenes,” “Ghostwriter” and “Storytime.”

Traditional children’s offerings are still around, including “Garfield and Friends,” “The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show,” “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.”

TV Times’ annual preview of children’s programming begins with a look at the four networks’ Saturday morning offerings:

“The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”

8-8:30 a.m. KABC; 7-7:30 a.m. KGTV

This Emmy-winning series from Disney is entering its fifth season with stories centering on Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Christopher Robin and other A.A. Milne characters. Premieres Saturday.

“Fievel’s American Tails,” NEW

8-8:30 a.m. KCBS (Sundays 6 a.m. KFMB)

From creator Steven Spielberg’s “An American Tail,” the series follows the escapades of Fievel and his family, who have settled in Green River, a rugged Western town. Fievel and his best friend Tiger (voice of Dom DeLuise) are out to tame the Wild West. At the end of each episode, Fievel, who is the national “spokesmouse” for the Reading Is Fundamental Foundation, will do a “Reading Buddy” spot to encourage children to read. Premieres Saturday.

“Land of the Lost”

8:30-9 a.m. KABC; 7:30-8 a.m. KGTV

This live-action adventure show features 13 new episodes about a single father and his son and daughter who have been plunged deep underground during an earthquake. This “other dimension” includes dinosaurs, man-eating vegetation and signs of an alien civilization. Returns Saturday.

“Disney’s The Little Mermaid” NEW

8:30-9 a.m. KCBS

The series is a prequel to Disney’s Academy Award-winning movie. The mer-teen Ariel, daughter of King Triton, will be accompanied on her adventures by Sebastian and Flounder. The cast includes characters from the movie as well as a new mer-boy, Urchin. Premieres Saturday.

“Eek the Cat” NEW

7:30-8 a.m. KTTV; 7-7:30 a.m. XETV

A well-meaning but unlucky cat lives with a suburban family with two horrible children. Premieres Saturday.

“Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa,” NEW

9-9:30 a.m. KABC; 8-8:30 a.m. KGTV

This Western comedy-adventure series stars a group of cows as the heros of Moo Mesa, a plateau that was hit by a wayward comet and lifted high in the sky. Premieres Saturday.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”

10-11 a.m. KCBS; 9-10 a.m. KFMB

Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo, along with reporter April O’Neil, are ready to defend their city against their nemeses Krang, Shredder, Bebop and Rocksteady in 16 new episodes. Also featured each week will be “Turtle Tips,” an environmental segment in which the Turtles give ecological tips on how children can protect the Earth and the environment. Returns Sept. 19.

“Darkwing Duck”

9:30-10 a.m.: KABC; 8:30-9 a.m. KGTV

The tongue-in-cheek super-hero battles an assortment of colorful evildoers. The show enters its second season with 13 new episodes. Returns Saturday.

“The Plucky Duck Show” NEW

9-9:30 a.m. KTTV; 8:30-9 a.m. XETV

Hosts Buster Bunny and Babs Bunny search for fun, adventure and mischief in the land of Acme Acres. In the first episode, the fearless duck seeks out the role of Batman. Premieres Sept. 19.

“Goof Troop,” NEW

10-10:30 a.m. KABC; 9-9:30 a.m. KGTV

From Disney comes this series about Goofy trooping through the ‘90s with his 11-year-old son, Goofy Jr., who prefers to go by the name Max. Max and his pudgy pal P.J. embark on neighborhood adventures. Premieres Saturday.

“Saved by the Bell”

10-10:30 a.m., 11-11:30 a.m. KNBC; 9-9:30 a.m., 10-10:30 a.m. KNSD

This show, entering its fourth season, follows the adventures of a group of teens at California’s fictional Bayside High School. The show has the highest teen rating for any Saturday-morning program, according to the A.C. Nielsen Co. Leanna Creel joins the cast. Returns Saturday.

“Garfield and Friends”

9-10 a.m. KCBS; 8-9 a.m. KFMB

Garfield, John and Odie are up for new adventures for the show’s fifth season. Sixteen new episodes will feature guest voices James Earl Jones, Buddy Hackett, Victoria Jackson, Robin Leach, Jonathan Winters and others. Returns Sept. 19.

“Dog City” NEW

9:30-10 a.m. KTTV; 9-9:30 a.m. XETV

This show, created by the late Jim Henson, is about the adventures of animated hero Ace Hart, a canine private eye, and Eliot Shag, a Muppet and the animator who creates and controls Ace Hart. Premi e res Saturday.

“California Dreams” NEW

10:30-11 a.m. KNBC; 9:30-10 a.m. KNSD

From the producer of “Saved by the Bell,” this live-action show combines comedy and music, as it follows the Armstrong family and their five teen-agers who want to form a rock ‘n’ roll band. Premieres Saturday.

“The Addams Family” NEW

10:30-11 a.m. KABC; 9:30-10 a.m. KGTV

This new animated series features the voice of the original Gomez, John Astin. Carol Channing will provide the voice of Granny and Rip Taylor will provide the voice of Uncle Fester. The voice of a new character, neighbor Normina, will be supplied by Edie McClurg. Premieres Saturday

“X-Men” NEW

10-10:30 a.m. KTTV; 9:30-10 a.m. XETV

This show is based on the comic book super-hero team. Premieres Saturday.

“Back to the Future”

11-11:30 a.m. KCBS; 10-10:30 a.m. KFMB

This show’s second season of 13 new episodes follows Marty, Doc and the Brown family as they continue their journeys through time, with the dastardly Bill Tannaen pursuing them. Also included on the show will be 13 new live-action science bits, with Doc (Christopher Lloyd) doing experiments. Returns Sept. 19.

Super Dave NEW

10:30-11 a.m. KTTV; 10-10:30 a.m. XETV

Super Dave Osborne, the world’s most spectacularly inept stunt man, gets his own cartoon series, which features live-action wraparounds in front of an audience of kids. Premieres Saturday.

“The Bugs Bunny and Tweety Show I and II”

11-noon KABC; 10-11 a.m. KGTV

Bugs, Tweety and Sylvester the Cat return for misadventures. The series is from Warner Bros. Animation. Returns Saturday.

“Disney’s Raw Toonage” NEW

11:30 a.m.-noon KCBS; 10:30-11 a.m. KFMB

This half hour of shorts will be hosted by Disney’s more familiar characters, Goofy and Sebastian (from “Little Mermaid”), who will introduce two new characters: Marsupilami (Mars for short), a monkey-like wiseacre, and Bonkers, a bumbling bobcat. Also featured will be “Totally Tasteless Videos,” which offers a satirical sendup of everything from commercials to television shows. Premieres Sept. 19.

“Name Your Adventure” NEW

11:30 a.m.-noon KNBC; 10:30-11 a.m. KNSD

This live-action program features teens fulfilling their dreams. Fantasies range from going on an archeological dig to swimming with dolphins to suiting up for space camp to visiting the set of a favorite television show. Premieres Saturday.

“The Amazing Live Sea Monkeys” NEW

noon-12:30 p.m. KCBS; 11-11:30 a.m. KFMB

Three live-action sea monkeys looking for the meaning of life are the creation of Howie Mandel’s mind. Premieres Sept. 19.

“A Pup Named Scooby Doo,” NEW

noon-12:30 p.m. KABC; 11-11:30 a.m. KGTV

Scooby Doo returns as a pup. The series is from Hanna-Barbera Productions and is the longest-running animated series originally produced for network television. Returns Saturday.

“Double Up” NEW

noon-12:30 p.m. KNBC; 11-11:30 a.m. KNSD

When NBC will not be running “NBA Inside Stuff,” it will air this game show hosted by J.D. Roth, featuring a real-life brother and sister and three potential dates for each. Based on questions and answers, the brother and sister then choose a date for themselves and their sibling. If their secret selections match their sibling’s choice, they win a double date, such as tickets to a rock concert or a theme park. Premieres Saturday.

“Mother Goose and Grimm ‘Grimmy’ ”

12:30-1 p.m. KCBS; 11:30-noon KFMB

Grimmy does his best to drive Mother Goose crazy in this show,which features the adventures of zany shoe-dwellers. Returns Sept. 19.