Horrible Histories is an animated series based off the book series of the same name, running from 2000 to 2002. it was devised by American Broadcasting Company for American television, but based on some very British books for children. British viewers more familiar with the live-action TV show have expressed bafflement as to why the cartoon version is all in American accents.note
The Animated Series shows examples of following tropes:
- Added Alliterative Appeal: Every episode has this title with the exceptions of Royal Pain and Awesome Egyptians, respectively.
- Accidental Good Outcome: In "The Savage Stone Age", Mo and Stitch find a dead animal and throw it away in disgust. However, a cavewoman catches it, and she likes the taste.
- Bait-and-Switch: In the Wild West episode, we're led to believe that Stitch ate the horse that was traveling them to California. However, towards the end of the episode, it's revealed that he just ran off.
- Bizarre Beverage Use: In the Cowboy Episode, Mo uses a shaken-up bottle of sarsaparilla as a weapon in a fight with some cowboys.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: From the Lewis and Clark's Expedition episode:Random Character: You guys must be the new CIT's, right?Mo: What's that, Cartoon's in Time?
- Curse Cut Short: Happens with Mo in Royal Pain.Mo: "That King Louis is a Royal Pain in the....."
- Elmuh Fudd Syndwome: Mo and the Narrator in the UK dub.
- "End Is Nigh" Ending: In the episode "The Savage Stone Age", the episode ends with Mo and Stitch going back to their real time after it begins to snow. It's never outright proven, but everyone believes it to be the start of the Ice Age, which makes Neanderthals almost die out.
- Field Trip to the Past: The entire premise of the series. In each episode, Stitch and Mo would be transported to a different historical era, which would help them learn a lesson or solve a problem in their everyday lives.
- Girlish Pigtails: Mo.
- I Need to Go Iron My Dog: Chickening-out version: the animated program featured a smart-mouth jerk attempting to get out of Grecian-style wrestling by claiming to have sprained his oesophagus.
- Interactive Narrator: The narrator constantly talks to the characters, and appears to be responsible for the time travelling.
- Limited Animation: One of the most severe cases of this. Characters move very non-linear and choppily. (Think of this as a kid-friendly South Park.) The digital ink and paint method is the only thing that has you convinced that this show was actually produced from 2000 to 2002.
- Meadow Run: Starts when Mo and Stitch are reunited in the American Revolution episode. They decide against it at the last second.
- Opening Narration: "The problem with being a kid today is you grow up too quickly. There's just not enough time! Well, for some kids, that is."
- Red Shirt: A generic man dies in every episode.
- Rule of Funny: Stitch spends the episode "Royal Pain" in a donut costume, with various historical outfits on top of it. It Makes Sense in Context, but what doesn't is the fact that the donut suit has a hole through the middle.
- Same Language Dub: When the show made it to the UK, new voice actors replaced Billy West and Cree Summer as the narrator and Mo.
- Unconventional Food Usage: Discussed in an episode where Mo jokes about using some very hard biscuits as hockey pucks.
- Wheel o' Feet: Used in the animated series.
- Who Names Their Kid Stitch?
