Duckman, though that was not for kids.

Ren and Stimpy and Rocko’s Modern Life both had stuff that was bizarre and only allowed in a kid’s show because it was over their heads.

Batman TAS and Gargoyles both had some heavy shit. The latter also had a guy die by having fire erupt from behind his eyeballs, and a scene where a surgeon explains a gunshot wound in visceral detail. God I love that show.

The Lion King is an experiment being run by the aliens from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The music is diagetic and is used to modify behavior.

We know they can implant images and subconscious commands, and that this is perceived through music. That’s why they can coordinate musical numbers on the spot, and why sudden changes in behavior and attitude are accompanied by music.

In particular, the most critical character change comes when a Simba wanders off to be alone, sees a vision in the sky, and the soundtrack kicks in with an extended version of the alien music from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Suddenly he’s doing a 180 and running back towards his assigned role in the story.