1. The Banana Splits Adventure Hour

 

1968–70

Animation icons William Hanna and Joseph Barbera teamed with creature creators Sid and Marty Krofft to craft this pioneering series, which took its cues from The Monkees and Laugh-In. The infectious theme song "The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana)" hit the charts in 1969, and a punk cover version by the Dickies would make the U.K. top ten a decade later.

Image: The Everett Collection

2. H.R. Pufnstuf

 

1969–70

The Kroffts originally created these characters for the Coca-Cola pavilion of the HemisFair '68 world's fair. The formula of a human boy (Jimmy) in a world of strange puppets (Living Island) would be repeated in subsequent series. 

3. The Bugaloos

 

1970–72

Harmony, Courage, Joy and I.Q. were the Kroffts' buggy spin on the Monkees. Like, Pufnstuf, the show lasted a mere season. The music, written by Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox, would stick in the minds of youth for years, however. Gimbel and Fox would go on to write "Killing Me Softly with His Song." Fun fact: Phil Collins almost landed the role of I.Q.!

Image: The Everett Collection

4. Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp

 

1970–71

This simian spy spoof had writers from Get Smart! and Carol Burnett. So don't feel guilty for laughing. Flapping chimp lips were dubbed over with human voices. Lancelot Link also fronted a rock band, the Evolution Revolution, which featured Bananas Marmoset on drums. (Take that, Gorillaz!)

5. Lidsville

 

1971–73

The Kroffts entered arguably their oddest stage with Lidsville, about a boy, Mark, adrift in a world of talking hats. Weenie the Genie helps him along the way. You'd be hard pressed to find a stranger premise.

6. Sigmund and the Sea Monsters

 

1973–75

Yup, the Kroffts again, though this time the concept was far more mundane, even if the monsters carried that trademark quirk. Two boys find the ostracized sea monster Sigmund and take in the cute, leafy octo-blob. A fire at the start of season two destroyed a good number of the sets and props, according to the book Pufnstuf & Other Stuff.

7. Gigglesnort Hotel

 

1975–78

Chicagoans are most likely to remember this panoply of puppets. Host Bill Jackson honed his weird-kids-show skills on the earlier BJ and Dirty Dragon Show. Few characters were as odd as Blob, a mumbling anthropomorphic mound of clay. The series was eventually syndicated to a wider audience.

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8. The Krofft Supershow

 

1976–78

The siblings packed a load of out-there ideas in this delightful grab bag. There was the glam rock Kaptain Kool and the Kongs, superheroes Electra Woman and Dyna Girl, mad scientist Dr. Shrinker, a genie named Mongo, Bigfoot and a talking car named Wonderbug. We previously covered the fascinating Kaptain Kool.

9. The Inside Story with Slim Goodbody

 

1980

John Burstein slipped into a unitard covered in human organs to become Mr. Goodbody. In the late 1970s, the character became a fixture on Captain Kangaroo, and eventually PBS gave him his own series. He was sort of like Horshack with an exposed colon.

Image: The Everett Collection

10. Pryor's Place

 

1984

After their 1970s heyday, the Kroffts continued to make shows, though they were projects that failed to match even the impression of their earlier one-season wonders. First there was the inexplicable variety show Pink Lady in 1980. Four years later, the brothers partnered with comedian Richard Pryor for this 13-episode flop. Ray Parker, Jr., hot off Ghostbusters, did the smooth theme song.

Image: The Everett Collection

11. Today's Special

 

1981–87

Canadians can get weird, too. This Toronto production seared its strange images into our brains. Set in a department store, there was Jeff, a magic mannequin, and Muffy Mouse.

12. Zoobilee Zoo

 

1986–87

Ben Vereen has won a Tony award and earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He also wore a leopard nose to govern the Zoobles as Mayor Ben on Zoobilee Zoo.