NG Puppet Pals (please critique if you can)

[SlingshotClock]

I want to use these character designs for the CCTV3, but I'm running into a little bit of a snag.  As it looks right now, in my opinion, the designs are rather boring and I really wanted to improve it.  I would normally add a little shading, but I believe it would be too distant from the art style of the original TV Puppet Pal shorts.  I was wondering if anyone had suggestions in making the puppets more interesting to look at.

[WrenchClock]

bonk

[Topcatyo]

Maybe making the puppets more realistic.  Maybe getting rid of the lines and improving the coloring and adding edges.

[PaperClipClock]

where do you go when your tooth hurts?
to the bonk-tist

[Wind-up Clock]

Maybe some felt texturing?

[AlbinoClock]

bonk

[TequilaClock]

I would like if they were Tom and Wade instead but hahaha

[Folder]

The jpeg is making me puke.

Could use some shading, nix the lines if possible, that'd help it look cleaner

[Topcatyo]

Bonk on a stick

[SilverClock]

They look fine to me.

[Kodiakclock]

BONK

they are perfect.

[Il Duce]

The background colour is shit.

[CeleriacClock]

Yea, fix the background colour, Maybe a bit more detail on the stage or a bit of experimenting with shading.

[SlingshotClock]

I would like to start by thanking everyone that gave me advice on how I can improve the puppets.  I should take this post to explain in a better way what troubles I'm having in designing these puppets (if anyone doesn't care, stop reading now).  To my surprise and disappointment, Google image search contained no results pertaining to the TV Puppet Pals, but had a ton of images for Potter Puppet Pals.  So I kept trying to think of keywords to find a image for reference, but Google failed me in whatever I tried.  So I went to YouTube for help, and the first few tries led to more Potter Puppet Pals, but I eventually found TV Super Pals, and it had an image for reference:



I'm torn between having the puppets I'm drawing to have a similar art style to the original to pay homage, to using my own way of drawing to be more comfortable with the characters, or (now that you guys mention it), giving it a more realistic art style.  The original art style seems to contain no shading and black outlines and a solid blue background, which explains why it looks the way it does, but I would need to improve my color scheme.  My style would contain some basic shading and probably edges.  The realistic art style, which would play homage to the real-life versions of the TV Puppet Pals, would have a felt pattern (like Wind-Up said) and almost no lines, but I got to figure out the best way to apply the textures (probably photoshop).

Oh, and before I forget, I should probably ask if anyone has a better reference pic or maybe the background music that I can put in my movie.  Any help would be appreciated.

And to those who didn't help me:
Knock, Knock.
Who is there?
A bonk on the head.