they were generic... because they were the first. But that doesn't necessarily make it bad. Unlike some shows who may have called themselves "Action Shows" but had little action until the end, hannah-barbera lived up to it's nameby having constant action in said shows.
And because the plots were, sometimes, simplistic, it was simple to follow what was going one while you watched the heroes kick-ass. Which was the main reason you warched say birdman.