Nickelodeon brought us some of the best television of the era, from animated series that warmed our hearts and tickled our funny bones to live-action game shows and competitions that blew our minds (seriously, is anything in your life today as intimidating as Olmec?). Though much of the diversity, education and humor was taken for granted at the time, the best Nickelodeon shows remain more relevant than ever. In addition to just being full of fun shows for kids, the network provided amazing representation for marginalized groups, even though as little ones a lot of that probably went right over our heads. Not everything holds up through nostalgia lenses, but these old Nickelodeon shows (many from the ’90s and 2000s) do.
Rugrats
Rugrats went beyond kids’ stuff. The show explored progressive themes in a mature way, even as it depicted babies engaging in everyday life: Traditional gender norms were flipped in much of the parents’ relationships, with Didi and Charlotte Pickles as their families’ respective breadwinners and Betty teaching twins Phil and Lil about sports. In one episode, Tommy and Chuckie heroically rock dresses; in another, Lil says she’s going to marry Angelica’s imaginary twin sister because “[they ’re] both pretty.” The show also explored interracial adult relationships and grief in ways that never felt pandering, juvenile or too on the nose. Aside from their adorable depictions of a group of infant and toddler pals, Rugrats also provided a rare form of representation in kids’ shows and media in general, as its main focus, the Pickles family, was Jewish. “A Rugrats Passover” remains a classic, as well as the show’s Kwanzaa and Hanukkah specials. Add in the iconic theme song (and it’s movie soundtrack version) and you have an absolutely timeless classic that was incredibly wise beyond its (and its subjects’) years. And we’re in luck: Rugrats is getting a CGI reboot on Paramount Plus.
Rocko’s Modern Life
Rocko’s Modern Life, like Rugrats, was progressive before it was cool, this time in its depiction of gender and sexuality. In the 1996 episode “Closet Clown,” Mr. Bighead attempted to hide the fact that he lived and dressed like a clown, because the series’ fictional town was full of anti-clown sentiment. More than 20 years later, creator Joe Murray told Entertainment Weekly that the episode was, indeed, an allegory for an LGBTQIA+ person living in and eventually coming out of the closet. “We were still playing by the rules, so to speak, and still trying to interject those situations [into the cartoon],” he said. In 2019, a 45-minute Netflix special, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling, examined Mr. Bighead’s search for his trans daughter, Rachel, who was previously known as Ralph in the original series. “When I started writing [Static Cling], I really started latching onto the idea of change and how society has changed and what’s gone on in the last 20 years and the development of our characters and how they would react to change,” Murray explained. “It felt natural, because it was not only about change, about somebody finding who they are and making that courageous choice to go through that change.” The episode was endorsed by GLAAD, with a rep for the organization specifically appreciating the fact that Rachel’s gender was, essentially, treated as a non-issue, thus further normalizing the trans community and showing that she can simply be loved for who she truly is.
SpongeBob SquarePants
Literally everyone loves SpongeBob SquarePants. The animated instant classic debuted on May 1, 1999, and has since launched endless memes, two movies, a Broadway musical, comic books and video games, plus an estimated minimum of $13 billion in merchandise sales. Along the way, SpongeBob learned a lot of lessons about hard work, friendship and the importance of tailoring. He also, in June 2020, was revealed to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Not bad for a guy who started at the [Bikini] Bottom.
You Can’t Do That on Television
The classic sketch show You Can’t Do That on Television got its start in Canada in 1979 before premiering for American audiences in 1981. It began airing on Nickelodeon in 1982. It was the originator of the network’s famous slime, which splashed down on cast members whenever anyone said “I don’t know.” Look for an adorable, super-young Alanis Morissette in five 1986 episodes (she has short hair!).
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
With it’s so-cute-it’s-scary characters, Aaahhh!!! Real Monsters has a few ties to Rugrats: It shares the same creators, Klasky Csupo, and David Eccles, who voices Krumm (the orange monster who carries his own eyeballs in his hands) also voiced the monster under Chuckie Finster’s bed.
Double Dare
Another slime-filled classic, Double Dare was like Family Feud designed by your hyperactive 9-year-old cousin after a sugar bender—in the absolute best way. The show, hosted by Marc Summers, was one of the most successful original cable shows in history at the time of its 1986 debut on Nickelodeon. The mixture of trivia with messy stunts and physical obstacles (and, of course, slime) was a fan favorite for years, with a recent revival from 2018 to 2019 featuring both Summers and YouTube star Liza Koshy.
The Adventures of Pete & Pete
A cult classic, The Adventures of Pete & Pete follows the lives of two brothers, both named Pete Wrigley. “Big Pete” serves as the voice of reason, while “Little Pete” is often irrational and rebellious. Their friends’ and enemies’ lives are equally colorful and featured stars like Adam West as Principal Ken Schwinger, Michelle Trachtenberg as Nona F. Mecklenberg, Steve Buscemi as guidance counselor Phil Hickle and punk icon Iggy Pop as James “Pop” Mecklenberg. Aside from its regular stars, it also had a ton of guest stars who either already were or who went on to become mega-famous, including Janeane Garofalo, Selma Blair, J.K. Simmons, Debbie Harry, Alicia Keys, Bebe Neuwirth, Chris Elliott, LL Cool J and Larisa Oleynik (who’d go on to star in her own Nickelodeon series, The Secret World of Alex Mack).
Salute Your Shorts
Whoever decided that Salute Your Shorts would only get two seasons basically should be tried at the Hague. The summer camp comedy, based on the 1986 book Salute Your Shorts: Life at Summer Camp, was a fan favorite for Nickelodeon viewers as well as a ratings success. The show ended due to budget constraints and the cast members not wanting to uproot their lives and move from Los Angeles to Nickelodeon’s Orlando studios, but it was great while it lasted. Another fun chestnut? The theme song (“Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts…”) is the only one in history (so far!) to use the word “fart.”
All That
Arguably Nickelodeon’s best sketch show ever, All That was essentially Saturday Night Live for kids that couldn’t quite stay up that late or grasp the latter’s more adult nuance. Running from 1995 to 2005, All That was a SNICK (Nickelodeon’s Saturday night lineup) staple. The show was a breeding ground for comedians, including Nick Cannon and Kenan Thompson, the latter of whom later became SNL’s longest-running player. The show was lauded for its diversity without tokenism, as well as for its musical guests, which included N*SYNC, Blackstreet and Coolio.
Kenan & Kel
Thompson and All That co-star Kel Mitchell’s spinoff, Kenan & Kel, followed the Nickelodeon icons throughout various misadventures in high school. The series frequently broke the fourth wall, with Thompson as the straight man to Mitchell’s silly, slapstick fixture. One of the best running gags? No one will ever love anything the way Kel’s character loves orange soda.
The Amanda Show
Another spinoff of All That, Amanda Bynes’ flagship sketch show, The Amanda Show, cemented her as a modern-day, kid-friendly Lucille Ball. From her ultra-loud voice to her rubbery facial expressions, Bynes’ talents as a comedic prodigy were on full display, establishing her foundation later as a sitcom and movie star.
iCarly
No one does the internet like iCarly. Miranda Cosgrove starred in the series that essentially predicted the vlogger phenomenon long before it actually hit YouTube and the pop culture zeitgeist. The show explored themes of friendship, as well as the trappings of newfound fame, with a charm and silliness that other shows of the era couldn’t quite capture. It also featured some sweet guest stars, including One Direction. A revival of iCarly is set to hit Paramount+ in June 2021, with Cosgrove’s Carly competing with a younger influencer.
Hey Dude
Hey Dude lasted five seasons, but if we’re being honest, the series’ run felt much shorter. The Western-themed sitcom features a young Christine Taylor as girl next door Melody in a love triangle with rich girl Bradley (Kelly Brown) and Ted (the series’ star, David Lascher). The show also starred Joe Torres as Danny, a member of the Hopi tribe.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
Anime fans love and old adore Avatar: The Last Airbender, and for good reason: The show wasn’t afraid to tackle some seriously dark topics, including imperialism, colonialism and genocide, as well as spiritual themes like free will versus fate. The show was, by design, entertaining and enlightening for both kids and adults, and remains one of the best-reviewed TV series of any genre with a 97 percent positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Figure It Out
Another beloved game show, Nickelodeon’s Figure It Out featured host Summer Sanders and showcased kids’ unique talents and had a panel of other Nickelodeon stars try to guess their skills using yes-or-no questions. The combination of a massive talent show with a puzzle aspect was unique, and, of course, the slime was a bonus.
CatDog
Alone in the world is a little cartoon cat-dog hybrid that we really miss on our airwaves. CatDog was just silly and precious, and the pairing of the sophisticated Cat with the significantly less cultured Dog made it a modern-day Odd Couple for kids.
Hey Arnold!
Finally, visibility for kids with football-shaped heads. Hey Arnold! followed an 11-year-old who lives in the city with his grandparents as he tries, in small ways, to help others, with mixed success and often some drama from the neighborhood bully, Helga Pataki (who’s smitten with him in secret). Hey Arnold! teaches an important life lesson, creator Craig Bartlett explains: “Arnold’s a good kid, and he means a lot to all these people, but he’s not fixing anyone. That truth really resonated with us. Life is a little disappointing, and you don’t always get what you want.”
Clarissa Explains It All
Melissa Joan Hart may be famous for being Sabrina, but in our hearts, it’s Clarissa Explains It All that made her a ’90s icon. From breaking the fourth wall to teach us about training bras to the ladder Sam (Sean O’Neal) used to get in her window, the series made us all want to be a Darling (just not Ferguson, because ew). The titular character also created video games to help teach and learn lessons (and just get through some minor drama), making her an early, if fictional, pioneer for girls in gaming.
Invader Zim
There’s something so adorable, yet so terrifying today, about someone who wants to take over the world but is too incompetent to do it successfully. Thus was the premise of Invader Zim, the tale of an imperialist alien from the planet Irk. The series debuted in 2001, but issues arose pretty quickly between Nickelodeon and the show’s creator, Jhonen Vasquez, and writer Eric Trueheart: The network wouldn’t let them kill off any characters, and other conflicts, including whether a character could wear a trenchcoat after the Columbine massacre or a city could be destroyed following 9/11, arose as well. The show was ultimately canceled in 2005 but eventually came to Netflix with the film Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus in 2016.
Wild Thornberrys
Think Dr. Doolittle but younger, more adorable and with the added benefit of fun family antics: The Wild Thornberrys followed Eliza (get it?) and her family of documentary filmmakers as they navigated life in the wild, not knowing Eliza can talk to animals. The voice cast was particularly stellar, starring Tim Curry and Lacey Chabert and with appearances from Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Kelly McGillis, The Go Gos’ Jane Wiedlin and even Jane Goodall as herself.
Big Time Rush
Listen, was the show Big Time Rush at times a little cheesy? Yes. Does it matter? No, because they delivered some of the catchiest darn songs of their era and gave The Jonas Brothers a serious run for their money.
Victorious
Can you imagine a world without Ariana Grande? No? Well, you largely have Nickelodeon’s Victorious to thank for that. Of course, the rest of the show itself was a lot of fun too: A modern-day Fame with more slapstick and humor, the show followed aspiring singer Tori Vega (Victoria Justice) and her pals (including Grande’s crimson-haired Cat Valentine, Avan Jogia’s Beck Oliver and Elizabeth Gillies Jade West) as they navigate the road to success and the everyday struggles of a performing arts high school life.
Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Admit it: The clown episode (“The Tale of Laughing in the Dark”) still terrifies you to this day, and you know exactly which one we’re talking about. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was a classic horror anthology series for kids that, despite its spot on the Snick lineup, can still scare the pants off of us as grownups. In fact, it’s even more fun to watch now, because you get to seek out the stars who appeared on the series: Look for a young Ryan Gosling, Elisha Cuthbert, Emily VanCamp and Joanna Garcia-Swisher in various episodes.
Doug
Doug was unique in several ways: It showed adolescent boys that it was OK to be both imaginative and vulnerable, and its music was largely comprised of human sound effects. The series creator Jim Jinkins explained to Splitsider that it was largely thanks to voice actor Fred Newman that the series got its signature sounds, from Skeeter’s honk to The Beets’ boogies. “I love fooling with different sounds, taking a conventional type of music but spinning it by throwing in some weird instrument: Fred showed me how you could take out a guitar and use a tuna can filled with water that you’d thump with your finger,” Jinkins said. He added, “The music was really part of the storyteller. All of the character noises, the sound effects. All of those were the storytellers.” Of course, this is all in addition to the fact that the titular Doug Funnie’s sister, Judy, is iconic, and his will-they-or-won’t-they romance with Patti Mayonnaise is sweet enough to give us cavities.
Ren and Stimpy
Let’s be real: Upon rewatching as an adult, Ren and Stimpy maybe wasn’t quite as kid-friendly as we thought, but a lot of things probably went over our heads. Still, it’s one of the most twisted and hilarious shows, animated or live-action, to hit the small screen. Ren Höek, the possibly-sociopathic, hot-tempered chihuahua, and the chubby, significantly less intelligent cat Stimpy, went on adventures rife with sexual innuendo, occasional violence and often seriously gross and dark humor. If that’s your thing, you loved it. If not? You likely loathed all five years it was on the air. Ren and Stimpy had a huge fanbase despite (or perhaps because of) its polarizing nature, and guest stars including Ellen DeGeneres, Annie Lennox, Frank Zappa, Michael Jordan, Bill Murray, Whitney Houston, Fergie, Mark Hamill, Soleil Moon Fryeand Rosie O’Donnellprovided voices for various characters throughout the show’s run. A Ren and Stimpy reboot for grownups, Ren & Stimpy Party Cartoon, premiered in 2003, but was canceled after just three episodes. However, some good news for fans: In summer 2020, it was announced that Ren and Stimpy is set for a Comedy Central revival, which will hopefully last a bit longer.
Legends of the Hidden Temple
Whether you rooted for the Silver Snakes, Purple Parrots, Orange Iguanas, Red Jaguars, Green Monkeys or the Blue Barracudas, chances are you were obsessed with Legends of the Hidden Temple. Though it only ran for two years, the iconic game show and obstacle course, inspired by Indiana Jones and the video game The Legend of Zelda, will forever be etched in our memories: The quest to enter Olmec’s temple and retrieve a secret treasure was a dream for most ’90s kids, and we watched in simultaneous awe and nail-biting anxiety as kids in yellow helmets embarked on the ultimate adventure. Now, as grownups, those ’90s kids may have a chance: The series will be rebooted on the CW for adults, but in an actual jungle instead of on a set, and the original host, Jeff Fogg, confirmed his involvement. Next, check out 50 of the most magical and interesting facts about your all-time favorite Disney characters!
