These are ScorpioVS's Top Ten Old School Nick Shows ranked for Ed Bellis's What Would You Do.
Top 10 Old School Nick Shows[]
A lot of us here on Board 8 are the same age, somewhere around 18 – 24. And thus, we’re all from the same generation and remember growing up with a lot of the same things. One thing in particular that we remember is watching Nickelodeon while growing up. No matter what kind of child you were, there was always time for some goofy cartoons somewhere along the day. Most of our parents shut us in a room with them just to get them out of their hair. But regardless of how, we all watched these shows. And so, I’ve gathered up a list of overall amazing Old School Nick shows. We’re talking shows from around 1990 – 1995. And so, without further ado:
#10: Nick Arcade (1992)
What better way to start out this list on Board 8 than with the one television show that actually put kids INSIDE video games? If you don’t remember this gem of a show, it was the one where teams of kids would move around Mikey, the “video adventurer”, trying to avoid the bully, and eventually would enter a virtual active video game (or so they made it appear) to defeat crazy-ass pixilated baddies! Whether you liked this show or not, there’s no denying that when the (maybe) possibility to BE in a video game became realized, somewhere deep down inside your gamer heart skipped a beat or two. It was always thrilling watching the contestants walk into Video Zone, jumping to collect bananas or coins, walking up virtual ladders, and maybe even trying it at home. (<_<;;) Oh and need I mention Phil Moore with his crazy black antics. Don’t think so. And thus, Nick Arcade kicks off the list.
#9: Wild & Crazy Kids (1990)
Don’t deny it because it’s irrefutable that every child from our generation, at one point or another in his or her life, has wanted to be on Wild & Crazy Kids. Just the very concept of kids running around like crazy, searching out foods in a crossword puzzle, and then running to dump said food on their opponents’ heads is sheer brilliance/the best time a kid could ever have! I’m not even sure I really remember what happened with the winners because I was too mesmerized by the giant games of human Battleship. It makes me sad to know that I’ll never get my chance to go on…
#8: The Adventures of Pete and Pete (1993)
Although I was never a huge fan of Pete and Pete (and I sure as hell hate the annoying douchebag Danny Tamberelli grew up into), the one thing lands this show before a lot of others was how ahead of its time it was. You will never find another show like Pete and Pete on any children’s programming ever again. It was unique because of the subtly in the jokes and the morals that it taught. Though some might have come close, there has never really been another show on Nick like Pete and Pete, and therefore this pushes it a head of a lot of the others.
#7: Legends of the Hidden Temple (1993)
Red Jaguars. Blue Barracudas. Green Monkeys. Orange Iguanas. Purple Parrots. Silver Snakes. You know them well. And that’s mainly because Legends of the Hidden Temple was one badass show. If you weren’t laughing at how dumb most of the kids on this show were, then you were screaming about how dumb most of the kids on this show were. But regardless of the contestants’ skill, watching LOTHT always had some good fun in it. We all had dreams about climbing through Olmec’s temple, discovering secret passage ways, dodging Temple Guards, and making it out with those $500 Jeffrey dollars and new pair of Sketchers! And, needles to say, Kirk Fro ... and his shorts.
#6: GUTS (1992)
D-D-D-Do you have it? (GUTS!) Everyone remembers GUTS and how freakin’ sweet all of its challenges (and sometimes even contestants) were. Who could possibly watch kids jumping from a 12 foot platform attached to a harness in order to make big air and score some sweet drunks and NOT think “that looks like ****ing fun”. And didn’t you love at the end of Global GUTS when the kids would run around the track holding their flags!? I wonder if the winners actually got to keep that ridiculous piece of glowing plastic shape like a rock.
#5: All That (1994)
No, no, no. We’re not talking about the NEW All That. We’re talking about old school All That. The one with Lori Beth Denberg and her “Vital Information”, Kenan Thompson with his “Pierre” skit, and, yeah, even Amanda Bynes as “Ask Ashley”. That was pure childhood cinema at its finest. Sometimes it would get a little repetitive, but it was always good for a quick laugh.
#4: Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1992)
Are You Afraid of the Dark was always sort of hit or miss with its episodes. Some of them would be seriously creepy, maybe without even trying, like the clown at the circus episode or even the one with the vampire, and some of them would just be crap and fun to laugh at. However, one thing always remained true, it was always enjoyable to watch and we all have found ourselves staring at it for hours. Although I never liked how most of them ended on a happy note, they were still enjoyable to watch.
#3: Ren and Stimpy (1991)
The one thing that made Ren and Stimpy so excellent was simple: innovation. This was a show on CHILDREN’S programming that was testing the boundaries and paving the way for a lot of great cartoons to come. Controversy after controversy followed Ren and Stimpy as mothers rebelled to the almost crude nature of the comedy. It is true, it does take a certain sense of humor to understand, but just the fact that Ren and Stimpy generated all of this love and hate at the same time and managed to be a great show altogether cements its place high on this list.
#2: Rugrats (1991)
There’s no doubt that Rugrats became one of the most, if not the biggest, icons of our generation of Nickelodeon. Everyone, even our parents, remember the “dumb babies” Tommy, Chuckie, Phil and Lil. Of course who can forget Angelica. And some of us still recall the very first episode, one of the best, where the babies discover dog food and end up trying to eat it. Ah, good times. However, although Rugrats was probably the most iconic, there’s only one Old School Nick Show that truly trumps it. And that is …
#1: Doug (1991)
Doug was there to make us laugh. Doug was there to make us cry. And, no matte what, Doug was the best show ever on Nickelodeon for a long time. Whenever we hear the beginning of the theme song (you know the one), we all get a little excited. Doug was a show that was always good for some entertainment. Whether if it was watching his awkward, prepubescent moments with Patti Mayonnaise or his mighty adventures as Quailman, Jack Bandit, or one of his other many alter egos, Doug was always quality. Not to mention “Banging on a Trashcan” still remains as one of the coolest music videos/songs ever created! Couple all that with the brilliant talents of Billy West, and you’ve got yourself the best show written for children’s television.
Well, there you go. You can love it, you can hate it, you can not read it. I don’t really care. I wasn’t thinking too hard when I wrote this anyway. The point is, we all loved old Nickelodeon shows. And I’m the one that took the time to rank them in how awesome they were. Thank you for your time. Bye.