Some may say that as children of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, we grew up in a rather stagnant period of history. And sure, we may not have experienced the dizzying highs or terrifying lows of generations before us, but we can say that we are the generation of the greatest children’s television programming ever! We had TGIF, SNICK, Saturday morning cartoons, and a heavy arsenal of enough youth-geared shows to burn our eyeballs right out of their sockets. But it was Nickelodeon that we really grew up with, watching the small cable network flourish into a mega-power of children’s programming. In reminiscence of my youth, I have compiled the quintessential list of the Top Five Nickelodeon TV Shows of All Time…
5) Double Dare – Television execs pitched the show like this: easy trivia questions, physical challenges, cheesy keyboard music, enough slime to fill Lake Michigan, obstacle courses, and Mark Summers! The rest is history. Double Dare was the first game show where your mom and dad had to wear helmets and elbow pads. The show’s popular green concoctions also made “slime” Nickelodeon’s infamous trademark. With great prizes like Casio digital wristwatches and British Knights sneakers, Double Dare couldn’t miss. Successors of this innovative game show like GUTS, Nick Arcade, and Legends of the Hidden Temple all had their moments, but none of them matched the outright social dominance of Mark Summer’s original.
4) Doug – Possibly the best cartoon ever written about an average middle school kid who kept a journal and dreamt of being a superhero called Quail Man. Doug was an everyman, Mosquito Valentine was the best friend we all had, Roger Clotz was that jerk everyone in your school hated, and Patti Mayonnaise was your first real crush. Throw in Porkchop and Mr. Dink and you’ve got animation gold. Unfortunately this show was marred when ABC picked it up and moved Doug into high school, but the true original will never be forgotten.
3) Salute Your Shorts – “Camp Anawanna, we hold you in our hearts…” Do the names Sponge, Budnick, and Donkey Lips ring a bell? Well if they do, then you’re familiar with the summer camp fantasy show that graced the screen of televisions across America in the early ‘90s. With the help of bonehead camp counselor Kevin “Ug” Lee and the legend of Zeke the Plumber, this show made sleep-away camps all the rage for children of our generation. The boys and girls of Camp Anawanna taught us some of our earliest lessons in love, hate, and mischief.
2) Pete & Pete – “Dance Petunia!” When else will two freckled red-heads ever get another shot at child television stardom? This show had it all; a kickass theme song, Artie the Strongest Man in the World, and a mysterious ice cream man named Mr. Tastee. It is also my belief that younger Pete’s amorous forearm tattoo is the subconscious motivation behind the tattoo fad that has invaded the youth of this country.
1) Ren & Stimpy – Beavis and Butthead provided a shroud that allowed this absolute freak show to slip under mom and dad’s radar. While B & B may have been crude, Ren and Stimpy is downright disturbing, but in a good way. Happy-Happy Joy-Joy, Powdered Toast Man, Log, and Don’t Whiz on the Electric Fence? Priceless! Do yourself a favor and go out and buy these DVDs now. When you realize what you were watching as a young child it will be easier to see why you’re a self-loathing alcoholic that can’t stay in a relationship for more than two months.
Honorable mentions also go to “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”, “Wild and Crazy Kids,” and “Hey Dude.” If you want to take your reminiscence even further, many of the series are currently available for purchase on DVD.
