Taking a page from the campaign that eventually landed Betty White a hosting gig at Saturday Night Live, 20-somethings across Facebook created pages calling for the resurrection of their favorite Nickelodeon shows of the 90s. And even though this is the kind of behavior that leads to Hollywood rebooting every damn movie and TV show that was made in the last 30 years, Nickelodeon acknowledged these battle cries and launched “The ‘90s Are All That” on TeenNick.
This past Monday, the network began airing old episodes of Kenan & Kel, All That, Clarissa Explains It All, and the cartoon Doug. And wouldn’t you know it, the fans were right. The first ratings doubled those of any show that had previously occupied the midnight to 2 a.m. time slot, which means that both the nostalgic 90s babies and today’s babies enjoyed the show in union. Except the 90s babies were probably stoned. Hell, so were today’s.
For TeenNick, there was very little risk involved in creating the ‘90s programming block, because the overnight hours were rather low-rated.
On Monday, an average of 555,000 people tuned in between midnight and 2 a.m., fully double last year’s total during that time period, according to Nielsen data. Of the 555,000 viewers, 229,000 were between the ages of 18 and 34, the demographic that grew up watching the shows in the 1990s. Most of the others were under the age of 18. (Via The New York Times)
While I’d be considerably more enthusiastic if Nick brought back shows like You Can’t Do That on Television, Salute Your Shorts, or Hey Dude, we have seen before how late night cult followings can lead to new beginnings for old favorites (See: Futurama). However, Nickelodeon execs should remember that while the 20-somethings are ridiculously nostalgic over every little thing – OMG, remember slap bracelets?!?! – they also have 10-second attention spans. Take advantage of this now, because soon enough they’ll be banging down NBC’s door to bring back Blossom. God knows Jenna Voy Oy could use the cash.
P.S. – Who didn’t have a little cartoon crush on Patty Mayonnaise?
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If they start airing Pete & Pete, I’m in.
If they start airing Today’s Special and You Can’t Do That On Television… I’M in.
So kids shows that originally aired when I was in college are now back as retro chic. Christ, I feel old.
Re-launch Nick GAS or GTFO.
Pete and Pete and Salute Your Shorts was so tits. I miss the old donkey lips, before he started jump starting cars with his nipples in soda commericals
if they start airing out of control, I’m in. If they start airing mr. Wizard’s world, i’m in. If someone starts airing jenna von oy’s hot ass, I’m aaaaalll the way in….with my penis.
[www.perfectpeople.net]
I DL’d the entire run of Mr. Wizard’s World last year. Dividends galore.
Big fan of the Snick format
If they brought back CatDog and Rocket Power I would seriously never go to sleep.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO Wall O Stuff or GTFO!
/gets tfo
I’ve watched a few shows I enjoyed as a kid as an adult and came to this realization – kids are stupid. We enjoyed the shows as kids, and I really doubt I’d DVR anything I watched on Nick nowadays.
I was going to say that if they brought back Rocko’s Modern Life I’d be in too, but then I remembered that it’s available on Netflix Instant so fuck Nickelodeon.
POGS! POKEMON CARDS! TAMAGOTCHIS!
Yes, I was raised in the 90′s, thank you very much.
Pete & Pete and Salute Your Shorts forever. I’d watch the shit out of new episodes of P&P, especially if they brought back Michelle Trachtenberg.
Maybe bring back Hey Dude. I remember enjoying it but have no fond memories. And Rocko and even CatDog. Wait, instead of CatDog give me Two Angry Beavers.
Also, my tamagotchi always grew up to be the alien, proving that I would be an attentive and loving parent whose children would grow up to be badasses.
Why did they get rid of Nick GaS? So fun making fun of the stupid kids on legends of the hidden temple and of course, GUTS w/ O’Malley & Mo.
“I’ve watched a few shows I enjoyed as a kid as an adult and came to this realization – kids are stupid. We enjoyed the shows as kids, and I really doubt I’d DVR anything I watched on Nick nowadays”
This is so true. After the nostalgia wears off, usually after the intro song, it’s just another kids show spouting lame moral lessons that do nothing for you once you’re a cynical member of the real world.
Jenna VON Oy.
Show some respect.
I tuned in last night and they had snipits of Hey Dude, Salute Your Shorts, GUTS, and maybe a few more I can’t remember in the commercials. It would seem logical that they will rotate seasons of different shows. Fingers crossed for Wild and Crazy Kids.
Wow. Maybe it’s time for me to bust out my Pogs set to prove to people i am better than them.
Doug’s cool. I’m in for The Beets alone.
But if they bring back Mr Wizard, or Are You Afraid of the Dark, or Pete & Pete, I’m allllll over it.
Wait, seriously, is there a chance Pete and Pete might get shown? Seriously? SERIOUSLY?
P&P was aces.
I want Legends of the Hidden Temple now.
Since everyone already mentioned “Pete and Pete”, and since “Ren and Stimpy” and “Rocko” have been on late night in the past before, I’ll go with “My Brother and Me”. Any conversation regarding our generations Nick shows, as well as any article I read, no one EVER mentions My Brother and Me. That show was hilarious but never gets the love that a lot of the other shows got. You can’t do that on television? I never even heard of that show. I watched Nick from roughly 1991-1996. I avoided Hey Dude because it didn’t look funny to me. I watched one episode to see if it was good. It wasn’t.
Nostalgia lasts only as long as the first 5 minutes of any of these shows, or at least until anyone with taste goes, “yeah, these shows really suck”.
Pete & Pete may be the exception, but it’s still not as good as Gen Y douchebags like to romanticize.
Attn: 90s-era brats. You aren’t doing anything new. I just squealed at all the late 70s/early 80s crappy Hanna Barbera cartoons that were just listed on this very site.