Old Nickelodeon

[Drtooth]

I hear that they're making a brand new Dangermouse series. And I'd like to see Dave Coulier's old show, Out of Control, come back in reruns. Or even Turkey Television.

Danger Mouse was back when Nick had no original programming and just got the rights to international fare. The new series will be Netflix exclusive, at least in the US, and not on Nick. It's a shame, but at least we're not getting it several years later after it airs somewhere else.

But as I always say, it took me years to actually see Danger Mouse (internet and all that), and ditto for Duckula. That's why I never liked their Nick Jr. baby anime line up. Those lousy shows were always on when I actually was at a friends house to see them, but never Danger Mouse of Duckula. That said, I almost wonder why the heck they brought those shows over here in the first place (not being ungrateful). They're extremely British. The Japanese shows at least had the dubious distinction of being dubbed for even younger audiences. But DM and CD were their completely British selves. I have to admit, I wonder if I could have appreciated the series back then as I do now. I mean, one Duckula episode is essentially a love letter to Fawlty Towers. I'm sure British kids might have got it.

That said, the irony just became apparent. Nick imported 2 British cartoons without overdubbing them (supposedly Stiletto was redubbed to not be a Mafia reference, but I've no proof of that other than word of mouth), but when NBC brought over that Stressed Eric series, for adults mind you, they dubbed everything over because it wasn't American enough.

 

[mr3urious]

but when NBC brought over that Stressed Eric series, for adults mind you, they dubbed everything over because it wasn't American enough.

It was just Eric himself that got dubbed over, actually.

 

[Drtooth]

I do remember that was how it worked, anyway. I haven't seen that stuff since it premiered, and it was on, like, 3 or 4 episodes? I forget. I only remember that ABC's Whose Line is it Anyway episodes were clobbering it in the ratings.

(Way off topic alert)
Still, you wonder. Other than the word of mouth that Silas Greenback's assistant Stiletto was redubbed to a cockney accent (did anyone watch those old episodes and can they confirm it?) they didn't bother redubbing or altering the Brit cartoons in any way. And strangely that sort of thing wouldn't happen today, yet it would. Take the case of a certain British TV cartoon pig family. When Cartoon Network had that moronic idea to compete with Nick and Disney Jrs by having their own stupid preschool line up. One was an American redubbed version of that pig show.

And it was a flop. Years later, Nick Jr airs the same thing, unaltered and it becomes a modest hit. And frankly, the boredome of last summer (not this just ended one), I caught a couple episodes of it and found it charming because of how incredibly freaking British it was. Even had some sly British wit to keep the show from being cloying.

So turning this train back into the station, Nick didn't attempt to pull the British out of Danger Mouse or Duckula (which I'd say have the Brit equivalent of a Jay Ward cartoon in terms of verbal over physical humor), yet they chose the least Japanese anime possible when they were dubbed. One was even dubbed as a crappy Smurfs knockoff. It's a real shame they never got any of the actually good young kids anime and we had to suffer through low quality dubs of not that popular to being with series like Noozels (which again was one of two Japanese series made only because Australia donated kowalas to their zoo). Shame that, considering we didn't get him until last year, Doraemon wasn't considered.

 

[mr3urious]

And it was a flop. Years later, Nick Jr airs the same thing, unaltered and it becomes a modest hit. And frankly, the boredome of last summer (not this just ended one), I caught a couple episodes of it and found it charming because of how incredibly freaking British it was. Even had some sly British wit to keep the show from being cloying

And the reverse often happens with American preschool shows, The Backyardigans and LazyTown (though only with the puppets) being a few examples. I don't think this British re-dubbing applies to Disney's stuff, apart from the titular character in Henry Hugglemonster.

 

[Mo Frackle]

My folks were pretty strict about why I could and couldn't watch on TV as a kid. Unfortunately, that meant missing out on a lot of great Nick shows. Didn't really get to see Rocko, Angry Beavers, Ren and Stimpy, or most of the 90s LA shows until years after Nick stopped rerunning them in favor of SpongeBob and Dan Schneider's many sitcoms.

But I was big on Rugrats as a kid. Definitely remember the height of its popularity. During the late '90s-early '00s, Rugrats merchandise was everywhere. They were very much the kings of the network at the time. I'd have to go back and view episodes again to give a solid opinion, but I remember losing interest shortly after the addition of Kimi.

I did rewatch much of Hey Arnold! some time ago. I love that Craig Bartlett and his team went for a more laid back style with this series. HA! was never afraid to go for quiet moments. And Bartlett and co. never talked down to their audience. Of course, like every fan of this show, I would love for the Jungle Movie to finally be made. I'm neither for nor against an all-out revival, but I would at least want proper closure to the series.

Rocket Power was one of those shows that I would watch when nothing else was on. As others have mentioned, it was very much a product of its time. Supposedly, some of the Klasky-Csupo writers weren't too fond of it either.

Was that Rugrats/Wild Thornberrys crossover intended to be a TV movie? It sure felt like one. I know the Hey Arnold! movie was meant for television (again, sure feels like it).

 

[Drtooth]

Rocket Power was one of those shows that I would watch when nothing else was on. As others have mentioned, it was very much a product of its time. Supposedly, some of the Klasky-Csupo writers weren't too fond of it either.

Was that Rugrats/Wild Thornberrys crossover intended to be a TV movie? It sure felt like one. I know the Hey Arnold! movie was meant for television (again, sure feels like it).

I've spoken my piece about Rocket Power. I think Klasky Csupo's run of Nicktoons was pretty defining of the network. But that show felt forced upon and cynical. Meanwhile their best show (arguably) was Real Monsters. And that seemed like KC's redheaded step-child. They were more interested in more Rugrats like fare, but Monsters was a special show with great, wacky characters with great voice actors behind them. I'm very disappointed that show was like the middle string of the Nicktoons shows and it never became the breakout hit it should have been.

As for Rugrats go Wild... why, yes it was supposed to be just a special. But it tested good enough to get a theatrical release according to this article.

 

[Mo Frackle]

As for Rugrats go Wild... why, yes it was supposed to be just a special. But it tested good enough to get a theatrical release according to this article.

I remember being so psyched for that movie when the trailers were first shown (the earliest teasers referred to it as "Rugrats Meet the Wild Thornberrys"). I was pretty underwhelmed by the end result. Even the DVD release had little effort put into it.

Also, Bruce Willis as Spike was just ridiculous.

The Thornberrys (were they still on at that point?) and Rugrats definitely lost their popularity to the Sponge and the Fairies by then.

Anyone remember those silly Rugrats Go Wild scratch-and-sniff cards? I think I still have one laying around.

 

[Drtooth]

By the time the Thornberry crossover hit, Rugrats was beyond repair. It turned into the show starring babies for babies at that point. Too many new characters, less and less focus on the funny adult situations and misinterpretations... just a mess at that point. Not too long after, the age up spinoff started. Spongebob didn't reach popularity until about 2 years after it premiered, so that's when I say it finally put those babies to bed.

AS I've been saying this whole thread about those Rugrats, the magic of the show wasn't just that they were babies exploring things, but how the adults had these delightfully mundane conversations (some with just a hint of innuendo), and the babies not understanding and misinterpreting everything. When it became just babies going on adventure... well... Muppet fans kinda...already...saw that back in the 80's.

And the funny thing I read somewhere, Doug was the original three show that was supposed to be the big hit, merchandising cash cow of the line up. And it didn't even get any decent level of merchandising until Disney got to it. Ren and Stimpy was the short term popular series, spawning lots of merchandising that disappeared with the show's popularity (with kids anyway), then Rugrats was the slow starter. It was decently popular enough, but it didn't become the huge merchandising hit until Ren and Stimpy's popularity waned. Years after RR premiered and just when the show started shark jumping. Sort of like how EEE was the red headed stepchild of the CN line up when it came out (cuz PPG). Then it was uncancelled and the popularity actually rose.

Strangely, there was some measurable semblance of Angry Beaver merchandising, but that's one of the more cult Nicktoons. And yes, Zim did have some plushies out of the gate well before it was a Hot Topic staple. And I bet it goes for a fortune online.

 

[mr3urious]

AS I've been saying this whole thread about those Rugrats, the magic of the show wasn't just that they were babies exploring things, but how the adults had these delightfully mundane conversations (some with just a hint of innuendo), and the babies not understanding and misinterpreting everything. When it became just babies going on adventure... well... Muppet fans kinda...already...saw that back in the 80's.

Though not all of the season 1 episodes hold up. About half of the A-plots center around Tommy wandering off in a public place and unwittingly causing mayhem, with little dialogue in said plots. I feel that the show grew the beard by the 2nd season when there was more of a focus on the babies having adventures together and playing off one another.

Season 6 (the post-movie season) was when things really began to slide. Dil just felt like a forced addition most of the time, since he mostly cried and pooped himself and contributed little to the plot.

 

[Drtooth]

That's the post movie syndrome kicking in. Adding characters because that arises the question of where the new characters would go if they didn't. Simpsons handled it beautifully with Spider-Pig just turning into a barely recurring background gag at most, and anything else gets a quick nod here and there. But Rugrats... well, you kinda have to keep the baby brother around if the plot of the movie was that he was getting a baby brother. Not to mention Rugrats in Paris. You have to keep the step sister in there. Only other option was making the movies finales. I love that the first Spongebob movie was supposed to be the distant finale, and none of the new elements needed to be added to the show. Though, while the second movie complicates things (spoiler for those who haven't seen it yet), because Plankton kinda changed his tune, it was then flip flopped as he continues to go about things normally, as it's what he does and to not overtake the plot of the TV series that already used that plot too much. Connecting the two movies, it's kinda like if the first one's the last episode, why would a reformed Plankton devolve into pure evil instead of Tom and Jerry levels of capering?

But that's the thing about Rugrats and their movies. Simpsons and South Park have those movies canon to the series (as loose as both may be), Beavis and Butt-Head had theirs sort of end the series (I forget), PPG also kept things canon even though the last season was...unnecessary outside of like 2 episodes, and only one of them even bothered calling back. Rugrats changed the show with deep impacts from the movies. Those weren't changes they can shake off as a "oh, let's call back to this occasionally." Nope. New characters that HAD to be in the show.