By DOMINGA GLEASON
Contributing Writer
Say you turn on the television and you come across a show that was popular when you were a child. Chances are that you crack a smile and watch it. Sometimes for just a couple minutes, but sometimes you end up binge watching it. Nostalgic is a powerful feeling, and TV networks are starting to catch on. One network in particular has just announced that they may be bringing back some old TV shows for good.
Last week Russell Hicks, president of content and development at Nickelodeon, told Variety Magazine that Nickelodeon is looking to rerun and possibly rebook some 90s TV shows. These shows include “Rugrats,” “Hey Arnold!,” “You Can’t Do That on Television,” and “Victorious.” These shows would most likely come back as a movie or special first, and then potentially as a series again, with new episodes.
These shows are not the only ones coming back in style. “Fuller House,” a spin off of “Full House,” is expected to come out in 2016 and will include much of the original cast. There is also “Game Shakers,” a show staring Kel Mitchell from “Kenan & Kel.” Mitchell plays a superstar rapper who works with two girls and starts a million-dollar gaming company.
Who is to thank for this great change? It is our generation! Viacom, owner of Nickelodeon, noticed how popular their 90s shows were, compared to how their children’s shows are doing now. Nickelodeon and its sub channels have noticed a drop in their ratings in the last 20 years, especially compared to the success of shows like “Hey Dude!” and “Double Dare,” both live-action shows that began in the early 90s.
More importantly, the people who grew up watching these shows now have kids of their own. A revamp would intrigue the parents as well as the children, creating a new generation to love Nickelodeon shows. Hicks stated, “We are getting ready to bring back some of the ones they’ve told us multiple times they want to have brought back.”
There is even non-profit organization of fans hoping to save 90s Nick. You can go to save90snick.org and find a list of ways to help get the shows back.
You can already catch some old TV shows on Nickelodeon’s segment, “The 90’s Are All That,” on Teen Nick. Shows include “Kenan & Kel,” “Clarissa Explains it All,” “Doug,” and, of course, “All That.”
On Nick at Nite, you can catch “CatDog,” “Hey Arnold!” and “Zoey 101.” Amazon Prime also offers shows for free and for purchase, including a lot of shows you probably forgot you loved.
However, turning old shows into specials, movies, or new running series would be a game changer. Nickelodeon has done this in the past, with successful segments.
You may remember the spin-off movie “Good Burger,” staring Kenan and Kel, or “Rugrats Go Wild,” combining the “Rugrats” and “The Wild Thornberrys.” My personal favorite was “Rugrats: All Grown Up,” in which the Rugrats were now in school and are about the same age as the children who grew up watching them.
The only sad news is Nickelodeon does not own the rights to all their old shows, so you know that they will never come back as anything other than reruns.
One of these shows is “Doug,” to which Disney now owns the rights. “Doug” was a short-lived TV show, and while it was not produced for long, reruns were cherished long after. If you watched it, I’m sure you’re still wondering why his best friend was blue.
Here’s to vaguely remembering the 90s!
