For the past 20 years, 90s babies have been kicking and screaming to see some of their favorite childhood shows return to television, and on Monday night, their tantrums were over.
In response to numerous Facebook groups dedicated to the shows, Nickelodeon chose to dust off some of its 1990s classics for the nostalgic original children of Nickelodeon.
According to The New York Times, the repeats will begin running on TeenNick, a part of the Nickelodeon family of cable channels, weeknights between midnight and 4 a.m., under the title “The ’90s Are All That,” a reference to one of Nickelodeon’s most popular shows in that decade, “All That.” The segment will feature sitcoms such as “All That,” “Clarissa Explains It All,” “Kenan & Kel” and the cartoon “Doug.”
Keith Dawkins, senior VP and general manager of TeenNick, told Entertainment Weekly, “At the time, we were completely devoted to audiences ages 9, 10 and 11. It was ground breaking, and for the young viewers, a powerful and pivotal time in their lives. Those kids who are now 22, 23 and 24 want to bring that back.”
The group of 18 to twenty-something’s at UA took to Twitter and Facebook the night of the premiere to express their excitement for the return of the shows.
Jamarey Carter, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering, said that he missed the days of the Nickelodeon shows and that it reminded him of good times.
“I heard they were bringing them back but I didn’t know which ones,” Carter said. “I’m bringing my big screen back to T-Town and Tevo every last episode.”
Carter said that he enjoyed the celebrity performances on All That at the end of the show and that he used to come home from school and spend the rest of his days watching cartoons.
“I use to say that I was going to write a hit song and perform on All That,” he said. “I can almost sing it [the theme song] word for word.”
Over time, Entertainment Weekly said TeenNick hopes to use the retro block to showcase other ’90s programming and movies.
Rachel Turner, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering, said that she liked all of the 90’s programs, but her favorite was “Rugrats” and said that she loved the imagination that the characters had.
“It was cool,” she said. “I sometimes wish I could actually go to the places they went in their imagination.”
Tuner also said that times were much easier back when the shows aired.
“The cartoons were suited more towards us,” she said. “They were simple and didn’t involve a 9 year old with a cell phone. They were more entertaining.”
The New York Times said the channel says that Facebook feedback will influence which other shows it rotates into the block. Research has convinced Nickelodeon executives that the Web — a repository of cherished childhood memories — “is allowing young people to be nostalgic, probably sooner than other generations,” said Cyma Zarghami, the channel’s president.
Erin Moulson, a senior majoring in graphic design, said that she was excited to see her childhood again. Moulson tweeted the night of the premiere and tweeted Monday night that Clarissa’s outfits were the best.
“I definitely liked her different colored tights and crazy T-shirts,” she said. “She had the best style back then. I was always jealous of her clothes and room.”
Moulson also said that the shows were different than she remembered.
“Clarissa wasn’t as good as I remember,” Moulson said. “Her advice was always great, but not as good as the advice from Vital Information on All That, though. She quoted from the show, ‘If your mother asks you to sweep the kitchen, do not use your sisters head as a broom.’ Classic,” she said.
According to The New York Times, if the classics cause a ratings increase, it’s easy to foresee the ’90s block’s becoming as permanent as “Nick at Nite.”
