It’s a ’90s kids’ nostalgic dream (and nightmare) come true.
Millennials can finally get behind the shows being produced to entertain today’s generation as Viacom is bringing Rugrats back to Nickelodeon for 26 episodes, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The popular cartoon, about the adventures of a group of babies who could talk to each other, ran from 1991 to 2004 under the control of Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain, all of whom are returning to the series as executive producers.
Original characters Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil will return, joined by the introduction of some new, to quote Angelica Pickles, “dumb babies.” However, a return of the series isn’t the only thing fans can expect. Paramount Players is also in the process of developing a live-action feature film with CGI characters.
Revamps are a continuing trend, as Nickelodeon’s Double Dare recently came back with YouTuber Liza Koshy as host. Disney XD also jumped on the bandwagon last year with the new DuckTales series, which turned out to be better than anyone ever expected it to be. Even with modern takes, like a character named “Mark Beaks” being a clear parody of Mark Zuckerberg, the cartoon hasn’t given too much into current culture.
Hopefully, the fact that the Rugrats characters are babies will ensure that texting and internet use similarly won’t be a key part of its own upcoming episodes, as that would ruin the entire ’90s feel of the show.
With the original creators on board, one would think that things would be just like the old days, with Tommy and his trusty screwdriver and Chuckie with anxieties about everything that comes his way. Rugrats covered some serious issues, although we may not have realized it at a young age.
Remember the episode where Chas showed Chuckie pictures and belongings of his deceased mother? Or when Chas remarried and Chuckie had to go through the process of gaining not only a new mother but also a new baby sister? Okay, now that I think about it, maybe Chuckie’s anxieties were warranted.
But, I really do fear that modern twists on the series could ruin the integrity of this precious show. Interim president at Nickelodeon Sarah Levy stated:”Rugrats is hands-down one of the most celebrated cartoons in TV history, and we are thrilled for a whole new audience to meet these iconic characters in brand-new adventures. What was true in 1991 when the original show premiered is still true today: Kids are fascinated with the world of babies.” (See: The Boss Baby, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, and the forthcoming The Boss Baby 2.)
If 26 more episodes of a show that ran for over 10 years isn’t enough for you, never fear! Rugrats is also taking on the big screen, but not in the way they did in the ’90s.
The Rugrats gang aren’t strangers to the big screen, as ’90s kids will remember The Rugrats Movie, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, and Rugrats Go Wild. Paramount Players is really pushing the envelope with children’s movies, as Dora the Explorer and Are You Afraid of the Dark? features are both in development, so it makes sense they’d also want more Rugrats films.
But this will be the first live-action Rugrats movie, which leaves me with some questions. What kind of route will it go in? Will it be set in a live-action world but feature CGI versions of the babies? Or will it feature actual babies with their mouths moving as a special effect as we hear the coo of Tara Strong? (It hasn’t actually been announced if Strong will be part of either Rugrats project, but seeing as she was the original Dil Pickles, I wouldn’t be surprised if she returned.) Hopefully, there will be some clarification on that soon.
The movie is set to be released on November 13, 2020.