The channel Pinwheel started on Dec. 1, 1977, it was later rebranded as Nickelodeon and launched to a nationwide audience on April 1, 1979. With over 125 shows to its name, it is no wonder how many hold the channel in its heart for the shows it provided during a lot of people’s childhoods. Similar to other tv channels, such as Disney and Cartoon Network, there seemed to be a few to put Nickelodeon on the map. So, what are the true pioneers of Nickelodeon?
The channel had original programming such as “You Can’t Do That On Television,” a Canadian sketch-comedy show that was released in 1979. This was the first time that Nickelodeon’s iconic green slime was introduced on the channel with Tim Douglas being the first person to ever be slimed.
In the ‘80s, it was not until the premiere of “Double Dare” that Nickelodeon began to find its footing in the TV world. “Double Dare” was a game show in which two teams would compete against each other to win cash and other prizes by answering questions and completing physically demanding stunts with the presence of green slime.
During only a month of the show’s premiere, “Double Dare” had managed to triple the viewership for Nickelodeon’s afternoon schedule. Within a year, over 1 million households joined in to watch “Double Dare” every week.
With these numbers, it was no surprise that the show became the highest-rated original program on cable. The high viewership meant more visibility for Nickelodeon, and with that, more eyes saw the green slime used and were able to better associate it with the channel.
In 1991, Nickelodeon had started to air some of its most beloved cartoons with “Rugrats,” “Doug,” and “The Ren & Stimpy Show” being the original three Nickelodeon animated series known as “Nicktoons.”
Out of the three, “Rugrats” was the biggest. The franchise included multiple holiday specials, spin-offs, and a reboot that came out later in 2021. The series had high ratings and became Nickelodeon’s top rated show from 1995 to 2001.
But the most controversial one was definitely “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” which aired from 1991 to 1995. The creator behind the show, John Kricfalusi, wanted nothing to do with Nickelodeon’s aim to create educational programs and did what he wanted to do. So much so that many scenes from the show were altered or just taken out completely. The episode “Powdered Toast Man” had a scene where the Constitution and the Bill of Rights were burned.
The show was known for its crude humor and gross close-ups that defined the cartoon across generations. Violent content was the usual on “The Ren & Stimpy Show,” there was a scene that showed Ren’s face getting grated against another man’s stubble.
After the original show stopped airing in 1995, a more extreme and vulgar revival premiered in 2003 called “Ren & Stimpy: Adult Party Cartoon.” However, the show was removed from Spike TV after only 3 episodes aired.
The real controversy was with the series creator John Kricfalusi and his sexual abuse allegations that came out in 2018. A woman named Robyn Byrd accused Kricfalusi of being in a relationship with her when Byrd was only 16 years old. Byrd laid it all out in an interview with Buzzfeed News.
Another woman named Katie Rice recalled that when she was a minor, Kricfalusi sent her inappropriate letters and messages. The sexual harassment only continued after she turned 18.
Kricfalusi later released an apology to all the women and fans that were affected by his behavior, blaming it on his then undiagnosed bipolar disorder and ADHD. But, Byrd and Rice labeled it as a ‘non-apology’ and a way to take blame off of himself and his actions.
Another pioneer of Nickelodeon was “Blue’s Clues,” which aired on Nick Jr. in 1996. Everyone remembers the green-striped shirt wearing host, Steve, alongside his spotted dog, Blue. The show follows Blue as she leaves clues for Steve and the audience to figure out by the end of the episode.
The show was needed in getting its preschool audience to learn with its innovative animation. When “Blue’s Clues” debuted, it already received critical acclaim. A simple search on YouTube can show the regional versions of “Blue’s Clues” that featured different hosts than Steve.
After around 100 episodes, Steve Burns announced his departure from “Blue’s Clues” in 2001. A three part special introduced kids to the new host, Joe (Donovan Patton), Steve’s in-show younger brother.
At the time, no one really knew the reasons for why Burns left the show. There were two rumors that went around stating that Burns had either died in a car accident or a drug overdose. Both not being true, of course, Burns was in fact alive after he left the show. It wasn’t until 2021 that Steve Burns returned to send a message to the grown-ups who used to watch the show when they were younger. The heartwarming video went viral and was a much needed boost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the show, Steve left because he had to go to college, but the real-life explanation as to why he had to leave was simply because he was getting older and felt like it was his time to go. In an interview with Variety, Burns made sure to let it be known that the deciding factor was his age.
The show’s revival, “Blue’s Clues & You” premiered in 2019, with the new host being Josh played by Joshua Dela Cruz. Josh was Steve’s and Joe’s in canon cousin and the two original hosts would occasionally appear as recurring characters—a nice tie-in for fans of the old show to enjoy.
And then the year gets to 1999 and “SpongeBob SquarePants” is born. Everyone knows the name, regardless of if they watched it as a child. The genius between the iconic show was Stephen Hillenburg whose unfortunate passing in 2018 still saddens the core fans who appreciate SpongeBob after all these years.
Due to Hillenburg’s time teaching marine biology at the Ocean Institute, an organization which dedicates to educating the public on marine science, Hillenburg was able to create the underwater show many people adored as children.
Some of the people who worked on “The Ren & Stimpy Show” went on to work on “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Vincent Waller, the man behind many aspects of SpongeBob, was a storyboard and layout artist later promoted to director of “The Ren & Stimpy Show.” He then became an executive producer of “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
Mr. Lawrence (real name Doug Lawrence) served as a crew member and layout assistant who later went on to get involved with the making of SpongeBob. Mr. Lawrence voiced Plankton and many background characters of Bikini Bottom. Also, he became a writer for the show as well, a few episodes under his belt include “Plankton!”and “Naughty Nautical Neighbors.”
If Disney has Mickey Mouse as their title character, Nickelodeon has SpongeBob as theirs. After only a month after its premiere, the show managed to beat “Pokémon” in being the highest viewed Saturday morning cartoon.
The show became an icon of sorts, generating around $16 billion in merchandise sales, 15 seasons, four films (another to be released in 2025), two spin-offs, and 303 episodes. No one can truly browse the internet without seeing a SpongeBob reference lurking in the wild.
While the modern episodes are highly debated on whether or not they are good or just flat-out bad, the long-lasting legacy of “SpongeBob SquarePants” is something that can not be looked down upon.
As the year turns to 2001, “The Fairly OddParents” is released onto Nickelodeon. The series follows Timmy Turner, a 10-year-old boy who has two fairy godparents named Cosmo and Wando who can grant him any wish he wants. Well, as long as they follow ‘Da Rules.’
The creator, Butch Hartman, was working at Cartoon Network on “Johnny Bravo” and “Dexter’s Laboratory” before making the cross to Nickelodeon. The show became the channel’s second longest running show before “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
After 10 seasons and 172 episodes, “The Fairly OddParents” ended in 2017. That was not the end of the series though because in 2024, “The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish” premiered with a new protagonist, Hazel Wells, and the beloved Fairly OddParents, Cosmo and Wanda.
Even though the show is not SpongeBob, the impact should not be downplayed. No one can see the colors green and pink without thinking of four characters: Elphaba and Glinda from “Wicked” alongside Cosmo and Wanda.
And this is not to leave out shows like “The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius,” “Hey Arnold!” and “CatDog.” All of these shows played a part in making Nickelodeon the channel it is today and a vital part in a lot of viewers’ childhood.
As the audience grows older, the love for Nickelodeon stayed in part because of what made the channel the powerhouse it is today. “SpongeBob SquarePants” added a layer of wackiness, “Blue’s Clues” provided education whilst also making it fun and “The Fairly OddParents” gave Nickelodeon humor for everyone to enjoy. Think of it as a puzzle piece of sorts.
It was not just one show that built Nickelodeon to the podium it is on now—for that, there are a lot of pioneers to thank.
