The birth of the Nicktoons changed everything.
On August 11th, 1991, Nickelodeon rolled out its first slate of original animated shows—Doug, Rugrats, and The Ren & Stimpy Show—and kids’ TV would never be the same.
In this Nerd History mini-documentary, we explore how Nickelodeon went from airing toy-driven cartoons to championing creator-led storytelling. You’ll hear how a nervous sketchpad kid, a world seen through babies’ eyes, and a psychotic chihuahua reshaped animation, sparked controversies, and influenced everything from SpongeBob to meme culture.
✨ Highlights include:
- The bold executives who dared to greenlight weird, heartfelt cartoons
- Doug’s diary-like storytelling, Rugrats’ toddler philosophy, and Ren & Stimpy’s surreal madness
- How these shows faced backlash, evolved into pop culture icons, and inspired generations of animators