Of Nickelodeon and Childhood

Old Nick Tunes Not All They're Cracked up to Be
A brief perusal of Facebook pages of people who grew up the '90s, reveals that many of them are fond of that era's Nickelodeon Network TV shows.

Commonly, it is believed that the old Nick such as Doug, Keenan & Kel, Rocko's Modern Life, and for later generations The Angry Beavers and Cat Dog, were better than shows played on that network today.

Nodbody'd probably dispute that.

However, people have an overly strong endearment for the old shows.

A few years back I watched a little "Rocko's Modern Life" on youtube, and I just watched "Legends of the Hidden Temple." One thing has become clear: those '90s shows alone were probably pretty accidental to my fond memories of them. I realize that what made me fondly remember them were not the shows themselves, for although some of them are entertaining they are (and were) for the most part a goofy waste of time; and were nothing but a convenient way to kill time. They mostly consist of meaningless banter and corny dialogue, and are interspliced with crazy, ridiculous music.

Also, I had fond memories of shows my grandparents watched like Early Edition. But after having watched all of Season One on youtube, I realized it wasn't the show per se that was so great, but the setting in which I experienced it. So what I really enjoyed was the Feudal Manor-like feeling of my Grandparents' apartment house--they being the rulers; I, the heir. Seeing Early Edition in the cozy environment of their high-ceilinged living room at night with its long curtains, a grandfather clock, plenty of old cool stuff around (all in the right places), the ancient stylistic wooden-framed TV, and most importantly, both of my grand parents sitting half-asleep on the couch behind me: yes, that's what made a viewing of "Early Edition" genuine. More generally, watching something as kid in (what was for me) a simpler, more enjoyable world, far outclassed any mundane computer-viewing experience of the present.

What those old shows probably do for people is offer them a reminder of a state of mind they had when young. They also provide the consciousness a sort of refreshing but soft click of reminiscence.

Though I will admit, Television programs in the '90s did seem to be of higher quality plot-wise. Moreover, the clothing styles, sports teams, etc. back then were more, I dunno, reassuring. The people on TV back then were obviously more innocent too, and the sitcom characters were less cynical overall, as was the spirit of most shows. There also may have been more of a discernible culture on '90s TV; one less bland and more kindly. But let's be honest, they were just TV shows.

What I've said before holds true: the '90s shows, when taken out of their past context, are not all that prolific, because their context was what ultimately made them special, and their context lies in the past.