The Golden Age of TV
October 14, 2015
These days, the shows that play on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon are mostly quite mediocre. There is a cheap laugh here and there, but too often they are bland. Nothing truly sticks out about one show, and they are all alike. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, the shows that were on children’s networks had a purpose. These classic kid shows made you laugh while they were airing, and cry when they were cancelled. Almost everyone who was able to experience this era of television would do anything to get it back. Luckily, Nickelodeon and Disney are considering bringing these shows back on a bigger scale than just reruns.
Nickelodeon
When you woke up early on a Sunday morning, it was so you could catch your favorite cartoons. The timing made it seem like the cartoons were funnier and the cereal tasted just a little sweeter. “Doug” would play and then after that your favorite “Rugrats” episode would be on. Having to change out of your pajamas to actually start you day seemed like the worst possible scenario, as you kept begging for an extra five minutes or until the episode was done. The dream that you can experience this again has now become a reality. Nickelodeon has just launched a new network block titled “The Splat” on TeenNick. Every night from 10 pm to 6am your favorite 90’s shows will be back on the air, such as favorites like “Kenan & Kel,” “CatDog,” and “Hey Arnold!” This sense of nostalgia has many thanking Nickelodeon for being the first to do this, and allowing other networks to follow in their footsteps.
Disney Channel
In the early 2000s, almost every child from 5-13 was watching Disney Channel. With shows like “That’s So Raven” and “Lizzie Mcguire,” no one wanted to miss out on these classics. Shows like “That’s So Raven” talked about body positivity and being comfortable in your own skin. “Phil of the Future” talked about fitting in and how it was okay to be different. Shows like “Even Stevens” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” would always stress the importance of family and close friends. These shows focused on not only making kids laugh, but also on teaching them important lessons, unlike the shows on the network today. These classic shows showed a diverse group of people and family types which showed kids that not every family looks the same. Unlike Nickelodeon, Disney has not talked about making a new network or block for these shows, but has began to replay them on Disney Channel on Wednesday nights in what they call “Disney Replay.”
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is the only television network being left in the dust. With no exact rerun times, they are the only ones not trying to revive their 90s shows. Each of its cartoons had such a deep meaning that bringing them back now would allow us to realize what they were truly trying to teach us. “Courage the Cowardly Dog” made us laugh over Courage’s fear of everything, but little did we know how scary these supernatural events were to him. “The Powerpuff Girls” made girls realize that they can be superheroes too. “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy” was a spin off of the classic show “Grim and Evil.” The Grim Reaper would follow them around everywhere they went, going on adventures with them and acting as a sort of guardian. While kids laughed at the stupidity, adults laughed at the satire and sarcasm. These shows were full of satire and sarcasm which made adults love them just as much as kids.
