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rolled out its first array of “Nicktoons” on August 11, 1991, in
Doug,
The Ren & Stimpy Show, and
Rugrats getting their debuts at the same time. The longtime youth cable channel recently tweeted about the 30th anniversary of its first block of cartoons and of the three,
The Ren & Stimpy Show may have been the zaniest of them all.
The Ren & Stimpy Show followed the exploits of the odd couple and good friends Ren Höek, a high-strung and emotionally volatile chihuahua, and Stimpson J. “Stimpy” Cat, who was depicted as a mentally hapless cat. The show had a number of characters and other bits that were dispersed throughout its Golden Era of Television sitcoms setting in the 1950s.
As fans of the series have shared on Twitter, the show featured some intense imagery, including extreme and detailed close-up shoots of bloodshot eyes, bulging veins, and other related moments. The show also endured controversy behind the scenes and some shows have been altered or flat out banned due to its depiction of violence. Even toned down, the show was amazingly chaotic and could take a hard left turn at any moment, which was part of its appeal.
Figures like the Powder Toast Man and a weird theme song about a log have stuck in the brains of Generation X members for far too long if they’re honest about it. The show didn’t last particularly long and an early 2000s revival was framed as one of the worst cartoons of all time by critics. There was chatter that the show would make a return but that hasn’t seemingly come to fruition.
Check out the reactions from Twitter regarding Nicktoons and
The Ren & Stimpy Show below.
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Photo: Getty
