TV by the Decade :: August 8•14

Nickelodeon

If you were into animation, this would have been your week, with 1991 giving us the very first original animated shows for Nickelodeon, while 2001 gave us a popular animated series that got a revival to conclude the story 12 years later. 2011 gave us probably the most obscure of the animated series, but it still ran for three seasons. There were some live action series this week as well. Let’s take a look to see if your favorites made their debuts this week.

1951

• No new series debuted in 1951.

1961

• No new series debuted in 1961.

1971

• No new series debuted in 1971.

1981

• No new series debuted in 1981.

1991

August 11 – Doug

• Voice Cast: Billy West, Constance Shulman, Fred Newman, Doug Preis, Alice Playten, Becca Lish, Greg Lee, Doris Belack, Bruce Bayley Johnson, Fran Brill, Alan J. Higgins, Eddie Korbich, Jim Brownold
• Guest Voice Cast: Dana Gould, Julie Halston, Steve Higgins
• Synopsis: The show focuses on the early adolescent life of its title character, Douglas ‘Doug’ Funnie, who experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington. He keeps a journal, which he treats as an autobiography, as he records numerous experiences over the series, which range from learning to dance to getting a bad haircut.
• Network: Nickelodeon / ABC
• Broadcast History: Seven seasons, 117 episodes, last broadcast on June 26, 1999
• Trivia: The show was developed from drawings in creator Jim Jinkins’ sketchbook created over the course of the 1980s. Doug was based on Jinkins, with other characters based on real people in his life. Jinkins first pitched Doug as a children’s book. This was Nickelodeon’s first of three original animated series that all debuted the same day. Nickelodeon cancelled the show after four season, and it was picked up by Disney for a fifth season on ABC after purchasing the show’s producer, Jumbo Pictures. The show underwent two title changes to separate it from the Nickelodeon episodes, and it inspired books, merchandise, a live musical stage show, and a theatrical film, Doug’s 1st Movie, released after the series ended in 1999. When the show moved to ABC, production moved to Los Angeles from New York, with voice actors recording their dialogue remotely instead of together in a studio. Tom McHugh replaced Billy West, who did not want to work for Disney so he priced himself out of the picture, as Doug, and Chris Phillips took over the role of Roger. Many of the staff and voice actors, including Jinkins, regard the Disney episodes as inferior to the Nickelodeon episodes. The Nickelodeon episodes are currently available to stream on Paramount Plus, while the ABC episodes are available on Disney Plus. Vice Principal Mr. Bones is based on Don Knotts. The character Skunky Beaumont is often mentioned in the Nick episodes but never seen, however he does finally appear in the ABC episodes.

August 11 – Rugrats

• Voice Cast: Elizabeth Daily, Kath Soucie, Melanie Chartoff, Cheryl Chase, Jack Riley, Michael Bell, Christine Cavanaugh, David Doyle, Tara Strong, Tress MacNeille, Joe Alaskey, Phil Proctor, Dionne Quan, Cree Summer, Nancy Cartwright, Julia Kato
• Guest Voice Cast: Debbie Reynolds, Tony Jay, Amanda Bynes, Dana Hill, Andrea Martin, Pamela Adlon, Vicki Lewis, Dan Castellaneta, Ron Glass, Jeremy Piven, Stacy Keach, Miriam Margolyes, Alyson Hannigan, Teresa Ganzel, Gedde Watanabe, Dee Bradley Baker, Kevin Michael Richardson, Paul Reubens, Mark Mothersbaugh, Tom Bosley, Pat Buttram, Kim Cattrall, Andrew Dice Clay, John Byner, Irma P. Hall, Fyvush Finkel, Norman Alden, Joe Mantegna, Ed Begley Jr., Laura Innes, Jeremy Sisto, Leigh Taylor-Young, Arye Gross, Justine Bateman, Rodger Bumpass, Kathleen Freeman, Glenne Headly, Charles Shaughnessy, Mo’Nique, Ron Leibman, Meagen Fay, John DiMaggio, Miriam Flynn, Mary Jo Catlett, Daniel Davis, Clyde Kusatsu, Sara Gilbert, Dom DeLuise, Marcia Wallace, Rain Pryor, Alan Rachins, Robert Morse, Marcia Strassman, Charles Napier, Tom Poston, Bill Cobbs, Charlie Schlatter, Dwight Schultz, Nicole Sullivan, Jon Favreau, Kathy Najimy, Alan Rosenberg, Mark DeCarlo, Sam McMurray, Sean Hayes, Marianne Muellerleile, Ryan Stiles, Michael Dorn, Kenan Thompson, Lolita Davidovich, Jim Belushi, Don Lake, Laraine Newman, Garry Marshall, Ethan Phillips, Didi Conn, Lorenzo Music, Ronnie Schell, John Schuck, Adam West, June Foray, Henry Gibson, Kenneth Mars, Pat Paulsen, Charles Nelson Reilly, Alex Trebek, Rene Auberjonois, Pat Sajak, Alice Ghostley, Billie Hayes, Ben Stein, April Winchell
• Synopsis: The cartoon misadventures of four babies and their snotty older cousin as they face the things in life they don’t understand.
• Network: Nickelodeon
• Broadcast History: Nine seasons, 172 episodes, last broadcast August 1, 2004
• Trivia: The second original animated series on Nickelodeon. Production was halted after three seasons in 1994, but with the show growing in popularity due to reruns, production resumed in 1996. Five theatrical films were also released between 1998 and 2003. After 13 years and nine seasons, it is Nickelodeon’s third longest running animated series. A reboot of the show premiered May 27, 2021 on Paramount Plus. Tami Holbrook voiced Tommy Pickles in the unaired pilot; E.G. Daily voiced the character for the show’s entire run. Christine Cavanaugh originally voiced Chuckie Finster, but left the show and was replaced with Veronica Cartwright. Cree Summer voiced Susie for all but two episodes when she was unavailable, and Daily filled in for her. David Doyle voiced Grandpa Lou Pickles until his death in 1997 and was replaced with Joe Alasky. Episodes took up to a year to produce. All of the main male babies are voiced by women. Guest stars voiced parodies of themselves like Alex Trebek voicing the game show host ‘Alan Quebec’, but Pat Sajak is the only guest to star as himself. In the unaired pilot, Lou Pickles was named Stu Pickles Sr. E.G. Daily went in to labor during a recording session and insisted on finishing before going to the hospital. Rugrats was Daily’s first ever voice-over audition. Rugrats co-creator Arlene Klasky originally wanted to title the show Onesomething.

August 11 – The Ren & Stimpy Show

• Voice Cast: Billy West, Harris Peet, Bob Camp, Cheryl Chase, John Kricfalusi
• Guest Voice Cast: Jack Carter, Gary Owens, Alan Young, Danny Cooksey, Stan Freberg,Charlie Callas, June Lockhart, Phil Hartman, Dom DeLuise, Soleil Moon Frye, Frank Zappa, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, Gilbert Gottfried, Bill Mumy, Rosie O’Donnell, Frank Gorshin, Mark Hamill, Tommy Davidson
• Synopsis: Ren, a psychotic Chihuahua, and Stimpson J. Cat, a dimwitted Manx cat who goes by the nickname Stimpy, have a host of unusual adventures.
• Network: Nickelodeon / MTV
• Broadcast History: Five seasons, 52 episodes, last broadcast on October 20, 1996
• Trivia: The series’ Nickelodeon run ended on December 16, 1995 with 51 episodes. Show creator John Kricfalusi was fired from his show due to the failure of his company, Spümcø, to deliver episodes on time and a deteriorating relationship because of altercations with Nick’s Standards and Practices department over the show’s controversial nature. Things were so bad that Kricfalusi would only communicate with the network through his lawyer. While Kricfalusi was blamed for the delays, it was generally Nickelodeon causing the delays by prolonging the approval process for episodes, sometimes withdrawing approval for something previously approved. Kricfalusi was offered a consultant position but refused to sell out. One episode was unaired on Nick because it was deemed too controversial, but it finally aired when the show moved to MTV. Kricfalusi wanted Billy West to leave the show with him, but West refused and voiced both Stimpy and Ren. 37 of the show’s 52 episodes are streaming on Paramount Plus. Comedy Central has ordered a revival of the series, but without the participation of Kricfalusi. Kricfalusi created the characters of Ren & Stimpy in 1978 for his personal amusement. The show was unique in that there was very little advance planning for merchandise. The run of episodes after Kricfalusi’s departure are considered a step down in quality. Episodes were altered to exclude references to religion, politics, alcohol, and tobacco. In one episode featuring the Pope, a cross was removed from his hat, and the character was credited as ‘the man with the pointy hat’. The last name of character George Liquor was changed to George American. The words of Stimpy’s rant at the end of ‘Mad Dog Hoek’ were copied verbatim from a letter mailed into Nickelodeon by a young fan. Stinky Wizzleteats is based on the real life actor Burl Ives.

2001

August 10 – Dismissed

• Synopsis: One person simultaneously takes two others on a date. Each of the daters chooses a place to go (total of 2 places), and the person running the date dismisses the person he/she likes the least.
• Network: MTV
• Broadcast History: Unknown

August 10 – Samurai Jack

• Voice Cast: Phil LaMarr, Mako, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jeff Bennett, Grey Griffin, Tara Strong, Tom Kenny, Daran Norris
• Guest Voice Cast: John DiMaggio, Dee Bradley Baker, Sab Shimono, Lauren Tom, Rob Paulsen, Rob Paulsen, Clyde Kusatsu, Billy West, Kath Soucie, Chris Parnell, Kari Wahlgren, Joe Alaskey, Clancy Brown, Brock Peters, Tim Curry, David Alan Grier, Mark Hamill, John Kassir, George Takei, Maurice LaMarche, Keegan-Michael Key, Josh Peck
• Synopsis: A samurai sent through time fights to return home and save the world.
• Network: Cartoon Network
• Broadcast History: Four seasons, 52 episodes,last broadcast on September 25, 2004
• Trivia: Inspired by the 1972 TV series Kung Fu. Creator Genndy Tartakovsky directed every episode. The series ended after four seasons without a resolution to the storyline. The show was revived by Adult Swim on March 11, 2017 with a darker, more mature fifth season that concluded Jack’s story. The series finale was broadcast on May 20, 2017, giving it a total of 62 episodes. The series won eight Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Animated Program. The show’s thematic and visual inspiration came from Frank Miller’s Ronin. The Lone Wold and Cub manga and films were also an inspiration. New Line Cinema was at one time developing a live-action film based on the series, which creator Genndy Tartakovsky said was ‘thankfully abandoned’. Several animated feature films to conclude the story after Season 4 were also in development but none ever materialized. For the final season, Greg Baldwin provided the voice of Aku as original actor Mako had died ten years earlier. An archival recording of Mako’s voice was used for Aku’s past self in the series finale.

August 14 – Dead Last

• Cast: Sara Downing, Tyler Labine, Birkett Turton, Wayne Pére
• Guest Cast: Lee Arenberg, Michael Reilly Burke, Kenneth Choi, Jennifer Coolidge, Colin Cunningham, Michael Des Barres, John Diehl, John DiMaggio, Robert DoQui, Colin Ferguson, M.C. Gainey, Jeff Garlin, Paul Gleason, Harry Groener, Kathryn Joosten, Grace Park, Pauley Perrette, Busy Philipps, Jack Plotnick, Robin Riker, Vincent Schiavelli, Dwight Schultz, Stephen Tobolowsky, Berlinda Tolbert, Jamie Walters, Paxton Whitehead, Ray Wise, Adam Wylie
• Synopsis: Three bandmates find a strange amulet that allows them to see and talk to ghosts. They end up helping various ghosts resolve their unfinished business that keeps them stuck on Earth.
• Network: The WB
• Broadcast History: One season, 13 episodes (7 unaired), last broadcast September 25, 2001
• Trivia: All 13 episode aired on Canada’s YTV.

2011

August 8 – Tia & Tamera

• Cast: Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Adam Housley, Cory Hardrict, Kam Horne
• Guest Cast: Amy Davidson, Jackée Harry, Tara Stiles
• Synopsis: The series goes inside the lives of celebrity identical twins Tia and Tamera Mowry as they balance their acting careers with major life transformations of marriage and motherhood.
• Network: Style Network
• Broadcast History: Three seasons, 40 episodes, last broadcast on September 22, 2013
• Trivia: Originally titled Tia & Tamera Take 2. The series began as a special that aired on July 17, 2010. It was the last program to air on the Style Network, which was rebranded Esquire Network the next day. The first season was the most-watched series on Style Network.

August 9 – Scaredy Squirrel

• Voice Cast: Terry McGurrin, Jonathan Gould, Patrick McKenna, Jamie Watson, Linda Kash, Jayne Eastwood, Dwayne Hill, David Berni
• Guest Voice Cast: Stephen Ouimette, Ron Rubin, Jackie Burroughs, Danny Wells
• Synopsis: A squirrel uses his quirks and creativity to tackle the daily challenges in Balsa City with help from his skunk friend Dave.
• Network: Cartoon Network
• Broadcast History: Three seasons, 52 episodes, last broadcast on June 22, 2013.
• Trivia: The show premiered in Canada from April 1, 2011 to December 20, 2016 on YTV.