Growing up in the 90s hold the fondest of memories. Most of us were kids and didn’t have to worry about paying bills, or going to work. In the 90s there wasn’t as much technology to keep us from going outside, but when we finally did come inside to watch TV, Nickelodeon was the network of choice. The network was launched in 1979, becoming "The First Kids' Network", but Nickelodeon hit its prime in the 90s, with some of the most popular kid shows.
Nickelodeon launched a couple of classic shows for television in 1996. One of them was Kenan & Kel. Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell got their start on the Nickelodeon variety show, All That. They quickly became favorites among viewers and landed their own sitcom. The show lasted for four years before being canceled in 2000. Another show that was produced in 1996 was The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo. The series was about a teenage girl who would solve mysteries for her local police department. The show only lasted two years before being cut. Hey Arnold! was and animated series that also launched in ‘96 and quickly became a favorite. The show lasted for 100 episodes which were broken up into five seasons. Other shows that grabbed our attention in ‘96 included Ahhhh! Real Monsters, KaBlam!, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and Rocko’s Modern Life.
Many of the Nicktoons and shows that we grew up watching like Rugrats and Doug first aired in 1991. By the time 1996 arrived, Nickelodeon was flourishing as a television network and decided to enter the film industry by partnering with Sony Wonder to release episode compilations of the network's programs on VHS. Later on in ‘96, Nickelodeon acquired a distribution deal with Paramount Home Entertainment. Nickelodeon's first film released was the adaptation of Louise Fitzhugh novel, Harriet the Spy. Two years after the first movie they released The Rugrats Movie.
1996 seemed to be a peak year for Nickelodeon and children’s television in general. The shows have launched some major careers, such as Kenan Thompson, who is a regular on Saturday Night Light. These Nickelodeon shows have also stuck with us, as you can often see depictions of some of the character as if they grew to be adults along with us. Nickelodeon is still flourishing, but it’s nothing like how it was in 1996.
