It’s hard to argue that the 1990s wasn’t the best decade ever for Nickelodeon. Some of their most iconic television shows hit the airwaves during that decade, which made it an awesome time to be a youngster sitting in front of a TV.
While there are tons of Nickelodeon shows that we all remember and love from the 90s, these 5 are some of the most nostalgic of the bunch.
Clarissa Explains It All (1991)
Long before Melissa Joan Hart was casting spells on Sabrina The Teenage Witch, she was just an average teenage girl named Clarissa—the charming lead on Clarissa Explains It All.
This somewhat forgotten gem dealt with everyday teenage issues in a way that other shows of the same era didn’t. And Clarrisa herself was witty funny, and without a doubt one of the most 90s characters on this list—which is why we love her.
Doug (1991)
If you asked a hundred people what their favorite Nicktoon of all time was, there’s a good chance Doug would be the most popular answer. Much like Clarissa Explains It All, Doug perfectly encapsulated what it was like to be a preteen/teen in the 90s.
Doug Funnie’s vivid imagination, highlighted by his alter ego Quailman, meant that there were no limits to what this show could do. Plus, it’s got a spot in the “greatest Nickelodeon theme song of all time” argument.
Rugrats (1991)
Premiering on the same night as Doug (and The Ren & Stimpy Show), Rugrats might be the most nostalgic 90s Nickelodeon show ever.
Not only were Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil’s antics memorable, but the show was so popular it got three theatrical films and multiple video games.
Consider this: you could spend a day watching Rugrats the TV show. Once you got bored of that, you could pop in your orange VHS copy of The Rugrats Movie. Finally, you could close things out by playing Rugrats: Search for Reptar on PlayStation. Crazy, right?
Are You Afraid of the Dark (1992)
One of the things Nickelodeon did so well in the 90s was take popular TV concepts for adults, like SNL (more on this later), and make their own kids’ version. Are You Afraid of the Dark was basically The Twilight Zone, but for youngsters, and it was peak 90s Nick.
On the show, kids would sit around a campfire and tell spooky stories to one another. We, the viewers at home, would then get to see those stories come to life.
The concept was too perfect (and simple) not to work.
All That (1994): The Best of the 90s Nickelodeon Shows
You probably guessed that this was coming, but it doesn’t get more 90s Nickelodeon than the show All That. Everything about Nick’s version of SNL was amazingly 90s—from the TLC’s iconic theme song to the diverse and entertaining cast.
That cast was so talented, in fact, that Nickelodeon started giving members of the show their own shows. Without All That, we don’t get Keenan & Kel or The Amanda Show, two more 90s classics.
Want to feel nostalgic for something you didn’t even know you were nostalgic for? Without that All That to The Amanda Show connection, we also never get Drake & Josh, another iconic Nickelodeon hit.