As college students, this is what we know: Facebook is lame, yet it must be checked every 15 minutes; caffeine and a Netflix account are vital to surviving the semester; and they just don't make kids' television like they used to.
It is difficult to find a child of the '90s who won't get misty-eyed when recalling hours once spent as keeper of the remote control. With a Hi-C juice box in one hand and a bag of Doritos 3D’s in the other, we'd flip between Disney and Nickelodeon ad nauseum until an adult insisted on switching to a channel where people were not doused in green slime.
It has been years since "Drake & Josh" and "Hannah Montana" washed that era of television away, yet talk of the old shows never died. Most of us developed a crotchety attitude toward newer programming, sure that kids' channels could never again live up to that golden age.
In response to the longing for our screen-sized yesteryear, Nickelodeon's sister channel TeenNick is now airing a quartet of episodes from classic '90s series every weeknight. Dubbed "The '90s Are All That," the mini-marathon's lineup includes the beloved shows "Doug," "Kenan & Kel," "All That" and "Clarissa Explains It All."
Unsurprisingly, the response from twenty-somethings across the nation has been one of sheer excitement. The marathon's official Facebook page and Twitter hashtag has erupted with appreciative comments and requests that additional series be added to the schedule.
Nickelodeon is not the first to act on this growing obsession with nostalgia. Lately, when it comes to entertainment, audiences seem to prefer more of the same rather than something new. Movies lacking title recognition are likely to be disregarded now that theater hallways are full of posters for remakes, sequels and rereleases. The craze has even penetrated network television; joining "Hawaii Five-O" this season is a revamped version of the 1970s hit "Charlie's Angels."
With our generation so adamant on looking back, it is a wonder whether shows were truly better back then. But while answers to such a question would greatly vary, one thing in particular seems clear: kids' television was much simpler a few decades ago.
Those were the days of Doug Funnie and his innocent crush on sweet-talking Patti Mayonnaise. Those the days when Little Pete Wrigley tried to break the world record for nights spent awake, and when Arnold and Gerald coaxed the anxiety-ridden Stoop Kid from his front porch to face the real world. Those were the days before Degrassi started to "go there."
Characters of the '90s were not overly exceptional. There were not teen pop stars in disguise, and no one lived in upscale hotel suites or on cruise-liners. Romances were touched upon but were never the backbone of a series. The storylines were more earnest: always poignant, yet never condescending. Silly, yet never over-the-top. Many of today's children's shows seem forced and glossy, somehow lacking the authenticity of their predecessors.
However, that is not to say that quality kids' television no longer exists. We may have matured beyond the target market for shows like "Yo Gabba Gabba!" or "The Fairly OddParents," but good writing and charm are undeniable regardless of age.
And besides, SpongeBob is still on, so there's no cause for panic just yet.
Reach the reporter at bkearney@asu.edu
