Old Nickelodeon cartoons don't share a story, so this '90s and 2000s nostalgia marathon runs in premiere order, from Doug and Rugrats (both August 1991) to Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005). For one nostalgic weekend: Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, SpongeBob SquarePants and Avatar.
- Titles
- 21
- Films
- 2
- Series
- 19
- Watch time
- 669 hours
- Box office
- $181 million
- Avg IMDb
- 7.1
Old Nickelodeon shows in release order
Here is every Old Nickelodeon title in the order it came out, 1991 to 2005: 2 films and 19 series.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doug | 1991 | Series | 46h 48m | 7.4 |
| 2 | Rugrats | 1991 | Series | 63h 37m | 7.4 |
| 3 | Rocko's Modern Life | 1993 | Series | 20h 48m | 7.9 |
| 4 | Aaahh!!! Real Monsters | 1994 | Series | 19h 6m | 7.2 |
| 5 | Hey Arnold! | 1996 | Series | 37h 21m | 7.6 |
| 6 | The Angry Beavers | 1997 | Series | 20h 42m | 7.1 |
| 7 | CatDog | 1998 | Series | 24h 48m | 6.5 |
| 8 | The Wild Thornberrys | 1998 | Series | 34h 54m | 6.6 |
| 9 | The Rugrats Movie | 1998 | Film | 1h 20m | 6 |
| 10 | SpongeBob SquarePants | 1999 | Series | 147h 45m | 8.2 |
| 11 | Rocket Power | 1999 | Series | 24h 48m | 6.8 |
| 12 | As Told by Ginger | 2000 | Series | 17h 36m | 6.9 |
| 13 | The Fairly OddParents | 2001 | Series | 58h 12m | 7.2 |
| 14 | Invader Zim | 2001 | Series | 10h 10m | 8.4 |
| 15 | Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius | 2001 | Film | 1h 23m | 6.1 |
| 16 | ChalkZone | 2002 | Series | 38h 10m | 6.5 |
| 17 | The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius | 2002 | Series | 19h 35m | 6.7 |
| 18 | All Grown Up! | 2003 | Series | 21h 2m | 5.5 |
| 19 | My Life as a Teenage Robot | 2003 | Series | 16h | 6.9 |
| 20 | Danny Phantom | 2004 | Series | 19h 30m | 7.2 |
| 21 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | 2005 | Series | 25h 4m | 9.3 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For Nickelodeon Classics, release order and story order are the same thing: every series picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Doug and go in release order.
The whole thing is 669 hours. At two hours a night that is about 335 evenings.
The three highest rated: Avatar: The Last Airbender (9.3), Invader Zim (8.4), and SpongeBob SquarePants (8.2).
Every Old Nickelodeon title, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1991 · Series · 46h 48m
Doug
Doug Funnie experiences common predicaments while attending school in his new hometown of Bluffington, Virginia.
Why it matters: Doug Funnie writes in his journal and daydreams about Patti Mayonnaise.
- Starring
- Constance Shulman, Doug Preis, and Alice Playten
- Creator
- Jim Jinkins
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4
- Episodes
- 166 across 7 seasons
No. 02 · 1991 · Series · 63h 37m
Rugrats
Focuses on a group of toddlers, most prominently Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and Angelica, and their day-to-day lives, usually involving common life experiences that become adventures in the babies' imaginations. Adults in the series are almost always unaware of what the children are up to; however, this only provides more room for the babies to explore and discover their surroundings.
Why it matters: Tommy Pickles and the babies see the grown-up world from the floor.
- Starring
- E. G. Daily, Kath Soucie, and Cheryl Chase
- Creator
- Arlene Klasky, Paul Germain, and Gábor Csupó
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4
- Episodes
- 322 across 9 seasons
No. 03 · 1993 · Series · 20h 48m
Rocko's Modern Life
Rocko is a wallaby who has emigrated to America from Australia. He lives in O-Town and tries to get through life but, of course, comes across a multitude of dilemmas and misadventures he must get through. Other characters include Rocko's best friend, Heffer, a steer who has been raised by wolves, Filbert, a paranoid hypochondriac turtle, Rocko's faithful (but none-too-bright) dog Spunky, and Ed Bighead who detests Rocko and hates having him for a next door neighbor. On this show, Rocko has such adventures as trying to adapt to a new vacuum cleaner, having Heffer move in temporarily after his parents kick him out, and going to a movie theater.
Why it matters: A wallaby's small, strange adult life in O-Town.
- Starring
- Carlos Alazraqui, Tom Kenny, and Mr. Lawrence
- Creator
- Joe Murray
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 100 across 4 seasons
No. 04 · 1994 · Series · 19h 6m
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters
Three young monsters — Ickis, Oblina and Krumm — attends an institute for monsters under a city dump and learn to frighten humans.
Why it matters: Three young monsters at a school for scaring humans.
- Starring
- Charlie Adler, Christine Cavanaugh, and David Eccles
- Creator
- Gábor Csupó and Peter Gaffney
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2
- Episodes
- 102 across 4 seasons
No. 05 · 1996 · Series · 37h 21m
Hey Arnold!
The daily life of Arnold--a fourth-grader with a wild imagination, street smarts and a head shaped like a football.
Why it matters: A football-headed kid in a city boarding house; Helga secretly loves him.
- Starring
- Francesca Marie Smith, Jamil Walker Smith, and Dan Castellaneta
- Creator
- Craig Bartlett
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6
- Episodes
- 186 across 5 seasons
No. 06 · 1997 · Series · 20h 42m
The Angry Beavers
Daggett and Norbert Beaver are two young beaver brothers who have left their home to become bachelors in the forest near Wayouttatown, Oregon.
Why it matters: Two beaver brothers, Norbert and Daggett, on their own.
- Starring
- Richard Steven Horvitz, Nick Bakay, and Gregg Berger
- Creator
- Mitch Schauer
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1
- Episodes
- 123 across 4 seasons
No. 07 · 1998 · Series · 24h 48m
CatDog
The life and times of a cat and a dog with a unique twist: they're connected, literally. They share one body with a Dog's head at one end and Cat's head on the other. Adding to their dilemma is Cat's annoyance with Dog, mainly caused by Dog's stupidity and Cat's up-tight personality. Characters: Cat - Cat is the smarter one of the two brothers, and is always hatching some kind of plot to get his brother to calm down, so that Cat doesn't get beat around and hurt. Even though most of these plots involve messing with Dog's feeble mind, they often backfire on Cat, much to his dismay. It may not show all the time but, he deeply loves, and cares for his brother Dog. Dog - Dog is the more lovable of the two brothers, Dog loves to play and party and play some more, he loves baseball and playing fetch with frisbees, balls, sticks, etc, He is very friendly, and happy, but does have a breaking point. He's very sensitive, and if he fails at something he feels horrible, and worthless
Why it matters: A cat and a dog sharing one body.
- Starring
- Jim Cummings, Tom Kenny, and Carlos Alazraqui
- Creator
- Peter Hannan
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5
- Episodes
- 132 across 3 seasons
No. 08 · 1998 · Series · 34h 54m
The Wild Thornberrys
Travel the world with the Thornberrys and come face-to-face with blue sheep in Nepal, emus in Australia, marmots in Pakistan, flash floods in Siberia, Egyptian burial chambers, a runaway hot air balloon, a rock slide on the Karakoram Highway and more!
Why it matters: Eliza can talk to animals while her family films nature documentaries.
- Starring
- Lacey Chabert, Jodi Carlisle, and Tim Curry
- Creator
- Gábor Csupó and Arlene Klasky
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6
- Episodes
- 91 across 5 seasons
No. 09 · 1998 · Film · 1h 20m
The Rugrats Movie
The Pickles family welcome a new arrival, Dil, whose constant crying and need for attention quickly exhaust the other toddlers. Seeking to return the "broken" baby to the hospital, the gang embarks on a journey in a Reptar Wagon that inadvertently veers off course, leaving them stranded in a vast, dangerous forest. While facing off against escaped circus monkeys and a predatory wolf, Tommy must overcome his own resentment to protect his brother and make it back home.
Why it matters: The babies get lost in the woods with Tommy's new brother Dil.
- Starring
- Whoopi Goldberg, David Spade, and E. G. Daily
- Director
- Norton Virgien and Igor Kovalyov
- Box office
- $100 million on a $30 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6 · Rotten Tomatoes 62%
No. 10 · 1999 · Series · 147h 45m
SpongeBob SquarePants
Deep down in the Pacific Ocean in the subterranean city of Bikini Bottom lives a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants. SpongeBob lives in a pineapple with his pet snail, Gary, loves his job as a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, and has a knack for getting into all kinds of trouble without really trying. When he's not getting on the nerves of his cranky next door neighbor Squidward, SpongeBob can usually be found smack in the middle of all sorts of strange situations with his best buddy, the simple yet lovable starfish, Patrick, or his thrill-seeking surfer-girl squirrel pal, Sandy Cheeks.
Why it matters: A sea sponge, his job at the Krusty Krab and his best friend Patrick.
- Starring
- Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass
- Creator
- Stephen Hillenburg
- Scores
- IMDb 8.2
- Episodes
- 689 across 19 seasons
No. 11 · 1999 · Series · 24h 48m
Rocket Power
The daily lives of four friends who enjoy extreme sports, surfing, and getting into some crazy situations.
Why it matters: Four friends surf, skate and bike in Ocean Shores.
- Starring
- Shayna Fox, John Kassir, and Joseph Ashton
- Creator
- Arlene Klasky and Gábor Csupó
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8
- Episodes
- 119 across 3 seasons
No. 12 · 2000 · Series · 17h 36m
As Told by Ginger
As Told by Ginger focuses on middle schooler Ginger Foutley who, with her friends, tries to become more than a social geek.
Why it matters: Ginger Foutley through middle school; characters grow up and change clothes.
- Starring
- Melissa Disney, Aspen Miller, and Liz Georges
- Creator
- Emily Kapnek, Kate Boutilier, and Eryk Casemiro
- Scores
- IMDb 6.9
- Episodes
- 44 across 3 seasons
No. 13 · 2001 · Series · 58h 12m
The Fairly OddParents
The zany, fast-paced adventures of a 10-year-old boy and his fairy godparents, who inadvertently create havoc as they grant wishes for their pint-sized charge.
Why it matters: Timmy Turner's fairy godparents grant his wishes, and they go wrong.
- Starring
- Tara Strong, Susanne Blakeslee, and Daran Norris
- Creator
- Butch Hartman
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2
- Episodes
- 268 across 10 seasons
No. 14 · 2001 · Series · 10h 10m
Invader Zim
Zim dreams of greatness. Unfortunately, though, he's hopelessly inept as a space invader. Desperate to be rid of the annoying Zim, his planet's leaders send him on a mission to infiltrate Earth, providing him with leftover, cobbled-together equipment. To their consternation, Zim succeeds in setting up a base on Earth and infiltrating human culture, posing as a human child as he plots the planet's downfall. Only Zim's archnemesis, Dib, recognizes that Zim is an alien, and of course, nobody believes Dib's claims.
Why it matters: A tiny alien invader tries to conquer Earth; only Dib notices.
- Starring
- Richard Steven Horvitz, Andy Berman, and Rosearik Rikki Simons
- Creator
- Jhonen Vasquez
- Scores
- IMDb 8.4
- Episodes
- 46 across 2 seasons
No. 15 · 2001 · Film · 1h 23m
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
Jimmy Neutron is a boy genius and way ahead of his friends, but when it comes to being cool, he's a little behind. All until one day when his parents, and parents all over Earth are kidnapped by aliens, it's up to him to lead all the children of the world to rescue their parents.
Why it matters: A boy genius rescues Retroville's parents from aliens; it launched the series.
- Starring
- Debi Derryberry, Megan Cavanagh, and Mark DeCarlo
- Director
- John A. Davis
- Box office
- $81 million on a $25 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
No. 16 · 2002 · Series · 38h 10m
ChalkZone
When anything is erased from a chalkboard, it’s not really gone – it just enters a realm called the Chalkzone. And fifth grader Rudy Tabootie found a way to go there! With a piece of “White Lightning” chalk, he can enter the Chalkzone any time he likes. In the Chalkzone, Rudy befriends Snap, a bold superhero Rudy drew years ago. But Rudy soon discovers not every doodle is friendly.
Why it matters: Rudy's magic chalk takes him to the world where erased drawings go.
- Starring
- E. G. Daily, Candi Milo, and Hynden Walch
- Creator
- Bill Burnett and Larry Huber
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5
- Episodes
- 110 across 4 seasons
No. 17 · 2002 · Series · 19h 35m
The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius
Jimmy Neutron is the smartest kid in town. As a genius, Jimmy thinks most things can be solved with the invention of a new gizmo. But Jimmy usually takes the easy way out, and his backfiring gadgets result in comedic adventures.
Why it matters: Jimmy's inventions keep wrecking Retroville.
- Starring
- Debi Derryberry, Jeffrey Garcia, and Rob Paulsen
- Creator
- John A. Davis and Steve Oedekerk
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7
- Episodes
- 76 across 3 seasons
No. 18 · 2003 · Series · 21h 2m
All Grown Up!
The former "Rugrats" tots now face preteen issues and dilemmas.
Why it matters: The Rugrats as preteens, ten years later.
- Starring
- E. G. Daily, Nancy Cartwright, and Kath Soucie
- Creator
- Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain
- Scores
- IMDb 5.5
- Episodes
- 52 across 5 seasons
No. 19 · 2003 · Series · 16h
My Life as a Teenage Robot
Jenny, aka XJ-9, is a super-powered robot with a super-sensitive teenage heart. Her primary function is protecting the planet from disaster, but – like all teenagers – she has her own ideas about how she would like to live her life. Bored with being a superhero, Jenny wants to do something really exciting – like go to high school!
Why it matters: Jenny, a robot built to protect the Earth, wants to be a normal teenager.
- Starring
- Janice Kawaye, Candi Milo, and Chad Doreck
- Creator
- Rob Renzetti
- Scores
- IMDb 6.9
- Episodes
- 76 across 3 seasons
No. 20 · 2004 · Series · 19h 30m
Danny Phantom
Danny Fenton was once your typical kid until he accidentally blew up his parents' laboratory and became ghost-hunting superhero Danny Phantom. Now half-ghost, Danny's picked up paranormal powers, but only his sister, Jazz, and best friends, Samantha and Tucker, know his secret. Danny's busy fighting ghosts, saving Casper High and hiding his new identity all while trying to graduate.
Why it matters: A lab accident makes Danny half ghost.
- Starring
- David Kaufman, Grey DeLisle, and Rickey D'Shon Collins
- Creator
- Butch Hartman
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2
- Episodes
- 49 across 3 seasons
No. 21 · 2005 · Series · 25h 4m
Avatar: The Last Airbender
In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.
Why it matters: Aang, the last airbender, must master four elements to end a hundred-year war.
- Starring
- Zach Tyler Eisen, Mae Whitman, and Jack De Sena
- Creator
- Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
- Scores
- IMDb 9.3
- Episodes
- 61 across 3 seasons
Old Nickelodeon box office and budgets
The 2 Old Nickelodeon films with reported numbers have grossed $181 million worldwide on about $55 million in combined budgets, roughly 3.3 times what they cost. The biggest is The Rugrats Movie at $100 million, 55% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius ($81 million).
The best and worst rated Old Nickelodeon shows
Across 21 rated titles, Nickelodeon Classics averages 7.1 on IMDb. The top of the list is Avatar: The Last Airbender at 9.3, then Invader Zim (8.4) and SpongeBob SquarePants (8.2). At the bottom: All Grown Up! (5.5) and The Rugrats Movie (6). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, The Rugrats Movie, is only the 20th best rated.
- Avatar: The Last Airbender9.3
- Invader Zim8.4
- SpongeBob SquarePants8.2
- Rocko's Modern Life7.9
- Hey Arnold!7.6
- Doug7.4
- Rugrats7.4
- Aaahh!!! Real Monsters7.2
- The Fairly OddParents7.2
- Danny Phantom7.2
Who appears in the most Old Nickelodeon shows
Candi Milo leads with 7 appearances as Tanya and Woman, ahead of Kath Soucie (6) and Rob Paulsen (6). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candi Milo | Tanya / Woman | 7 | The Angry Beavers (1997) to My Life as a Teenage Robot (2003) |
| Kath Soucie | Phil DeVille / Lil DeVille | 6 | Rugrats (1991) to Danny Phantom (2004) |
| Rob Paulsen | Stanky / Nerd #3 | 6 | CatDog (1998) to Danny Phantom (2004) |
| Tara Strong | Shannon / Kim | 5 | Rugrats (1991) to Danny Phantom (2004) |
| E. G. Daily | Tommy Pickles / Rudy Tabootie | 4 | Rugrats (1991) to All Grown Up! (2003) |
| Cree Summer | Susie Carmichael / Miranda Killgallen | 4 | Rugrats (1991) to My Life as a Teenage Robot (2003) |
| Dee Bradley Baker | Parrots / Farmer | 4 | The Wild Thornberrys (1998) to Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) |
| Grey DeLisle | Brandon Higsby / Quiz Bowl Opponent #1 | 4 | As Told by Ginger (2000) to Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) |
| Billy West | Doug Funnie / Rancid Rabbit | 3 | Doug (1991) to The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (2002) |
| Cheryl Chase | Angelica Pickles | 3 | Rugrats (1991) to All Grown Up! (2003) |
| Michael Bell | Drew Pickles / Chas Finster | 3 | Rugrats (1991) to All Grown Up! (2003) |
| Christine Cavanaugh | Chuckie Finster / Oblina | 3 | Rugrats (1991) to The Rugrats Movie (1998) |
Old Nickelodeon directors and creators
24 filmmakers have directed or created Nickelodeon Classics; Gábor Csupó has the most, with 5.
- Gábor CsupóRugrats (1991), Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (1994), The Wild Thornberrys (1998), Rocket Power (1999), and All Grown Up! (2003)
- Arlene KlaskyRugrats (1991), The Wild Thornberrys (1998), Rocket Power (1999), and All Grown Up! (2003)
- Paul GermainRugrats (1991) and All Grown Up! (2003)
- Butch HartmanThe Fairly OddParents (2001) and Danny Phantom (2004)
- John A. DavisJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) and The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius (2002)
- Jim JinkinsDoug (1991)
- Joe MurrayRocko's Modern Life (1993)
- Peter GaffneyAaahh!!! Real Monsters (1994)
- Craig BartlettHey Arnold! (1996)
- Mitch SchauerThe Angry Beavers (1997)
- Peter HannanCatDog (1998)
- Norton VirgienThe Rugrats Movie (1998)
- Igor KovalyovThe Rugrats Movie (1998)
- Stephen HillenburgSpongeBob SquarePants (1999)
- Emily KapnekAs Told by Ginger (2000)
- Kate BoutilierAs Told by Ginger (2000)
How long it takes to watch every Old Nickelodeon show
All 21 titles add up to 669 hours: 3 hours of film and 666 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 335 two-hour evenings, or 67 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius at 1h 23m.
The 2 best rated films: Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and The Rugrats Movie.
Everything takes about 22 months.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Old Nickelodeon shows in?
Old Nickelodeon cartoons don't share a story, so this '90s and 2000s nostalgia marathon runs in premiere order, from Doug and Rugrats (both August 1991) to Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005). For one nostalgic weekend: Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, SpongeBob SquarePants and Avatar.
How many Old Nickelodeon movies and shows are there?
There are 21 titles in the Nickelodeon Classics franchise: 2 films and 19 series, released from 1991 to 2005.
How long does it take to watch all the Old Nickelodeon shows?
About 669 hours for all 21 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Old Nickelodeon title in chronological order?
Doug, set in Bluffington. In release order the first is Doug (1991).
What is the best Old Nickelodeon title?
By IMDb score, Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005) at 9.3, followed by Invader Zim at 8.4.
What is the highest-grossing Old Nickelodeon movie?
The Rugrats Movie (1998), with $100 million worldwide. Nickelodeon Classics films have made $181 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Old Nickelodeon shows?
Candi Milo, in 7 of them as Tanya.
What is the longest Old Nickelodeon movie?
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, at 1h 23m.
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