Rugrats
Series, 1991, The first Nicktoons, Set in The Pickles' backyard
Rugrats is #2 of 21 in release order and #2 of 21 in chronological order in the Nickelodeon Classics.
The story
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.
Rugrats recap
Tommy Pickles, a brave one-year-old, leads his friends, the nervous Chuckie Finster and the twins Phil and Lil DeVille, on adventures around the house and backyard, armed with a screwdriver to open his playpen. The babies misread the adult world, and their spoiled three-year-old cousin Angelica bullies them and lies to them, since she can understand grown-ups. Tommy's father Stu is a toy inventor, his mother Didi follows parenting books, and Grandpa Lou dozes in front of the television; Susie Carmichael, who lives across the street, stands up to Angelica. The first 65 episodes run from 1991 to 1994; production then stops, and new episodes return from late 1996 after reruns make it a hit. The Rugrats Movie (1998) adds Tommy's baby brother Dil. Rugrats in Paris (2000) marries Chuckie's widowed father Chas to Kira, bringing in her daughter Kimi as Chuckie's new sister. A third film, Rugrats Go Wild (2003), crosses over with The Wild Thornberrys, and the series reaches nine seasons before it stops in 2004.
Rugrats ending explained
Rugrats has no planned finale; the last new episode, "Hurricane Alice", airs in August 2004, with Phil and Lil mixing up a coming storm with a visiting girl named Alice. Two direct-to-video Tales from the Crib fairy-tale specials follow in 2005 and 2006. The characters continue as preteens in All Grown Up! (2003 to 2008), and a computer-animated Rugrats revival from the original creators runs on Paramount+ from 2021.
Where to watch Rugrats
Rugrats is streaming on Paramount+ and Hoopla in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 7.4/10
Where it fits
- Release order: after Doug, before Rocko's Modern Life.
- Chronological order: after Doug, before Rocko's Modern Life.
Cast
- E. G. Daily as Tommy Pickles (voice)
- Kath Soucie as Phil DeVille / Lil DeVille (voice)
- Cheryl Chase as Angelica Pickles (voice)
- Melanie Chartoff as Didi Pickles (voice)
- Jack Riley as Stu Pickles (voice)
- Michael Bell as Drew Pickles / Chas Finster (voice)
- Tress MacNeille as Charlotte Pickles (voice)
- Cree Summer as Susie Carmichael (voice)
- Christine Cavanaugh as Chuckie Finster (voice)
- Joe Alaskey as Lou Pickles (voice)
- David Doyle as Lou Pickles (voice)
- Tara Strong as Shannon / Kim (voice)
Created by Arlene Klasky, Paul Germain, Gábor Csupó.