E! News is looking back at the early days of Nickelodeon’s original Nicktoons and the stories behind Doug, Rugrats and The Ren & Stimpy Show. All three premiered on Aug. 11, 1991, and helped give Nickelodeon a fresh animated slate aimed at kids but smart enough for adults.
According to the report, Doug grew out of creator Jim Jinkins’ own memories of childhood, while Rugrats started when co-creators Gabor Csupo and Arlene Klasky decided to build a show around babies. Writer Paul Germain then helped shape the idea of infants who come to life and talk after adults leave the room.
The Ren & Stimpy Show also came together in an unusual way. Creator John Kricfalusi said the characters were originally part of another pitch before Nickelodeon pushed for a funny-animal series, and the network still had doubts before giving the show six episodes to prove itself.
Though the three shows had different styles and audiences, their influence lasted far beyond their original runs. E! News notes that they helped clear the way for later Nickelodeon hits, including SpongeBob SquarePants.
The article also notes that Doug ended first in 1994 after four seasons, later returning on ABC before ending again in 1999. Meanwhile, Klasky and Csupo went on to keep working in animation, including on Rugrats projects and later Nicktoons such as Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, The Wild Thornberrys and All Grown Up!
