If you ever watched TV as a child in the '90s, good news - the days of orange soda, Everyday French with Pierre Escargot and Quailman are back. Responding to widespread demand by fans, TeenNick now offers children of the '90s the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane with "The '90s are All That." Every night from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m., TeenNick serves up some of the best programming to have graced television screens in the last few decades. Children of Nickelodeon rejoice; the golden age is back.
The lineup currently features All That, Kenan & Kel, Doug and Hey Dude. Classic shows such as Clarissa Explains it All, Rocko's Modern Life and Hey Arnold! have previously aired during the time slot, and more vintage '90s cartoons are expected to circulate throughout the time block in the future.
The idea to return to '90s shows occurred last year, when Nickelodeon executives realized that there were more than 50 million fans clamoring for the shows with which they grew up. The demand was by and large brought forth via social media. Demand for the cartoons of the '90s appeared on Facebook, Twitter, blogs and even video remixes of old school Nick content. Keith Dawkins, senior vice president and general manager of Nicktoons and TeenNick, commented that "social media is a way that we've never had to really hear from an audience in real time ... we could hear from them in a way that we couldn't 10 years ago."
Response to "The '90s Are All That" has been overwhelmingly positive. TeenNick has integrated the television programming with Facebook as well as the program's own website, allowing for active discussion and participation. Former actors and creators from the shows, such as Kenan Thompson and Nick Cannon, have been very enthusiastic about the late-night programming; some actors like Kel Mitchell have even tweeted their comments. By "fostering a dialogue" with fans, Dawkins said, Nick can please its fan base of college-aged students as much as possible. Recognizing the power of nostalgia, Dawkins noted, "It's there; it isn't going anywhere."
Dawkins expects "The '90s are All That" to last on television as long as children of the '90s are still willing to watch. "I hope it's endless," he said, although he admits that "the audience will ultimately decide" the program's fate.
As it stands, "The '90s are All That" is an enormously successful maneuver by TeenNick to reach out to the fans that once used to tune in to Nickelodeon every day before or after school. When the programming premiered in July, the late night block experienced an 850 percent increase in viewership. Coming from a time in which the goal of most was to get "slimed" alongside celebrities, University students can admire the work TeenNick has put into placating its older audience. So the next time you're feeling nostalgic for the "good ole days," turn on "The '90s are All That" at night and relive the glory days of Nickelodeon television. Chances are, it will feel like you never left home.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
