MovieChat Forums > Rugrats (1991) Discussion > What do you think 'killed' Rugrats?

What do you think 'killed' Rugrats?

posted 15 years ago by joshwinkler87
77 replies | jump to latest

I mean it went from being the most popular show on Nickelodeon in 1998 to being off the air a few years thereafter. SpongeBob SquarePants has been on Nickelodeon since 1999 and it is showing no signs of going out of style anytime soon.

In my opinion, Rugrats just wasn't the same after it was brought back in 1997. It seemed more like a 'kiddie show' rather than having some of the adult humor the 1991-1994 episodes had. It was like a different show that had lost its charm. When they added Dil I think that just made it 10x worse. I liked Kimi but by the time she came along, Rugrats had lost it's magic.

[–] SecretS_ChaoS 15 years ago

The show's creativity went on a different direction after 1998. I didn't had Nickelodeon before the first Rugrats movie came out, but I would catch the show on the VHS episodes that my parents would rent me. I LOVED the show so much that my parents actually had to get cable just so that I could catch regular episodes on Nickelodeon rather than renting me the episodes every week.

I still enjoyed the new episodes very much; however, I did noticed that the show was changing it's creative writing. The episodes seemed a little more predictable and stupid rather than entertaining like the first 3-4 seasons of the show. With Dill been introduced it sort of forced Tommy to act a little more grown up which was a little hard to get used to. Tommy is a baby and we like him as the baby not as the big brother. With Kim, the show had clearly all ready shifted to this whole new style. The episodes were less memorable and less entertaining. I guess the show was running on pure fan fuel.

What truly killed the Rugrats was All Grown Up. With the initial success of All Grown Up, it was clear that The Rugrats were going to end soon, and they sure did.

[–] radstonecold316 15 years ago

I didnt notice anything. I dont get how people prefer the ugly art style the show had during the first seasons. People shaked and were disproportioned and it looked hideous. The "old" version and the "new" version were both the same to me but the new looked a whole lot better.

[–] dalejrfan01 15 years ago

I didn't like the newer episodes and new characters. Never got into Dil or Kimmie. I liked the original babies the best, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil, and especially Angelica.

[–] TrueLoveWays 8 years ago

The change in writing in the later seasons.

[–] jptf2 12 years ago

You have absolutely no clue what you're talking about.

Only the first several episodes of season 1 had the "shaking." And that was when the animation was at its most creative. Not tracing characters off a model sheet, which is apparently what the average idiot thinks is "good animation." "Gee, this has thick, straight outlines and generic movements. And this other one has peculiar angles and movement with expressive poses. The first one is soooo much better! Straight, thick outlines and generic poses = better animation, dawg!"

And if you didn't notice anything different after the first 65, you have got to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

[–] AngelCake56FJS 15 years ago

The show completely died when Kimmie was on it it turned into Nick Jr . They started breaking out into corny songs...hell no! I could no longer watch it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] laserdiscforlife 14 years ago

The first nail in the coffin was the film, which I actually saw in theatres back in the day (my parents also enjoyed it, and they also enjoyed the early series episodes). It wasn't a bad adaptation, but it introduced Dill, who is the second worst character in the series.

It then went downhill after that. Pretty soon, a second, even *beep* film came out and introduced yet another *beep* character, Kimmie. I didn't even both seeing the film in theatres, and ended up catching it on tv once. Even as a child I despised the second film, and especially despised Kimmie. I quit watching soon after, and didn't even both watching the pilot to All Grown Up.

Now, do I despise the series in whole? No, I still enjoy watching the early episodes, but I refuse to watch anything after 2000, and anything between 97-00 is iffy at best.

It's Kind of a Funny Story: 2.5/5
Other Guys: 4/5
You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger: 4/5

[–] Dragonsonic 14 years ago

Even though I thought that the humor and the style of the show started declining when it was revived in 1997, I think the moment they introduced Dil, the show started losing its creativity and wit. The newer episodes became less interesting and not as adventurous as it was during the first four seasons and the writing became so dumb down that the show just changed direction completely. I just completely stop watching Rugrats the moment Dil came along, so I never really seen the Kimi episodes.

[–] MissBoom 14 years ago

I agree With Most. The show started going downhill with Dill was introduced.

I also Agreed that when Dill was introduced, It changed tommy into the Big brother position.

I think if they never introduced Dill, the show would have probably still have been alive abit longer.

Alot of people do not like 'Change'. Ever heard the saying, don't fix it, if it ain't broke??

They shouldn't have changed anything or introduced any new main characters. it just seemed like they were trying to improve the show or make it better that they forgot why people were drawn to it in the first place.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] ladygiggleton 14 years ago

The show ended after the movie, Kimmi and Dill killed the series. It was awful after they came a long.

Somehow it's reassuring knowing I'm not the only one pretending to be normal-Dexter

[–] sockerlady21 14 years ago

I thought Dil was alright but ya, i did miss the subtle adult humor in the early 90's. I thought the movies were good, well the 3rd wasn't really the best, but Rugrats in Paris was sweet and moving. When they came out with the new season with Kimi, I think i stopped. I thought All Grown Up was alright, not the worst thing Nickelodeon ever dished out

[–] mariomaster5 14 years ago

Especially the hiatus that it suffered..

[–] x4xbaby2girlx0x 14 years ago

Though I never liked Dil or Kimmie, I loved both the movies. The show was still watchable but you could see it coming to an end. I'm watching all the seasons on Netflix and I'd say the downfall started about season 6, but what completely killed it was All Grown Up. The show was unbearable.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] anaconda89 14 years ago

I've never really understood why people thought Dil and Kimmie killed the show. I watched it after they were both introduced and still enjoyed it. I also enjoyed both the films in which they were intorduced (Rugrats in Paris got excellent reviews which shows the mark of quality was still there).
I think the show had merely ran it's course. People lost interest and moved onto other things. Not all cartoons will be a Simpsons or Spongebob.
I did prefer Rugrats though before the 2 new additions. Although I'm willing to say that the show would've ended sooner without them. Writers will always reformat their shows to keep interest, granted these changes will put fans off but I also believe they help retain longer.

[–] auteur_theory 14 years ago

This is what I honestly think:

1. Low ratings
2. Decline in popularity
3. Fans got more interested in All Grown Up, a continuation of the show.

tRuE sTAR LeGEnd

[–] JRodFilms 14 years ago

angelica orders out is possibly the most memorable episode post dil

[–] auteur_theory 14 years ago

The show just ran its course.

It was on for 14 years. It was time for it go.

Sure, shows like Sesame Street and The Simpsons have been on for 40+, 20+ years (respectively) but for a show like Rugrats, 14 years is a LONG time.

I love Rugrats just as much as anyone else but it had to go sometime.

It's unfortunate that it did, but hey, it's life.

Who knows? The producers might pull a Scooby-Doo move and rebirth the franchise and start a new series.

tRuE sTAR LeGEnd

[–] avengedmarifold 14 years ago

omg Rugrats was an awesome show back then. Me and my sister's were completely obsessed, we had the memorabilia as well. BUT... the new characters and that all grown up stuff killed the show, not just based on those two reasons, but the simple fact that we 80's/90 kids grew up.... =( pre kimi and dil, i loved the show.

[–] goodyshoes12247 13 years ago

as a kid i didn't really notice how bad it was when dil was introduced. i still was overly obsessed and saw the movie in theaters, then i went to see the second one in theaters and like kimi and glad she was being added to the series. i watched a few of the newer episodes and then sadly lost interest. and i actually like all grown up as well. like i said i was overly obsessed with the franchise. now i've began watching rugrats again to revisit my childhood and i absolutely DESPISE dil, he literally does nothing on the show for me. though i can still tolerate the episodes he was in. and now i can't even watch a full episode with kimi. It sickens me how my all time favorite show had to come down to this.

RIP Rugrats and my childhood 1991-1997