MovieChat Forums > Hey Arnold! (1996) Discussion > Pretty Dark cartoon that's can also be g...

Pretty Dark cartoon that's can also be geared towards teens and adults.

posted 8 years ago by Purplecover101
6 replies | jump to latest

For a Nickelodeon kid show,
Hey Arnold really touched on some realistic, serious, and dark issues that even adults and adolescence face. I've never seen a show like this and that's what makes it great.

1) Helgas dark background story of child neglect
2) Oskar and Susie's "effed" up marriage.
3) Helgas extreme (and sophisticated) love life.
4) love triangles
5) bullying
6) clicks ( geeks vs cool kids)
7) preteen scream ( similar to teen today with boy bands and whatnot)
8) parental and marriage projects (egg story! Which is usually a project that high schoolers do with disposable baby dolls) .

[–] meisterburger23 8 years ago

Helga on the couch is one of the most saddest episodes

[–] JadedMermaid 8 years ago

Helga on the Couch is indeed sad. Another sad one is the episode where Lila is first introduced and everyone thinks she's super perfect and they try to make her life hell only to find out that she's very poor. Her father lost his job, they live in a run down apartment, they have no food, and Lila is just trying to stay positive. That episode made me super sad.

[–] Purplecover101 8 years ago

Oh I forgot to mention Arnold growing up without his parents, and feeling left out at that parents day event when Helga's dad called him an orphan.

[–] meisterburger23 8 years ago

The other episode which was sad as well was the Christmas episode

[–] SelenaQP 8 years ago

Yeah, the Parents Day and The Journal episodes were pretty sad to watch. When you look at it, Helga and Arnold had a pretty tough life. Arnold growing up without his parents and living in an unconventional family, and Helga growing up in a dysfunctional, emotionally-neglectful family. Yet, Arnold knows that he has to be the strong, optimistic one and rely on himself. He's the only one that can keep Helga sane....and the rest of the characters on the show.

"Arnold, my love, why must I worship you...and NEVER EVER tell?" 

[–] oblinarox 8 years ago

Oh yeah the Oscar thing went right over my head when I was a kid, but watching it now I can't believe they got away with that! I mean you hear glass breaking all of the time there's no telling if violent things could be happening when they're shown fighting behind their closed door.