While spending time over the past two weeks watching Disney's favorite party girl Hannah Montana with my 9 year old cousin, I got to thinking about the shows I used to watch as a kid/tween in the late 80s and early 90s. Back then, Disney Channel didn't come with normal cable, so kids spent their time on Nickelodeon, home of the green slime (don't say "I don't know"!!). While Friday nights were spent over on ABC watching TGIF classics Full House, Step by Step, Family Matters and Boy Meets World (among others), Saturday nights were spent over on Nick watching SNICK, featuring Clarissa Explains It All, The Secret World of Alex Mack and sketch comedy shows Roundhouse and All That.
Continuing with my theme from the past few posts, I'll break down my favorite Nick shows as a kid. I always forget that some of the actors that are still around today go their start on these shows. Maybe there is hope for some of the Disney kids, who weren't in High School Musical, Hannah Montana or a Jonas brother.
Clarissa Explains It All. Before Melissa Joan Hart was Sabrina, the teenage witch, she starred as the girl every girl my age I knew, including myself, wanted to be. She had a snazzy sense of style, was funny and smart and had a boy best friend who would climb in through her window. Plus, she made you feel like you were her friend too by talking directly to the audience. And who wasn't trying to find ways to get rid of their siblings when you were younger?
Hey Dude. Another Nick show starring now somewhat famous actors back when they were teenagers. Hey Dude made every kid want to go to the wild west and hang out at a dude ranch for the summer. And what girl didn't have a crush on Ted, played by David Lascher (who coincidentally starred in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch with Melissa Joan Hart) and what boy didn't love Melody, played by the always hilarious Christine Taylor? 
Salute Your Shorts. Speaking of the way we wanted to spend our summers, how much fun did it look like to go to summer camp at Camp Anawanna? Every episode we saw the crazy kids harassing counselor Ug and rich girl Dina showing us that even at camp, you can still find a way to stay glamorous. I can still hear Donkeylips playing the trumpet and Bobby Budnick screaming "it makes me want to fart!" in the opening credits. 
The Secret World of Alex Mack. Most kids dream about something extraordinary happening to them and having super powers. For Alex Mack, that dream came true! Only able to share her secret with best friend Ray and brainiac big sister Annie, Alex is able to navigate the rough streets of middle school (mean girls and cute boys).
You Can't Do That on Television. The show that first introduce us to getting slimed! The comedy sketch show taught us that if you say "I don't know" you get slimed and if you say "water" you get drenched. Plus, it was one of the first shows that us kids were allowed to watch that actually had a little bit of indecent content. With regular sketches like the locker room, detention/dungeon, firing squad and the questionable diner, we learned a lot about what those crazy Canadians find funny. And we found it funny, too! 
The Adventures of Pete & Pete. This is randomly one of the shows from my childhood that I find myself referencing sort of often. From the daylight savings/Halloween/time travel episode to the introduction of Dawn Summers/Georgina Sparks/Michelle Tratchenberg to the television radar, ginger brothers Pete and Pete provided me with hours of entertainment in the early 90s. Maybe (little) Pete's dancing tattoo "Pentunia" is what inspired me to get tattoos when I was older. 
Wow. I feel like I really must be getting old. As I sit here remembering all of my favorite shows growing up, I'm feeling a mega sense of nostalgia! Someday, decades from now, my little cousin will probably be feeling the same things for Hannah Montana, Suite Life of Zack and Cody and all the other Disney series on now.
Title quote: Clarissa Darling, "Clarissa Explains It All"
2 comments:
Your cousins will never forget the bonding you did over a week of old TV shows together. I am sure that Grace and Brittany appreciate the time you spent with them!
Love the new blog logo!!!
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