Grandpa Lou Pickles’ voice was Bosley from “Charlie’s Angels.” That hold no bearing over the show under review this Friday, but it was a fun thing I learned while reading about “Rugrats.” This show also holds the record for my oldest memory, because I remember one thing from the house I lived in until I was 3, and it was laying on the floor with my sister watching this show. With all that in mind, it was a show that I had to pretend to hate as a teenager to avoid being lame, but now that 90’s Nick is back in vogue, I can be out and say I really liked this show. Not in an ironic way that will be shown off in all the tumblr pictures I have seen on the 90’s Are All That page, but genuinely liked it. It was something new, fun, and like many cartoons from the early 90s, riddled with little gags that I find funny now twenty years later.
There are all kinds of crazy theories about the improbability of this show. A bunch of babies being left alone for long stretches of time and parents that really don’t seem to want them to live. I’ve heard that all the parents are swingers and the babies come from that, so they don’t care about them. I’ve heard one particularly crazy theory that had Angelica having some kind of brain damage, and all the babies were figments of her twisted mind after they have all died, which would explain the little attention they’re given at times. Of course, that theory has a lot of holes, much like the first one. I know, gross and shame on me.
I just made it worse.
These babies were out of control. Let’s start with Chuckie Finster. No way this kid doesn’t grow up to either live in a bubble or be hardcore drug addict. If he’s this oppressed at less than 2 years old, this kid will be in therapy by 3. He’s scared of everything, has middle child syndrome as an only child, and clearly has repressed sexual feelings for his best friend. Wait, sorry, these are babies. They did a show called “All Grown Up” where there that last thing happens. Speaking of psychoanalysis, here comes borderline Tommy Pickles. This kid will be in therapy right there with Chuck, unless he dies first. He’s got a huge chip on his shoulder and is restlessly willing to endanger himself and all of his pals. Dil is Tommy’s weird brother. He’s mainly a non-factor until the spin-off, so whatever.
The Kid can do this too! He's clearly special
The other two kids in this pack are Phil and Lil DeVille. Now that rhymes to well to be made up. These two are gross; they like to play pranks, and loved to eat worms. They’re the coolest people on this show and are what I imagine normal babies would be. Moving on.
Angelica Pickles is a bastard. Susie Carmichael is also a bastard, but she treats Angelica like crap so it’s harder to notice. Angelica is manipulative and torments everyone. She tends to bully out of love, and will beat the snot out of people that encroach on her turf. Suzie spends her time being an attempt at diversity and she’s pretty much the antithesis of Angelica. So she’s a prick but in a nicely manipulative way. Angelica seems to be a lot of peoples latching on point for this show, but I always enjoyed the adults more.
Drew Pickels: The Millenium Man
The Pickles clan is headed by Grandpa Lou. He had to walk 15 miles just to be mentioned in this review. He’s an odd mix of easy going and crotchety. His son Stu is a toy designer and his brother is a closet case business man. Stu is a man child, but is overall a good dude. His wife Didi is a Russian Jew and teacher. She also believes everything baby shrink Lipschitz says. I’m hoping his name is an anagram and is a statement on his genre, but likely no. Stu is mainly not in control of this crazy world he’s been dropped in to.
The other Pickle’s boy is Drew. He is responsible for Angelica and married a piece of crap too. Charlotte is obviously shacking up with her boy Jonathon and Drew is left to not take care of the kid. The twin’s parents are Betty and Howard. She is the man if you know what I mean. It really seems like she hits him. Chaz Finster is Chuckie’s dad and is just like his son. His wife died, creating a very “Adrian Monk” situation that he passed on to his son. A lot of people give this show crap for having negligent parents, but it’s clear they passed all their bad qualities to their kids.
One of the best things about this show is how much the creators seemed like they wanted to make others shows. They created a ton of memorable shows within this show that I wish existed. We all know Reptar.
He’s great. He makes great food, ice skates and turns your tongue green. Captain Blasto is a super hero that is a champion of public access and crappy budgets. The Dummi Bears are for babies, and apparently the only people that like them are middle aged men. Hit a little close to home you pony freaks? Lastly, my favorite is Blocky and Oxwinkle. The lazily named rip off of, you guessed it, “Laverne and Shirley.” I’d be remiss in forgetting to mention Cynthia, the Barbie knock off that chooses to be ugly.
See; irony
Credit goes to: IMDB.com, 90sareallthat.tumblr.com, and youtube.com.