As the owner of the popular kids’ network, it’s no surprise Paramount’s streaming service would house old Nickelodeon cartoons. In addition to Paramount+’s new original programs debuting exclusively on the platform, a bunch of its content comes in the form of throwback 2D animations that gave us some of the most iconic 2000s cartoon characters in TV history.
These cartoon shows brought eccentric comedy and vivid illustrations to households full of young children staring at the television screen until the sun went down, and these beloved shows turned into family and adult sitcoms. Nickelodeon had something to offer for all age groups – at night, it became Nick at Nite and aired shows like Friends and George Lopez; Peppa Pig aired on its channel specifically geared towards younger children, and teenage audiences could tune into TeenNick to see Degrassi and Zoey 101. And for cartoon lovers especially, there was its own channel appropriately titled Nicktoons. Now that streaming services are all the rage, those without cable can binge their favorite Nickelodeon cartoons all in one place. Here are the best old cartoons to watch on Paramount+.
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9 AAAHH!!! Real Monsters
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters told the story of three child monsters: Ickis, a purple, bunny-like creature; Oblina, a black and white striped girl shaped like a candy cane; and Krumm, a hairy, naked monster who carries his eyeballs in his hands. The three attended a school to learn how to scare, though they didn’t always have the best luck doing so. Aaahh!!! Real Monsters premiered in 1994 and ran until 1997 with 52 episodes, all of which were once released on VHS.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 The Angry Beavers
Nickelodeon
The Angry Beavers took the trope of a smartypants and a moron and delivered Norbert and Daggett, two beaver brothers living on their own in a lake in the middle of the forest. But leaving their family to be on their own proved to be not what they expected as they find themselves frequently encountering odd situations, from crazy scientists to lusting raccoons. Censorship played a part in the cancellation of the show, with Nickelodeon even having problems with the use of “Shut up.” Ultimately, The Angry Beavers came to an end in 2001.
7 As Told by Ginger
As Told by Ginger was a coming of age cartoon centering on a teenage girl named Ginger Foutley. She made it through junior high alongside her best friends Dodie and Macie, and dealt with the popular Courtney and her sidekick Miranda. Unlike other cartoons, As Told by Ginger had an ongoing storyline, rather than keeping the characters in an unspoken time period for the entire series. It also dealt with deep topics like death, depression, and drug addiction. As Told by Ginger was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and had a total of 60 episodes with four television films.
6 CatDog
CatDog starred a cat and a dog but with a twist – they were, literally, connected. To one another. One half was a cat, the other a dog. CatDog first aired in 1998 before continuing through 2005. The two were polar opposites which often led to their personalities clashing as Cat was uptight and Dog was silly and carefree. But at the end of the day, they were brothers and best friends. CatDog totaled 68 episodes and its success even garnered several videogames.
5 Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! focused on a football headed nine-year-old who lived with his grandparents in Washington. Arnold navigated through life accompanied by his best friend Gerald, the cool kid and teller of urban stories; and Helga, Arnold’s bully who was secretly in love with him; along with many other neighborhood kids. As a fourth grader, Arnold underwent common problems such as bullies, family and crushes. Though he was the main character, some episodes focused predominantly on the lives of secondary characters. Hey Arnold! first came out in 1996 and had released two films: one amid the show run in 2002 and another in 2017.
4 Invader Zim
In 2001, Nickelodeon premiered Invader Zim, starring a boisterous green alien named Zim who is sent to Earth from the planet Irk. Along with his robot companion Gir, whom he disguises as a dog, Zim attempts to conquer and destroy the planet Earth to no avail. The show came to an end in 2006, some believed it was due to “Bloody Gir,” an image made by show creator Jhonen Vasquez, that illustrated the character covered in blood, which obviously was too suggestive for a kids’ channel. However, he denies that was the reason for cancellation. In 2019, Netflix released a revival film titled Enter the Florpus, which earned 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3 Rocko’s Modern Life
Rocko’s Modern Life told the story of a kangaroo who’d recently immigrated to America from Australia. Initially created for a comic book series, Rocko’s Modern Life followed Rocko, and his friends Filburt, an awkward turtle; and Heffer an enthusiastic cow voiced by Tom Kenny who had also provided voicework for several kid shows including The PowerPuff Girls, Catdog, and most notably, SpongeBob SquarePants. Rocko’s Modern Life had an adult twang to it, constantly sprinkling in suggestive humor that surely flew over kids heads, but had the adults laughing. It ran from 1993 to 1996 with 100 total segments. The end of the show was the start of something new as much of the staff went on to work on SpongeBob, created by Stephen Hillenburg, Rocko’s creative director. But in 2019, Netflix released a 45-minute film called Static Cling, bringing life back into the beloved children’s program.
2 Rugrats
Most babies might lack the ability to walk, talk, and go on imaginative adventures with their friends, but this was never the case for Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil. Rugrats saw the babies discovering new elements of the world from the potty to daycare to getting punished. In addition to the four babies, Rugrats also featured Tommy’s spoiled, evil cousin Angelica and her sheer opposite, a nice toddler called Susie. Rugrats debuted in 1991 with the typical hand drawn animation that evolved into the now CGI that is the remake. A Rugrats reboot began streaming on Paramount+ in 2021, following the same babies, but this time, with three dimensions. But that’s not the first of its spin-offs: in 2003, Nickelodeon released a teenage version of Rugrats called All Grown Up! in addition to its three films.
1 The Wild Thornberrys
Paramount Pictures
12-year-old Eliza Thornberry was an ordinary girl with an extraordinary gift. She was given the ability to speak to animals after rescuing a trapped warthog. To make her gift even more useful, she travels Africa with her family as her father hosts a nature show that her mother films. Along with her teenage sister Debbie, her pet monkey and friend Darwin, and her feral child little brother Donnie, the Thornberrys constantly found themselves in adventurous wildlife endeavors. The Wild Thornberrys ran for five seasons, totaling 91 episodes as well as a 2002 film and a crossover movie with Rugrats in 2003.
