As a child born in the 90s, I was lucky enough to experience the glory that was Nickelodeon at its prime (circa 1997-2006). I remember sitting in front of the television watching goofy families in super high-waisted jeans and bleached white sneakers compete in physical and mental challenges against other families decked out in a similar attire. Looking back, I had set a goal for myself to become a comedian on "All That," so that I could later funnel straight into working on "Saturday Night Live." I'm looking at you, Kenan Thompson--way to have your life figured out. And although these plans never worked out, I'd like to think that these shows shaped my childhood for the better by instilling a sense of adventure and playfulness; these are both things children these days seem to lack. Maybe it was my youthful spirit that made the shows I watched so appealing, but either way, I miss them like crazy.
1. 'The Amanda Show'
"The Amanda Show" was a classic. The show was hosted by the adorable Amanda Bynes and had skits featuring some of Nickelodeon's most popular child stars. According to IMDB, the show was a direct spin-off of "All That," and it followed the same skit model. The show is also the site of Drake Bell and Josh Peck's budding bromance. For people who don't understand why girls go to the restroom in packs, see "The Girls Room" skits for reference.
2. "Legends of the Hidden Temple"
"Legends of the Hidden Temple" included physical and educational challenges for teams competing to find various historical artifacts from the hidden temple on the show. The show definitely made my childhood friend group extremely competitive as we yearned to be competitors to show off our physical and mental abilities.
3. "Slime Time Live"
This was one of the messier children's game shows featured on Nickelodeon. The show included physical and mental challenges that often resulted in contestants or audience members being slimed or pied in the face. It is still a life goal of mine to be slimed at least once.
4. "Double Dare"
"Double Dar"e is another children's game shows that included mental challenges as well as extremely messy physical challenges. Two teams competed for a sum of money by accepting a challenge or daring the other team to complete the challenge. The show and its other spin-offs were a personal favorite of mine because the challenges were so uniquely strange.
5. "All That"
This was the younger, more appropriate version of "Saturday Night Live" for kids featuring actors and actresses from other popular Nickelodeon television shows. The show featured skits similar to SNL's. The cast included Kel Mitchell, Kenan Thompson, Amanda Bynes, and Jamie Lynn Spears; I bet you're singing the theme song in your head right now.
6. "Nickelodeon GUTS"
"Nickelodeon GUTS" was an "action sports" competition show where children or teenagers competed against each other in "extreme" versions of sports. The last round of the competition consisted of climbing to the top of a mountain called the "Crag" that had various challenges that competitors had to get around in order to reach the top. If this show didn't bring out the competitive edge in you, I don't know what did.
7. "Drake and Josh"
The sitcom is easily the most missed show from Nickelodeon. "Drake and Josh" centers around the life of a blended family featuring Drake Bell and Josh Peck. Drake and Josh are totally different teenagers who navigate their lives with humor and a lot of hugs. If you're like me and you've kept up with where Drake and Josh are today, you know that Mr. Josh Peck has certainly grown up well. Time really does do wonders. Dear Netflix, we're all still waiting for this to be put up. I mean, come on already.
Back in the day, collecting food erasers, Littlest Pet Shop animals, and animal rubber bands was the most challenging part of day-to-day life. Even TeVo and DVR were just becoming popular and useful. But there was nothing like coming home after a long day of school and watching our favorite shows with our best buddies. Armed with our Tamagotchis and Hit Clips, we rolled straight into our teenage years on our Heelys. Us "90s babies" had a unique and fun childhood experience, and it was greatly shaped by the shows we watched.
