'90s kids just love to reminisce about the '90s. From jelly bracelets to Tamagachi, there are a plethora of things to discuss. Of course many channels play re-runs of the old '90s favorites, and with Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, there is the ability to watch and re-watch the best episodes of the classics. So when the all-new '90s-focused "The Splat" was announced, '90s kids were more than a little excited.
"The Splat" is, according to an article from Entertainment Weekly by Marc Snetiker, “a new ‘destination’ that’s something between a TV network, a website, and a heavy social media presence with copious Nick-related emoji.” An article from TIME by Ashley Ross said that the president of content and development at Nickelodeon, Russell Hicks, previously discussed the possibility of old shows being brought back to the network.
"The Splat" begins airing on October 5 at 10 p.m. ET. It will be on for eight hours every day, from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. ET. Snetiker states that this is “very reminiscent of the original Nick at Nite.” The shows included in "The Splat" are “All That," "The Angry Beavers," "Are You Afraid of the Dark?," "CatDog," "Clarissa Explains It All," "Hey Arnold!," "Hey Dude," "Kenan & Kel," "The Ren & Stimpy Show," "Legends of the Hidden Temple," "Rocko’s Modern Life," "Rugrats," "Salute Your Shorts," and "The Wild Thornberrys," according to Ross. Special programming will include a Rugrats Reptar Week on October 12 and Stoop Kid-centric episodes of "Hey Arnold!" on October 19, said Snetiker.
The creation of this '90s dedicated block is interesting for several reasons. For one thing, it is not the first time it has been done. Clearly nostalgia is a big thing for Nickelodeon. However, is it nostalgia for the sake of reminiscing or for ratings? In an article in The LA Times by Yvonne Villarreal said,
“The programming tactic lands at a time when kids' programmers are suffering considerable ratings erosion, as this generation of young viewers cuddles up to content offered by streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon, as well as other apps accessible on mobile tablets and smartphones.”
Bringing back beloved '90s shows could bring in audiences who love these shows from their childhood as well as kids today who may be intrigued by the old programming.
In what may be a response to technology attention, Villarreal wonders, if “a multi-screen component, with seven social media platforms, including a dedicated YouTube channel, and a dedicated website that will aggregate ‘the most loved Nick content from the 1990s and beyond.” It is obviously very beneficial to Nickelodeon to have a technology and social media presence. However, this combination of '90s shows and social media feels a little foreign. It will be interesting to see how Nickelodeon goes about this combination and how it will work out.
