Howard: Okay fine I'll try to tell you guys a scary story. I'm not very good at it so go easy on me...
Howard: *clears throat* Carpeted kitchen.
Chas: *screaming*
How to do a reboot injustice. (What Rugrats 2021 Has Taught Everyone)
Hello once again.
I come back on before the 2nd decade of my annual countdown to revisit a popular entry I did.
6 years ago with the reboot wave cresting, I took a look at what I now realize was its peak (with Animaniacs close behind)
DuckTales (WooHoo!)
How it encapsulates the old with bringing in the new.
Yet the wave despite it cresting San Andreas style still kept going. Although we did get some other great continuations with the notables being ICarly, Doogie KameAloha, Queer Eye, and Twilight Zone 2019. There is one that manages to undo so much in a short period.
Rugrats aired from 1991-2004 with its spin-off All Grown Up going until 2008. In it we saw the babies learn the lessons of life while in their own world and mindset.
With 2 movies that saw the group expand and continue to grow.
But also a finale that just seemed more to fulfill a fanfic than tell what seemed to be building up as a well defined final chapter of a story.
No matter how much 4am pudding or baby doing what a baby has to do we got to see a crown jewel of Nickelodeon thrive.
Until being overtaken by a certain cleanup item from underwater that is now like the energizer bunny.
But here is where this twists. Like the aforementioned SpongeBob spinoffs Paramount+ decided to bring back the babies into the modern era of the 2020s.
Now the main 5. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Angelica keep the same traits and wonder that was prevalent all those years ago.
But our deep dive begins here as changes are made.
Beginning with the aging down of Susie Charmichael. Now no longer the foil of Angelica, she is placed into the playpen with the other 4 as she was intended to have been around the pickles since she was born. Sometimes this is good but she worked as a foil and wise older spirit, now she’s just another member.
Taking her place age wise is Kimi, and although Chas still dates Kira now Kimi is mainly thrown in where Susie once was.
But the big stuff comes with the parents. And surly enough has been said about a certain person who has been written off.
But Howard DeVille deserved better. Especially considering the original that had him meek but caring parental wise. Especially with Betty being the strong willed maternal figure for Phil and Lil.
Also prevalent is Grandpa Lou, who goes from Golden age veteran to Middle Aged spirit.
Even the normal traits of Stu and Didi seem more like box checking than homage to a classic.
There is only so much of a reboot that can be twisted before it actually starts to harm the original’s legacy.
And with Rugrats here that is the case.
Now is this a bad show. No the stories are still good. With the highlights being the recreations of classic moments in the preview shorts that came out before the release.
You have an iconic property that has been around 30 years and you just fit them into modern standards. When some were curious to know how those babies would have been if they had grown up into today.
Tommy being a director, Chuckie getting together with Susie and being a risk analyst. Phil doing his own Mike Rowe style look at Americana. Lil with her sense of determination inherited from her mom becoming an entrepreneur. Dil hosting his own podcast on SoundCloud and Spotify about the mundane and weird things in our world.
Even Angelica getting over her upbringing to become an important figure in the world with a loyal duo of Kimi and Harold by her side running her day to day operations. That would have been far more interesting to see.
More so if they continued to stay close and have a next generation of their own to have their own adventures like they once did.
All that we could see glimpses of here potential for something better but bogged down in 2 things that play large into calling this injustice.
Familiarity and modernization.
(Note I have no issues with characterization here I’m just pointing things out as I see them.)
And I’ll see you all in November for the countdown.
these are dads from rugrats! vote for your favorite, or the one you think is the best, or the hottest, or whatever! the winner will be entered into a poll tournament with 63 other fictional dads.
thought watching rugrats 2021, but I don't like the gaywashing of betty deville 🤨 just 'cause a woman got short hair, manly behavior, likes working out, manhandle her husbanf doesn't mean she is a lesbian!
