After more than a decade away from the small-screen, the Rugrats are officially back! Nickelodeon’s iconic and precocious babies returned in 2021, thanks to Paramount+’s CGI reboot. The new series has proved to be popular thus far, which is why the streamer renewed it for a second season that premiered this month. Considering its success, you can’t help but wonder if Nick has also thought about rebooting the OG show’s sequel series, All Grown Up. The studio has yet to announce anything on that front, but series alums Tara Strong and EG Daily did share how they’d feel about such a project.
For those who don’t remember, the Rugrats franchise celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2001, with a special called “All Growed Up.” The special episode’s main story takes place a decade into the future and reimagines the lovable toddlers as tweens. It would ultimately serve as a backdoor pilot for All Grown Up, which debuted on Nick in 2003. The spinoff was mostly well received by fans and would air 55 episodes over five seasons before concluding its run in 2008.
The series would see all of the original program’s primary cast members reprise their roles, with EG Daily and Tara Strong returning as Tommy and Dil Pickles, respectively. As a fan, I couldn’t help but bring up the sequel series while talking to the two actresses in promotion of the Paramount+ show’s second season. When asked about possibly voicing their characters’ older counterparts again, the two were definitely enthusiastic about it. Strong – who’s also known for voicing Batgirl, Timmy Turner and other major characters – wouldn’t even mind if the show were to happen sooner rather than later:
We would definitely do that, and I think there's room for both shows. I think they can co-exist. I mean, if it were up to me, I'd tell Nickelodeon to make both at the same time. Duh, that'd be fun. But since we're starting with this one, I'm sure they're focusing on this one for now, but I'm sure it's something that they could revisit and we'd all love… None of us would say no to an All Grown Up [reboot], that seems like a pretty fun idea.
If you’re like me, then this sentiment is simply music to the ears. I honestly don’t think the Rugrats follow-up gets the credit it deserves sometimes. It firmly expanded on the universe established by its predecessor and told some funny (and relatable) stories. In addition, it further fleshed out the main characters, giving them each more distinct personalities. For instance, the constantly curious (and formerly bald) Tommy became an aspiring filmmaker with a slight knack for inventing like his dad, Stu. And once a cute and smiling little baby, Dil grew into an eccentric and well-read kid, who’s arguably the most cerebral of the group. Take a look at the series’ intro down below – and try not to get overwhelmed by the nostalgia:
All Grown Up certainly has some built-in elements that would make it an entertaining watch for today’s youngsters. It would also give EG Daily and her Tara Strong an opportunity to create even more wonderful moments between Tommy and Dil. Though Daily is down for the idea, she noted a possible reason as to why Nick might not want to jump on the idea so soon:
I also think they're being very careful about, you know, really letting this brand-new reboot have the most [attention].
She makes a good point, as Nickelodeon and Paramount+ probably don’t want to put all of their eggs in one basket. As we’ve seen in recent years, there are plenty of studios who’ve put the cart before the horse when it comes to their IPs. So fans may just want to sit back and enjoy the current Rugrats show right now. Though while I’m doing that, I’ll still be holding out hope that older versions of Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica and co. return to our screens someday.
New episodes of Rugrats can be streamed using a Paramount+ subscription and, with that same membership, you can stream the original series and All Grown Up as well. You can also check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule to get release details on upcoming premieres.
