A couple of weeks ago, Nickelodeon caused an entire generation to go wild and crazy by teasing that a plan is in place to bring many beloved 1990s kid shows back to audiences, but offered no details as to how. Now we know that the network’s fan favorite shows are coming back under the name The Splat, although it remains to be seen exactly what The Splat will consist of.
On Friday, Nickelodeon debuted the barebones website for The Splat that basically just told site visitors to follow the hashtag “#TheSplatIsComing” for more information, as well as offering everyone a visual of that familiar orange splatter logo. That would be mildly exciting enough, but the network also used the Brooklyn-based 90s Fest this past weekend to spread the word. There, celebs from the 1990s like Coolio, Pauly Shore and Smash Mouth were all involved in promoting the still-mysterious promotion.
It’s unclear whether The Splat will be an actual standalone channel devoted to airing older series, or if one of Nickelodeon’s several networks will set a dedicated programming block for it. Of course, the hope is for as much classic TV as possible, so we’re all in for The Splat becoming a network in its own right. For what it’s worth, that seems to be the general consensus, although Nickelodeon has yet to say anything official.
What kinds of shows can viewers expect to find? Just take a look at the video below, which features almost all of the Nicktoons that everyone knows and loves, from Ren & Stimpy to Rugrats to CatDog.
Noticeably missing from that video are Doug, which is probably still owned by Disney, and the plethora of live-action series that Nickelodeon is known for, like Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Salute Your Shorts and The Adventures of Pete and Pete. As well, there was no sign of the game shows the network has aired over the years. Since the project is still presumably in the early stages, it’s possible that more of the network’s library will be added later. And if it is indeed a new network, we can only assume that after it’s been on the air a while, the execs will attempt to bring new versions of old shows to modern audiences, perhaps spawned by the interconnected feature film being planned. Marc Summers is all over that.
