33 Years Later, It’s Time to Admit This Is the Best Nickelodeon Cartoon (And the First Episode Was Perfect)

Pretty much every single millennial out there has some fond memories of Nickelodeon’s catalog of cartoons. Dubbed Nicktoons, these shows were a staple of the ’90s and the 2000s, while featuring some of the most iconic characters that we all grew up with. The Rugrats gave us Tommy Pickles and Chuckie Finster, Hey Arnold! introduced us to Arnold Shortman and Helga Pataki, and Doug let us meet Doug Funnie and Patti Mayonnaise, just to name a few. With such a vast array of great shows that also includes The Wild Thornberrys, SpongeBob SquarePants, The Angry Beavers, The Fairly OddParents, and more, it’s tough to officially pick one to call the best in the network’s history. However, for our money, you can go back to nearly the beginning of the history of Nicktoons. Two years after the first trio of shows premiered, the best one made its debut and never looked back.

First airing on September 18, 1993, Rocko’s Modern Life was basically everything that made Nicktoons great. From its very first episode, the series stood out as something special, and despite a relatively short run, it remains a pretty remarkable TV show.

Rocko’s Modern Life Is The Greatest Nicktoon

Rocko’s Modern Life had a relatively simple premise, as it took place in the fictional O-Town, featured anthropomorphic animals, and centered on the everyday life of an Australian wallaby named Rocko. There wasn’t much beyond that, yet that’s why it worked so well. It is literally in the title that we’re here to follow the modern life of the titular character. What made the show so special was that the plot took seemingly everyday situations and turned them into something outlandish that could really only work in the world of a cartoon.

Rocko was often the straight character who was surrounded by more wacky personalities. His best friend, Heffer Wolfe, was an eccentric steer who was raised by wolves who fattened him up to eat. His turtle friend Filburt had a neurotic personality that stood out from a lot of characters you would typically find in a cartoon. The middle-aged Bigheads consisted of cantankerous Ed and his compassionate wife Bev. Whenever any of these characters interacted with Rocko, they could turn a seemingly generic situation into something hilarious and memorable.

What Rocko’s Modern Life is likely most remembered for was its adult humor. While it was a show targeted toward kids, the creators made sure to include plenty of jokes and references that only older viewers would understand. From episodes titled “Who Gives a Buck?” to Rocko’s favorite restaurant being the Chokey Chicken to characters being named Dr. Bendova and Mr. Horny, there was no shortage of these innuendos. That made the show fun for all audiences and is part of why it has so many installments ranked impressively on sites like IMDb.

Rocko’s Modern Life Got Off To A Perfect Start

A lot of shows tend to have awkward first episodes as they look to find their footing and establish what the series will be about. Rocko’s Modern Life didn’t have that issue, with its first episode being a perfect encapsulation of what the show always ended up being. “A Sucker for the Suck-O-Matic” has a basic setup where Rocko and Heffer get convinced by a commercial to buy a vacuum to clean Rocko’s dirty home. The episode expertly parodies the sleazy nature of infomercials and when the Suck-O-Matic arrives, it’s way too powerful and comically strong.

It nearly destroys everything in its path, showcasing the ridiculous nature of the show. They even throw in a joke about neutering, which is exactly the kind of thing the series became well-known for. The second half of the episode is the hilarious “Canned” and it centers on Rocko getting fired. The story perfectly displays the show’s ability to tell an absurd story through a relatable everyday idea like losing your job.

The firing scene in “Canned” features a boss who abuses their power and is unfair, which resonates with a lot of older viewers and gives kids a glimpse of what could happen in their future. The rest of the story focuses on Rocko trying new jobs, including one as a “specialty phone operator.” There’s the show’s trademark adult humor, as he says, “Oh baby, oh baby, oh baby” into the phone, while the sign next to his desk says, “Be hot, be naughty, be courteous.” It’s hard to think of a Nicktoons pilot that better sets the tone for the rest of the show’s style.

You can stream every episode of Rocko’s Modern Life on Paramount Plus.