TeenNick recently launched a new late-night programming block called “The ’90s Are All That.”
The lineup features reruns of iconic Nickelodeon shows from the 1990s including “Rocko’s Modern Life,” “All That,” “Kenan and Kel” and “Hey Arnold!”
Ratings for the block have been strong. When the block launched in July, TeenNick reached its highest late-night viewership levels ever.
Assistant Arts Editor Katherine Proctor spoke with Keith Dawkins, the senior vice president and general manager of TeenNick and Nicktoons, about the thought behind the new block.
DTH: Tell me about “The ’90s Are All That.”
Dawkins: It’s really kind of a reaction to fans—fans who’ve demanded the Nick of their youth back on air in some way, shape or form. There are a lot of 20-somethings who grew up on the Nick cartoons and live action shows of the ’90s and who wanted to see them repackaged in a new way.
DTH: How did fans tell you that they wanted this programming back?
Dawkins: There was a huge demand for it on social media like Facebook and Twitter. Fans of this generation have so many favorite shows, so that’s why the block is so strong.
Fans also have the ability to impact the lineup by constantly expressing their views about what they see on the air. We’ll give fans a list of shows and the shows that they vote on will be on the new Friday night rotation.
DTH: So why do you think people want to watch these shows so much, now that they’ve grown up?
Dawkins: It’s simply about the age of the audience from the ’90s. The TV landscape was different—there were less channels. But Nick was this entire network that was devoted to kids. It was a place for kids where they could be slimy and green and messy and sloppy. That’s a powerful idea, and I think it was a deeply emotional experience for them.
Now that these people’s lives are more hectic, they’re mostly going, ‘I’d love a little bit of comfort food from back when the days were simpler.’ That’s where the ground swell comes from.
DTH: What’s the difference between Nickelodeon’s current programming and its ’90s programming?
Dawkins: The biggest difference is that the ’90s were another era. There’s so much nostalgia that comes from the content we made many years ago.
But a great commonality between the two eras is what makes these shows hold up—funny, great storytelling and characters. That still holds true in terms of all the things we want.
“The ’90s Are All That” airs on TeenNick Monday through Friday from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. and again from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
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