We all remember some of the television shows we grew up with. Re-visiting these shows, however, might lead one to pick up on some more mature subtitles. Here is a look back on some of the shows that went right over our heads and into our hearts.

“Ren and Stimpy” (1991-1996)
-Premise: A talking dog and cat have adventures. Sound tame? Try adding mental instability, farts and a vaguely homosexual relationship the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Bert and Ernie. For the early ‘90s, all of that was far edgier than it is now. Add to the mix the show’s gruesome imagery, and you have a show that had parent groups abuzz.

-Example: In an episode entitled “Ren’s Pecs,” Ren yearns for pectoral muscles. Instead of working out, he gets Stimpy’s butt fat surgically implanted into his chest. Oddly, this show has had much weirder moments.

“Rocko’s Modern Life” (1993-1996)
-Premise: A timid wallaby from Australia tries to navigate bizarre American life with his oddball friends. Between a restaurant named after a self-gratification joke and characters being sent to a “Heck” run by a demon with an udder for a head, this program raised more than a few eyebrows.

-Example: The episode “Canned” features Rocko and his search for a job in America. In a brief scene, Rocko is depicted working for a phone sex company, which his female neighbor calls during the segment. They hang up after an awkward, relatively tame exchange.

“Invader Zim” (2001-2006)

-Premise: An alien and his robot attempt to take over Earth. The alien, Zim, disguises himself as an elementary school student. The invasion proves to be incredibly incompetent and is often thwarted by the only boy in the city who realizes Zim is an alien. It may sound tame enough, but the dark imagery and bleak view of life got the show cancelled mid-season.

-Example: The story-line for “Dark Harvest” portrayed Zim stealing the organs of fellow students and putting them inside himself in an attempt to avoid being found out by the school nurse. Yes, this was meant to be a kid show.

Were these really for kids? Who knows. But they provided boundless hours of entertainment for the generation that grew up with them, and they will not be forgotten.

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