Hopefully I'll be back to post about other nicktoons that I've watched, but today I'll deal with Hey Arnold exclusively. It's a show that's beautiful in its simplicity: it's about a bunch of kids who attend a public school in New York. They live in Brooklyn and they represent a wide range of socioeconomic statuses, ethnic backgrounds, attitudes, and dress styles. (For the longest time I thought Arnold was wearing a kilt, although now I realize it's a plaid shirt under a sweater). The main character, Arnold, is an orphan living in a boarding house with his grandparents. He is incredibly even-tempered, he understands human motivation, he is kind and big-hearted, and yet he is still a kid who likes popsicles and baseball.
What is so great about the show is its diversity. The characters in the show are not carbon copied young adults who go about their gossipy lives; they include serious character motivations (Mr. Hyunh, one of the boarders, came to New York to look for his daughter, who he gave up for adoption during the Vietnam war). The main female character, Helga, may have a crush on Arnold, but she is no wilting flower. For every moment she spends pining after her Beloved, the next she spends punching that guy who is always wheezing in the nose.
The episode that really convinced me of Hey Arnold's greatness, however, does not heavily feature Arnold. Instead it is an episode about Helga, in which she is not invited to a girls-only sleepover for the girls in her class. Everybody spends most of the episode making fun of Helga for not being girly enough, until she gives in, gets a Fifteen magazine, and gives herself a hilarious makeover.
(Those boobs are totally made of tissue paper, btw). At the end of the episode, she goes to the slumber party, tries to fake her way through girliness, and then loses it when she sees the girls with green mud masks on. Mid-rant, she pulls her hair back into her signature pigtails and wipes off all of her makeup while asking "who wants to do this? Why do we even have to do this?" The girls say "but this is what girls do, Helga" and she says "Bully. Just because this is what girls do doesn't mean they have to do it." At this moment the girls discover that the boys are spying on them and they capture Harold, an oafish dude, and put makeup on him. It's a moment of pure cartoon perfection. The point of the episode is that you can be whoever you want to be, and do whatever you want to do, regardless of gender, but it's not overstated. Helga may give a speech but it's a speech in line with her bitchy, bossy character. This cartoon is remarkably subtle for a kid's show and that is one of the most important parts of its genius.
Two points for the last part of this post: the characters wear really iconic cartoon clothing that I discovered has been transformed into outfits via Polyvore, below:
Dressing like Helga is my new aspiration in life.
Secondly, Hey Arnold uses so many tropes that it can easily be turned into a drinking game (one in which my roommate and I have indulged multiple times). I thought I would provide a list of them here for you intrepid Nicktoon fans.
Hey Arnold Drinking Game
Drink when...
1) The cats/dogs/pigs run in or out of the boarding house.
2) Helga calls Arnold a football head
3) Helga goes on a loveydovey rant about Arnold/Punches Weezy in the face (since these usually are paired, you can decide whether to drink twice)
4) Arnold's grandmother acts crazy
5) Phoebe says something nerdy
6) They make a joke about Harold's eating habits/size
7) Arnold and Gerald do their special thumbshake
8) Grandpa talks about going to the toilet or is seen going to and coming from the toilet.
9) Someone says Hey Arnold!
10) The polish man is fighting with his wife or is inconsiderate (there is a whole episode about this so you have to watch out on this one).
I'm open to any additions to the Hey Arnold drinking game in the comments.
OHHHHHHH KELLY. You just blew my mind!! I always thought Arnold was wearing a kilt. This makes me want to watch it. Do you remember what the episode you mentioned with Helga was called/what season? Netflix watch instantly 4 lyfe!
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