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28 out of 29 people found the following review useful: I remember when Arnold was a boy of clay, 14 November 2005 Author: Ddey65 from United States
My first exposure to Arnold was long before the show's key audience was born, let alone heard of him. It was in a small clay-mation film "Arnold Escapes from Church," which was one of many at the 21st Tournee of Animation in at the Huntington Arts Cinema on Long Island. The football-headed kid that we all know and love sits in church with his family while the pastor reads "The Lord's Prayer," and imagines all kinds of weird things happening in the process. At a time when anti-media zealots were frantically trying to censor anything they assume will warp children's collective imaginations, so much so that they virtually eliminate their imaginations, this was one of a few 'toons(other than perhaps MUPPET BABIES) that made it seem acceptable. By the early-to-mid 1990's though, such a mentality seemed all too common-place, and the Arnold Universe was less focused on the world in his head than the world around him.Arnold is street-wise, rational, and good-natured to a fault. He lives in a boarding house owned by his grandparents, which CLAIMS that kids aren't allowed, but makes an exception for him and one other. He's got perhaps the coolest bedroom any kid could possibly have. Not even three-dimensional FedEx from the remake of "Cheaper by the Dozen" has a room as cool as Arnold's, even though that was a cool bedroom as well. Arnold's rural neighborhood is surrounded by eccentric kids and adults. And who are the people in his neighborhood, to paraphrase the late Fred Rogers? Well, the kids consist of Gerald, Helga, Stinky, Eugene, Lila, Rhonda, Harold, Sid, Phoebe, and others. The adults consist of his grandparents(Phil and Pookie), Mr, Hyunh, Oskar, his wife Susie, Ernie Potts, and a host of other eccentrics. One can not say anything about "Hey Arnold!" without focusing on Helga Pataki, who has the kind of relationship with him you might expect from nine-year-old girls and boys. Helga, of course publicly insults and torments him, but privately agonizes over her desire for him, and frequently beats herself up over how she treats him. And who can blame her for her guilt? He's the kind of kid who knows you don't have to be a superhero to do good. In "Stoop Kid," he teaches a bullying brat not to be afraid to leave the stoop of his apartment. In "Pigeon Man," he befriends a neighborhood recluse who's treated like a freaky urban legend, because he'd rather spend time with homing pigeons. In "Runaway Float" he stops the title from crashing into City Hall, and taking his friends with it. In "Grandpa's Sister," he mends a long standing grudge that began over the death of a beloved family pet. In "Crabby Author," he visits a favorite children's author who's now a reclusive, bitter old woman, and inspires her to return to the career that made her famous. He even makes an impact on Helga Pataki, sometimes intentionally.One thing's for sure, Craig Bartlett really knows how to celebrate the holidays, whatever those holiday may be. In the unforgettable "Arnold's Christmas," Arnold struggles to reunite Mr. Hyunh with his South Vietnamese daughter who he hasn't seen since the Fall of Saigon. In "Arnold's Halloween," we see Arnold and Gerald repeat their own adaptation of Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds," only in their case they WANT to cause a panic! In "Veteran's Day," we find how Arnold's Grandfather contributed to the allied victory in the Battle of the Bulge by giving the Nazis bad experimental lunch-meat, and Gerald's Dad was a reluctant Vietnam Vet who was assigned to desk duty and saved the life of a wounded G.I. with his paperwork(literally!) after a major NVA attack.In truth, Bartlett does not write children's television. He writes adult television with kids as his central characters, that are not excessively violent or sexually suggestive. An outstanding 'toon if there ever was one on Nickelodeon, which will be difficult to replace.
30 out of 34 people found the following review useful: Good..., 2 September 2004 Author: Ginger87 from New York City
"Hey Arnold!" was a really good cartoon. I used to watch it when I was little in 1996 when I was nine years old. The show was pretty funny and the characters were realistic. I also liked the fact that the show had many different characters.My favorite episode was "Arnold's Christmas". That episode was cute and sweet. I also liked the episodes: "Monkey Business", "Phoebe Cheats", "Arnold Betrays Iggy", "Helga on the Couch", and "Helga and the Nanny". Those episodes were great and hysterical. The movie was also really good.Overall this was a good Nickelodeon show and I wish they still aired new episodes. I give this show 10/10 stars.
22 out of 23 people found the following review useful: great show, 25 November 2000 Author: JBoze313 from Evansville, Indiana
This is a great show for kids and adults. I'm 21, and I love the show. The only bad thing is, a lot of the episodes, Arnold has a distinct voice, then on others, the voice is totally different! It's like you're not even watching Arnold, but instead some kid who looks like him with a different voice. Anyhow...besides that, the show is just great. It's funny and it teaches lessons. Arnold is always the good guy, and he usually does the right thing in the end...sometimes learning a lot about himself and the world around him while doing it. The characters are very entertaining, and the voices are exciting. The storylines are usually original and fun to watch. 9/10
22 out of 24 people found the following review useful: "Hey Arnold" TV Series- 10/10. A wonderful kid's cartoon., 16 January 2004 Author: movies2u from United States
Hey Arnold! (1996) TV SeriesThis is one of the best shows on Nickelodeon! All of the characters are great- Arnold, Helga, Stinky, Harold, Sid, Phoebe, Sheena, Grandpa, Grandma, Ernie, Mr. Hyhun, Mr. Simmons, and everybody else! This show is very good and funny. Some of my favorite episodes are when Helga goes on a road trip with her mom, and the episode when everyone thinks there is a ghost of a mad scientist in the basement of the boarding house after finding a pair of bifocals that supposedly belonged to the scientist. This is a great show for anybody, especially kids since they can relate to it. I give it 10/10.
17 out of 21 people found the following review useful: What an entertainment, 24 July 2001 Author: Cenk (jank123@mailcity.com) from germany
I am from Berlin and 20 years old. I have seen "hey arnold" several times on Super RTL (a cartoon channel). I just liked it. Especially the episode with the "stoop kid" is so funny any intelligent. There is a kid who can not leave his stoop. My god. This episode rules. Just watch it. I liked it. I cant explain more cause i dont know how to explain it. You will remember that episode if you are a fan of this cartoon.
12 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Up there with the best of them, 2 November 2000 Author: scottybhoy_2000 (scottybhoy_2000@yahoo.com) from Doncaster, England
"Hey Arnold" is certainly the best thing Nickelodeon have produced in a long time, probably since "The Adventures of Pete and Pete". At the time of writing, I am 16 years of age but I still enjoy "Hey Arnold" just as much as I used to. It hasn't worn at all with age, whereas another once splendid show - "The Simpsons" - is beginning to lose it's edge, despite once being the funniest thing on TV. "Hey Arnold" is still highly amusing and always carries a significant message for everyday life. If I'm feeling down, this extraordinary show always cheers me up. Definitely one for kids and adults alike, I'd recommend this gem of a cartoon to anyone.
12 out of 12 people found the following review useful: I love it!, 7 September 2000 Author: bbethel66 from Buffalo, NY
Hey Arnold! is one of the few surviving goodies currently airing on Nickelodeon. Unlike say, Rocket Power, or The Wild Thornberrys, this show manages to make even the most sincere topics interesting and funny, complete with great artwork. I'd recommend it as second best Nicktoon of the decade, and I hope someday, Hey Arnold! can walk home with at least one Emmy Award.
12 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Good job, 6 August 2000 Author: Op_Prime from Ardmore, PA
Unlike most shows on Nick, this show is good and creative. It has interesting stories and a creative assortment of characters. Hey Arnold also has a sophisticated form humor that can appeal to people of all ages. This show has not lost any of it's quality since first appearing back in 96. If anything, it has improved.
10 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Possibly the best Nicktoon, 13 June 2000 Author: plok253
Hey Arnold! was created back in 1996. At first look, I thought it was going to be stupid, but when I watched it, I realized how cool the show really is. It really demonstrates how hard it can be growing up. Everyone seems to look up to Arnold, and are always asking him for help. Even when Arnold didn't do anything, someone always gets him into the middle of an argument. Better yet, Arnold is always able to figure things out in the end. Overall, this show is more realistic than some soap operas and teen shows are, and is very entertaining.
10 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Great show, but I'm sad it's doing it's season finale, 26 August 2002 Author: Ghetto_superstar1989 from Massachusetts, United States
I think of Hey Arnold as one of the better shows on nickelodeon. I like how when Helga goes to a private place to talk about her love, a nerdy kid comes up inhaling and exhaling behind her back and ends up getting punched in the face (lol). The show itself is right up there with Spongebob Squarepants. It's funny AND it teaches a lesson. I recommend it to any kid or teenager.
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