As Told By Ginger: 'Hello Stranger' - Nick Knacks Sample Platter

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Ginger's absent father makes contact for the first time in a long time. Strap in, because this episode is all the feels.

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[trinaq]

The most heartbreaking moment in the episode, aside from Ginger's dad not showing up to hear her poem, is her thanking Lois for the flowers, knowing that she was the one who really sent them.

[EvilPinkDragon]

The deadpan "It lost to the episode where Homer has a Crayon removed from his brain" killed me LOL

[christopherwaldrop]

I'd aged out of Nickelodeon by the time "As Told By Ginger" came along. Now that I say it out loud, though, I regret feeling that way. This is a story for almost anyone, any age. And, as always, I really enjoy your commentary.

[SuperTrainStationH]

This show was so grounded in reality and sensibility (and even CONTINUITY) that it’s almost incredible that this studio was working on Rocket Power around the same time period, another show set in “the real world” with no fantasy elements, but with totally off the wall premises a lot of the times. Mind you, I loved and watched both shows.

[cheerijessie]

"A sort of melacholy... almost mournful for a life that never got to happen" There needs to be a word, if there isn't one, for this kind of nostalgia for an alternate "if only" timeline. A lot of people experience it

[JasonGoldstrikerTankCommander]

This episode is so heartbreaking for me because I lived through it. As told by ginger has always and will always be special for me because I felt seen. Hearing the poem again still inflicts the same emotions and honestly thank you for posting this video and thank you to whoever asked for it.

[alannamcfall]

God I loved As Told By Ginger, and this was a great episode, so thank you for the video about it. I appreciate Lois as a character so much; not the Cool Mom, not the Sweet Mom, but both and neither and her own character with arcs and flaws, as well as being a good mother. And that is beautifully reflected in this episode with her view of her ex; she seems like she has made peace, and wants to give her kids the space to also make peace with him in whatever way they can.

[DrRockso]

I always thought it was interesting to see how latter in the series when Lois starts dating Dr. Dave, Carl refers to him as dad over his actual biological father who he refers to as Jonas. It was the first time I saw that in a children's tv show.

Normally the protagonist's parents are married or separated but the kids still love both parents. Here was the first time we see the repercussions of their biological father's absence to his children. The series doesn't even end with a sappy, cliche, "Dr. Dave was a jerk all along! And Lois reunites with their father and they happily ever after!" ending.

No. Carl eventually makes peace with his father and decides he could learn to grow a relationship between them while acknowledging that he prefers his stepfather instead. I always found it fascinating. Blood may be thicker than water but in this case, water was there more than blood. Jonas wasn't there in Carl's life while Dr. Dave was.

[tamyawhiterock]

My son is graduating from kindergarten today. I asked his dad if he could make it and he told me he's not going to be a part of the celebration. But the important thing is, I love my son and I'm so proud of him.

[mewdreamer]

I adore As Told By Ginger. It's such a terrific and underrated Nicktoon. I was around the age of the characters when it started airing, so there were a lot of relatable moments and lessons as a young girl. This episode in particular is really good and the ending with Ginger thanking her mother for the flowers is rather bittersweet. The poem itself also does a really good job at capturing how it feels to not have a parent in your life too.

[aestroai]

Thanks for reminding me how Nick got better just as I was growing out of it.

[DaemonCorps]

This was probably my earliest memory of a cartoon that didn't just have the one dramatic episode, but was pretty much composed of nothing but sad, dramatic, melancholic episodes. Good review, now I'm tempted to try and watch as much of the show as I can off a free Paramount trial.

[shikonaori]

ToonrificTariq did a pretty good retrospective on this show a while back for anyone wanting to learn more about it that can't wait for poparena to get to this era (although I'm sure that'll be great as well), I didn't watch a ton of it as a kid but what I did see definitely stuck with me, this episode included

[mikequinn]

The yearning of what could have been. The longing for what could be. That empty hollow feeling that feels like your heart, mind, and soul are falling into a helpless void of an abyss. This episode beautifully encapsulates that, and even though it didn't have the impact as a kid as it does now.... I get it. R.I.P. Uncle Phill-James Avery. From Fresh Prince, The Brady Bunch, to TMNT... He was an iconic staple of my childhood. That nostalgic feeling of wanting is usually fun. It's rather cumbersome when you know there's no future... All you can do is go back. 💔

[Lynn]

I recently started checking out this show, and I just watched this episode today. It deserves all the accolades it gets.

[vgtrp]

As someone who grew up in a single parent home, I can relate to this.

[digamejh]

I will not hear this Doug slander!

As an introverted pre-teen who never knew WTF he was doing, that show was more relatable than all the other Nicktoons put together.

[Justin-Hill-]

The "All Grown Up" spin-off of "Rugrats" gave the characters we all knew and loved as talking infants a more slice-of-life look at the same exact group of kids as tweens and teens, now that they are in middle school...the "Rugrats" episode, All Growed Up acted as a back door pilot for the new spin-off series, doing so creatively with a time machine plot...

[samrtnr]

I mentioned this on Twitter when the teaser image for this Sample Platter was posted. But as someone who is of the age where I remember As Told by Ginger (usually from when episodes would air on TeenNick on Sunday nights), I was also too young to fully understand the themes it was going for. As such, watching this video made me realize it's a show I should go back and give a better shot since I feel I would appreciate it more now than I would have as a kid twenty years ago. Having said that, though, I must have caught a glimpse of this episode back in the day since I do vividly remember the Alien parody with Ginger's mom and the snake because even as a tiny child, it's hard to forget an image like that for a show airing on the same network as Rugrats & SpongeBob

[encountersltd]

i loved your performance of the poem. i'll try and check out this episode as soon as i can.