Rugrats: 'The Way Things Work/The Way More Things Work' - Nick Knacks Sample Platter

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We take a somewhat odd look at Rugrats, covering two related two-minute shorts, and how they shook up the format of the series.

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[JasontheCartoonFan]

Fun fact: Disney Channel also employed the “two three-minute commercial break” structure in which shows split into two 11-minute stories had one of their segments have two distinct 5-minute halves with a commercial break seperating them in the mid-2000s. Shows following that structure included Dave the Barbarian, The Buzz on Maggie, The Emperor’s New School, and The Replacements.

[beipiaosaurus]

I was also long past Rugrats by the time this season aired, so also had no idea these shorts existed, but your commercial facts were interesting. In the pre-streaming era I was never a channel changer, because we always had a TV Guide (back when it was a thick 6 inch tall book made of newsprint), so I knew what my other options were already and had planned to watch the current show over them. Also, since most shows had commercials at the same 15 minute intervals, you were probably just going to catch another channel's commercials doing this. So I could see Nickelodeon's plan back-firing because a channel changer would be more likely to catch another channel's actual programming if the commercial is at 8 minutes instead of 15 minutes. In any case, the truly best commercial activity was going to the bathroom and/or getting something to eat or drink. Nowadays we all have smart phones on us at all times so I don't know how companies expect commercials to hold anyone's interest.

[klax]

6:52 Wow, I had completely forgotten about the "Bad Andy" Domino's commercials until you showed that clip there.
I just looked it up, and apparently the Jim Henson Company was involved with creating it. I had no idea that they were involved with that faint memory residing in the outer limits of my memory.

[SpongeyTheEditor]

I do remember these, they were the only Rugrats Season 7 shorts I really remember. Spongebob switched a shorts format in Season 5 and that worked better since they were a bit longer and more creative. I don't know if those were done for the same money reasons as this.

[creepylolaloudplushie]

These short two-minute stories in Season 7 were hit-and-miss; some are creative and enjoyable, others were substandard. I liked them fine, but I generally preferred the longer stories, so I'm happy Season 8 changed it back to how it was initially.

I will say the Kimi-era of the programme has grown on me; I initially felt apathetic towards it, but I then discovered I have lots of favourites here. Sister Act, All Growed Up, Bow Wow Wedding Vows, The Perfect Twins, et cetera. It's not my favourite period, but I liked it fine.

[samrtnr]

I'm not sure if it's because I was a little kid when I first watched these Rugrats segments but the idea they were likely done to accommodate differing commercial times in the early 2000s makes sense since I remember a lot of the Nicktoons from that era with 11-minute halves (SpongeBob, Fairly OddParents, Jimmy Neutron, Hey Arnold, etc.) typically following a traditional format of having the commercial break in the middle of the half-hour timeslot

[genemelendez]

Its funny. I remember SpongeBob doing something similar to this around the same time. Season 5 of the show also used the format of three episodes per segment, with one of them being a 2-3 minute short.

[EvaFull]

Nice setup for the larger Rugrats Episode.

[meyerj]

Rugrats was once the number one show on Nickelodeon.

[pakmanparadise]

I only saw one of these mini-episodes discussed in the video - I think it was The Way More Things Work - but I saw a few of them overall. (I remember Dil's Bathtime because it had an animation error that I reported to a website that tracked goofs in TV shows) But I just remember thinking these mini-episodes were pointless, and oddly, while I never saw too much of Season 7, of the episodes I did see, I really only remember the first short and the mini-episode. I was 12 when this episode would have aired, and that was the year I began aging out of Nickelodeon (by the time I was in high school, I only watched Jimmy Neutron and SpongeBob). Also, now you've got me excited for the full Nick Knacks episode on Rugrats.

[morbidsearch]

Dil is hinted to be neurodivergent in All Grown Up so I think that's why he can't speak in the original series

[sdani]

I think the implication of that scene in the movie is that Tommy and the other "adult babies" can't understand the song the newborn "baby babies" were singing because they were singing in the "baby baby" language.

[Showsni]

You know, I don't think I ever really watched Rugrats after the movie. (Well, I did also see Rugrats in Paris). I'm not sure I saw any regular episodes with Dil or Kimi in.... Not sure if I outgrew it, or it stopped being on terrestrial television. Rugrats was always on CBBC for us, so of course we didn't get any ad breaks during it!

[NorbertSD]

I’m surprised that since you were talking about Nickelodeon & them having more commercials, you didn’t mention their later practice of speeding up shows on air to make room for more commercials.

[gars]

Always anticipated to the digitally animated episodes because they looked "new and colorful". The Late 90s episodes were cel animated but I thought they were another variation of digital. The original run was not very pleasing, between the duller colors, different art style and videotape artifacting. Now I find them very interesting in that wacky Klasky Csupo way, with quirky colors. Same with The Simpsons and most cel animated stuff other than Animaniacs or old Disney.

[vgtrp]

It shouldn't be too much longer for the Rugrats video. We should see it within the next few months if we're lucky.

[TylerCaswell-khny]

Can you please do the rugrats episode called the baby vanishes for your next video please

[VahanNisanian]

Don't think this format was a good idea. They went back to the original format a Season later, and Nancy Cartwright had now replaced Christine Cavanaugh as Chuckie.

[vestonbruno]

I thought the three short format for Season 7 was a good idea. I'm glad it only lasted for one season.

[CoolEric]

Re: Rugrats Fan Wiki

Oh yes, the joys of fan-made wikis. Full of bizarre, pointless trivia that nobody but weirdo super-fans bother to take note of. Always a fun treasure trove of stuff there.