I’ll be honest, my main motivation for watching this was to complete a ranking of all the Nickelodeon movies, since Hey Arnold: The Movie was on that list. I wanted more than just to see the movie itself because I'd heard so many positive things about the show and enjoyed catching episodes late at night when it aired on NickToons as a kid. Now I finally had an excuse to check out this well-regarded classic. It’s generally a really good show with a likable group of characters. It was nice seeing them just be kids, without trying to portray something they weren't. It’s a relaxing slice-of-life series where children deal with everyday issues. The show even tackled some serious subjects, which I appreciated and felt was quite progressive for its time. Arnold is such a kind and caring main character, Helga really exemplifies the idea of someone obsessively devoted, and I enjoyed watching all her antics. Gerald didn’t strike me as a particularly good friend because he often takes the side of other kids, but I did get a few laughs from him occasionally; Harold seems to be the typical overweight "bully," but I liked that they don't always focus on his weight problem unless it was central to an episode. I love how cheerful Eugene is even when he’s constantly being tormented throughout the series. Sid’s over-the-top nature got a bit irritating at times, Phoebe was very enjoyable, Rhonda was the kind of delightfully unlikeable character I wish I had in my life, and Stinky is simply the greatest character ever! Most episodes are just good rather than exceptional, and the reason I gave it such a high rating is because of how consistent the quality remained. For example, throughout the entire run of the show, there were only 4 or 5 episodes I didn't like, which is incredibly impressive for an eight-year period. It did get a bit repetitive in the later seasons and not every character was enjoyable or likable, but that’s understandable; however, I think the good definitely outweighs the bad. I don't have much more to say compared to shows like Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) because it isn’t driven by a complex plot, and I didn't really mind that. Best episode: Arnold's Christmas Worst episode: Arnold Betrays Iggy Also, can we talk about how Stinky exposes Sid for kissing a frog in “Sid and Germs,” and how Arnold had a three-way relationship with Lila and Timberly in “Timberly loves Arnold”?

Source on TMDB