Two and a half years ago, we explored
the early history of Cartoon Network... but it wasn't the only player in the youth television game.
As a matter of fact,
Fred Seibert -- the man responsible for the most inventive projects discussed in that post -- first stretched his creative legs at the network's
truly venerable forerunner:
Nickelodeon.
Founded as Pinwheel, a six-hour block on Warner Cable's innovative
QUBE system, this humble channel struggled for years before Seibert's innovative branding work transformed it into a national icon and capstone of a media empire.
Much has changed since then, from the mascots and game shows to
the versatile orange "splat." But starting tonight in response to popular demand, the network is
looking back with
a summer programming block dedicated to the greatest hits of the 1990s, including
Hey Arnold!, Rocko's Modern Life, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Double Dare, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and
All That.
To celebrate, look inside for the complete story of the early days of the network that incensed the religious right, brought doo-wop to television, and slimed a million fans -- the golden age of Nickelodeon.
(warning: monster post inside) [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi
on Jul 25, 2011 -
116 comments
The A. V. Club has an exhaustive and revealing
four-part interview with Dan Harmon, creator of Community, in which he discusses the conception and production behind every episode of the show's ambitious and flawed second season.
posted by Rory Marinich
on Jun 10, 2011 -
88 comments
Then That's What They Called Music is a series of posts on the Onion AV Club where writer Nathan Rabin (
previously) listens to all of the NOW! That's What I Call Music CDs from 1999 onwards. The essays read like a history of a forgotten world, reminding you of terrible yet infectious pop tunes, and are full of great links, snappy writing and one man's struggle to deal with why the Black Eyed Peas, the
most corporate band in America, are so popular.
[more inside]
posted by Sifter
on Dec 24, 2010 -
29 comments
This year's top holiday duet doesn't feature Mariah Carey or Will Ferrell. It's
Rodney the Mailman [local news] and
Andrew WK [original], live from the Chicago offices of the Onion AV Club in their Holiday Undercover project.
In typical Andrew WK style, a slightly...
different version is also available.
But this is not Rodney's first appearance -- nor are these covers few and far between.
[more inside]
posted by Madamina
on Dec 22, 2010 -
3 comments
So, Nathan has left the tape recorder on, and he says if I want to say fascinating things while he’s gone, I can. Well guess what I’m gonna do. While he’s gone, I’m taking his glass of beer and I’m putting it under the table and I’m gonna stick my fuckin’ dick in it. I’m gonna open up my zipper, and I’m gonna rub the tip of my fuckin’ cock around the mouth of his glass. Now I’m putting it back there. He’s gonna be drinkin’, but he ain’t gonna know until he plays this back the trick I pulled on him.
The AV Club interviews Tony Clifton.
posted by shakespeherian
on Jan 20, 2010 -
58 comments
Into the Night Films through the ages. "What’s an into-the-night movie? It’s essentially about one anxious character (or group of characters) embarking on an illicit adventure and emerging transformed. Most often, the stories take place at night, but not always. Sometimes they happen over a whole summer, in the blazing light of day. Sometimes they’re comedies, and sometimes mysteries. But what they have in common is an acknowledgment that somewhere, lurking in the shadows of polite society, there are people getting ridiculously freaky." With much...
[more inside]
posted by Navelgazer
on Jan 4, 2008 -
44 comments
The A.V. Club posts about the upcoming Death Cab for Cutie CD titled
Plans :
It takes a measure of bravery—and a bucketload of self-assuredness—to dive headfirst into the big(ger) time with an album full of mid-tempo, mostly gentle songs about death and longing, even if your band is called Death Cab For Cutie
posted by rachsumat
on Sep 2, 2005 -
49 comments
Sir Mix-A-Lot is a very smart cat. An Onion link, I suppose - but their AV Club interviews are missed more often than they should be. In this one, Sir Mix-A-Lot shows that he is a very thoughtful man, who has been handling the lot of a 'one-hit-wonder' very well, thank you.
posted by GriffX
on Jul 17, 2003 -
12 comments
"The world is turning into a cesspool of imbeciles!" "I don't want your input! You wanna input something, write your own goddamn story, moron!"
"There's no amount of money in the world that could get me to do a commercial for McDonald's toadburgers."
Choice quotes from a hilarious, scathing interview with Harlan Ellison. (From the "AV Club," one of the few non-parody/baloney sections of the Onion.)
posted by Tubes
on Aug 29, 2000 -
16 comments
