Rocko’s Modern Life Gets New Special!

I stand completely by what I have been saying for the past few months; 2016 is a year of returns. Having just written about some of the epic ways Nick is celebrating their beloved animated titles has kept the subject on the brain. The humour of it all? A few hours after I write about that this little piece of news lands in my inbox. Okay, to be fair it is far from little.

Get ready 90s fans, because Rocko’s Modern Life is going to become a little more modern. You guessed it, Rocko and company are coming back!

Nickelodeon has officially announced they have greenlit the (limited) return of fan favorite television show, “Rocko’s Modern Life,” for an original one-hour TV special. According to the press release, the special will bring back all the show’s classic characters and offer some surprising new takes on life in O-Town.

The one hour special will see the return of Rocko’s original creator Joe Murray on board as executive producer. Murray commented on the plans,

“I’m very happy to be rejoining Rocko and my friends from O-Town again. What I have found by bringing these characters back is that it’s not so much about nostalgia, but a sense that they still feel relevant and fresh to me, and after twenty years, they can’t wait to comment on modern life in the 21st century. They still have a lot to say.”

“Rocko’s Modern Life” originally aired from 1993-1996. It followed the adventures of an Australian wallaby named Rocko and his two companions, Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, through their adventures in their home of O-Town.

The news to bring Rocko back comes after Nickelodeon announced plans to bring back most of it’s original content for today’s audiences. Coming in 2017 is Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, a new, original TV movie that will feature a storyline picking up from where the original series ended in 2004, resolving unanswered questions and plotlines, including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents. Not to mention their new channel dedicated to classic 90’s programming.  This year, Nickelodeon will premiere its Legends of the Hidden Temple original TV movie, an action-adventure movie based on its ‘90s game show of the same name.

“Following our news about Hey Arnold! and Legends of the Hidden Temple, greenlighting a Rocko’s Modern Life TV special is another strong example of how we are bringing our library content back for both new audiences and the generation that grew up on them in the ‘90s,” said Chris Viscardi, SVP, Content Development, Nickelodeon Franchise Properties. “It’s a testament to the strength and appeal of these characters that so many people have loved Nick animation for these last 25 years, and we are excited to bring them back for new stories and adventures.”

Excited? Yes. I remember many a times watching Rocko’s Modern Life and I did enjoy it greatly. Being a more slice-of-life series as it was there is a lot of potential even all these years after the fact. I just hope if the series is now set in present time they will take some notes from the Darkwing Duck comic book series on how to make a seamless transition.

Additional news of Rocko’s airdate and casting will be announced in the coming months. But, as always, you can count on this authoress to continue with updates as we get them!

Join the conversation: Nick is taking us back in time. So what show do you want to get more love? (My vote is Aaahh!! Real Monsters- but that is just me.)