Clarissa Explains It All Review: An Important Show for Nick

Clarissa Explains It All Review - An Important Show for Nick

On March 1991, Nickelodeon premiered a new show that would be very important for years to come. That show was called Clarissa Explains It All, starring a teenage Melissa Joan Hart as the titular character Clarissa Darling, who explained everything about getting through teenage life. It was the first ever Nick show with a female protagonist, which would pave the way for future shows like The Secret World of Alex Mack, The Amanda Show, Tania, ICarly, True Jackson, Victorious, and Side Hustle. In this review, I will take a look at every single season and give you my thoughts on the episodes in very short words.

To recap the first season of a tv show is always simple. It always differed from what it would become later on. With this show, I don’t really noticed much of a difference in quality or aesthetic other than Sam not hitting puberty yet. The first episode of the show was simply titled Revenge, but it doesn’t focused much on the revenge part of the story other than the beginning and the ending. It’s more or less your typical first episode where everyone is introduced. And as you’re watching the show, you’ll be noticing pop culture references and most of them are usually what topical during the early 90s. Unlike the newer sitcoms, they don’t bother me because they don’t come off as forced and they’re usually just written in the script because the writers are fans of a show, singer, etc. The Looney Tunes getting mentioned in particular is funny when you think about it - Nickelodeon was actually airing this show. The second episode is about preparing for picture day and it can be relatable for any student who don’t want to be embarrassed about their school picture. I always remembered how I looked in picture day and I never had an embarrassing photo except for my early ones since I didn’t know how to smile in front of a camera. Next episode revolves around TV time getting banned because of intimating antics from tv shows. As you expect, you’ll notice mentions of several tv shows that are still relevant at the time it was airing. Of course, The Simpsons is the only show still on the air. It’s the first episode I consider better than the previous two because I am a tv fanatic. And towards the end at the episode, Janet is shown smoking. So much for being a kids show (but this was during a different time). But it’s not amazing just yet. I still need to find the first perfect episode of the show. Urge to Drive is a downgrade from the other episodes so far, as it focuses on a topic that I have no interest. I am honestly scared of driving and prefer to chose a better transportation option. Haunted House is the first episode to focus on a family member coming over the Darling residence. Yeah, I don’t blame Clarissa for why she doesn’t want to see her aunt. She is pretty creepy. This is perhaps the first surreal episode of a otherwise grounded show. Apparently Paramount+ skipped out Clarissa News Network until later in the second season (still labeled as season 1), but I remembered enjoying it a lot than the other episodes of the first season as it focused on Clarissa’s dreams of being a journalist. Well, on to the next episode: The Bully simply involved a plot of a character getting bullied and it’s pretty much what you seen in many tv shows. But it’s different in that Ferguson, the bully brother, is actually the victim. And they handled it better than most shows. The episode ended in a weird way, the bully’s brother has a crush on Clarissa. New Addition focused on the possibility of having a new baby in the house. And the status quo is exactly what you expected. The parents want a new kid but in the end, it turn out to be a misunderstanding. Also, I just learned Ferguson is a conservative. I wonder what would he look like many years later because Republicans have become literal dictators. And speaking of Ferguson, the next episode Brain Drain is all about the possibility of him being a genius. Of course, this doesn’t make Clarissa happy because she feels threatened to be outsmarted by her mean brother. So towards the end of the episode, it become a game show plot and because of Ferguson’s stupidity, they end up losing the game. Clarissa Makes a Cake is all about her baking a cake for her parents anniversary. However, they end up getting into an argument and their relationship is on the line. Honestly, this is my favorite episode of the first season because it’s a simple story, but they managed to give it a little bit of drama with the parents. After spending a day arguing and instead of trying to end the marriage, they try to put their differences aside and have a moment while Clarissa prepares for a cake. The ending is the definition of wholesomeness. Parents Who Say No! is a great episode about trying to convince your parents to say yes. For Clarissa, all of this was over asking for a job. It’s understandable why her parents don’t want her to work. I mean, child labor is such a exploitive thing. In the end, she just ended up being a babysitter, much to her disappointment. Cool Dad is about Clarissa trying to make her dad to not embarrass her at school for career day. I gotta say, it’s amusing seeing her dressed up as a goth just so things won’t get awkward at school. Also, they mentioned a movie that supposed to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reference but with a cheerleaders. Season 1 ended on a weaker note with a sick day episode. We all know how these type episodes go on tv shows. All in all, the first season is good, but it’s not the best the show has to offer so far.

The second season starts off on a very weird note. Clarissa develops a crush on a weather man, rather than someone at her school. I’m a weather freak so I enjoyed this episode despite the weirdness of it. The second half shifts gears to trying to go on a trip to a mountain and meeting the weather man himself, but it turns out it’s not exactly what she had in mind. She Drives Me Crazy is all about Clarissa unusually being nice to her brother so she can win herself a car after participating in an essay contest hosted by someone named Jill. Yes, it’s going to be an occurring theme in the show where she wants to do something to start driving, but always fails in the end. I like how the situation ended with Jill storming off while insulting Clarissa and Ferguson and in a rare moment, they actually sided with each other. Sam Darling is self explanatory. He becomes a guest in the Darling residence and becomes too much of a guest, which starts to alienate Clarissa. It plays out like a houseguest story, except that it had a less predictable execution. Instead of trying to get too along with Clarissa’s parents, Sam actually wants to get out of the Darling house. Next up, we have another Ferguson episode and it’s a political one as well. The idea of President Ferguson freaks Clarissa out. It’s an interesting concept that doesn’t get too preachy. Most political episodes tend to be predictable and often not executed well. But this show managed to handled it better than other sitcoms. The first sequel episode features the second appearance of Aunt Mafalda. Clarissa dreads the idea of seeing her aunt babysit her and Ferguson while Marshall and Janet are out of town. And it’s exactly what you expect - Mafalda starts to meddle with Clarissa’s life, especially the sleepover. And it turns out Clarissa actually has other friends besides Sam. It’s better than Mafalda’s first appearance as it’s less surreal. The Great Debate focused on the parents doing the opposite thing and they get into themselves a debate. It’s one of the lesser episodes of the season, and it’s still decent. Just not much else to discuss about. ME 101 is about Janet trying to bond with Clarissa. However, it turns out she doesn’t know much about her. It’s a pretty amazing episode featuring an interesting dynamic between Clarissa and her mom. The Understudy focused on preparing for a school play. It’s basically a standard school plot. I prefer the subplot with Ferguson wanting glasses a little more. In Can’t Buy Love, Clarissa has a secret admirer and it turns out to be one of Ferguson’s friend, a British boy. Well, I found my least favorite season 2 episode (and of the whole show) and it’s not a memorable one. Secret admirer episodes usually don’t fare well. The Misguidance Counselor focuses on Clarissa’s situation with a counselor who last name has Cheese. It turns out she’s too weird so tries to live a normal life but it turns out her family are abnormal. I find it interesting this was the Not Normal of Nick sitcoms before SpongeBob covered it in 2008. And they handled it just well as that episode. The New Look is about Clarissa having a boy problem, while Marshall takes modeling. Well, it’s another episode that I prefer the subplot more the main plot, I’ll say that. Turns out Paramount+ doesn’t have two of the episodes during this season, but I remembered enjoying Total TV more than Sam in Love. What did I think of season 2? Eh, it’s slightly better but the worst episode of the season is worse than season 1’s worst. We’ll find out if the show truly become great for the third season.

I’m dropping the review format with this season since I don’t want to get repetitive with my thoughts. First thing I noticed with this season is that Ferguson sounds older now (took about a year and a half compared to Sam, who voice was breaking during season 1). And the episodes are even better than before. A few episodes focused on the characters dynamics (Darling Wars, Marshall’s Midlife Crisis, Marshall’s Parents Visit), while the same episodes also put less emphasis on the comedic moments. The weakest episodes are still decent at best, even if their plots aren’t the most interesting.

2010s Billboard Year End Chart Scorecard

2010s Billboard Year End Chart Scorecard

2010

1 “Tik Tok" Kesha (3/10)

2 "Need You Now" Lady Antebellum (5/10)

3 "Hey, Soul Sister" Train (7/10)

4 "California Gurls" Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg (8/10)

5 "OMG" Usher featuring will.i.am (7/10)

6 "Airplanes" B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams (8/10)

7 "Love the Way You Lie" Eminem featuring Rihanna (10/10)

8 "Bad Romance" Lady Gaga (10/10)

9 "Dynamite" Taio Cruz (8/10)

10 "Break Your Heart" Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris (8/10)

11 "Nothin' on You" B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars (10/10)

12 "I Like It" Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull (6/10)

13 "BedRock" Young Money featuring Lloyd (8/10)

14 "In My Head" Jason Derulo (6/10)

15 "Rude Boy" Rihanna (8/10)

16 "Telephone" Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé (9/10)

17 "Teenage Dream" Katy Perry (8/10)

18 "Just the Way You Are" Bruno Mars (9/10)

19 "Cooler Than Me" Mike Posner (5/10)

20 "Imma Be" The Black Eyed Peas (6/10)

21 "Empire State of Mind" Jay-Z and Alicia Keys (10/10)

22 "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" Usher featuring Pitbull (8/10)

23 "Billionaire" Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars (9/10)

24 "Not Afraid" Eminem (9/10)

25 "Replay" Iyaz (10/10)

26 "Sexy Bitch" David Guetta featuring Akon (8/10)

27 "Breakeven" The Script (9/10)

28 "Your Love Is My Drug" Kesha (5/10)

29 "I Gotta Feeling" The Black Eyed Peas (8/10)

30 "Fireflies" Owl City (8/10)

31 "Say Aah" Trey Songz featuring Fabolous (8/10)

32 "Find Your Love" Drake (10/10)

33 "Alejandro" Lady Gaga (7/10)

34 "Ridin' Solo" Jason Derulo (5/10)

35 "Just a Dream" Nelly (9/10)

36 "How Low" Ludacris (8/10)

37 "Like a G6" Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs and Dev (5/10)

38 "Carry Out" Timbaland featuring Justin Timberlake (8/10)

39 "Haven't Met You Yet" Michael Bublé (7/10)

40 "Club Can't Handle Me" Flo Rida featuring David Guetta (7/10)

41 "Down" Jay Sean featuring Lil Wayne (10/10)

42 "Bulletproof" La Roux (8/10)

43 "Whatcha Say" Jason Derulo (4/10)

44 "Baby" Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris (1/10)

45 "Whataya Want from Me" Adam Lambert (6/10)

46 "Mine" Taylor Swift (7/10)

47 "Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna (7/10)

48 "Live Like We're Dying" Kris Allen (7/10)

49 "Hard" Rihanna featuring Jeezy (8/10)

50 "Young Forever" Jay-Z featuring Mr Hudson (9/10)

51 "Blah Blah Blah" Kesha featuring 3OH!3 (3/10)

52 "Bottoms Up" Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj (6/10)

53 "Do You Remember" Jay Sean featuring Sean Paul and Lil Jon (8/10)

54 "All the Right Moves" OneRepublic (8/10)

55 "According to You" Orianthi (7/10)

56 "My Chick Bad" Ludacris featuring Nicki Minaj (8/10)

57 "You Belong with Me" Taylor Swift (4/10)

58 "Meet Me Halfway" The Black Eyed Peas (8/10)

59 "Take It Off" Kesha (6/10)

60 "Over" Drake (10/10)

61 "Animal" Neon Trees (9/10)

62 "Misery" Maroon 5 (6/10)

63 "Magic" B.o.B featuring Rivers Cuomo (8/10)

64 "Paparazzi" Lady Gaga (10/10)

65 "Tie Me Down" New Boyz featuring Ray J (7/10)

66 "Your Love" Nicki Minaj (9/10)

67 "Party in the U.S.A." Miley Cyrus (3/10)

68 "Deuces" Chris Brown featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall (7/10)

69 "3" Britney Spears (8/10)

70 "Impossible" Shontelle (8/10)

71 "Forever" Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Eminem (10/10)

72 "Two Is Better Than One" Boys Like Girls featuring Taylor Swift (5/10)

73 "My First Kiss" 3OH!3 featuring Kesha (3/10)

74 "Already Gone" Kelly Clarkson (9/10)

75 "Rock That Body" The Black Eyed Peas (5/10)

76 "Secrets" OneRepublic (8/10)

77 "Naturally" Selena Gomez & the Scene (8/10)

78 "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" Alicia Keys (8/10)

79 "All I Do Is Win" DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross (7/10)

80 "I Made It (Cash Money Heroes)" Kevin Rudolf featuring Birdman, Jay Sean and Lil Wayne (10/10)

81 "Stuck Like Glue" Sugarland (4/10)

82 "Hey Daddy (Daddy's Home)" Usher featuring Plies (8/10)

83 "There Goes My Baby" Usher (8/10)

84 "Today Was a Fairytale" Taylor Swift (5/10)

85 "Say Something" Timbaland featuring Drake (9/10)

86 "Sweet Dreams" Beyoncé (10/10)

87 "Use Somebody" Kings of Leon (6/10)

88 "Undo It" Carrie Underwood (6/10)

89 "Eenie Meenie" Sean Kingston and Justin Bieber (3/10)

90 "Right Above It" Lil Wayne featuring Drake (9/10)

91 "The House That Built Me" Miranda Lambert (4/10)

92 "If I Die Young" The Band Perry (5/10)

93 "The Only Exception" Paramore (8/10)

94 "American Honey" Lady Antebellum (4/10)

95 "King of Anything" Sara Bareilles (7/10)

96 "Life After You" Daughtry (6/10)

97 "Smile" Uncle Kracker (5/10)

98 "Teach Me How to Dougie" Cali Swag District (5/10)

99 "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" Alicia Keys (7/10)

100 "Lover, Lover" Jerrod Niemann (3/10)

2011

1 "Rolling in the Deep" Adele (10/10)

2 "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock (7/10)

3 "Firework" Katy Perry (8/10)

4 "E.T." Katy Perry featuring Kanye West (9/10)

5 "Give Me Everything" Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer (8/10)

6 "Grenade" Bruno Mars (9/10)

7 "Fuck You" CeeLo Green (7/10)

8 "Super Bass" Nicki Minaj (10/10)

9 "Moves like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera (7/10)

10 "Just Can't Get Enough" The Black Eyed Peas (6/10)

11 "On the Floor" Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull (7/10)

12 "S&M" Rihanna (7/10)

13 "Pumped Up Kicks" Foster the People (9/10)

14 "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" Katy Perry (9/10)

15 "Just the Way You Are" Bruno Mars (9/10)

16 "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)" Enrique Iglesias featuring Ludacris and DJ Frank E (7/10)

17 "Raise Your Glass" Pink (9/10)

18 "Born This Way" Lady Gaga (10/10)

19 "Fuckin' Perfect" Pink (8/10)

20 "What's My Name?" Rihanna featuring Drake (7/10)

21 "Look at Me Now" Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes (9/10)

22 "Down on Me" Jeremih featuring 50 Cent (8/10)

23 "How to Love" Lil Wayne (9/10)

24 "Someone Like You" Adele (10/10)

25 "Good Life" OneRepublic (7/10)

26 "The Lazy Song" Bruno Mars (10/10)

27 "Till the World Ends" Britney Spears (8/10)

28 "The Show Goes On" Lupe Fiasco (10/10)

29 "The Edge of Glory" Lady Gaga (10/10) 

30 "We R Who We R" Kesha (6/10)

31 "Black and Yellow" Wiz Khalifa (10/10)

32 "Tonight Tonight" Hot Chelle Rae (8/10)

33 "Blow" Kesha (8/10)

34 "Lighters" Bad Meets Evil featuring Bruno Mars (10/10)

35 "If I Die Young" The Band Perry (5/10)

36 "Stereo Hearts" Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine (9/10)

37 "The Time (Dirty Bit)" The Black Eyed Peas (4/10)

38 "Coming Home" Diddy – Dirty Money featuring Skylar Grey (8/10)

39 "Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)" Pitbull featuring T-Pain (7/10)

40 "Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna (7/10)

41 "6 Foot 7 Foot" Lil Wayne featuring Cory Gunz (9/10)

42 "Just a Kiss" Lady Antebellum SKIPPED

43 "Dirt Road Anthem" Jason Aldean SKIPPED

44 "Dynamite" Taio Cruz (8/10)

45 "No Hands" Waka Flocka Flame featuring Wale and Roscoe Dash (7/10)

46 "I Wanna Go" Britney Spears (9/10)

47 "I'm on One" DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross and Lil Wayne (10/10)

48 "You Make Me Feel..." Cobra Starship featuring Sabi (8/10)

49 "Yeah 3x" Chris Brown (7/10)

50 "Moment 4 Life" Nicki Minaj featuring Drake (10/10)

51 "I Need a Doctor" Dr. Dre featuring Eminem and Skylar Grey (8/10)

52 "Just a Dream" Nelly (9/10)

53 "Motivation" Kelly Rowland featuring Lil Wayne (8/10)

54 "Stereo Love" Edward Maya featuring Vika Jigulina (6/10)

55 "Jar of Hearts" Christina Perri (9/10)

56 "Roll Up" Wiz Khalifa (9/10)

57 "Sexy and I Know It" LMFAO (7/10)

58 "Rocketeer" Far East Movement featuring Ryan Tedder (5/10)

59 "All of the Lights" Kanye West featuring Rihanna (9/10)

60 "Hold It Against Me" Britney Spears (8/10)

61 "More" Usher (8/10)

62 "What the Hell" Avril Lavigne (8/10)

63 "Written in the Stars" Tinie Tempah featuring Eric Turner (6/10)

64 "Bottoms Up" Trey Songz featuring Nicki Minaj (5/10)

65 "DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love" Usher featuring Pitbull (8/10)

66 "For the First Time" The Script (6/10)

67 "Honey Bee" Blake Shelton SKIPPED

68 "Don't You Wanna Stay" Jason Aldean featuring Kelly Clarkson (??/10)

69 "We Found Love" Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris (8/10)

70 "Pretty Girl Rock" Keri Hilson (8/10)

71 "Yoü and I" Lady Gaga (9/10)

72 "Like a G6" Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs and Dev (6/10)

73 "Without You" David Guetta featuring Usher (8/10)

74 "Back to December" Taylor Swift (8/10)

75 "Teenage Dream" Katy Perry (8/10)

76 "Crazy Girl" Eli Young Band (5/10)

77 "Cheers (Drink to That)" Rihanna (7/10)

78 "Who Says" Selena Gomez & the Scene (8/10)

79 "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" Jake Owen SKIPPED

80 "Knee Deep" Zac Brown Band featuring Jimmy Buffett SKIPPED

81 "Country Girl (Shake It for Me)" Luke Bryan SKIPPED

82 "Remind Me" Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood SKIPPED

83 "In the Dark" Dev (8/10)

84 "Backseat" New Boyz featuring The Cataracs and Dev (5/10)

85 "Headlines" Drake (10/10)

86 "Best Thing I Never Had" Beyoncé (9/10)

87 "Don't Wanna Go Home" Jason Derulo (5/10)

88 "Where Them Girls At" David Guetta featuring Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj (7/10)

89 "She Ain't You" Chris Brown (7/10)

90 "Take a Back Road" Rodney Atkins SKIPPED

91 "Please Don't Go" Mike Posner (5/10)

92 "Sure Thing" Miguel (8/10)

93 "Price Tag" Jessie J featuring B.o.B (Good)

94 "God Gave Me You" Blake Shelton SKIPPED

95 "She Will" Lil Wayne featuring Drake (9/10)

96 "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not" Thompson Square (4/10)

97 "Animal" Neon Trees (9/10)

98 "You and Tequila" Kenny Chesney featuring Grace Potter SKIPPED

99 "Colder Weather" Zac Brown Band SKIPPED

100 "My Last" Big Sean featuring Chris Brown (8/10)

2012

1 "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra (8/10)

2 "Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jepsen (5/10)

3 "We Are Young" Fun featuring Janelle Monáe (7/10)

4 "Payphone" Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa (7/10)

5 "Lights" Ellie Goulding (9/10)

6 "Glad You Came" The Wanted (10/10)

7 "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" Kelly Clarkson (9/10)

8 "We Found Love" Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris (8/10)

9 "Starships" Nicki Minaj (8/10)

10 "What Makes You Beautiful" One Direction (3/10)

11 "Wild Ones" Flo Rida featuring Sia (8/10)

12 "Set Fire to the Rain" Adele (10/10)

13 "Sexy and I Know It" LMFAO (7/10)

14 "Some Nights" Fun (8/10)

15 "Wide Awake" Katy Perry (9/10)

16 "Good Feeling" Flo Rida (8/10)

17 "Whistle" Flo Rida (5/10)

18 "One More Night" Maroon 5 (6/10)

19 "Drive By" Train (6/10)

20 "The Motto" Drake featuring Lil Wayne (8/10)

21 "Where Have You Been" Rihanna (9/10)

22 "Everybody Talks" Neon Trees (8/10)

23 "Take Care" Drake featuring Rihanna (9/10)

24 "Titanium" David Guetta featuring Sia (8/10)

25 "I Won't Give Up" Jason Mraz (8/10)

26 "It Will Rain" Bruno Mars (7/10)

27 "Mercy" Kanye West, Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz (10/10)

28 "Boyfriend" Justin Bieber (1/10)

29 "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock (7/10)

30 "Too Close" Alex Clare (6/10)

31 "Part of Me" Katy Perry (7/10)

32 "Young, Wild & Free" Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars (10/10)

33 "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Taylor Swift (4/10)

34 "As Long as You Love Me" Justin Bieber featuring Big Sean (4/10)

35 "Turn Me On" David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj (9/10)

36 "Moves like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera (7/10)

37 "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" Pink (9/10)

38 "Good Time" Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen (6/10)

39 "Give Your Heart a Break" Demi Lovato (7/10)

40 "Niggas in Paris" Jay-Z and Kanye West (9/10)

41 "The One That Got Away" Katy Perry (10/10)

42 "Feel So Close" Calvin Harris (9/10)

43 "Someone like You" Adele (10/10)

44 "Scream" Usher (9/10)

45 "Rack City" Tyga (7/10)

46 "Domino" Jessie J (8/10)

47 "Gangnam Style" Psy (9/10)

48 "International Love" Pitbull featuring Chris Brown (8/10)

49 "Home" Phillip Phillips (5/10)

50 "Without You" David Guetta featuring Usher (8/10)

51 "Ass Back Home" Gym Class Heroes featuring Neon Hitch (9/10)

52 "Wanted" Hunter Hayes SKIPPED

53 "Drunk on You" Luke Bryan SKIPPED

54 "No Lie" 2 Chainz featuring Drake (9/10)

55 "Want U Back" Cher Lloyd (4/10)

56 "Don't Wake Me Up" Chris Brown (8/10)

57 "Dance (A$$)" Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj (6/10)

58 "Springsteen" Eric Church (4/10)

59 "Brokenhearted" Karmin (6/10)

60 "Not Over You" Gavin DeGraw (4/10)

61 "Stereo Hearts" Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine (9/10)

62 "Back in Time" Pitbull (8/10)

63 "Work Out" J. Cole (9/10)

64 "Rumour Has It" Adele (7/10)

65 "Let's Go" Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo (8/10)

66 "Good Girl" Carrie Underwood (7/10)

67 "Pontoon" Little Big Town (5/10)

68 "Ho Hey" The Lumineers (5/10)

69 "Paradise" Coldplay (8/10)

70 "Blown Away" Carrie Underwood (6/10)

71 "Rolling in the Deep" Adele (10/10)

72 "Climax" Usher (10/10)

73 "Work Hard, Play Hard" Wiz Khalifa (9/10)

74 "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" Ne-Yo (8/10)

75 "Pound the Alarm" Nicki Minaj (8/10)

76 "Come Over" Kenny Chesney SKIPPED

77 "Heart Attack" Trey Songz (9/10)

78 "Drank in My Cup" Kirko Bangz (8/10)

79 "Birthday Cake" Rihanna featuring Chris Brown (5/10)

80 "So Good" B.o.B (10/10)

81 "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" Train (6/10)

82 "Red Solo Cup" Toby Keith (3/10)

83 "Love You like a Love Song" Selena Gomez & the Scene (7/10)

84 "Turn Up the Music" Chris Brown (8/10)

85 "Die Young" Kesha (9/10)

86 "5 O'Clock" T-Pain featuring Wiz Khalifa and Lily Allen (7/10)

87 "A Thousand Years" Christina Perri (10/10)

88 "Take a Little Ride" Jason Aldean SKIPPED

89 "You da One" Rihanna (9/10)

90 "We Run the Night" Havana Brown featuring Pitbull (6/10)

91 "It's Time" Imagine Dragons (6/10)

92 "Cashin' Out" Cash Out (5/10)

93 "I Don't Want This Night to End" Luke Bryan SKIPPED

94 "Diamonds" Rihanna (8/10)

95 "Hard to Love" Lee Brice SKIPPED

96 "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck" Kip Moore SKIPPED

97 "Adorn" Miguel (7/10)

98 "Fly Over States" Jason Aldean SKIPPED

99 "Even If It Breaks Your Heart" Eli Young Band SKIPPED

100 "Burn It Down" Linkin Park (9/10)

2013

1 "Thrift Shop" Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz (10/10)

2 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams (3/10)

3 "Radioactive" Imagine Dragons (9/10)

4 "Harlem Shake" Baauer (1/10)

5 "Can't Hold Us" Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton (10/10)

6 "Mirrors" Justin Timberlake (7/10)

7 "Just Give Me a Reason" Pink featuring Nate Ruess (9/10)

8 "When I Was Your Man" Bruno Mars (9/10)

9 "Cruise" Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly (2/10)

10 "Roar" Katy Perry (9/10)

11 "Locked Out of Heaven" Bruno Mars (10/10)

12 "Ho Hey" The Lumineers (5/10)

13 "Stay" Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko (7/10)

14 "Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams (10/10)

15 "Royals" Lorde (7/10)

16 "I Knew You Were Trouble" Taylor Swift (5/10)

17 "We Can't Stop" Miley Cyrus (4/10)

18 "Wrecking Ball" Miley Cyrus (3/10)

19 "Wake Me Up" Avicii (5/10)

20 "Suit & Tie" Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z (9/10)

21 "Cups (Pitch Perfect's When I'm Gone)" Anna Kendrick (5/10)

22 "Holy Grail" Jay Z featuring Justin Timberlake (8/10)

23 "Scream & Shout" will.i.am featuring Britney Spears (8/10)

24 "Clarity" Zedd featuring Foxes (8/10)

25 "Sail" Awolnation (6/10)

26 "Don't You Worry Child" Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin (6/10)

27 "Diamonds" Rihanna (8/10)

28 "I Love It" Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX (6/10)

29 "Safe and Sound" Capital Cities (8/10)

30 "Treasure" Bruno Mars (9/10)

31 "The Way" Ariana Grande featuring Mac Miller (5/10)

32 "Started from the Bottom" Drake (9/10)

33 "Come & Get It" Selena Gomez (7/10)

34 "Hold On, We're Going Home" Drake featuring Majid Jordan (9/10)

35 "Daylight" Maroon 5 (8/10)

36 "Feel This Moment" Pitbull featuring Christina Aguilera (9/10)

37 "Applause" Lady Gaga (10/10)

38 "One More Night" Maroon 5 (6/10)

39 "Love Me" Lil Wayne featuring Drake and Future (7/10)

40 "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" Fall Out Boy (8/10)

41 "Fuckin' Problems" ASAP Rocky featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar (9/10)

42 "Beauty and a Beat" Justin Bieber featuring Nicki Minaj (5/10)

43 "Same Love" Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert (8/10)

44 "Sweet Nothing" Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch (9/10)

45 "Summertime Sadness" Lana Del Rey and Cédric Gervais (4/10)

46 "Home" Phillip Phillips (5/10)

47 "It's Time" Imagine Dragons (6/10)

48 "Power Trip" J. Cole featuring Miguel (9/10)

49 "Girl on Fire" Alicia Keys (10/10)

50 "Heart Attack" Demi Lovato (8/10)

51 "Love Somebody" Maroon 5 (7/10)

52 "I Will Wait" Mumford & Sons (6/10)

53 "Try" Pink (9/10)

54 "Wagon Wheel" Darius Rucker (5/10)

55 "Gangnam Style" Psy (8/10)

56 "I Need Your Love" Calvin Harris featuring Ellie Goulding (9/10)

57 "Die Young" Kesha (9/10)

58 "Some Nights" Fun (7/10)

59 "Bad" Wale featuring Tiara Thomas (7/10)

60 "Boys 'Round Here" Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies and Friends (3/10)

61 "Gone, Gone, Gone" Phillip Phillips (5/10)

62 "Demons" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

63 "Counting Stars" OneRepublic (7/10)

64 "I Cry" Flo Rida (7/10)

65 "Little Talks" Of Monsters and Men (5/10)

66 "The Other Side" Jason Derulo (5/10)

67 "Berzerk" Eminem (10/10)

68 "Catch My Breath" Kelly Clarkson (8/10)

69 "Crash My Party" Luke Bryan (3/10)

70 "Pour It Up" Rihanna (9/10)

71 "22" Taylor Swift (5/10)

72 "I Want Crazy" Hunter Hayes (3/10)

73 "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)" Ylvis (1/10)

74 "Best Song Ever" One Direction (5/10)

75 "The A Team" Ed Sheeran (7/10)

76 "Carry On" Fun (8/10)

77 "Highway Don't Care" Tim McGraw featuring Taylor Swift and Keith Urban (5/10)

78 "That's My Kind of Night" Luke Bryan (4/10)

79 "Swimming Pools (Drank)" Kendrick Lamar (9/10)

80 "Sure Be Cool If You Did" Blake Shelton (3/10)

81 "#Beautiful" Mariah Carey featuring Miguel (7/10)

82 "Troublemaker" Olly Murs featuring Flo Rida (7/10)

83 "Body Party" Ciara (5/10)

84 "Adorn" Miguel (7/10)

85 "Hall of Fame" The Script featuring will.i.am (7/10)

86 "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" Ne-Yo (8/10)

87 "U.O.E.N.O." Rocko featuring Future and Rick Ross (7/10)

88 "Next to Me" Emeli Sandé (6/10)

89 "Mama's Broken Heart" Miranda Lambert (5/10)

90 "It Goes Like This" Thomas Rhett (4/10)

91 "Bugatti" Ace Hood featuring Future and Rick Ross (8/10)

92 "Wanted" Hunter Hayes (3/10)

93 "Downtown" Lady Antebellum (3/10)

94 "Get Your Shine On" Florida Georgia Line (1/10)

95 "#thatPower" will.i.am featuring Justin Bieber (5/10)

96 "Brave" Sara Bareilles (6/10)

97 "Let Her Go" Passenger  (3/10)

98 "Runnin' Outta Moonlight" Randy Houser (3/10)

99 "I'm Different" 2 Chainz (8/10)

100 "Still Into You" Paramore (9/10)

2014

1  "Happy" Pharrell Williams (10/10)

2 "Dark Horse" Katy Perry featuring Juicy J (9/10)

3 "All of Me" John Legend (6/10)

4 "Fancy" Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX (6/10)

5 "Counting Stars" OneRepublic (7/10)

6 "Talk Dirty" Jason Derulo featuring 2 Chainz (4/10)

7 "Rude" Magic! (6/10)

8 "All About That Bass" Meghan Trainor (6/10)

9 "Problem" Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea (5/10)

10 "Stay with Me" Sam Smith (3/10)

11 "Timber" Pitbull featuring Kesha (6/10)

12 "Pompeii" Bastille (5/10)

13 "Shake It Off" Taylor Swift (4/10)

14 "Am I Wrong" Nico & Vinz (7/10)

15 "Turn Down for What" DJ Snake and Lil Jon (7/10)

16 "The Monster" Eminem featuring Rihanna (9/10)

17 "Say Something" A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera (6/10)

18 "Team" Lorde (8/10)

19 "Let Her Go" Passenger (3/10)

20 "Royals" Lorde (7/10) 

21 "Let It Go" Idina Menzel (6/10)

22 "Wake Me Up" Avicii (5/10)

23 "Demons" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

24 "Story of My Life" One Direction (4/10)

25 "Chandelier" Sia (5/10)

26 "Black Widow" Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora (7/10)

27 "Bang Bang" Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj (6/10)

28 "Latch" Disclosure featuring Sam Smith (6/10)

29 "Maps" Maroon 5 (6/10)

30 "Loyal" Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and French Montana, Too Short, or Tyga (6/10)

31 "Best Day of My Life" American Authors (7/10)

32 "Habits (Stay High)" Tove Lo (5/10)

33 "Summer" Calvin Harris (7/10)

34 "Boom Clap" Charli XCX (6/10)

35 "Drunk in Love" Beyoncé featuring Jay Z (8/10)

36 "Anaconda" Nicki Minaj (1/10)

37 "Break Free" Ariana Grande featuring Zedd (7/10)

38 "Bailando" Enrique Iglesias featuring Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona (5/10)

39 "Burn" Ellie Goulding (8/10)

40 "Wiggle" Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg (2/10)

41 "Rather Be" Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne (7/10)

42 "Don't Tell 'Em" Jeremih featuring YG (5/10)

43 "Show Me" Kid Ink featuring Chris Brown (4/10)

44 "Wrecking Ball" Miley Cyrus (3/10)

45 "Not a Bad Thing" Justin Timberlake (8/10)

46 "Roar" Katy Perry (9/10)

47 "Ain't It Fun" Paramore (8/10)

48 "The Man" Aloe Blacc (9/10)

49 "This Is How We Roll" Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan (3/10)

50 "Classic" MKTO (6/10)

51 "A Sky Full of Stars" Coldplay (6/10)

52 "Don't" Ed Sheeran (7/10)

53 "Na Na" Trey Songz (7/10)

54 "Hot Boy" Bobby Shmurda (8/10)

55 "Hold On, We're Going Home" Drake featuring Majid Jordan (9/10)

56 "Sing" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

57 "Radioactive" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

58 "My Hitta" YG featuring Jeezy and Rich Homie Quan (5/10)

59 "Cool Kids" Echosmith (3/10)

60 "Hey Brother" Avicii (5/10)

61 "Trumpets" Jason Derulo (5/10)

62 "Animals" Maroon 5 (6/10)

63 "Burnin' It Down" Jason Aldean (3/10)

64 "Play It Again" Luke Bryan (3/10)

65 "2 On" Tinashe featuring ScHoolboy Q (8/10)

66 "Dirt" Florida Georgia Line (1/10)

67 "Love Runs Out" OneRepublic (6/10)

68 "Bottoms Up" Brantley Gilbert (3/10)

69 "Shower" Becky G (7/10)

70 "Me and My Broken Heart" Rixton (5/10)

71 "Animals" Martin Garrix (3/10)

72 "Lifestyle" Rich Gang featuring Young Thug and Rich Homie Quan (5/10)

73 "American Kids" Kenny Chesney (3/10)

74 "Brave" Sara Bareilles (6/10)

75 "Sweater Weather" The Neighbourhood (6/10)

76 "Leave the Night On" Sam Hunt (4/10)

77 "New Flame" Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross (6/10)

78 "Love Never Felt So Good" Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake (10/10)

79 "Drunk on a Plane" Dierks Bentley (3/10)

80 "Birthday" Katy Perry (8/10)

81 "Bartender" Lady Antebellum (3/10)

82 "La La La" Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith (3/10)

83 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell (3/10)

84 "Do What U Want" Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly (6/10)

85 "Can't Remember to Forget You" Shakira featuring Rihanna (8/10)

86 "Amnesia" 5 Seconds of Summer (6/10)

87 "No Mediocre" T.I. featuring Iggy Azalea (7/10)

88 "Come with Me Now" KONGOS (5/10)

89 "Believe Me" Lil Wayne featuring Drake (8/10)

90 "23" Mike WiLL Made-It featuring Miley Cyrus, Wiz Khalifa, and Juicy J (1/10)

91 "Beachin'" Jake Owen (4/10)

92 "White Walls" Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring ScHoolboy Q and Hollis (8/10)

93 "She Looks So Perfect" 5 Seconds of Summer (5/10)

94 "Stay the Night" Zedd featuring Hayley Williams (7/10)

95 "Partition" Beyoncé (8/10)

96 "Studio" ScHoolboy Q featuring BJ the Chicago Kid (9/10)

97 "0 to 100 / The Catch Up" Drake (9/10)

98 "I Don't Dance" Lee Brice (4/10)

99 "Somethin' Bad" Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood (5/10)

100 "Adore You" Miley Cyrus (6/10)

2015

1 "Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars (10/10)

2 "Thinking Out Loud" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

3 "See You Again" Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth (3/10)

4 "Trap Queen" Fetty Wap (7/10)

5 "Sugar" Maroon 5 (5/10)

6 "Shut Up and Dance" Walk the Moon (8/10)

7 "Blank Space" Taylor Swift (7/10)

8 "Watch Me" Silentó (1/10)

9 "Earned It" The Weeknd (5/10)

10 "The Hills" The Weeknd (6/10)

11 "Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)" OMI (7/10)

12 "Can't Feel My Face" The Weeknd (9/10)

13 "Love Me Like You Do" Ellie Goulding (8/10)

14 "Take Me to Church" Hozier (7/10)

15 "Bad Blood" Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar (8/10)

16 "Lean On" Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ

17 "Want to Want Me" Jason Derulo (8/10)

18 "Shake It Off" Taylor Swift (5/10)

19 "Where Are Ü Now" Skrillex and Diplo (Jack Ü) featuring Justin Bieber (5/10)

20 "Fight Song" Rachel Platten (5/10)

21 "679" Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz (6/10)

22 "Lips Are Movin" Meghan Trainor (8/10)

23 "Worth It" Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink (6/10)

24 "Post to Be" Omarion featuring Chris Brown and Jhené Aiko (3/10)

25 "Honey, I'm Good." Andy Grammer  SKIPPED

26 "I'm Not the Only One" Sam Smith (6/10)

27 "Good for You" Selena Gomez featuring ASAP Rocky (9/10)

28 "All About That Bass" Meghan Trainor (5/10)

29 "Style" Taylor Swift (9/10)

30 "Hotline Bling" Drake (8/10)

31 "Hey Mama" David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha and Afrojack (7/10)

32 "G.D.F.R." Flo Rida featuring Sage the Gemini and Lookas (7/10)

33 "What Do You Mean?" Justin Bieber (4/10)

34 "Photograph" Ed Sheeran (7/10)

35 "Hello" Adele (10/10)

36 "Stitches" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

37 "Talking Body" Tove Lo (8/10)

38 "Jealous" Nick Jonas (6/10)

39 "Time of Our Lives" Pitbull and Ne-Yo (8/10)

40 "Locked Away" R. City featuring Adam Levine (7/10)

41 "Somebody" Natalie La Rose featuring Jeremih (6/10)

42 "FourFiveSeconds" Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney (5/10)

43 "Centuries" Fall Out Boy (7/10)

44 "My Way" Fetty Wap featuring Monty (7/10)

45 "Take Your Time" Sam Hunt SKIPPED

46 "Animals" Maroon 5 (6/10)

47 "I Don't Fuck with You" Big Sean featuring E-40 (3/10)

48 "Bitch Better Have My Money" Rihanna (4/10)

49 "Flex (Ooh, Ooh, Ooh)" Rich Homie Quan (5/10)

50 "Nasty Freestyle" T-Wayne (6/10)

51 "Only" Nicki Minaj featuring Drake, Lil Wayne and Chris Brown (6/10)

52 "Elastic Heart" Sia (5/10)

53 "Cool for the Summer" Demi Lovato (8/10)

54 "Renegades" X Ambassadors (6/10)

55 "I Don't Mind" Usher featuring Juicy J (8/10)

56 "Love Me Harder" Ariana Grande and The Weeknd (5/10)

57 "Wildest Dreams" Taylor Swift (9/10)

58 "Stay with Me" Sam Smith (3/10)

59 "You Know You Like It" DJ Snake and AlunaGeorge (8/10)

60 "Uma Thurman" Fall Out Boy (7/10)

61 "7/11" Beyoncé (5/10)

62 "The Heart Wants What It Wants" Selena Gomez (9/10)

63 "Girl Crush" Little Big Town (5/10)

64 "Slow Motion" Trey Songz (6/10)

65 "Drag Me Down" One Direction (5/10)

66 "Truffle Butter" Nicki Minaj featuring Drake and Lil Wayne (7/10)

67 "One Last Time" Ariana Grande(5/10)

68 "Chains" Nick Jonas (6/10)

69 "All Eyes on You" Meek Mill featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj (4/10)

70 "No Type" Rae Sremmurd (4/10)

71 "Riptide" Vance Joy (6/10)

72 "Classic Man" Jidenna featuring Roman GianArthur (5/10)

73 "Ex's & Oh's" Elle King (5/10)

74 "Dear Future Husband" Meghan Trainor (8/10)

75 "Marvin Gaye" Charlie Puth featuring Meghan Trainor (6/10)

76 "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend (8/10)

77 "Habits (Stay High)" Tove Lo (7/10)

78 "The Hanging Tree" James Newton Howard featuring Jennifer Lawrence (4/10)

79 "CoCo" O.T. Genasis (5/10)

80 "Bang Bang" Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj (6/10)

81 "Lay Me Down" Sam Smith (4/10)

82 "Tuesday" ILoveMakonnen featuring Drake (2/10)

83 "Hit the Quan" iLoveMemphis (7/10)

84 "Downtown" Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Eric Nally, Melle Mel, Kool Moe Dee and Grandmaster Caz (6/10)

85 "House Party" Sam Hunt SKIPPED

86 "Ayo" Chris Brown and Tyga (6/10)

87 "Kick the Dust Up" Luke Bryan SKIPPED

88 "Blessings" Big Sean featuring Drake and Kanye West (9/10)

89 "Budapest" George Ezra (5/10)

90 "Chandelier" Sia (6/10)

91 "Heartbeat Song" Kelly Clarkson (9/10)

92 "Don't" Ed Sheeran (7/10)

93 "Ghost" Ella Henderson (7/10)

94 "Here" Alessia Cara (7/10)

95 "Waves (Robin Schulz Remix)" Mr Probz (6/10)

96 "El Perdón" Nicky Jam and Enrique Iglesias SKIPPED

97 "She Knows" Ne-Yo featuring Juicy J (9/10)

98 "Night Changes" One Direction (4/10)

99 "Back to Back" Drake (8/10)

100 "How Deep Is Your Love" Calvin Harris and Disciples (8/10)

2016

1 "Love Yourself" Justin Bieber (4/10)

2 "Sorry" Justin Bieber (2/10)

3 "One Dance" Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla (7/10) 

4 "Work" Rihanna featuring Drake (6/10)

5 "Stressed Out" Twenty One Pilots (9/10)

6 "Panda" Desiigner (3/10)

7 "Hello" Adele (10/10)

8 "Don't Let Me Down" The Chainsmokers featuring Daya (7/10)

9 "Can't Stop the Feeling!" Justin Timberlake (10/10)

10 "Closer" The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey (5/10)

11 "Cheap Thrills" Sia featuring Sean Paul (5/10)

12 "7 Years" Lukas Graham (3/10)

13 "Needed Me" Rihanna (6/10)

14 "My House" Flo Rida (6/10)

15 "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" Mike Posner (2/10)

16 "Work from Home" Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign (5/10)

17 "This Is What You Came For" Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna (6/10)

18 "Cake by the Ocean" DNCE (7/10)

19 "Me, Myself & I" G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha (4/10)

20 "Ride" Twenty One Pilots (9/10)

21 "Heathens" Twenty One Pilots (9/10)

22 "Pillowtalk" Zayn (3/10)

23 "Stitches" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

24 "Hotline Bling" Drake (8/10)

25 "Cold Water" Major Lazer featuring Justin Bieber and MØ (5/10)

26 "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)" Adele (9/10)

27 "Roses" The Chainsmokers featuring Rozes (9/10)

28 "Treat You Better" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

29 "Too Good" Drake featuring Rihanna (6/10)

30 "Low Life" Future featuring The Weeknd (5/10)

31 "What Do You Mean?" Justin Bieber (3/10)

32 "The Hills" The Weeknd (6/10)

33 "Just Like Fire" P!nk (9/10)

34 "Broccoli" DRAM featuring Lil Yachty (6/10)

35 "Don't" Bryson Tiller (4/10)

36 "Dangerous Woman" Ariana Grande (7/10)

37 "Jumpman" Drake and Future (3/10)

38 "I Hate U, I Love U" Gnash featuring Olivia O'Brien (6/10)

39 "Here" Alessia Cara (7/10)

40 "Same Old Love" Selena Gomez (8/10)

41 "Controlla" Drake (7/10)

42 "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" Meghan Trainor featuring John Legend (8/10)

43 "One Call Away" Charlie Puth (5/10)

44 "Let It Go" James Bay (6/10)

45 "No" Meghan Trainor (8/10)

46 "Never Forget You" Zara Larsson and MNEK (7/10)

47 "Let Me Love You" DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber (5/10)

48 "Don't Mind" Kent Jones (6/10)

49 "H.O.L.Y." Florida Georgia Line SKIPPED

50 "We Don't Talk Anymore" Charlie Puth featuring Selena Gomez (6/10)

51 "Into You" Ariana Grande (5/10)

52 "Gold" Kiiara (6/10)

53 "Exchange" Bryson Tiller (5/10)

54 "679" Fetty Wap featuring Remy Boyz (6/10)

55 "Oui" Jeremih (6/10)

56 "Hands to Myself" Selena Gomez (7/10)

57 "2 Phones" Kevin Gates (3/10)

58 "Starboy" The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk (9/10)

59 "For Free" DJ Khaled featuring Drake (6/10)

60 "Never Be Like You" Flume featuring Kai (8/10)

61 "In the Night" The Weeknd (8/10)

62 "Me Too" Meghan Trainor (3/10)

63 "Ex's & Oh's" Elle King (5/10)

64 "Die a Happy Man" Thomas Rhett SKIPPED

65 "White Iverson" Post Malone (5/10)

66 "Close" Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo (6/10)

67 "Unsteady" X Ambassadors (7/10)

68 "Sucker for Pain" Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa and Imagine Dragons with Logic and Ty Dolla Sign featuring X Ambassadors (9/10)

69 "Down in the DM" Yo Gotti featuring Nicki Minaj (2/10)

70 "Luv" Tory Lanez (4/10)

71 "Sorry" Beyoncé (8/10)

72 "Can't Feel My Face" The Weeknd (10/10)

73 "Hymn for the Weekend" Coldplay (7/10)

74 "Say It" Tory Lanez (3/10)

75 "Antidote" Travis Scott (1/10)

76 "Lost Boy" Ruth B (4/10)

77 "Side to Side" Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj (5/10)

78 "Sit Still, Look Pretty" Daya (8/10)

79 "Wildest Dreams" Taylor Swift (9/10)

80 "Middle" DJ Snake featuring Bipolar Sunshine (5/10)

81 "On My Mind" Ellie Goulding (9/10)

82 "Pop Style" Drake featuring Jay-Z and Kanye West (9/10)

83 "When We Were Young" Adele (8/10)

84 "Hide Away" Daya (6/10)

85 "Lean On" Major Lazer and DJ Snake featuring MØ (6/10)

86 "I Know What You Did Last Summer" Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (6/10)

87 "All the Way Up" Fat Joe and Remy Ma featuring French Montana and Infared (8/10)

88 "Watch Me" Silentó (1/10)

89 "Back to Sleep" Chris Brown (5/10)

90 "No Limit" Usher featuring Young Thug (6/10)

91 "Cut It" O.T. Genasis featuring Young Dolph (3/10)

92 "Really Really" Kevin Gates (4/10)

93 "All In My Head (Flex)" Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap (6/10)

94 "Starving" Hailee Steinfeld and Grey featuring Zedd (9/10)

95 "Adventure of a Lifetime" Coldplay (6/10)

96 "Humble and Kind" Tim McGraw SKIPPED

97 "Wicked" Future (5/10)

98 "Tiimmy Turner" Desiigner (1/10)

99 "See You Again" Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth (3/10)

100 "Perfect" One Direction (5/10)

2017

1 "Shape of You" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

2 "Despacito" Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber (3/10)

3 "That's What I Like" Bruno Mars (9/10)

4 "Humble" Kendrick Lamar (8/10)

5 "Something Just Like This" The Chainsmokers and Coldplay (6/10)

6 "Bad and Boujee" Migos featuring Lil Uzi Vert (5/10)

7 "Closer" The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey (5/10)

8 "Body Like a Back Road" Sam Hunt (3/10)

9 "Believer" Imagine Dragons (9/10)

10 "Congratulations" Post Malone featuring Quavo (6/10)

11 "Say You Won't Let Go" James Arthur (6/10)

12 "I'm the One" DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne (5/10)

13 "XO Tour Llif3" Lil Uzi Vert (6/10)

14 "Mask Off" Future (6/10)

15 "Unforgettable" French Montana featuring Swae Lee (7/10)

16 "24K Magic" Bruno Mars (10/10)

17 "Stay" Zedd and Alessia Cara (7/10)

18 "Wild Thoughts" DJ Khaled featuring Rihanna and Bryson Tiller (5/10)

19 "Black Beatles" Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane (6/10)

20 "Starboy" The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk (9/10)

21 "Location" Khalid (6/10)

22 "Attention" Charlie Puth (5/10)

23 "There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

24 "Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)" Cardi B (1/10)

25 "Redbone" Childish Gambino (8/10)

26 "I Don't Wanna Live Forever" Zayn and Taylor Swift (4/10)

27 "It Ain't Me" Kygo and Selena Gomez (9/10)

28 "iSpy" Kyle featuring Lil Yachty (6/10)

29 "Issues" Julia Michaels (4/10)

30 "Scars to Your Beautiful" Alessia Cara (7/10)

31 "1-800-273-8255" Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (8/10)

32 "Slow Hands" Niall Horan (7/10)

33 "Love on the Brain" Rihanna (4/10)

34 "I Feel It Coming" The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk (10/10)

35 "Bounce Back" Big Sean (5/10)

36 "Strip That Down" Liam Payne featuring Quavo (6/10)

37 "Fake Love" Drake (6/10)

38 "Don't Wanna Know" Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (7/10)

39 "Look What You Made Me Do" Taylor Swift (1/10)

40 "Castle on the Hill" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

41 "Bad Things" Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello (6/10)

42 "Paris" The Chainsmokers (5/10)

43 "Side to Side" Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj (5/10)

44 "Rockabye" Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul and Anne-Marie (6/10)

45 "Feel It Still" Portugal. The Man (7/10)

46 "Let Me Love You" DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber (6/10) 

47 "Sorry Not Sorry" Demi Lovato (8/10)

48 "Bank Account" 21 Savage  (3/10)

49 "Can't Stop the Feeling!" Justin Timberlake (10/10)

50 "Mi Gente" J Balvin and Willy William featuring Beyoncé SKIPPED

51 "Thunder" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

52 "T-Shirt" Migos (5/10)

53 "Rake It Up" Yo Gotti featuring Nicki Minaj  (3/10)

54 "Mercy" Shawn Mendes (7/10)

55 "Tunnel Vision" Kodak Black (6/10)

56 "Rockstar" Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (6/10)

57 "In Case You Didn't Know" Brett Young SKIPPED

58 "Heathens" Twenty One Pilots (9/10)

59 "Now or Never" Halsey  (3/10)

60 "Caroline" Aminé (4/10)

61 "Rolex" Ayo & Teo (4/10)

62 "DNA" Kendrick Lamar (8/10)

63 "Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)" Zay Hilfigerrr & Zayion McCall (4/10)

64 "Swang" Rae Sremmurd (5/10)

65 "Passionfruit" Drake (5/10)

66 "Loyalty" Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna (7/10)

67 "Praying" Kesha (10/10)

68 "Goosebumps" Travis Scott featuring Kendrick Lamar (5/10)

69 "Cold" Maroon 5 featuring Future (7/10)

70 "Broccoli" DRAM featuring Lil Yachty (6/10)

71 "Slide" Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos (6/10)

72 "What Ifs" Kane Brown featuring Lauren Alaina SKIPPED

73 "Chained to the Rhythm" Katy Perry featuring Skip Marley (10/10)

74 "Feels" Calvin Harris featuring Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean (8/10)

75 "All Time Low" Jon Bellion (7/10)

76 "Hurricane" Luke Combs SKIPPED

77 "Too Good at Goodbyes" Sam Smith  (5/10)

78 "Young Dumb & Broke" Khalid (6/10)

79 "Magnolia" Playboi Carti (4/10)

80 "Love Galore" SZA featuring Travis Scott (5/10)

81 "Drowning" A Boogie wit da Hoodie featuring Kodak Black (5/10)

82 "Starving" Hailee Steinfeld and Grey featuring Zedd (9/10)

83 "Both" Gucci Mane featuring Drake (6/10)

84 "What About Us" Pink (9/10)

85 "Swalla" Jason Derulo featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign (3/10)

86 "Slippery" Migos featuring Gucci Mane (4/10)

87 "Sign of the Times" Harry Styles (5/10)

88 "Water Under the Bridge" Adele (8/10)

89 "Malibu" Miley Cyrus (5/10)

90 "Down" Marian Hill SKIPPED

91 "No Promises" Cheat Codes featuring Demi Lovato (6/10)

92 "Treat You Better" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

93 "I Get the Bag" Gucci Mane featuring Migos (5/10)

94 "Small Town Boy" Dustin Lynch SKIPPED

95 "Everyday We Lit" YFN Lucci featuring PnB Rock (3/10)

96 "Havana" Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (7/10)

97 "What Lovers Do" Maroon 5 featuring SZA (8/10)

98 "Do Re Mi" Blackbear (6/10)

99 "Look at Me!" XXXTentacion (2/10)

100 "The Fighter" Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood SKIPPED

2018

1 "God's Plan" Drake (5/10)

2 "Perfect" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

3 "Meant to Be" Bebe Rexha featuring Florida Georgia Line (5/10)

4 "Havana" Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug (7/10)

5 "Rockstar" Post Malone featuring 21 Savage (6/10)

6 "Psycho" Post Malone featuring Ty Dolla Sign (6/10)

7 "I Like It" Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin  (3/10)

8 "The Middle" Zedd, Maren Morris and Grey (8/10)

9 "In My Feelings" Drake (4/10)

10 "Girls Like You" Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (3/10)

11 "Nice for What" Drake (5/10)

12 "Lucid Dreams" Juice Wrld (7/10)

13 "Better Now" Post Malone (6/10)

14 "Finesse" Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B (7/10)

15 "Boo'd Up" Ella Mai (8/10)

16 "New Rules" Dua Lipa (10/10)

17 "Sad!" XXXTentacion (5/10)

18 "Never Be the Same" Camila Cabello (5/10)

19 "Love Lies" Khalid and Normani (8/10)

20 "No Tears Left to Cry" Ariana Grande (5/10)

21 "Mine" Bazzi (6/10)

22 "Thunder" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

23 "Look Alive" BlocBoy JB featuring Drake (5/10)

24 "Delicate" Taylor Swift (5/10)

25 "Yes Indeed" Lil Baby and Drake (4/10)

26 "Friends" Marshmello and Anne-Marie (8/10)

27 "Bad at Love" Halsey (6/10)

28 "Taste" Tyga featuring Offset (7/10)

29 "Let You Down" NF (6/10)

30 "No Limit" G-Eazy featuring ASAP Rocky and Cardi B (5/10)

31 "Fefe" 6ix9ine featuring Nicki Minaj and Murda Beatz (1/10)

32 "Tequila" Dan + Shay (5/10)

33 "Feel It Still" Portugal. The Man (7/10)

34 "MotorSport" Migos, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B (5/10)

35 "I Like Me Better" Lauv (6/10)

36 "Youngblood" 5 Seconds of Summer (6/10)

37 "Whatever It Takes" Imagine Dragons (7/10)

38 "Ric Flair Drip" Offset and Metro Boomin (5/10)

39 "I Fall Apart" Post Malone (5/10)

40 "Pray for Me" The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar (9/10)

41 "Back to You" Selena Gomez (9/10)

42 "Sicko Mode" Travis Scott (1/10)

43 "Walk It Talk It" Migos featuring Drake (4/10)

44 "Gucci Gang" Lil Pump (3/10)

45 "Him & I" G-Eazy and Halsey (5/10)

46 "In My Blood" Shawn Mendes (6/10)

47 "All the Stars" Kendrick Lamar and SZA (8/10)

48 "Stir Fry" Migos (4/10)

49 "Too Good at Goodbyes" Sam Smith (5/10)

50 "Love" Kendrick Lamar featuring Zacari (8/10)

51 "This Is America" Childish Gambino (9/10)

52 "Nonstop" Drake (8/10)

53 "Heaven" Kane Brown SKIPPED

54 "Bodak Yellow" Cardi B (1/10)

55 "Freaky Friday" Lil Dicky featuring Chris Brown (3/10)

56 "Gummo" 6ix9ine (2/10)

57 "Plug Walk" Rich the Kid (4/10)

58 "Wait" Maroon 5 (6/10)

59 "Be Careful" Cardi B (4/10)

60 "Wolves" Selena Gomez and Marshmello (10/10)

61 "Bartier Cardi" Cardi B featuring 21 Savage (2/10)

62 "God Is a Woman" Ariana Grande (8/10)

63 "Big Bank" YG featuring 2 Chainz, Nicki Minaj and Big Sean (6/10)

64 "Sorry Not Sorry" Demi Lovato (8/10)

65 "How Long" Charlie Puth (5/10)

66 "Lights Down Low" Max featuring Gnash (8/10)

67 "Young Dumb & Broke" Khalid (6/10)

68 "One Kiss" Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa (9/10)

69 "Natural" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

70 "You Make It Easy" Jason Aldean SKIPPED

71 "Shape of You" Ed Sheeran (6/10)

72 "I Get the Bag" Gucci Mane featuring Migos (5/10)

73 "No Brainer" DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Chance the Rapper and Quavo (3/10)

74 "Plain Jane" ASAP Ferg featuring Nicki Minaj (4/10)

75 "Sky Walker" Miguel featuring Travis Scott (5/10)

76 "Marry Me" Thomas Rhett SKIPPED

77 "Eastside" Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid  (5/10)

78 "Call Out My Name" The Weeknd (8/10)

79 "King's Dead" Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future and James Blake (6/10)

80 "Happier" Marshmello and Bastille (6/10)

81 "Te Boté" Nio García, Darell and Casper Mágico featuring Bad Bunny, Nicky Jam and Ozuna SKIPPED

82 "Simple" Florida Georgia Line SKIPPED

83 "Lemon" N.E.R.D and Rihanna (5/10)

84 "1-800-273-8255" Logic featuring Alessia Cara and Khalid (8/10)

85 "Say Something" Justin Timberlake featuring Chris Stapleton (5/10)

86 "I'm Upset" Drake (6/10)

87 "Get Along" Kenny Chesney SKIPPED

88 "Moonlight" XXXTentacion (4/10)

89 "What Lovers Do" Maroon 5 featuring SZA (5/10)

90 "X" Nicky Jam and J Balvin SKIPPED

91 "Outside Today" YoungBoy Never Broke Again (4/10)

92 "Trip" Ella Mai (7/10)

93 "Dura" Daddy Yankee SKIPPED

94 "Changes" XXXTentacion (7/10)

95 "Mercy" Brett Young SKIPPED

96 "One Number Away" Luke Combs SKIPPED

97 "Powerglide" Rae Sremmurd featuring Juicy J (4/10)

98 "IDGAF" Dua Lipa (9/10)

99 "Mi Gente" J Balvin and Willy William featuring Beyoncé SKIPPED

100 "Believer" Imagine Dragons (8/10)

2019
1 "Old Town Road" Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (6/10)
2 "Sunflower" Post Malone and Swae Lee (8/10)
3 "Without Me" Halsey (4/10)
4 "Bad Guy" Billie Eilish (1/10)
5 "Wow" Post Malone (5/10)
6 "Happier" Marshmello and Bastille (6/10)
7 "7 Rings" Ariana Grande (3/10)
8 "Talk" Khalid (8/10)
9 "Sicko Mode" Travis Scott (1/10)
10 "Sucker" Jonas Brothers (7/10)
11 "High Hopes" Panic! at the Disco (7/10)
12 "Thank U, Next" Ariana Grande (4/10)
13 "Truth Hurts" Lizzo (9/10)
14 "Dancing with a Stranger" Sam Smith and Normani (7/10)
15 "Señorita" Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello (5/10)
16 "I Don't Care" Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber (5/10)
17 "Eastside" Benny Blanco, Halsey and Khalid (5/10)
18 "Going Bad" Meek Mill featuring Drake (5/10)
19 "Shallow" Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper (9/10)
20 "Better" Khalid (6/10)
21 "No Guidance" Chris Brown featuring Drake (4/10)
22 "Girls Like You" Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B (3/10)
23 "Sweet but Psycho" Ava Max (8/10)
24 "Suge" DaBaby (4/10)
25 "Middle Child" J. Cole (7/10)
26 "Drip Too Hard" Lil Baby and Gunna (4/10)
27 "Someone You Loved" Lewis Capaldi (7/10)
28 "Ransom" Lil Tecca (3/10)
29 "If I Can't Have You" Shawn Mendes (6/10)
30 "Goodbyes" Post Malone featuring Young Thug (4/10)
31 "Zeze" Kodak Black featuring Travis Scottand Offset (3/10)
32 "Better Now" Post Malone (6/10)
33 "Youngblood" 5 Seconds of Summer (6/10)
34 "Money in the Grave" Drake featuring Rick Ross (6/10)
35 "Speechless" Dan + Shay (4/10)
36 "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" Ariana Grande (3/10)
37 "Please Me" Cardi B and Bruno Mars (4/10)
38 "Money" Cardi B (3/10)
39 "You Need to Calm Down" Taylor Swift (4/10)
40 "Panini" Lil Nas X (8/10)
41 "Look Back at It" A Boogie wit da Hoodie (5/10)
42 "A Lot" 21 Savage (6/10)
43 "Me!" Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie (4/10)
44 "Mia" Bad Bunny featuring Drake (4/10)
45 "Pop Out" Polo G featuring Lil Tjay (5/10)
46 "Beautiful Crazy" Luke Combs SKIPPED
47 "Thotiana" Blueface (5/10)
48 "Lucid Dreams" Juice Wrld (7/10)
49 "Mo Bamba" Sheck Wes (3/10)
50 "Beautiful People" Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid (6/10)
51 "Wake Up in the Sky" Gucci Mane, Bruno Mars and Kodak Black (5/10)
52 "Whiskey Glasses" Morgan Wallen SKIPPED
53 "God's Country" Blake Shelton SKIPPED
54 "Be Alright" Dean Lewis (6/10)
55 "Pure Water" Mustard and Migos (4/10)
56 "The Git Up" Blanco Brown (3/10)
57 "Taki Taki" DJ Snake featuring Selena Gomez, Ozuna and Cardi B (4/10)
58 "Close to Me" Ellie Goulding and Diplo featuring Swae Lee (8/10)
59 "Envy Me" Calboy (4/10)
60 "You Say" Lauren Daigle (6/10)
61 "Hey Look Ma, I Made It" Panic! at the Disco (7/10)
62 "Circles" Post Malone (6/10)
63 "Beer Never Broke My Heart" Luke Combs SKIPPED
64 "The London" Young Thug, J. Cole and Travis Scott (4/10)
65 "Con Calma" Daddy Yankee and Katy Perryfeaturing Snow (??/10)
66 "Murder on My Mind" YNW Melly (2/10)
67 "When the Party's Over" Billie Eilish (3/10)
68 "Act Up" City Girls (2/10)
69 "I Like It" Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin (3/10)
70 "Trampoline" Shaed (8/10)
71 "Leave Me Alone" Flipp Dinero (4/10)
72 "Breathin" Ariana Grande (6/10)
73 "Bury a Friend" Billie Eilish (4/10)
74 "Close Friends" Lil Baby (4/10)
75 "Baby Shark" Pinkfong (1/10)
76 "My Type" Saweetie (3/10)
77 "Worth It" YK Osiris (4/10)
78 "Only Human" Jonas Brothers (7/10)
79 "Knockin' Boots" Luke Bryan SKIPPED
80 "Trip" Ella Mai (7/10)
81 "Rumor" Lee Brice SKIPPED
82 "Swervin" A Boogie wit da Hoodie featuring 6ix9ine (4/10)
83 "How Do You Sleep?" Sam Smith (5/10)
84 "Baby" Lil Baby and DaBaby (3/10)
85 "Look What God Gave Her" Thomas Rhett SKIPPED
86 "Good as You" Kane Brown SKIPPED
87 "Clout" Offset featuring Cardi B (5/10)
88 "Love Lies" Khalid and Normani (8/10)
89 "One Thing Right" Marshmello and Kane Brown SKIPPED
90 "Cash Shit" Megan Thee Stallion featuring DaBaby (4/10)
91 "Tequila" Dan + Shay (5/10)
92 "Shotta Flow" NLE Choppa (5/10)
93 "Hot Girl Summer" Megan Thee Stallion featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla Sign (3/10)
94 "Talk You Out of It" Florida Georgia Line SKIPPED
95 "Beautiful" Bazzi featuring Camila Cabello (6/10)
96 "Eyes on You" Chase Rice SKIPPED
97 "All to Myself" Dan + Shay (4/10)
98 "Boyfriend" Ariana Grande and Social House (4/10)
99 "Walk Me Home" Pink (8/10)
100 "Robbery" Juice Wrld (5/10)

The Original 3 Nicktoons: How It Began

The Original 3 Nicktoons: How It Began

August 11, 1991 is remembered as one of the most important days in television animation. Three animated shows premiered on Nickelodeon (not just cartoons, they’re Nicktoons) during a Sunday morning. They would soon define Nickelodeon forever. So I am going to take a look at these three shows. Keep in mind, I’m only covering the original series although I plan to cover their continuations (Disney’s Doug, the 2021 reboot, and Adult Party Cartoon) in another journal.

Doug

The first ever Nicktoon is a slice of life cartoon revolving around a boy simply named Doug (last name being Funnie). Every episode is told through a story narrated by Doug as he writes his experience through a journal. All the episode title starts with his name. Doug is one of the most divisive classic Nicktoons. You either love it or hate it. Or you think it’s a boring show. Most people think it’s that dull of a show because it’s too realistic and doesn’t provide anything interesting. I personally think that while it’s definitely not the most interesting cartoon in the world, it’s something I would rewatch when there’s nothing else to do. I will admit, the first season was pretty slow as the writers were trying to get the hang out of it. Most episodes throughout the season were pretty much your typical sitcom plots like attending a school dance, babysitting a dog, going to a rock concert, and taking a cooking class. You can see why the show got the reputation from cartoon fans, it feels too much like a live-action show if it was animated. Seasons 2-4 really improved the storytelling so I was able to keep myself watching each season instead of doing the old fashioned rule of dropping a show. The plots of these episodes got better, such as getting tickets to see a band, a career week participation, and graduating from elementary school. But I’m actually getting ahead of myself of what I’m going to rank my favorite episodes of the show, so let’s focus on what I liked about the show and why I go easy on it than other cartoon fans. It’s a slice of life show, so you might get a few episodes that you can relate to Doug. Most of my favorite installments will involve a situation that I can relate to. Even then, when it’s not being a relatable show, it can feel experimental when it needed to. The characters (outside of Doug himself who is the definition of a vanilla protagonist) are all distinctive that I’m able to tell them apart from each other. I can’t think of a favorite character honestly because none of them don’t reach my top 10 favorite Nickelodeon characters of all time. But I will say Porkchop is the best character of the entire series. I’m not a dog lover myself, but there’s something special about him. The voice acting is fine for the most part. Billy West started his voice acting career here but I can guarantee you he will be more passionate at the role later on in the series run. It’s very interesting that only he voiced Doug but also Roger Klotz which means a lot of talking back and forth between the two. It’s a shame he got replaced during the Disney series. But I gotta say the best aspect of this show comes from both acting and composing. That guy’s name is Fred Newman. He’s a man of multiple talents. Not only does he voiced a bunch of characters on the show, but he also does both the sound and the music. All by his mouth. Okay, not all of its score is done in a cappella style, but it’s the reason why the show can be charming to watch. Roger, Judy, Quailman, and the geeks especially have a distinctive theme that you notice every time they show up on screen. That’s all the praise I have to give to this show. Now here’s where the problems lie ahead. The animation quality can be rather inconsistent and the earliest episodes look very primitive even for 1991 standards. Some of the stories told throughout the series can be pretty derivative and other shows can handle certain plots much better. This is especially a season 1 problem. A few characters aren’t as interesting, but it seems like Doug and his family are the definition of blandness except for Judy and Porkchop. Doug doesn’t hurt the show much despite being named after him because other characters carry the show hard and West’s performance makes up for it. But if I have to consider the worst character of the entire show, it definitely has to be Mr. Bone. He’s the vice principal of the elementary school, but for whatever reason, the writers sure portrayed him like he’s the leader of this school and we never even seen the actual principal. His voice is like a grating Don Knotts impersonation. And when the show doesn’t catch my attention with the aforementioned pros I listed, it can indeed be a slog to watch, and I understand that it’s not everyone cup of tea. But I’m a lot nice to the show (especially regarding the Nickelodeon run) since not only it’s the first Nicktoon, but also because it’s a comfortable show to watch when nothing good’s on tv. It’s wonder Nick kept this show in reruns for almost a decade before it was limited to Nicktoons throughout early in its life and eventually NickRewind on TeenNick. I will only recommend watching the show just to see how it holds up as Nick’s first in house animated productions. Not a great start, but I promise you there will be better shows of its kind pretty soon. I can tell you this: it’s leagues better than the Disney version but we’ll get to that when I review it another time.

My top 5 favorite episodes:

1. Doug Graduates
2. Doug’s Halloween Adventure
3. Doug’s Hot Ticket
4. Doug’s Career Anxiety
5. Doug’s Lost Weekend

My bottom 5 favorite episodes:

1. Doug’s New Teacher
2. Doug Gets Busted
3. Doug Didn’t Do It
4. Doug’s Big Nose
5. Doug’s a Big Fat Liar

Rugrats

The first Nicktoon to become a mega hit, it focuses on the lives of toddlers as they roam around and go on adventures while their parents aren’t looking. Originally intended for 65 episodes, this show was so popular in reruns, it ended up getting 6 more seasons as well as three movies, a couple of spinoffs, various video games, and a reboot. This was the original cash cow Nicktoon and if you were a Nick fan during the late 90s and early 2000s, you couldn’t escape from those dumb babies. So how did a show about babies attracted an audience? Well, if you read this review, you’ll find out why it became a big show in the first place. Since it’s a long running show, the review will be divided by different eras.

Seasons 1-3

The golden age of the franchise. All very good seasons in their own right. Though, like with all long runners, Rugrats was completely different early on in its run. The pilot had Tommy wearing a different shirt and a different woman voicing him. Both the pilot and season 1 had really dark color palette (most old cartoons do, but Rugrats and Simpsons season 1, both produced by Klasky Csupo take it to a level of darkness). It was also animated by a different Korean studio (Wang as opposed to Anivision and its subsidiary) and it surely move so differently than the rest of Klasky Csupo’s works. While the premise is still about roaming babies when the parents aren’t looking, you’ll notice that season 1 primarily focused on Tommy himself (occasionally the other babies are absent). The characters personality hasn’t been officially established yet so watching a season 1 can be jarring after watching a later episode. The best episode of the season was At the Movies while the worst episode was Fluffy vs Spike. At the Movies had an interesting story of the babies wandering during a cinematic experience. Little Dude would be a close second, and while it’s a solo Tommy episode, it’s one of the better Tommy episodes as he tried fitting in with a cool person. Reptar’s Revenge introduced the iconic dinosaur mascot, who pretty much represents the series as a whole. The first season ended on a high note with a Stu episode. As for my least favorite, I listed Fluffy vs Spike as the worst because it’s one of those dumb episodes where the good pet does something wrong and gets blamed for it. It doesn’t sit right with me and it’s the worst episode of the early seasons. Barbecue Story suffered from major early installment weirdness and it’s just a dull story. Beauty Contest won’t fly well in today’s society with the way they made Tommy dress up for a pageant. Ruthless Tommy and Weaning Tommy both suffer from the same problem: mundane plots solely focusing on Tommy with not very good execution. Yeah, it’s clear Tommy as a character by alone doesn’t work. So I’m glad they decided to flesh out the characters more the next few seasons and drop the Tommy’s on his own episodes. Season 2 is when the show got a bit better. It introduced characters such as the Carmichaels (which include Susie, the first supporting black character in a Nicktoon), Charlotte, and Dr. Lipschitz. Let’s get through the negatives first. My least favorites are The Dog Broomer, The Big Flush, Runaway Angelica, and Driving Miss Angelica, as they’re all either not interesting or don’t feature the best portrayal of Angelica. Picking a favorite episode of season is tough, but I’m going to pick the Christmas special. It succeeded at telling a Christmas story without being too mean or preachy. Reptar on Ice is a close second as I loved the idea of everyone seeing an ice show featuring the series mascot. It’s followed by Sand Ho as my third favorite as I tend to love pirate themed episodes. Ice Cream Mountain will surely make your crave for ice cream after watching it. What the Big People Do was basically All Grown Up before All Grown Up (except that it’s a what if scenario as literal adults not teens). This was a good season, but it was able to get even better and experimental by the following season. Season 3 was, without a doubt, Rugrats at their peak, at least as a tv show. But it was still just a little show although it was the only one that was able to surpass 52 half hours. For whatever reason, the colors got even brighter and put a bigger emphasis on purple. It’s a bit of an eye stain, but it doesn’t hurt opinions on the third season that much. And once again, let’s get through the worst episodes first. Tricycle Thief is your typical plot where a character gets accused for a crime they never did. The Unfair Pair is kinda of lame, and doesn’t offer anything special. Pickles vs Pickles had an interesting idea, but it’s held back by a poor execution. Now do you want to guess what is favorite episode of the entire series, which is during this season? Wait a minute, I just remember, that’s not produced during this era. Oh well, but it was clear that I was going to pick the Jewish themed episode Passover. There were some hints before this episode came out (like the grandparents being Jewish stereotypes), but the Pickles family’s religion is Judaism. When you have Jewish creatives involved, of course an episode like this was going to succeed at educating viewers (Jewish and non-Jewish) about the importance of Judaism. I Remember Melville is my second favorite and it’s crazy how they managed to expect us to feel bad for an insect. Chuckie’s Wonderful Life is a perfect parody of It’s a Wonderful Life and arguably the best of its kind as they tend to be hit or miss. Kid TV and Home Movies are one of the most creative stories the show has done as they revolve around television and filmmaking, which are always a joy to watch. If I have to say the show’s biggest strength during this period were definitely the chemistry between the characters and especially the music score, although the comedy almost reach it. The character interaction between the babies didn’t hit its potential until the second season, but they always felt like a group that would go along even if Chuckie’s too scared. Angelica’s conflicts with the babies worked and I know she can be a divided character but I’m basically neutral on her, but I can see why she became a fan favorite from the viewers and writers. My favorite of them all has to be a mix between Tommy and Chuckie. They’re both total opposites of each other and I really like the friendship between the two. I like Tommy for his bravery and I like Chuckie for his sensitivity. The Deville twins have their moments, but their shtick of grossout humor and petty arguments can get old after a while. The adults carried this show as they provided most of the comedy and especially moments that make this show aimed at everyone rather than strictly for literal toddlers. My favorite adult has got to be Grandpa Lou. Whether he was voiced by David Doyle or Joe Alaskey, he always stole the show with his one liners. And I really like Stu for being laid back (Jack Riley does a great performance as him. May he RIP), although he and Didi are horrible parents for never noticing their own son. The music score was at its peak during this time as they got future CatDog composer Denis Hanigan to do serious music alongside Devo musician Mark Mothersbaugh. Mark’s work for the show is iconic even if it’s just different from his usual rock fare, but there’s something special Hanigan’s score. If you’re binge watching the entire series, I definitely recommend watching from the beginning to see how it evolve. 65 episodes was sure enough to make a series about wandering toddlers. But soon, this show would be important for Nickelodeon…

Seasons 4-5, the first movie

In 1996, after a couple years break of new content, Nick has decided to renew the show for another season. Reruns were proven to be popular and that is the rise of Rugrats. Not to the point of overexposure, but we’re almost getting there. The show is pretty much the same as it was as the earlier seasons, although it had a different crew since most of them migrated to Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Klasky Csupo’s other show. While it’s a slight drop in quality, I treat this show the same way I treat with SpongeBob seasons 4-5, Fairly OddParents seasons 6-8 and The Simpsons seasons 9-10: it’s different from what came before, but it’s harmless and the bad qualities have not taken over the show yet. The art style here is more polished and it’s less brighter than the third season, which is the one improvement they made during the post-revival era. However, if there’s one thing that did made the show a tad worse was dumbing down the babies’ dialogue. It was noticeably less big wordy if I can describe that. Now that is still some adult humor, and the cursing episode does fall during this era after all. The comedic moments are still present but they aren’t as common as they were in the first three seasons. The characters are still portrayed the same as they were in seasons 2-3. I still recommend this era, if you can tell, as I barely notice much of a difference. It does actually had my favorite episode of the show, Mothers Day, where we hear about the whereabouts of Chuckie’s mother. And Chuaunkah is up there as well and it’s the start of season 4. They even went all out with the animation budget for that episode and it shows. Let It Snow will put you in a joyful mood as it revolves the idea of experiencing snow, so it’s a must watch during a snow day. America’s Wackiest Home Movies continues the creativity with home movies that the writers explored in the previous season. And the Thanksgiving special was just great to watch. Season 5 is noticeably a step down but still watchable. Word of the Day is just entertaining on the sole fact that it’s an episode revolving on swearing. This was Sailor Mouth before Sailor Mouth. Sleep Trouble is very relatable for the insomniacs. And the season ends on a perfect note focusing on family tree. This would the be last of the show before it would become a global phenomenon. So towards the end of the 90s, they would announce that the dumb babies are heading to the big screen. And it was a rather important movie as it was the first non-Disney animated movie to gross more than $100 million at the box office. It was clear these babies were here to stay a little and Nick found a way to milk them for all they’re worth. The movie introduced the character Dil Pickles (clever pun they made) who is Tommy’s brother. And of course the audience reaction is what you expect when you add a new character. Dil simply exists for the cute factor. As for the movie itself, I like it, but it’s not the best Rugrats movie and you’ll find out in the next paragraph. It had quite the budget here. The lightings are noticeably darker and the animation is more fluid to give it a theatrical feel. The middle act of the movie kind of dragged when the babies are at the forest and we have to endure a third act breakup scene because of course those scenes need to exist in movies, even if you have toddlers as your lead. Probably why I never gave this movie a perfect score. So yeah, it’s not the highlight of this era and that would go to Mothers Day. And it’s not even the best Rugrats material yet. You’ll find out soon although the show itself would noticeably starts to take a nosedive.

Seasons 6-9, Paris/Go Wild

The last 4 seasons of Rugrats is going to be rather short to describe as I won’t explained why this episode was the best of a season because at this point, the show has started to shift demographics and not in a good way. The original seasons target audience has grew up so they’re mostly watching shows that better suited to a tween audience. Season 6 is harmless, but you can tell they try their hardest to shove Dil down the viewers’ throats as much as possible even though he can’t talk unlike the other babies. So of course, they were trying to give an audience to Nick Jr’s demographics which is why they aired the show on the block for a while. I don’t have much to say about this season except that it contained the worst episode of the entire show, which will surprise you because while I’m neutral on Angelica, even a spoiled brat like her don’t deserved to be treated this (I’m talking about the Silent Angelica episode). The best episode of the season is predictably the tv movie Runaway Reptar, cause Reptar makes a special cooler. With that said, it is the last good season of the original series. But first, let’s talk about Rugrats in Paris, their next theatrical adventure. What can I say? It’s easiest the best thing to come out of Rugrats, period. And this was during a period when they were at their most overexposed and the main series wasn’t as good as the earlier seasons. Maybe I’m biased since I used to own the movie on VHS, but I just enjoyed watching it. Everything about it was perfect, from Chuckie’s arc, the animation, the atmosphere the villain. While the first movie was good and all, Paris just had a better story. Sadly, the show itself will continue to go on a downhill spree. It says a lot about season 7 that the best episode is a a freaking Cinderella parody. And it’s so different from the rest of the series that most of the episodes had three segments: two 5 minutes shorts and one short just end after two minutes. As you can tell, this didn’t worked because the middle segment would always be a 2 minute short and they never had enough time to tell a story. The other two segments tend to be better because the pacing isn’t lighting speed fast. A Rugrats Kwanzaa was wasted on being during this season tbh. For being the first full season in digital animation, it’s not a good sign when it’s just a bunch of dull stories. Easily the worst season of the show. Now seasons 8 & 9, while an improvement as they went back to the two segment format, both feel the same so I will be describing them as if they were equal. And both seasons are just as interesting as watching paint dry. It was clear that Nick was trying to keep this show as alive as possible even though they already found a new hit in SpongeBob. Season 6 already started to feel so much like a Nick Jr show but these later season take it to the extreme that everything that made the show great in the first place are almost gone. It’s more about the babies than adults so it’s wonder why it feels so blatantly like a literal toddler show. Kimi and Kira were decent additions to the show as they are more interesting than Dil. But they don’t really save the show much from being a dying ship. Another new character they add was a babysitter named Taffy who literally look like Reggie Rocket. You all know I love Amanda Bynes with a passion, but even I consider her work on Rugrats one of her weakest. Her character is nothing to write home about. By the time the final episode aired, Nick was already focusing more on All Grown Up, a continuation that came to be after the massive success of a season 8 special. Before we end the review, I just want to say Rugrats Go Wild didn’t really need to exist. It was just Klasky Csupo saying “we should do a crossover between two of our biggest show.” The Wild Thornberrys Movie was better and Rugrats in Paris is league better. I don’t feel much of a reaction watching it. So in the end, this show was ran into the ground so much that it just ended with a whimper. Sorry if this review ends up being longer than I expected.

Top 10 Episodes:

1. Mothers Day
2. Passover
3. Sand Ho
4. The Santa Experience
5. Runaway Reptar
6. I Remember Melville
7. Chuckie’s Wonderful Life
8. Sand Ho
9. Home Movies
10. Kid TV

Bottom 10 Episodes:

1. Silent Angelica
2. Angelica’s Assistant
3. The Times of Their Lives
4. Fluffy vs Spike
5. The World According to Dil & Spike
6. Ruthless Tommy
7. Who’s Taffy?
8. Happy Taffy
9. Lil’s Phil of Trash
10. Dil Saver

The Ren & Stimpy Show

The show features a crazy chihuahua and a dumb cat who get into wacky situations. That’s basically what the show is all about. It’s a pure comedy with no other genres explored, with the occasional sci-fi elements. Although he’s very controversial for different reasons, John K was best known for being the first person to make a creator driven cartoon. Most cartoons at the time were strictly toy commercials and lacked artistic merits. Almost every single  animation made today can have this show to thank for (except for the creator). Unlike Rugrats, I will review the whole run instead of doing separate review for both Spumco and Games Animation episodes. The early episodes were done at John K’s little studio called Spumco (The Danes call it quality according to the vanity plate at the end of every episode). As you may expect, the first few episodes were rather slower paced and the animation hasn’t been perfected yet (as it look like a grossout version of a Hanna Barbera show). I actually did an old review of the Spumco seasons that you access to on DeviantArt (my opinions hadn’t changed much). By the second season, the show became familiar with animation techniques that everything during it is spectacular especially the Carbunkle animated episodes. The pacing has slightly improved although it still suffers from slowness, which has always been John K’s problem even during his prime. Now that I analyzed the early seasons, does that mean I copy everyone’s opinions on the Games Animation seasons? No, because I liked them just as much as the Spumco seasons, although I can definitely see a different vibe. I only noticed the final season being off in story structure, and occasionally the animation due to different overseas studios, but otherwise Ren and Stimpy had always remained good (except for that adult themed reboot we shall not speak of). What made this show good in the first place is that it’s clearly a team effort of which artist’s style gets to showcase. It’s one of those cartoons where the art style changes depending on who work on it. As you can see, John had a strict rule about not drawing the same poses more than once. It shows, but it can be very difficult to pull off. This show don’t really had much of a supporting cast, as the titular characters are the only one to show up in nearly every episode. But what I do noticed is that certain characters only show in a specific era. You have Mr Horse and George Liquor only appearing in Spumco episodes since they also show up in John’s other works. In the Games Animation episodes, Wilbur Corr, the Lumonx, and Haggins show up. But there are few characters that show up in both era, and my personal favorite had to be the Powdered Toast Man (so good he’s in the Nick Brawl games). The music cues are just as memorable as the drawings. And the odd thing is, there isn’t original music outside of the theme song and original songs (composed by then future Angry Beavers and Jimmy Neutron composer), it just consist of stock music for a music library called Associated Production Music. Other Nick shows will soon follow suit although they have their own music composition as well. If I had to pick my favorite season, the answer is very obvious. Season 2 is when the show was its most experimental. It had stories such as the important of keeping your teeth clean, making a fart bubble, having a fan club, joining a Canadian army, and more. It’s the general consensus and I agree with everyone’s opinion that the show peaked here (and not because of John). Season 3 is a mix between Spumco and Games Animation, but it never really loses its luster. Season 4 had more mediocrity, and by the final season, it was a completely different show. With that said, I just want to vent about one thing. The popularity of this show kinda hurt Nickelodeon’s reputation for the longest time because the cartoon community are always quick to point out how gross they are. And they aren’t wrong, nearly every single of their cartoons (and some live action, which become commonplace later on) will have some sort of fart or toilet humor to remind you the impact this show had. Because of this, I feel like people never take the network seriously as it was always considered the weirdest of the big three. The only difference in the 90s and 2000s is that grossout was used in a minimalist (with the occasional gross episode that feels mandatory by the network). By the post-splat logo era, nearly every single Nicktoon that debuted put a bigger emphasis on making viewers grossed out for the sake of shock values. I get that they’re the lowest common denominator of comedy out there, but it is what it is. Kids will find that humor amusing and there’s no we can do about it. Regardless, it still had a more positive impact on the animation industry as we started getting more creator driven cartoons and the toy driven junk were out to wayside. Watch this show at your own risk, but I understand if you aren’t interested in watching because of the creator or its weird comedy style.

Top 5 Episodes

1. Space Madness
2. Sven Hoek
3. Stimpy’s Fan Club
4. Insomniac Ren
5. The Royal Canadian Kilted Yaksman

Bottom 5 Episodes

1. Hair of the Cat
2. Road Apples
3. Feud for Sale
4. Travelogue
5. I Love Chicken