5 Best ‘Rugrats’ Episodes, According to Fans
Nickelodeon‘s Rugrats first aired in 1991, running for 172 episodes over the course of nine seasons. The original iteration of the television series ended in 2004, but it still has a loyal fan base that thrives off of the nostalgia that came from the babies’ wild imaginations. Here’s a look at the five best Rugrats episodes, according to fans on IMDb.
5. ‘Aunt Miriam/The Inside Story’
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Rugrats Season 2 Episode 12, “Aunt Miriam/The Inside Story,” aired on Nov. 22, 1992.
The first segment follows Tommy Pickles and Chuckie Finster after they watch a movie featuring a giant ant. Tommy’s Aunt Miriam comes to visit and stirs up bad memories for Grandpa Lou. The babies find out that she was essentially the “Angelica Pickles” of Tommy’s grandpa’s childhood.
Meanwhile, “The Inside Story” sees Chuckie accidentally swallowing a watermelon seed. Angelica convinces the babies that the seed will continue to grow inside of him until it causes him to pop. As a result, they come up with the plan of shrinking in size to get the seed out before it’s too late. However, Angelica has an evil plan of her own.
4. ‘The Last Babysitter/Sour Pickles’
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Rugrats Season 3 Episode 8, “The Last Babysitter/Sour Pickles,” aired on Nov. 14, 1993.
“The Last Babysitter” follows Susie’s teenage sister, Alyssa, who agrees to babysit while the parents are away at a Dummi Bears rock opera. They search for a supposed monster in the Carmichael house, but it isn’t quite what they expected it to be.
Next, “Sour Pickles” takes a look back at Stu and Drew when they were babies themselves when they suddenly start arguing in the present day. Grandpa Lou remembers a time when he had them to look after while he owned a repair shop called Lou Pickles Magic Wrench.
3. ‘Mother’s Day’
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Rugrats Season 4 Episode 2, “Mother’s Day,” aired on May 6, 1997.
Unlike most Rugrats episodes, “Mother’s Day” consists of only one segment. As the title indicates, it takes place during the Mother’s Day holiday. The babies all get started on making presents for their moms, except for Chuckie, who doesn’t have one. His friends try to find him one to cheer him up, but his father explains to him that she died.
2. ‘Home Movies/The Mysterious Mr. Fiend’
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Rugrats Season 3 Episode 11, “Home Movies/The Mysterious Mr. Fiend,” aired on Dec. 5, 1993.
In “Home Movies,” the babies decide to make their own home movies after they’re invigorated by Stu’s tedious ones touring the Grand Canyon. However, their movies prove to be more interesting than the adults expect.
In “The Mysterious Mr. Fiend,” Stu puts his greatest efforts toward making a clown toy that he calls Mr. Fiend. As is the case with most of his other inventions, the toy starts to malfunction. As a result, the babies are terrified of it and try to find a way to make it a little less scary.
1. ‘The Santa Experience’
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Rugrats Season 2 Episode 14, “The Santa Experience,” aired on Dec. 6, 1992.
“The Santa Experience” is another one-segment episode that follows the parents taking their babies to the mountains to spend the Christmas holiday in a cabin to make the vacation extra special. Angelica is suspicious of the existence of Santa Claus after exposing a fake mall impersonator, but her dad, Drew, wants to reinstate her belief in Father Christmas. Angelica becomes increasingly concerned that her devious behavior could result in her getting coal instead of the extravagant toys she wants.
Rugrats fans prefer the episodes earlier in the series’ run. Many audiences thought the birth of Tommy’s younger brother, Dill, marked a dip in quality. They still hold the earlier episodes to a great degree of nostalgia, proving their rewatch value.
