Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The show focuses on a group of toddlers, most prominently Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, twins Phil and Lil, Susie, then later Dil and Kimi and their day-to-day lives, usually involving common life experiences that become adventures in the babies' imaginations.[1][2] Adults in the series are almost always unaware of what the children are up to.
The series premiered on August 11, 1991, as the second Nicktoon after Doug and preceding The Ren & Stimpy Show. Production initially halted in 1993 after 65 episodes and Germain left the series,[3] with the last episode airing on November 12, 1994. In 1995 and 1996, two Jewish-themed specials premiered; "A Rugrats Passover" and "A Rugrats Chanukah", respectively, both of which received critical acclaim. During this time, after the end of the show's production run, Rugrats began to receive a boost in ratings and popularity with constant reruns on Nickelodeon. In 1996, Klasky Csupo Inc. began producing new episodes with a new writing staff,[4] and the show's fourth season began airing in 1997. As a result of the show's popularity, a series of theatrical films were released. The final episode aired on August 1, 2004,[5] bringing the series to a total of 172 episodes and 9 seasons during a 13-year run.
On July 21, 2001, Nickelodeon broadcast the made-for-TV special "All Growed Up" in celebration of the series' 10th anniversary. Though initially intended as a one-time special, it was popular enough that it acted as a pilot for the Rugrats spin-off series All Grown Up!, which chronicles the lives of the characters after they age 10 years. Another spin-off series, Rugrats Pre-School Daze, was considered, with four episodes aired. Two direct-to-video specials were released in 2005 and 2006, under the title Rugrats Tales from the Crib. Tie-in media for the series include video games, comics, toys, and various other merchandise.
On July 16, 2018, it was announced that Nickelodeon had given a series order to a 26-episode revival of the series, executive produced by Klasky, Csupo, and Germain.[6][7]
August 7, 2001 (2001-08-07) (VHS) September 24, 2002 (2002-09-24) (DVD)[a]
After seeing his grandpa go to the bathroom so many times, Tommy Pickles wants to find out what a "great white thing" (toilet) is, creating a mess when he investigates.
Note: Although the episode was released in 2001, it was produced in 1990.
Stu and Didi strive to make Tommy's first birthday a memorable one. They do, but under the wrong circumstances. Meanwhile, Tommy wants to eat dog food so he can be just like Spike, eventually selling the other Rugrats on the idea.
"Waiter, There's a Baby in My Soup" "Baby in My Soup"
Craig Bartlett & Paul Germain
Tommy has received his most favorite toy in the whole wide world – a ball. Angelica, who is always looking to spoil the babies' fun, takes the ball and throws it into the next yard, resulting in the babies risking life and limb to look for it.
Stu and Didi end up taking Tommy to an important dinner at Chez Ennui with Mr. Mucklehoney (president of Mucklehoney Industries, a toy company), since Tiffany the babysitter (via telephone) and Grandpa have other plans (the babysitter's OTHER goldfish died and Grandpa was going bowling with a friend of his, Louise). Tommy, however, has plans of his own.
Tommy wants to see Reptar, but his parents take him and the other Rugrats, to the Westside Octoplex to see The Land Without Smiles, starring the Dummi Bears, instead. The Rugrats leave the Dummi Bears to go look for Reptar (showing at the same theater), leaving a path of destruction behind them.
Angelica stays over with Tommy, but her desire for an open window leaves Tommy feeling ill and hallucinating, which eventually leads to his vomiting on her.
Phil and Lil make a brief appearance in a diaper commercial, and they tell Tommy about it, as well as the mayhem they cause in the process.
Didi takes Tommy to her workplace, a local high school, for use as a visual aid in Home Economics. Three of her students ask to watch Tommy while Didi's on her lunch break, but when they accidentally lose him, he starts wandering around the campus, causing trouble as he does.
Having the desire for the Kingfisher 9000 (a top-of-the-line sports boat), Stu and Grandpa enter Tommy into a beauty contest by placing him in girl's clothes and a wig, naming him "Tonya". Their main competitor is Angelica, who complicates the competition.
Using tickets Grandpa won in a radio contest, Stu and Grandpa take Tommy to the Grizzlies' baseball game, where they play the Boston Bombers. Tommy, however, is more interested in catching his balloon than the ball game. As the episode progresses, Tommy's balloon hunt eventually helps make a spectacular catch for Grizzlies player Bucky Majors.
6
6
"Ruthless Tommy"
Dan Thompson
Ron Birnbach
September 22, 1991 (1991-09-22)
006
"Moose Country"
Jeffrey Townsend
Being mistaken for the son of millionaire Ronald Thump, Tommy is kidnapped by some thugs, Bob and Mike. The thieves soon find that kidnapping Tommy is more trouble than they thought it would be.
After hearing Grandpa's mythical story about a moose, the babies go look for one in the backyard.
7
7
"Grandpa's Teeth"
Howard E. Baker
Ben Herndon & Margot Pipkin
October 6, 1991 (1991-10-06)
007
"Momma Trauma"
Steve Viksten & Joe Ansolabehere
At a picnic, Grandpa is warned to keep his dentures in his mouth. However, he removes them regardless, and Spike steals his teeth while he is busy with the food. Tommy and Chuckie try to get the teeth back because the war veterans are having a concert at the picnic, and Grandpa needs his teeth to play the trumpet properly.
When Tommy draws on the walls, Didi insists on taking him to a therapist. While there, he sneaks away and goes for an adventure around the office building, while Stu ends up being psychoanalyzed.
After seeing a Frankenstein-type horror flick, Tommy and Chuckie want to see whether Stu is a human or a robot. Stu, however, has a recurring sleepwalking dream, in which he is the host of a cooking show. Tommy and Chuckie accidentally wakes him up after using a wrench on his belly button and Didi calls him out for not going to see a psychiatrist in dealing with his sleepwalking issues.
Stu orders a doll from his competitor Eggbert Toys, called "Tina Trousers", and Didi tells Tommy the doll is his baby sister arriving in the mail. Believing this, Tommy sneaks out with the mailman to the post office, causing trouble as he does.
The Pickles set up a haunted house for the neighborhood children on Halloween. As treats, they pass out "Reptar Bars", which contain "chocolate, and nuts, and caramel, and green stuff". The Rugrats go to the haunted house to search for them, eventually scaring Angelica and Grandpa as well.
A mouse is loose in the Pickles' garage and house, knocking things off of the shelves, and Stu places the blame on Spike. The Rugrats set out to prove Spike's innocence; after hearing Boris' story about a hero fighting off the "dibbick" monster with his "klobbermeister", the Rugrats go into the garage in search of this "monster".
10
10
"Weaning Tommy"
Howard E. Baker
Ann Hamilton
November 10, 1991 (1991-11-10)
010
"Incident in Aisle Seven"[g] "Incident at Aisle 7"
Dan Thompson
Lou Greenstein & Larry Loebell
On advice from Dr. Homer, Tommy's dentist, Stu, and Didi take his bottles away from him and try to coax him into drinking from a sippy cup. He isn't happy about it and wants his bottle. Even Grandpa agrees and this leads to an argument between them when he attempts to keep Tommy on the bottle. Stu and Didi later agree to return him to the bottle after Grandpa convinces them to see how unhappy he really is with the sippy cup.
Grandpa takes Tommy to the supermarket where Tommy makes a huge mess while looking for the new Reptar cereal.
11
11
"Touchdown Tommy" "Touch-Down Tommy"
Norton Virgien
Tom Abrams & David Howard
November 24, 1991 (1991-11-24)
011
"The Trial"
Paul Germain
While Didi and Betty go shopping, Stu and the guys babysit the Rugrats while watching the "Ultra Bowl XXXVII" on TV. Later, Grandpa gives Tommy a bottle of chocolate milk; Angelica, who normally thinks that she is too old for baby bottles, fights Tommy over it, which sends the Rugrats into their own "football" game over the bottle.
Someone broke "Mr. Fluffles," Tommy's clown lamp, and Angelica wants to find out who the lamp in evil, so the Rugrats hold a mock trial. The trial ends up revealing that Angelica was the one who broke the lamp, and she ends up in the high chair as a punishment when Didi picks Angelica.
12
12
"Fluffy vs. Spike"
Dan Thompson
Steve Viksten & Joe Ansolabehere
December 8, 1991 (1991-12-08)
012
"Reptar's Revenge"
Peter Gaffney
Angelica brings Fluffy, her pet cat, to Tommy's house. Fluffy ends up making a mess of things, but Angelica blames Fluffy's crimes on Spike, so the Rugrats attempt to prove him innocent.
The Rugrats go looking for Reptar at the Sleazola Bros. fair. This Reptar, however, is a cereal addict named Leo.
13
13
"Graham Canyon"
Craig Bartlett
Craig Bartlett
December 22, 1991 (1991-12-22)
013
"Stu-Maker's Elves"
Steve Viksten & Joe Ansolabehere
The Pickles experience car trouble en route to the Grand Canyon/Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. Eddie and Ace, a couple of crooked auto mechanics working at "Twin Cactus Auto Repair", try to make a simple, cheap thing more expensive, but Angelica and Tommy inadvertently stop them from further damage while playing in a "canyon" of tires.
Stu has received an order from Mucklehoney Industries for 15,000 "Patty Pants" dolls. However, he is having trouble with the machine, but Tommy and Chuckie accidentally fix it while fetching the "Zippo-Glider", which Chuckie has accidentally tossed into the basement.
Chuckie has a difficult decision to make: spend the rest of his life in diapers, or learn to use the potty. A dream has his friends forcing him on the toilet, which inspires him to use the potty for the first time.
When Phil and Lil have a huge fight, Betty decides to separate them for a while and takes Lil to play with Tommy and Chuckie. Lil soon misses her brother and the three babies decide to head next door, not realizing Phil is doing the same thing.
After wandering away from their fathers, Tommy and Chuckie unwittingly end up playing around in a closed toy store, which they never want to leave. However, they become terrified of an electronic gorilla toy named Thorg who wants eat and try to get a giant Reptar toy to help them.
Intrigued by Grandpa's pirate story, the Rugrats play "pirates" themselves.
While Didi is running some errands, she leaves Tommy at a maximum-security daycare center. Desperate for freedom, Tommy contemplates escaping with help from the other babies there.
Tommy is due to get a booster shot but soon worries about the shot after hearing Chuckie's horror story about his, but in the end it is not as bad as he thought it was.
Tommy and Chuckie match wits with Prudence, a.k.a. "The Junk Food Kid", the local playground bully at a Wild-West-themed playground.
Chuckie and Tommy decide to go through a mirror to see "Mirrorland" where "everything is the same, only different", with Didi and Grandpa's examination of various antiques making them believe they really did cross over.
Angelica falls in love with Dean, a biker-type kid who is described as "a 4-year-old's dream on a 5-year-old's bike". However, her heart is broken when he pledges his love to someone else: his mother.
Stu and Drew intend to take the Rugrats out for ice cream, but when they pass "Fun Land", a miniature golf course, they decide to stop to play a round of golf. While there, the Rugrats try to reach "Ice Cream Mountain", a gargantuan sundae (not knowing it is made of plastic).
Stu falls off the roof while attempting to install his new "Quack-O-Matic" weather vane. Suffering from a strange amnesia, Stu reverts to his childhood (as "Stuie") and becomes one of the Rugrats. The babies have fun with Stuie for a while, but Tommy soon starts to miss his father which leads to him returning to his original self.
To make room for some new stuff (including Stu's new stereo), the Pickles sell their unwanted goods at their garage sale. However, thanks to the babies, they end up unintentionally selling everything in the house.
20
7
"Let There Be Light"
Dan Thompson
Pam Wick
October 25, 1992 (1992-10-25)
020
N/A
"The Bank Trick"
Jim Duffy
Earl Klasky & Gary Gurner
While working on the anti-gravity playpen (his latest invention), Stu blacks out the neighborhood. Being afraid of the dark and wondering where the light is hiding, the Rugrats look for the light in the most logical place: the fridge.
After ruining Grandpa's chess game (being played by mail), Didi takes Tommy and Chuckie on her errands. While at the bank, Tommy and Chuckie wander around, looking for the "M&M machine" (the automated teller machine (ATM)), while inadvertently foiling a bank robbery by two crooks posing as bank examiners.
21
8
"Family Reunion"
Steven Dean Moore
Peter Gaffney
November 1, 1992 (1992-11-01)
021
N/A
"Grandpa's Date"
Norton Virgien
Steve Viksten & Joe Ansolabehere
The Pickles family reunion is held in Iowa, hosted by Hugh Pickles and his wife, Dotti. While there, Angelica tells Tommy and the other babies that reunions are swap meets for babies, with the babies being swapped to different parents.
Grandpa's night of watching 'Lonely Space Vixens' is ruined when, after 40 years, his long-lost girlfriend named Morgana pays a visit to him. Lou, not wanting Morgana to know that he is a grandfather, rushes Tommy and Chuckie to bed early. Naturally, the babies try to figure out why and end up causing trouble with Stu's mechanical couch. When Morgana finds out about the babies, she is delighted to know that Lou is a grandfather.
22
9
"No Bones About It"
Dan Thompson
David Benavente & Michael J. Benavente
November 8, 1992 (1992-11-08)
022
N/A
"Beach Blanket Babies" "On the Beach"
Jim Duffy
Mark Trafficante & James Grant Goldin
Grandpa takes the Rugrats to the natural history museum. Later, the Rugrats dismantle a dinosaur while looking for a bone for Spike. Meanwhile, Grandpa locks horns with security chief Sally Payson, while rushing around the museum looking for the Rugrats.
The Pickles and the Finsters go to the beach. Chuckie has a personal mission, which is to set free the "Sea Moneys" (Sea Monkeys) that his dad gave him.
After finding a lizard, which the Rugrats think is "Reptar's baby", they try to present it to him at "Reptar on Ice", an "Ice Capades"-type show. The problem is that the actor playing Reptar is afraid of lizards—and is not too fond of children, either.
After a game of charades between the Pickles and the DeVilles ends up causing a huge argument, the families abruptly end their friendship and wage war, upsetting the babies. While Chas is caught in the crossfire, having to return everything the neighbors borrowed from each other as well as listen to their constant bickering, Tommy is upset as he is not allowed to play with Phil and Lil anymore.
Chuckie thinks that he is really a superhero after seeing a taping of "Captain Blasto" (voiced by Adam West).
The babies try to protect Spike from the "dog broomer" (a dog groomer).
25
12
"Aunt Miriam"
Howard E. Baker
Peter Gaffney
November 29, 1992 (1992-11-29)
025
N/A
"The Inside Story"
Norton Virgien
Holly Huckins
Aunt Miriam (Andrea Martin) is mistaken for an evil alien by Tommy and Chuckie when she comes to visit.
After Chuckie swallows a watermelon seed, the babies are forced to shrink down with a laser beam and enter his body to retrieve it after Angelica tells them it will grow inside his stomach and explode. However, it turns out that the entire journey was a dream, and that the babies never shrunk down.
Joe Ansolabehere, Peter Gaffney, Paul Germain & Jonathan Greenberg
December 6, 1992 (1992-12-06)
027
N/A
After a traumatic Santa visit in the mall, the babies' parents rent a cabin in the mountains in which to spend Christmas. Meanwhile, Chuckie is scared of Santa and wants to stop him from coming, while Angelica tries to right a wrong involving Phil and Lil's toys and presents.
Dr. Lipschitz (Tony Jay), the famous child psychologist whose advice Didi always follows, visits the Pickles but is not prepared for an encounter with the babies.
Tommy and Chuckie imagine their lives as adults, but realize later that it's better to be young.
Tommy dreams that he and the other Rugrats are captured by aliens that resemble his parents, pet dog, and his grandfather. Angelica steals a planet-atomizing remote from Stuvon (Stu as an alien) and escapes with help from a talking fish. Meanwhile, the babies wander into the ship's control room and play with the controls, thinking that they are toys.
Grandpa uses his skills from working as a detective in the 1930s to look for Tommy after he winds up at the mansion home of two eccentric sisters.
When Tommy's favorite stuffed lion plush gets filthy, Didi confiscates it for a cleaning. Tommy is greatly upset by this, thinking he will never see the stuffed animal again, and Angelica helps Tommy "go bad" to get what he wants.
Angelica experiments with magic and Lil goes missing in the process. This leads to the belief that Angelica made Lil disappear.
31
18
"Meet the Carmichaels"
Jim Duffy & Rick Bugental
Steve Viksten & Joe Ansolabehere
January 10, 1993 (1993-01-10)
031
N/A
"The Box"
Norton Virgien & Jeff McGrath
Michael Ferris
New neighbors move in across the street from the Pickles, where Tommy helps the youngest member of the family, Susie (Cree Summer), find her new room.
Stu buys a self-assembly theme-park toy for Tommy but finds it too complicated to build. Meanwhile, the babies quickly find something even more fun: the box that the toy came in.
32
19
"Down the Drain"
Dan Thompson
Joe Ansolabehere
January 17, 1993 (1993-01-17)
032
N/A
"Let Them Eat Cake"
Steven Dean Moore
Steve Viksten
Tommy and Chuckie are afraid of being sucked down the drain, so they clog it in various ways to avoid having to take a bath.
The gang attends a relative's wedding, where Tommy and Chuckie seek cake.
Tommy and Chuckie accidentally lose Angelica's favorite doll, Cynthia, while Stu and Drew wash Drew's boat. While Angelica holds a funeral for Cynthia, Spike manages to find the doll.
The babies mistake a garbage truck for a monster that eats trash.
After watching a TV show about a superhero dog named "Oodles the Talking Poodle" the babies wish Spike can talk, and be a superhero as well. They get their wish when Angelica fools them with her toy executive telephone into thinking Spike can talk – instead being a scheme created by her to obtain a few cookies. But in the end, Spike becomes the hero the babies always wished him up to be.
Chuckie is afraid to go down the playground slide after accidentally getting on a giant slide at a pizza place. After Angelica intimidates him, the babies consult Susie, and she trains Chuckie to be "the bestest slider in the whole wide park".
The babies mistake a swimming pool for a giant potty, and set out to try to find the flusher. Meanwhile, Stu is struggling to overcome his fear of diving.
Grandpa competes in a bowling tournament, where Tommy and the others inadvertently help Grandpa win by exposing his bowling rival (Tom Bosley) as a cheater.
Angelica runs away from home and hides in the Pickles' backyard after being sent to her room for ruining her father's office. She later realizes her mistake when it starts raining and she has to live in Spike's doghouse, and thinks her father is happy that she ran away when in reality he is not.
After Angelica saves Chuckie's life from nearly being hit by a gang of big-wheelers, she takes advantage of the debt he owes to her by making him become her personal slave. Until she gets a taste of her own medicine at the end.
When Susie attempts to defend the babies from Angelica, the two compete to see who is the best.
Angelica schemes to pull out and steal Chuckie's teeth to get money from the tooth fairy.
The grown-ups throw a costume party, and the babies think that everybody's costumes are real, including Didi's cousin dressed as a baby, after they rub a magic lamp.
Season 3 (1993–95)
This is the final season of which Sherry Gunther was executive in charge of production.
When the grown-ups hear that Randy Carmichael is having the creator of Dummi Bears over for dinner, the grown-ups invite themselves. While the adults are keen to impress, the babies scheme to ruin it as Susie fears she might have to move.
Phil and Lil are tired of being mistaken for each other and yearn to be different, so they decide to change their personalities. While Phil decides to model himself like Chuckie, Lil chooses Angelica as her example.
41
2
"Chuckie's First Haircut"
Howard E. Baker
Written by: Peter Gaffney & Jonathan Greenberg Idea by: R.E. Daniels
With Chuckie's hair getting longer and longer, Chas decides to get him a haircut. With Chuckie too scared to sit under the scissors, the babies and grown-ups use different methods to try and show him there's nothing to worry about.
When Susie tells the babies about her time at an upcoming day camp, Angelica boasts she'd have no problem there. Eager to prove her wrong, Susie arranges for Angelica to join her.
When Susie's brand-new tricycle goes missing, she and the babies suspect Angelica is responsible and put her on trial.
Angelica, after watching an episode of "Binks McGill – Preteen Brain Surgeon", tells Chuckie that he is turning into a rhinoceros when she pretends to be a doctor; meanwhile, Drew helps Stu with taxes.
Grandpa moves into a retirement home after feuding with Stu and Didi. During a visit to there, Tommy and Angelica cause trouble trying to get Grandpa back.
The babies go camping in the backyard, and things turn bad at night when they fear that a "Satchmo" will capture them.
Angelica uses vanishing cream to try to steal desserts while Drew tries to deal with Angelica's misbehavior, along with other adults who pretend to not notice her.
When Chuckie's glasses break during an adventure, he decides to stop going on them causing a rift between him and Tommy.
The babies think that Angelica has turned into stone after a bad wish. In actuality, it is a statue of Angelica – Drew's anniversary gift to Charlotte.
While staying at Stu and Didi's for a week, Angelica fakes a broken leg to get more attention. She has a great time using a buzzer (which Stu set up) to get attention at all times, stressing out her aunt and uncle in the process. However, when Stu and Didi discover Angelica never had a broken leg and the doctor had mixed up her x-ray with that of a football player, they are relieved. Yet she faces her own karma when Drew, having heard what she did to them, punishes her by forcing her to serve Charlotte, who had actually broken her leg during their rafting trip in the woods.
47
8
"The Last Babysitter"
Howard E. Baker
Peter Gaffney
November 21, 1993 (1993-11-21)
047
N/A
"Sour Pickles"
Jim Duffy
Scott Schneid & Tony Michelman
Susie's older sister, Alisa, babysits for her younger siblings and Tommy, but things go awry when a "monster" appears.
Grandpa recalls a turning point in the childhood of Stu and Drew when Angelica gets a kaleidoscope.
48
9
"Reptar 2010"
Norton Virgien
Paul Germain & Peter Gaffney
November 28, 1993 (1993-11-28)
048
N/A
"Stu Gets a Job"
Jim Duffy
Michael Kramer
When watching a Reptar movie, the tape breaks. As Grandpa tries to get it working, the babies supply their own ending.
After Stu fails to make a perfect toy, he gets a job and is less available to Tommy than usual. Tommy tries to prevent his dad from going to work, and Stu believes that what Tommy is doing is actually what Drew is doing. The episode title of "Reptar 2010" is the same title as the last level in Rugrats: Search for Reptar.
49
10
"Give & Take" "Give and Take"
Howard E. Baker
Rachel Lipman
December 12, 1993 (1993-12-12)
049
N/A
"The Gold Rush"
Jim Duffy
Doria Biddle
Tommy plays with an inflatable clown that Stu made for him, but accidentally gives it to Chuckie, who has a great time with it. Only when Angelica points out his fear of clowns does Chuckie realize his mistake.
When the babies find a nickel on the playground, Angelica sees a golden opportunity to get rich and puts the babies to work searching for more (throwing away other "junk" like $100 bills and jeweled rings in the process).
50
11
"Home Movies" "Home Movie"
Norton Virgien
Written by: Joe Ansolabehere Idea by: Norton Virgien
December 26, 1993 (1993-12-26)
050
N/A
"The Mysterious Mr. Friend"
Jim Duffy
Michael Ferris
After being bored by Stu's home movies, the babies make "films" about their lives. The home movies are drawn up by the writers' children in this episode.
Stu designs a new toy called Mr. Friend and gives the first one made to Tommy. Although Stu believes he loves it, Tommy is actually scared of the toy (thanks to its strange design and voice) and works with his friends to get rid of it.
Tommy wants to shed his clothes to be like his dog, Spike, so he tries out naturism. The other Rugrats join in, with the exception of Chuckie; Stu attempts to keep Tommy's clothes on.
Angelica forces the babies to compete to see who gets to be in her club.
Written by: Paul Germain & Jonathan Greenberg Idea by: Samuel S. Williams
Charlotte is forced to take Angelica and Tommy to work with her, where they nearly ruin an important business deal.
After Chas's favorite CD vanishes and Chuckie feels responsible, Angelica convinces him the world would be better off without him. As he is running away, he runs into an angel who shows him how things would be worse for his friends without him.
Chuckie has a very hard time distinguishing dreams from reality.
Angelica worries Phil and Lil about which one is "their parents' favorite".
58
19
"Chuckie's Red Hair"
Jeff McGrath
Jonathan Greenburg
March 6, 1994 (1994-03-06)
058
N/A
"Spike Runs Away"
Jim Duffy
Peter Gaffney
Chuckie is tired of standing out because of his red hair, so he uses Grandpa's hair dye. He soon finds that not being noticed is not as good as he thinks.
Spike runs away from home and does not return, which leaves Tommy unhappy. Stu and Didi are also upset and decide to try and find a replacement pet, but nothing works.
59
20
"The Alien"
Steve Socki
Written by: Jonathan Greenburg Idea by: Bruce Henkin
Charlotte announces that she may be pregnant, which frightens Angelica to the point of her having a nightmare about being rejected by her parents and her new baby sibling threatening her.
The babies pretend to be superheroes to get back the action figures of their favorite TV heroes from Angelica.
61
22
"New Kid in Town"
Steve Socki
Rachel Lipman
October 15, 1994 (1994-10-15)
061
N/A
"Pickles vs. Pickles"
Jim Duffy
Paul Germain & Jonathan Greenberg
Tired of being picked on by Angelica, the babies meet a boy named Josh, who turns out to be even worse.
After Drew punishes Angelica, he worries when she tells him he will regret it. He then has a nightmare in which Angelica hires a lawyer and sues him.
Angelica swears off cookies after she suffers a stomachache but, after several failed attempts to get more, she reminisces about her first experiences with them.
64
25
"Cradle Attraction"
Jeff McGrath & Steve Socki
Peter Gaffney, Paul Germain, Jonathan Greenberg & Rachel Lipman
While attending a Passover seder at Didi's parents' house, Boris and the children (and later, most of the adults), get locked in the attic because the door does not open from the inside. To pass the time, Boris tells the children the story of why Jews celebrate Passover, and how Moses saved his people from slavery. This is the last episode that Sherry Gunther executive produced.
Season 4 (1996–97)
After Sherry Gunther left Klasky-Csupo, Terry Thoren takes over as executive in charge of production in 1994.
The Rugrats celebrate Chanukah. Boris is scheduled to perform alongside his childhood rival in a play based on the holiday's origin story; Angelica tries to find a TV to watch a Christmas special, and Stu tries to make it to the synagogue.
Grandpa and the children listen to an old detective radio show from Grandpa Lou's childhood in the 1920s of the prohibition, and the babies imagine that they're living it.
Angelica pretends to be a psychic to get goodies from the babies.
Story by : Tom Szollosi & David Maples Teleplay by : Tom Szollosi
The babies develop a fear of "dust bunnies" when the grown-ups clean the house.
Angelica goes to pre-school, and must learn to share after a bad moment. Having trouble doing so, she eventually decides to bring Tommy along with her.
After being scolded for his own bad habits, Chuckie tries to potty-train Spike.
Angelica creates a painting and thinks that she is a gifted artist, but the babies attempt to improve her creation when she is not in the room. They cause a mess when Angelica returns, but the grown-ups consider this a work of art and enter it into an art contest.
Grandpa has problems sleeping, so the others try to replace his mattress with a better one.
Charlotte's van breaks down en route to a Dummi Bears concert, and Angelica is mistaken for the daughter of an Italian restaurant owner when she goes to ask for help.
Story by : Jon Cooksey & Ali Marie Matheson Teleplay by : Brian Swenlin & David Maples
To get the babies' candy, as well as a new and better Cynthia doll, Angelica fakes a ransom and makes the babies think Cynthia was stolen. Believing this, the Rugrats attempt to get Cynthia back. When the Rugrats figure out the ruse, Angelica's doll is found by Spike and she barfs from eating the babies' candy.
While visiting the mall with Chas and Stu, the babies try to reunite a turtle with its father.
79
14
"Angelica Orders Out"
John Holmquist
Story by : Rick Gitelson & David Maples Teleplay by : David Maples
Angelica orders food from a deli—and then phones all of the other grown-ups—using Stu's voice-changer invention, which makes her sound exactly like Charlotte.
When the Pickles take their family Christmas photo in August, the babies think that Santa Claus forgot about them.
Story by : Bill Crounse & Don Pequignot Teleplay by : Barbara Herndon & Jill Gorey
When Angelica and her parents go on a road trip, Chas and Chuckie look after Angelica's cat while she is away and underestimate the difficulty of doing so.
Tommy and Chuckie fear "the Sandman" after a story while Chas is out at a Halloween party. Stu and Didi try to get them to fall asleep, but fall asleep themselves. Tommy and Chuckie then try to catch the Sandman, but end up catching Chas.
83
3
"The First Cut"
Rick Bugental
Story by : David Maples, Jon Cooksey, Ali Marie Matheson & Kate Boutilier Teleplay by : Kate Boutilier
Angelica learns a curse word from the host of her favorite children's show, Miss Carol's Happy House. Not knowing what it means or how negatively her parents will react, she begins to use it in her vocabulary.
Jonathan looks after the babies while searching for ways to blackmail Charlotte.
The babies fear there is a "bad bug" in Grandpa's bed and attempt to get it out.
Grandpa takes the babies to a bingo game at the senior citizens' center.
Note: This episode marked the final performance for David Doyle as Grandpa Lou and was dedicated in his memory. Joe Alaskey would succeed Doyle in this role for the remainder of the show's original run.
Story by : Vinny Montello & Steve Ochs Teleplay by : Monica Piper
Angelica tells the babies that the police officers arrest bad people while Chas is dating a police officer. Chuckie accidentally breaks Chas' glasses and fears that he will be arrested.
Didi's brother and sister-in-law consider having a baby, and to prove it, they babysit the babies while Stu, Didi, and the other grown-ups leave for an opera. The chore, however, becomes harder than the sitters hoped it would be.
88
8
"He Saw, She Saw"
Rick Bugental
David Maples
August 21, 1998 (1998-08-21)
084
N/A
"Piggy's Pizza Palace"
Jim Duffy
Story by : Vinny Montello & Steve Ochs Teleplay by : Melody Fox
Chuckie's latest crush has an over-protective brother.
The gang goes to a pizzeria that resembles Chuck E. Cheese's and tries to get Angelica's tickets back from a pig that "stole" them. Meanwhile, Stu and Drew attempt to beat one another's high score at a Reptar pinball game.
89
9
"Fugitive Tommy"
John Holmquist
Vinny Montello & Steve Ochs
August 22, 1998 (1998-08-22)
085
N/A
"Visiting Aunt Miriam"
Anthony Bell
Rick Gitelson
Tommy is mistaken for another troublemaking baby with a big tooth, but he attempts to prove his innocence.
When Grandpa Lou takes the babies to Aunt Miriam's to play cards, the babies are convinced that she and her friends plan to eat Chuckie and attempt to protect him.
90
10
"Uneasy Rider"
John Holmquist
Story by : Ali Marie Matheson, Jon Cooksey & Monica Piper Teleplay by : Monica Piper
August 29, 1998 (1998-08-29)
087
N/A
"Where's Grandpa?"
Anthony Bell
Vinny Montello & Steve Ochs
Chuckie is nervous about riding his new two-wheeled bicycle.
Stu and Didi accidentally leave Grandpa behind on a road trip, and Tommy and Chuckie try to give Grandpa a chance to catch up.
Story by : Rick Gitelson, Jill Gorey, Barbara Herndon, Vinny Montello, Steve Ochs & Monica Piper Teleplay by : Rick Gitelson, Vinny Montello & Steve Ochs
While Didi and Stu go on an anniversary vacation, Tommy and Angelica stay at Chuckie's house, where Chuckie learns about his ancestors. Meanwhile, Didi starts to feel seasick, and the cause is eventually revealed to be pregnancy.
94
14
"The Turkey Who Came to Dinner" "Rugrats Thanksgiving"[64]
Rick Bugental & Jim Duffy
Story by : Lane Raichert, J. David Stem & David N. Weiss Teleplay by : Mark Palmer Additional Material by : David Maples
The babies try to defend a live turkey that Grandpa wins from being Thanksgiving dinner; Stu and Drew try to watch football, Didi and the ladies try to find food for dinner; and Angelica wants to hold a parade.
Season 6 (1999–2001)
In the United States, episodes 127 to 130 were held over from this season and ended up airing during Season 7.
Chuckie accidentally wets the bed during a dream, so Chas puts him in "training pants". That night, the babies try to keep Chuckie from falling asleep so that he will not forget about waking up to go to the bathroom.
The babies form a scout troop.
121
27
"Chuckie's New Shirt"
Jeff Scott
Story by : Barbara Herndon, Jill Gorey & Stephanie McClain Teleplay by : Bob Daily
In an attempt to get Tommy's toy pony, Angelica trades the babies "magic beans", which Dil eats.
The babies think that Dil has turned into a watermelon. In reality, however, Didi took Dil inside to clean him and change his diaper.
128
34
"All's Well that Pretends Well"
Rick Bugental
Story by : Barbara Herndon, Jill Gorey & Scott Gray Teleplay by : Scott Gray
July 6, 2001 (2001-07-06)
108
N/A
"Big Babies"
Jeff Scott
Ben Siegler
Angelica is starting to show symptoms of a cold, but wants to attend a Dummy Bears' show. To keep from being unable to go, she tries to convince the grown-ups that the babies are sick instead of her.
The babies perform an initiation ceremony for Dil so he can join a club. Meanwhile, the adults make a bet to imitate their babies.
129
35
"Incredible Shrinking Babies"
Sylvia Keulen
Story by : Barbara Herndon, Jill Gorey & Peter Egan Teleplay by : Peter Egan
July 13, 2001 (2001-07-13)
120
N/A
"Miss Manners"
Carol Millican
Story by : Barbara Herndon & Jill Gorey Teleplay by : Alice Miller
The babies dream that they are smaller than they already are, and that Dil is a giant. They try to get him to take his nap, which proves difficult.
After learning manners, Angelica tries to help with a business dinner for Charlotte's boss.
The babies want to be famous, so they start a rock band.
Season 7 (2001)
During season 7, Rugrats made a change with a different format that consisted of three segments per episode. Additionally, all half-hour stories from this point on had two ad breaks instead of one.
Chuckie thinks that his life parallels that of Cinderella after hearing of the story and Angelica drawing the parallels. When he hears about a party that all the babies seem to know about (and Kimi having a new outfit for the occasion), Chuckie becomes sad thinking he was not invited, having a dream in which he is Finsterella, Angelica and Kimi are his "evil step-ed sisters", Tommy is his fairy bob brother, and Phil and Lil are Hansel and Gretel. The party turns out to be an adoption party, in which Chas and Kira adopt each other's babies as their own- they just forgot to tell Chuckie.
Angelica becomes lonely and jealous after watching all the babies play with their respective siblings (Tommy/Dil, Phil/Lil, Chuckie/Kimi.) When demanding her parents give her a baby sibling does not work, she enlists some of the babies to become her siblings for the day.
Spike has a nightmare.
Kimi falls for a piñata at a party and doesn't want the guests to break it.
Chuckie goes through adjustments with his new step-mom, Kira. Kira ends up taking WaWa, Chuckie's prized teddy bear (made by his mother) to clean him up and fix him, which upsets Chuckie greatly. Kira apologizes to Chuckie for all of the changes and returns WaWa to him, who fell into the hands of Dil and returned to its worn out look.
The babies visit a magic show.
The babies see the retirement home with Lulu and cause predictable havoc.
In this musical episode, the babies and Jonathan go to the laundromat to take care of some laundry. Angelica, who is staying home with her mother, accidentally loses Cynthia in the laundry basket. The doll ends up falling into the hands of the youngest McNulty child, who falls in love with her. The babies then fight the brothers for Cynthia and the right to play at the laundromat.
136
6
"Cat Got Your Tongue?"
Dave Fontana
Story by : Sarah Jane Cunningham & Suzie Villandry
Angelica and Susie compete in a talent contest, as do Grandpa and Lulu. A clapping meter helps decide the winner based on the crowd's applause. Angelica sabotages Susie's performance by stealing her dancing shoes, causing the girl to slip and fall around the stage. The audience loves her performance, and Susie ends up winning.
Story by : Scott Malchus Teleplay by : John E. Fitzpatrick
The babies attend a "lunch party" and must act formal.
Tommy shows Dil how things work, such as the fridge and the toilet.
Chuckie believes Kimi is going to be mailed back to Japan, so he tries to stop her from leaving.
139
9
"Day of the Potty"
Bob Fuentes III
David Regal
April 6, 2001 (2001-04-06)
137
N/A
"Tell-Tale Cell Phone"
Chris Hermans
Sarah Jane Cunningham & Suzie Villandry
"The Time of Their Lives"
Chris Hermans
Joan Considine Johnson
Chuckie breaks his home's toilet, and the Rugrats take a trip to the appliance store with Chas and Kira to get a new one.
Angelica believes she broke Charlotte's phone and hides it. But not before causing chaos by accidentally calling the police and listing herself as "extreme emergency." She ends up tearfully giving Charlotte the "broken" phone, to which Charlotte assures her its not broken, as the antenna on it breaks all the time.
Angelica pretends to be a doctor on the radio after hearing Didi and Betty listen to a doctor on the radio who helps people with their problems.
Chuckie thinks he is allergic to Kimi because he sneezes frequently, both when interacting with her and whenever she passes by him. The Rugrats believe this, so they try several ways to get him not to sneeze when he is close to her. When nothing seems to work as planned, the Rugrats believe that he genuinely is allergic to her. The actual cause, however, is revealed later: Kimi was having a dandelion in her pocket.
Strange things happen during a train ride to "Little Biendeltown", where Chuckie and Angelica's dolls vanish, as well as Minka's necklace. The Rugrats believe that there is a bandit on the train, so they try to catch him.
The babies and their parents go on a vacation at a pirate-themed family resort, with predictably disastrous results as the babies search for a treasure and Angelica starts to use credit cards.
160
2
"The Perfect Twins"
Carol Millican
Story by : Rick Gitelson, Scott Gray & Monica Piper Teleplay by : Monica Piper
November 30, 2002 (2002-11-30)
157
N/A
Betty's British cousins are nothing like Phil and Lil at a family reunion.
161
3
"Babies in Toyland"
Broni Likomanov
Story by : Mark Palmer, Monica Piper, Rick Gitelson & Eryk Casemiro Teleplay by : Eryk Casemiro
The babies visit Stu's holiday village, where Angelica forces Santa (voiced by James Belushi) to quit, and the adults get stranded in Stu's Western cabin. Kira and Chas celebrate their first Christmas together. Paul Reubens voices Hermie the Elf.
163
5
"Clown Around"
Michael Mullen
Rick Gitelson
January 30, 2003 (2003-01-30)
160
N/A
"The Baby Rewards"
Steve Ochs
The babies go to the circus.
The babies have an awards show, and the awards go to all of the others (Stu, Fluffy, and almost Angelica).
Tommy misunderstands Taffy when he hears her say she does not want pickles on her burger, thinking that she is referring to Dil when she says "I don't like dill pickles". The babies cover Dil in various things trying to make Taffy like him.
170
12
"Baby Sale"
Carol Millican
Story by : Rick Gitelson & Scott Gray Teleplay by : Rick Gitelson
Tommy loses his courage, which his friends attempt to recover.
The babies try to find an A for Didi.
172
14
"Fountain of Youth"
Jeff Scott
Story by : Rick Gitelson & Jeff Wynne Teleplay by : Rick Gitelson
June 10, 2004 (2004-06-10)
169
N/A
"Kimi Takes the Cake"
Chris Hermans
Peter Hunziker
October 5, 2002 (2002-10-05)
The children go to a cabin that has special memories for Drew, Stu, and Chas, and the babies fear that the fountain in the center of the lake at the lodge will rejuvenate the adults.
The babies search for a birthday cake in a scary house where Taffy performs.
Home video releases
From 1993 to 1996, Nickelodeon Home Video and Sony Wonder released six VHS tapes of the series.
Nickelodeon and Amazon.com produce DVDs of new and old Nickelodeon shows through the CreateSpace service. Using a concept similar to print on demand, Amazon manufactures the discs, cover art, and disc art. As of May 9, 2014[update], Seasons 1–9 were available. As of February 2017[update], the Amazon.com releases have been discontinued.[126]
In Australia, Beyond Home Entertainment has released all 9 seasons on DVD.
In May 2017, Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution released Seasons 1 and 2 on DVD.[127] In February 2018, Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Media Distribution released Seasons 3 and 4 on DVD.[128] On May 18, 2021, Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment released Rugrats: The Complete Series on DVD.[129]
September 27, 2005 (2005-09-27) (VHS/DVD)[130] November 13, 2005 (2005-11-13) (TV)
989
Taffy tells the kids the tale of Snow White as the Wicked Queen (Angelica) plots to get rid of Snow White (Susie), who lives with the Seven Babies who work in their diaper factory.
Ron Noble, Michael Dædalus Kenny, Zhenia Delioussine & Andrei Svislotski
Jill Gorey & Barbara Herndon
September 5, 2006 (2006-09-05) (DVD)[131][w] November 5, 2006 (2006-11-05) (TV)[132][x]
888
Three Jacks and a Beanstalk is the Rugrats spin on a classic fairytale, combining Jack Sprat with Jack and Jill – and creating their own version of Jack and the Beanstalk in the process. The babies get some magical beans that grows into a giant beanstalk leading to a huge castle in the sky. There, a fairy (Susie) offers them a key to the castle if they get three things for the castle's occupant, Angelica, a giantess.
^The episode was released on the A Rugrats Vacation VHS on July 8, 1997.
^The episode was released on the A Rugrats Thanksgiving VHS on October 21, 1997.
^The episode was released on the Runaway Reptar VHS on August 3, 1999.
^This episode was first released on the I Think I Like You VHS on January 11, 2000.
^The segment "Dil We Meet Again" was first released on the Make Room For Dil VHS on October 5, 1999.
^The episode was released on the Rugrats Kwanzaa VHS on September 25, 2001.
^ abcd(2–11) denotes the amount of children aged 2 through 11 who watched the episode when it premiered.
^The episode was released on the Rugrats Halloween VHS on August 27, 2002.
^The episode was released on the Rugrats Easter VHS on February 5, 2002.
^The episode was released on the Rugrats Mysteries VHS/DVD on January 28, 2003.
^The episode was released on the Rugrats Christmas VHS on September 24, 2002.
^Each of the segments from this episode premiered at different times.
^A trailer for this movie (released on other Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. DVD's throughout 2006) also includes the DVD release date, which can be found on YouTube.
^Newspaper listings had this movie listed as an untitled Rugrats special.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 34)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. October 25, 1993. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 29)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. November 15, 1993. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 28)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. November 22, 1993. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 47)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. January 10, 1994. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 32)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. February 14, 1994. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
^"Top cable shows and nets (p. 25)"(PDF). Broadcasting and Cable Magazine. October 31, 1994. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
