Doug: A Funny, Average Kid

Doug was one of the first three Nicktoons to air on Nickelodeon, beginning on August 11, 1991. The series was created by Jim Jinkins, who later worked on shows for the Disney Channel such as PB&J Otter and 101 Dalmatians: The Series.

Doug focused on the everyday life of Doug Funnie and was largely an autobiographical story based on Jinkins’ childhood. The show was actually originally pitched as a children’s book before Nickelodeon picked up the story as a television series. Alongside Ren & Stimpy and Rugrats, it became a staple of Nickelodeon’s animation block.

Doug, who narrated every episode as well, was joined by his best friend Skeeter Valentine and love interest Patti Mayonnaise, as well as his dog, Porkchop. The primary antagonist in the show was Roger Klotz, the school bully. Most episodes dealt with typical coming-of-age topics, such as relationship issues and the importance of being honest.

The show was not immediately as popular as the other animated series on Nickelodeon – often credited to the fact that it was a quieter atmosphere than the other two – but it eventually took off. After 52 episodes over four seasons, Nickelodeon opted not to order any more episodes, and instead the show was picked up by Disney and put on ABC for their Saturday morning cartoon block, where it ran for three more seasons between 1996 and 1998. Following the series’ conclusion, a feature film, Doug’s 1st Movie, was released in 1999.

Doug maintains a strong fanbase, which can be seen at conventions even today as people can often be seen dressed as his superhero alter-ego “Quail-Man.” The show can still be seen in reruns on a number of channels, as well.