Nickelodeon Launches Streaming Service for Classic Shows

Perhaps only '90s kids will subscribe to Nickelodeon's new streaming service, NickSplat, which features some of the network's classic cartoons and series.

The new site was developed in partnership with VRV, a streaming service that focuses on fandom communities. They seem to have pinned down a big one with NickSplat, which will carry shows like CatDog, Rocko's Modern Life and more, according to a report by Polygon.

NickSplat launched on Tuesday, Aug. 28. It carries a healthy mixture of cartoons and live-action shows, all from the era that millennials treasure the most. Some of the biggest hits include All That, Kenan & Kel and Clarissa Explains it All. It also has AAAHH!!! Real Monsters, The Angry Beavers and The Wild Thornberrys, to name a few.

A couple of the biggest names missing from the list were Hey Arnold!, Rugrats and Invader Zim. Reporters from Polygon asked after these shows and found that they will not be available immediately. In the case of Rugrats, this is not a huge surprise, as the series is coming back to Nickelodeon for a revival series soon. There are also reportedly new made-for-TV movies for Hey Arnold! and Invader Zim in the works, so that could explain their absence.

Still, NickSplat promises to add more series to the service later on, so there is no telling what else could be on the way. At the moment, 22 shows are up on the service, with at least three more promised in the near future. For those that do not want to commit to the monthly payment right away, NickSplat is also featured as a programming block on the TeenNick channel every night at 11 p.m., according to its official Twitter page.

For those that want to dive right in, the nostalgia comes relatively cheap. NickSplat by itself can be purchased for $5.99 per month and viewed on the VRV website or through the app on various devices. However, the real value comes with VRV's premium bundle. Not only does the $9.99 per month premium service do away with ads, it includes NickSplat, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Rooster Teeth, DramaFever, Cartoon Hangover, Shudder, Geek & Sundry, Nerdist, Mondo, CuriosityStream, MUBI and VRV Select itself.

Meanwhile, die-hard animation fans took to Twitter to discuss the strange business of streaming old shows. They noted the series that did not make the list and petitioned Nickelodeon and VRV to find room in their catalogue for more deep cuts. These included Pete and Pete and Cousin Skeeter, among others.