The babies are back! Rugrats: Season 3 and Rugrats: Season 4 both drop today, and we’ve got the scoop on what you can expect from these sets!
The Show
Every time I turn on an episode of Rugrats, I am instantly transported back in time. I’m probably around 8 years old, watching Nickelodeon in my grandparents’ basement. My family didn’t have cable growing up, so going to grandma and grandpa’s house always meant watching cartoons, and one of my favorites was always Rugrats.
Now that I’m an adult, I’ve found I still really enjoy this show. As with most shows I watched as a kid, it’s now for entirely different reasons. I’ve come to really appreciate the animation and artwork. It may not have the ‘cute’ factor of a lot of other kid’s shows, but I think that helps set it apart from a lot of other shows. Plus, I still think it’s cute in its own unique way.
Not to mention the fact that many of the episodes are definitely written with adults in mind. I believe I mentioned this in my review of seasons 1 & 2, but the parents of the babies are often featured almost as much as the kids, and their storylines are almost never about things that little kids are going to understand. These storylines are always written and animated so that they’ll appeal to kids as well, but adults will find a lot more humor in them.
The Sets
Rugrats: Season 3 is a four disk set that contains 26 episodes, containing 51 cartoons, including the half-hour length Passover special. Rugrats: Season 4 is only about half the length of season 3, with 2 disks containing 17 episodes, and 30 cartoons, including the half hour Chanukah special. Season 4 also contains half hour specials covering Mother’s Day, Summer Vacation, and Thanksgiving, but I really enjoyed that they had such an emphasis on Jewish holidays. I’m not Jewish myself, but I enjoy it when more holidays than just Christmas or Halloween get their time in the spotlight, especially ones from other cultures and religions.
Now for the bad news, there are no special features. As someone who always looks forward to making-of featurettes, interviews with the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes documentaries, and any other bonus features that could be had, I’m always a bit disappointed when sets like these don’t include any. That being said, as always, the most important thing in these sets, is the show itself, and in that area, it does not disappoint.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a fan of Rugrats, these sets are a must-buy. They may not have special features, but they have plenty to enjoy. Altogether there are over 80 cartoons in these sets, including five holiday specials. If you grew up watching Rugrats, then this set is a gold-mine of nostalgia. I highly recommend it.
