Rent Rocko's Modern Life (1993 - 1996)

Rocko's Modern Life (aka Rocko) review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Among Nickelodeon’s most memorable cartoons of the 1990s, Rocko’s Modern Life was by far one of the most adult, with the exception of Ren & Stimpy (which was mostly relegated to weekends once it was discovered that the show attracted an older audience). This is most evident in the fact that the central characters are not children or animals of aloof ages. It’s quite clear that the likes of the wallaby Rocko and his animal friends are in their 20s. It’s never outright stated but it’s implied with the way the show is written.

Rocko, an Australian immigrant living in the American city of O-Town, engages in a lot of stories indicative of people in their 20s. He gets a credit card, works a retail job, deals with traffic, handles grocery bills, and has issues trying to date. He’s portrayed as weak and good-natured, making him such a likable character who only occasionally goes into a berserk mode when life pushes him too far.

His friends are in many different situations. Heffer, a steer often mistaken for a cow, lives at home with his parents and hasn’t quite found a way to exit the nest. He’s bad with money, can’t hold down a job, and has weight issues. Filbert, a nerdy turtle, lives alone and has an obsessive lifestyle. He also has the most interesting arc for being in love with the hook-handed cat, Doctor Hutchinson (a character originally developed as a joke when Nickelodeon said they wanted a woman character with a hook). They soon fall in love and marry each other, despite the wishes of their racist parents. They even have children who would later grow up in a story set far in the future which more or less ended the show.

The humor and storytelling were incredibly adult given the allegories placed into the writing. Consider the episode where Rocko’s grouchy neighbor, the frog Ed Bighead, finds himself obsessed with becoming a clown. He realizes such a profession is not as highly looked upon by his co-workers and community, forcing him to conceal his clown nature. He later discovers his boss is into clowning and tries to help hook him up with a party gig. Later, Ed comes out to his friends and family that he really enjoys the clown lifestyle. As if it weren’t obvious, this is a metaphor for being gay. And if you think I’m being hyperbolic, consider that episode ends with Rocko being looked down upon for liking rainbows, an obvious observation on how gay people are still discriminated against.

While Nicktoons such as Rugrats and Ren & Stimpy were reliable for the gross, Rocko was the most sexual show on the block. Episodes centered around characters being naked, having affairs, showcasing underwear, and even working at a phone sex shop (yes, really). Even the small jokes of episodes hinted at homosexuality. This was sometimes as minor as Rocko and Heffer sharing a glance when they say the words “I love you” during a tender moment. Other times it's more heavily implied when Rocko accidentally jackhammers Heffer in the back and Heffer gets off on it. And then there are scenes that are incredibly blatant, as when Rocko and Heffer mistakenly share a love hotel.

How some of this stuff got on the air is a mystery. Even some of the adult stuff that did get through, such as Heffer falling in love with a milking machine, were later removed from reruns. But the fact that it even got on the air for a kid audience (considering most episodes aired weekday afternoons) has made it hold up far better over time. Looking back on these episodes as an adult, this cartoon has aged like a fine wine, making me appreciate the show far more than I did as a kid (which was still a lot).

There’s so much about Rocko that works in its insightful commentary on modern society and making the troubles of an adult life feel all the more silly and compelling. Among all the Nicktoons of the 1990s, more people may remember Rugrats for running over 11 seasons or Ren & Stimpy for the cultural stamp it had on the older crowd. But Rocko’s Modern Life remains as one of the best of the lot.